SMS Spotting

Online Resources
1

On my last activation I could not get a spot out by SMS. I use Sota Spotter to format the message and it rolls it over to my text program to send. Messages would not go. Today I tried some test spots and they still would not show up on SotaWatch. Sota Spotter uses the number 424-373-7682 (U.S.). I also found another number in an old thread on the Reflector, 530-430-7682. Nothing happened with this number either. Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks,
Ron, NR3E

2

Yes, you are not sending a valid message. Have a look at what you are sending and compare that with the SMS user guide.

That’s not been valid for 3 years.

3

Maybe I wasn’t clear. I had sent it to 424-373-7682 in the following format:

Callsign Sota Reference Frequency Mode Comment using the following:

NR3E W4T/RV-089 5.000 OTHER TEST

It did not go through. The old number I tried also but I assumed that was no longer valid.

Thanks,
Ron

4

That’s not a valid format and I’m not sure that’s a valid frequency either. Please re-read the SMS user guide so you know the message format. If your message is in the correct format if gets forwarded to SOATwatch but it will be rejected by SOTAwatch if the frequency isn’t valid or the summit isn’t valid. You need the correct format and valid information to get the spot to appear.

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5

Ron, the number is correct: 424-373-7682.
I just sent the following as a test and it worked:

$ w4c cm059 5.000 cw test

Scott kw4jm

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6

Hi Ron

Is it something to do with the ‘SMS text to clipboard’ within the settings of Sota Spotter. Try ticking the box or unticking the box during your tests with the correct phone number. I think I had the same problem a while ago after the last upgrade?? Worth a try.

73 Allan GW4VPX

7

Thanks, Allan, I tried that to no avail. It appears Android is doing something different with Sota Spotter. I have contacted Bogdan and he is checking into it.

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8

Thanks, Scott. I tried it with your format and it worked. You don’t need the slashes and dashes when you format it yourself.

9

All is good now, but I have one final question. Where does this user guide exist? I had searched the Reflector and I found a few threads, some dating back to 2017 so I am not sure I found an actual user guide.

10

In the FAQs. Top of most SOTA web pages is a line of blue links, click FAQ. It’s in there with lots of other good stuff.

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11

Thanks Andy. Found it!

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