Due to shutdown of SOTAWatch2 the SpotSMS service (http://gyalogradio.ham.hu/spotsms/) will also be stopped as of March 25, 2020.
EU users are suggested to switch to OE SMS at http://spotoe.docviper.net
SpotSMS was created by Zsolt HG4UK and the service has been active since 2009.
It gave spotting opportunity in the areas with poor 3G coverage or to users lacking suitable devices.
In an average year several hundred spots were processed.
73,
Zoli
It was the first of such services and was a brilliant idea.
I am deeply indebted to Zsolt for getting me to dabble in SMS programming.
Sadly Zsolt became SK in 2012 and will never have seen just how many spots are placed by SMS today all because of his original work.
Hello Zoli,
If you are interested in the scripts of my OE Spotter contact me.
Hardware: Raspberry 1 to 4 and a USB modem or phone (that is supported by wammu/gammu https://wammu.eu/phones/)
Software: one Python script and some emails exchanged with Andy to arrange access details for his SMS service is all that is needed.
73 Joe
@MM0FMF Thanks for the kind words, Andy.
@OE5JFE Thanks. Given the ever improving mobile data coverage, the availability of spotting apps and the EU roaming prices I decided not to invest further into running this service.
Is this effecting us UK operators ? Sms spot is my main spotting method .
73, Matt 2E0FGX
Nope. That is not affecting the official SOTA SMS service.