Hi,
after the database change on Monday I tested if I could still send spots from the Sota Spotter app on the phone and it worked. However on today’s activation I could no longer spot using the app, the message “403 Forbidden” was returned.
I know I can log on to Sotawatch3 website and spot but interested to know if this 403 error is terminal.
73
Declan EI6FR
I also have this error code. Waiting for the issue will be fixed
Unfortunately this app is no longer supported as the author is sadly an SK now.
Time to move on to a new app. There are several Android apps to choose from that are being actively developed.
I found this looking for Bogdan’s call notifying he was now SK
SILENT KEY - A plecat dintre noi, nedrept şi mult prea devreme, Bogdan Lazanu, YO3SAW (fost YO8SAW), un om minunat, un radioamator inovativ şi un prieten desăvârşit. Familia şi prietenii se vor despărţi de dânsul sâmbătă 11 mai ora 12.30 la cimitirul Eternitatea din Bârlad. (Info YO8CQQ)
SILENT KEY - Bogdan Lazanu, YO3SAW (formerly YO8SAW), a wonderful man, an innovative radio amateur and a perfect friend, left us, unjustly and far too soon. Family and friends will say goodbye to him on Saturday, May 11 at 12:30 p.m. at the Eternitatea cemetery in Bârlad. (Info YO8CQQ)
and when his funeral was
YO3SAW Lăzanu Bogdan (ex YO8SAW) May 2024 ?
11.05.2024 at 12:30, Eternitatea cemetery in Bârlad
info YO8CQQ
YO3SAW Lăzanu Bogdan (ex YO8SAW) May 2024 ?
11.05.2024 at 12:30, Eternitatea cemetery in Bârlad
info YO8CQQ
Very sad news indeed.
any recommendations ?
Declan
Same here, tried the app on my last activation and noticed:
It is not possible to update the summit list anymore (this is not working for several months) … so the app will probably have problems showing spots/alerts with new added summit references correct.
Spotting via SMS should continue to work because all the app does is format the SMS message for you. The message is delivered via your normal SMS app on your phone.
One Android app that is still being developed and supported is ‘SOTA Activator’ by Jess @AF7QD
I don’t believe it has the ability to format SOTA SMS messages for you, but perhaps Jess would implement that feature if there was demand.
Does anyone have any contact to the family or possibly club of Bogdan Lazanu, YO3SAW? If the source code does still exist it may be possible to revive the application.
(Note: came here because I was googling the very same 403 error).
I was in contact with him while he was still with us.
And I suggested to make it Open Source be we was not willing to do so.
73 Joe
Sorry to hear that YO3SAW went SK.
It was a great app for my Android phone while it worked but its a thing in our hobby where a lot of participants me included are getting old and at the other end of our lives. We are so fortunate to have SOTA as a hobby or pass time and most of us still able to hike and play SOTA or chase from home if we can’t. I find the latest version of SOTAwatch3 on my Android works as good as any app when out activating. So now I use that.
Regards
Ian vk5cz …
I am seeing the option of having passed the source code on to someone else, not necessarily open-sourcing it. Open-source development can be a wholly unpleasant affair at times which is why I have stopped providing unpaid support for ungrateful “users” for numerous Arduino libraries I provide “for free”.
Still, with YO3SAW SK we are essentially looking at bits rotting at some hard drive. Joe @OE5JFE, can you please try and reach out again and check if there would be a possibility to obtain that source code?
There are plenty of options available for Android, maybe let’s not disturb his family on what may well be a wild goose chase
I agree with Andrew.
Let’s follow this suggestion and motivate Jess to add (potential) missing features to his new tool.
Or use the combined logging and spot function in Ham2K PoLo
Or configure HamAlert to send push notification for specific SOTA spots. All of that works great.
Saddened to hear Bogen is now deceased. His Sota Spotter was a excellent app which worked well.
My thoughts to his family and friends.
73 Wal VK2WP