Database, SOTAwatch now working again

I’ve just been notified that the server hardware issue is fixed and everything should be fine. I did a few quick checks and found no issues.

This means the Database is working and services such as SOTAwatch that use the DB will also now be working.

Thank you to everyone who mailed me with problem reports. When my personal email software starts pinging away then I know something SOTA is happening. In particular thanks to Ed DD5LP, who always tries to provide me with detailed fault reports.

Of course, if you do find anything, then please let me know.

Andy
Database Manager

2 Likes

Back from my little ON-tour and glad the database is back on.
The thread “Can not spot on-011 for on/pb2t/p” initiated by S52CU is gone.
I was unable to spot myself and thought it was because of no 4G/3G/2G coverage.
When I worked Mirko he said he would spot me. He came back that he couldn’t. I feared that I was on a summit that no longer existed.
Then it appeared the database was down.
With the bad conditions it was very difficult to work the minimum of four stations. Good to notice that there are still some chasers who know how to tune the band. And I realised that I could tune the band as well to look for stations calling CQ.

73, Hans PB2T

Thanks Andy for all you do for SOTA!

Old threads reporting fault issues which have been fixed are deleted as a matter of course.

Andy. Thanks for info re. Database. Very good of you to keep us all so well informed and so promptly.
I can now update my chaser log. 73 de Paul M0CQE.

Many thanks for your effort Andy!
73 de geert ea8/pa7zee

What were you using to spot with Hans? As far as I could see smart phone apps were working still, as was SMS - it was only the SotaWatch web interface that was having problems - so it’s possible that the reason you couldn’t originally spot was lack of 2G/3G/4G coverage as you had suspected.

73 Ed.

Ed, I was using SOTAgoat and the SOTAwatch web.

73, Hans

I used SOTA Spotter and it worked OK, I saw other spots from SMS and RRT, so SOTAGoat must use some method where it communicates with the database (which I didn’t think it did). As you were able to access the SOTAWatch Web interface, that suggests that you must have had cell access - the main thing is that it got fixed.
Just getting ready to haed out to my summit this morning - unfortunately the K Index is back up to 5! So it’s probably not going to be easy, but we have to try. At least the high K index may reduce the number of contest QRM makers…

73 Ed.

I also tried to spot Hans with RRT, but no success. So, unusual situation.
Thanks Andy for your great effort and contribution to SOTA.
73, Mirko

SOTAwatch uses the database to get the summit info that you can see when you hover on a spot. When the database is not available this fails and you cannot spot.

Spotlite is a very simple alternative UI to SOTAwatch and was written for the period when phones were just getting Internet access. It was designed to work on these low spec phones. It does not try to get info on the summit and so can spot when the database is not available.

My SMS spotters use the Spotlite interface to post spots because it is simple to access from a program unlike SOTAwatch. So this means you can spot by SMS when the database is not available.

Many 3rd party apps use Spotlite or send an SMS which will indirectly use Spotlite so they will work when the database is not available.

Don’t all rush to use Spotlite, it will be discontinued soon (no date yet).

We could get SOTAwatch to cache summit info. Then we would be paying to store data in the database and on SOTAwatch and we would need to figure out how to implement cache coherency when the database is updated. It;s all swings and roundabouts were we try to balance the cost / benefit ratio to give the best service to SOTA users. Especially as we provide the SOTA web services for free.

This is why I believe we all should think of making some donation from time to time.
Many of us are having so much fun with this SOTA thing that giving some money back to the people making it possible with their hard and volunteered work is absolutely fair,
I do it about twice a year. Just a few € each time but it’s something at least.
Indeed, much better than nothing, isn’t it?
If we all do it, there should be some budget as to pay certain services.
Think about doing it now if you have never done it.
Cheers,

Guru

Andy, any chance of continuing spotlite indefinitely? I find it very handy when on the edge of internet connectivity with the phone as only the bare minimum needs to be downloaded which usually results in a successful spot versus the regular spot page.

Matt
VK1MA

A lightweight interface is needed still for areas of marginal signet etc. and there will be a transitional Spotlite-lite. I think I volunteered to write that too. That is to give app writers time to update their apps to the new API. Then Spotlite wont be needed at all.

So Spotlite in its current form will go. It’s too hard to maintain outside of the common core that is being developed. There will be transitional support. But the old code and hardware is going to a retirement home for aging servers and software.

I have forgotten my Sota Watch PW but the contact form to get a new PW doesnt work?
tnx for Help
73, Guido, HB9BQB

In what way doesn’t it work?

when I try to login:
"cannot find user with such info*

when I click “forgot password”
and I fill the form:
HB9BQB
g.giannini@bluewin.ch
“no such user exists”

Maybee my emailaddress has changed? I do not remember.

I am confused, SOTAwatch doesn’t give that error message for a login fail and doesn’t have a password reset function.

The SOTA website contact form Summits on the Air uses a ReCaptcha test to check you are a real person not a computer/robot. You do not need to login in to the website to use the contact form.

If you fill in the contact form and state the websites you have problems with then we can fix your login issue. I can’t do it.

OK Andy
Following your Link …/Contact and after filling out the form and using the ReCaptcha the following
error mesage comes up:

We are unable to process your contact request. Please try again in a while.

I believe Jon is already looking into this problem with the contact form as I reported it to him on Friday.

Ed.