Is there an Android App out there that can create a new alert on SOTAwatch?
I use Rucksack Radio Tool but it can only send a spot, not an alert (as far as I can tell).
Thanks & 73,
Barry N1EU
Hi Barry,
Spotilite http://old.sota.org.uk/Spotlite/alert
Is so “lite” i think just a browser is enough for the job.
73, Panos, SV1COX
Hi Barry, while there are several Android apps that will send a spot, I know of none who will send an alert. You could use Pocket SOTA but it simply opens a browser pointing at Sotawatch, so you may as well do that yourself.
Most activators set up their alerts from a PC or tablet via a web browser the day before (or earlier) and only spot from the actual summit.
Ed.
A word of caution, Spotlite is living on borrowed time and will be replaced so it’s not advisable to start using it if you have not been using it in the past.
Barry, use a browser.
1 Like
Any idea when it is going to be retired?
Not until there is a new SOTAwatch and its API is functional and everyone has had plenty of time to update/replace apps using Spotlite to the new API.
Spotlite is a lighweight web page which was originally designed to be compatible with WAP for those of you with long memories of obsolete technology.
Andy, while is so ligthweight where is the need to close? I think is the simplest way to have a spot form in any app.
73, Panos, SV1COX
SOTAwatch and Spotlight are old and written using old technologies and so are difficult to maintain and support.
Their replacements use modern web technologies which have many years future in front of them. Rewriting them to use modern styles and idioms is important so that all devices (PC, tablet, phones) are supported well.
Secondly, because of how they were written and the servers they run on means not all the MT can have admin rights on those servers. This makes the job of support sit squarely on Jon’s shoulders. The replacements will run in the cloud, most likely Azure and that means that we can spread support over Jon, myself, Andrew VK3ARR as a minimum. We get people in 2 vastly different time zones able to work to rectify issues if we need.
The replacements will have an API for 3rd party apps to interface with. This will make it much easier for apps to spot/alert/get spots/get summit info etc.
1 Like
Do you really need an app to send an alert ? If you have access to the internet with your smartphone, why not use http://www.sotawatch.org/alerts.php directly ?
A dedicated “lighter” version of the page could arguably be more readable on a phone, but the current one works fine for me…
No doubt that you know what it is feasible or not and that we, as radio amateurs, must always use and promote any advanced technology exists but, to the other side, spot in Spotlite is a one line HTTP request. Hope it will be still so simple after the changes.
I have a very hard time keying in all the alert form info on my little Andoid phone’s browser. I was hoping there might be an app so that I could enter the data ahead of time and then be able to send out the alert with a minimum of fuss and delay when I needed to.
73, Barry N1EU
Barry, I use the android app called SOTA spotter, by Bogdan Lazanu. It allows you to put your information in ahead of time and when you are ready you can just send using the SMS gateway. 73 de Scotty
Also I have a terrible time trying to text with my fingers. I end up having to redo half my message because the touch pad selected the letter , next to the one I wanted. I carry one of those small aluminum pointers with a rubber tip on it. Better results for sure. Hope this helps.
1 Like
Thanks very much Scotty! I just downloaded it and will give it a try.
I also found an Android app “SMS Template Plus”. This allows me to make an SMS message template before I go out on an activation so that I just need to push one button, enter the frequency, and it will send out an SMS spotting message for me. In other words, it allows you to specify prompts within the template. It’s available free or as an ad-free version for $1.99.
Is Droidspot not simpler to use? You fill in the spot into the form boxes and it sends the SMS for you.
It’s in the play store.
No. I want to PRE-FILL all the info, except frequency.
Once you’ve filled it, then every time you come back to it, that data is still there. You would need to restart the phone or hard stop the app to clear out the info. Of course you only get one memory.
Azure? Not google cloud or AWS? Is that through choice?
Yes. They’re all much of a muchness.
From experiences at work it does things in a very odd way.