I use SOTA Goat for spotting, and so was wondering is there a way to set the QRT flag (image below), from the comment field? Rather than have to use the button in SOTAwatch?
I have tried the obvious QRT but that doesn’t seem to work.
In the past two months I have written to Rockwell on two occasions, requesting a code update to SOTA Goat.
On each occasion I haven’t been afforded a reply.
Andrew VK1AD
2 Likes
Yes as Andrew intimates, SOTA Goat needs updating to support QRT messages.
This may seem bizarre and an outlandish suggestion but as SOTAwatch is a website using http: to access the servers and SOTA Goat is an app using http: to access the servers i.e. they are two different displays accessing the same servers by the same methods, why not just use SOTAwatch? Especially as it, you know, works!
3 Likes
It is a reasonable suggestion 
However for me it’s the ease of seeing the display, and ease of navigation on my iPhone. SOTA Goat offers clean simple display that I can see easily, and I can have spot page open in 2 clicks. A browser on an iPhone is bit more difficult to see and navigate.
2 Likes
Perhaps because it isn’t formatted the way someone wants. I’ve just discovered that the desktop site, appropriately zoomed, looks better on my phone than the default mobile site.
This is SOTAWatch on my Android phone using the default Google browser. I don’t know how it will display in Apple’s browser on an iPhone but it ought to be something similar. It’s also sizable with finger so you can squeeze it a little bit to get everything in the width if you need to.
Stangely, I had to select “use desktop site” in Chrome otherwise it was too small to read (the reverse of what you would expect).
73 Ed.
That’s the nail on the head, this is the screen loaded on SOTA goat when I arrive on a summit, I find it very easy, as long as I have set the correct callsign in the settings
1 Like
Because the apps autofill my callsign, summit, and mode so I only have to update the frequency when moving bands.
1 Like
So does my browser 
I can go with that. But one method does what you want and the other doesn’t. Pragmatism suggests it’s time to learn a new UI 
2 Likes
True, SOTA Goat is available on the App Store 
Or remember an old UI… I haven’t used my 705 since last year, 13cms fun tomorrow so I need to get it out, check its battery is charged etc. Only problem is it’s so long since I used I’ve forgotten how it works. OK proding buttons and touching the screen and it’s slowly coming back. The one thing I’ve not forgotten is it is so much heavier than the KX2.
For what its worth, I use Ham2K PoLo for logging and simply enter “QRT” in the call sign box and press the “Send” button. This is one of the shortcuts. It then sends the QRT alert which shows up properly in SOTAwatch3’s alerts.
6 Likes
We decided against that because it’s quite common to see comments like “10 mins on this band then QRT” which would be misinterpreted.
This is easily done in SW3 by using the copy spot button.
2 Likes
Thanks, just had play with Ham2k it looks good, I will give this a try 
If the problem is with a third-party app then shouldn’t they be contacting the developer not moaning here? I have the Sota Spotter (android) on my phone as a backup, but it is really basic, not that it bothers me, the developer has probably forgotten all about it by now!
2 Likes
I am not sure how you have interpreted the original question as moaning?
The original question of this thread was not about the app, but if it was possible to set the QRT flag with a comment in the comment field.
Andrew has kindly explained why that wasn’t implemented.
Doh! I hadn’t realised this option existed! I’ll be trying that next activation.
It’s been awhile since I’ve used APRS to spot, but does anyone know if there is support for the QRT flag with that method? I certainly prefer SOTAGoat because of the activation zone feature, and the simplified spotting layout is easier for me to manage with cold/tired fingers and eyes on the summit, but firing off a pre-saved APRS message during breakdown would be a piece of cake.
1 Like
@G0LGS would be the person to ask about APRS2SOTA.
Treat all such AZ features on apps with extreme caution, they are easily confused and may tell you that you are in the AZ when you are not!
3 Likes