DroidSpot (Android Spotting App) and the new release of Android OS (Lollipop) do not play nice together. It crashes as soon as you start the App.
I will be working on a new release to fix this. But until then if users of DroidSpot want to continue using it… don’t upgrade to Lollipop.
73
Andrew
K1YMI
Hi Andrew,
Are there two versions of Droidspot? I have found the App “Droidspot EU” from Cosmic Debris Labs in the Playstore, which is a SOTA related app and the instructions direct users to contact Andy to add their phone numbers to those allowed to submit SMS messages - so it looks like the correct app.
Is there in fact a DroidSpot US (and indeed DroidSpot AUS) for the other two SMS access points and is the app region specific - i.e. in Europe you can only get the Droidspot EU app ?
By the way Droidspot EU installed OK and reported that it had sent my test spot via SMS but nothing appeared at SOTAWatch - I suspect the app may not handle a Dual SIM phone, or use the SIM I haven’t regstered? I can’t see any settings options to set my callsign or which SIM to use. But the app does not crash. (I’m only on Android 4.0.3 however).
73 Ed.
Hi Ed,
Yes, there are two versions. One for Europe and one for North America. Long story, but the SMS phone numbers are hard coded into the APP. I plan to combine the two Apps into one and add the number for AUS also. That way if you travel outside of your normal region, all you will have to do is change the number and make sure your number is registered.
Yes all the Apps run fine on pre Android 5.0 (Lollipop). The only users that will have an issue are users of the Nexus range of Android devices. The Moto X & G later this year. Samsung, HTC etc devices are early 2015 I think.
So this only affects a very small subset of devices. In fact as far as I can tell by the stats, there is only one Android 5 user… and that user is myself !
It was more of a heads up if someone was planning on sideloading ahead of time … and then wondered why it stopped working.
73,
Andrew - K1YMI
I just installed the app and was curious how long the turn around time is before being registered?
I added you at about 2100Z on 16-Nov. I can only assume the email to you has been consumed by a spam filter somewhere. Anyway, you’re good to go.
Oh…my…gawd…
I’ve just upgraded my Nexus 7 (2012) to Lollipop. What a shipment of fail the new UI is. It seems the design requirement was to make everything require many,many more user actions than before. Oh and we’ll make it look horrible too. Accepting the upgrade was not the best move if you rate usability. 
On a loosely related topic, Apple have just released yet another “upgrade” of their iOS … ver 8.1.1. I grasped the nettle last night and installed it on my iPad2. It hasn’t crashed it … yet!
Walt
I like Lollipop… looks nice… But not happy about having to re-write my App. It however has pushed me to make some changes that have been on my wish list of things to do when I have time… or in this case… force to make time.
On Lollipop I was hoping that they would fix the lack of USB Audio output… My Nexus 5 still does not work with my Car Dock ;(
At least my battery doesn’t drain away before my eyes since upgrading. But you can’t see that because your eyes are burning with the ugly images.
You have to drag the settings down twice or use two fingers to get the fuller setting dropdown. Touching wifi doesn’t take you to the wifi screen but turns it off, same with Bluetooth. When you visit Bluetooth window now the device automatically does a Bluetooth Inquire for devices whether I wanted it instead of when I press the “go find new devices”. Likewise I’m now discoverable when that window is open.
Brightness slider does not show I’m in auto brightness but actual level. If I touch it to change level it does and turns off auto brightness. To turn that back on you need to goto settings, display and turn it on.
Recent apps windows now does some silly animation. Just as well the device seems much faster because all the speed up is wasted on bloody animations. 30 years back I was impressed by animations, now JUST OPEN THE DAMN WINDOW AS FAST AS YOU CAN! That’s why I bought something with a fast CPU/GPU, not for it to be as slow as 10 years ago because the window is dancing about and blending from one image to the other. Why doesn’t recent apps fill the whole screen with recent apps icons or shrunk screens instead of making me waste what’s left of my life scrolling through like it’s a Rolodex.
The default keyboard loses the outline of the keys. If you have a bit of diabetic nerve damage your not too sure if you are touching the screen or not with your finger tips and if you have fat fingers like me, having a box to aim for is a damn good idea. (OK I found the keyboard themes and got the old layout back).
Most of the apps like calculator look like they have come from an old copy of Windows 2 running on an EGA monitor, it’s pig ugly, But so is iOS8 so Apple can sue Google for making Lollipop copy their uglyness.
I’d love to meet the UI team and introduce them to my friend the clue-hammer!
I have a new version of DroidSpot, and I’m looking for a few testers. If anyone with an Android device would like to test… PM me and I’ll add you to the Google Community Beta Test.
73
Andrew - K1YMI
The new version of DroidSpot can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.
It now works with Android 5.0.
I combined the two versions of the App (NA & EU) into one. So now you can use the same App to send spots via SMS to the North American or UK numbers. I also added the VK SMS number.
As this was a completely new build I could not continue the current version of DroidSpot, So if you already have DroidSpot installed you will get a link requesting you to download the new version. You can then uninstall the older. Going forward any updates will automatically be pushed from the Play Store.
One benefit of the new App is if you are traveling abroad and plan to do SOTA activations, you can just go into the settings screen and change your default SMS number to the local number.
73
Andrew - K1YMI /GM1YMI
I believe that registering for the UK gateway also allows access from the VK gateway, because of the way that is set up, but if I were to travel to the Us and wish to SMS a spot to the USSOTA SMS gateway, do I need to register there in addition to the UK registration?
Ed.
Hi Andrew,
Just installed the new version of DroidSpot and in set-up I am forced to register my number, which then geneates an email to Andy. This would normally be fine except, I already have my numbers registered on the UK SMS gateway.
The cell phone number entry field also does not allow the entry of the plus (+) symbol which is the normal way to indicate an international dialing prefix is required, or will be received with the number. This is important as while in one country the International prefix may be 00 it can be 0011 or 009 in other countries. Having the ability to use ‘+’, which is decoded to the correct prefix in the cell phone system avoids this problem.
73 Ed.
I’ve also just installed DroidSpot and had a frustrating time fumbling through the callsign/number registration. I’m trying to send a test spot - the frequency entry was grayed out which confused me but it did allow me to type it in. But it’s giving me an Association Error when I try to send W2/GA-001. Maybe it’s smart enough to know I’m not on W2/GA-001? I guess I’m just a dummy or smartphone-challenged 
73 Barry N1EU
Maybe you should actually enter W2 and GA-001 in the boxes and try again?
Just a cautionary note. Many users of Nexus 7 devices with 3G/LTE have found that once Android 5.0.2 is installed, they loose data connection. The settings confirm that you are registered for data on your network but you cannot get any data connection. You see the normal signal bars icon with an exclamation mark on the right side. My Nexus 2013 LTE was working perfectly until Android 5.0.2 - now no data - 5.1 is due to be released in the next few weeks - hopefully that will solve the issue.
I got 5.1 pushed to my Nexus 7 2012 (wifi only) this morning.
Ed,
Sorry for the delay in reply. I only just noticed your question. Once you have registered, your call will work on all 3 SMS services. Just change the number in the settings to the one you want to use and you are all set.
73
Andrew - K1YMI / GM1YMI
Barry - the text that is greyed out in the boxes are just examples of what to enter. Just type over the them with what you would like to put in.
i.e.
W2
ga-100
144.200
etc
Do you think it’s better to make the entry boxes blank ?
I’m open to suggestions on how to make the App more user friendly… Input from users is appreciated.
73
Andrew - K1YMI / GM1YMI
It’s a problem that in poor light / outdoors the contrast between grey and black is not obvious.
One improvement could be to highlight the box of the first field in error. So if you enter an association but no summit then that is highlighted in orange. The highlighting could move to each box in error until you have a valid submission filled in.