Suggestions for SOTAwatch 3 or 4

SOTA friends,

At home in the shack I’m using SOTAwatch.sota.org.uk on a spare PC to keep an eye on SOTA activation messages, plus SOTAspotter phone app to buzz “SOTA” at me in CW when the spare PC updates. It works, but it would be even better if:

  1. SOTAwatch would “ping” at me whenever a new alert arrived.
  2. SOTAwatch told me how many points each alert was worth. I already have the ‘Expanded spots’ selected but I don’t see the points values (unless I’m missing a secret setting)
  3. The audio “ping” was keyed to the number of points e.g. 300 Hz for 1 pointers, 1500 Hz for 10 pointers, or one [short] ping per point (possibly user-configurable?).
  4. “Test” alerts (meaning alerts containing the case-insensitive string “test”) could be blocked/ignored - either ignored completely or just silent. I understand that activators need a way to check that the tech is working before they scramble up to the summit, but sitting at home their tests are a little annoying. If there is ever a SOTA contest, an exception could be made to pass and alert on the string “contest”).

What do you think?

73
Gary ZL2iFB

2 Likes

That is a lot like the SOTAwatch filter built by ON6ZQ. It sends “SOTA” in Morse for a new spot.

https://www.on6zq.be/p/swf/index.html#/spotfilter

wunder

1 Like

Sorry, but I think you are asking for too much from those who maintain SOTAwatch.

73
Ron
VK3AFW.

5 Likes

It already does.

2 Likes

I’m sure some people like the option in some modern cars for it to tell them whenever they cross a white line. Personally I switch it off. So, not for me, but I accept I’m not that dedicated to chasing.

2 Likes

Gary

What you are asking for is well within the use of the existing APIs. Just write your own code and it will do exactly what you want !

https://api2.sota.org.uk/docs/index.html

No doubt the database admins may have a view on how often you poll the database.

I have written my own in Python which also polls the WOTA database currently set to every 300 sec when I run it.

73 de

Andrew G4VFL

2 Likes

Sotlas is another API client. It can play a sound for incoming spots:

https://sotl.as/spots/sotawatch

2 Likes

Mine plays the same chime for minor warnigs such as “it’s cold and maybe icy” to “4 flat tyres” to “incoming Vympel R-37M missile, eject now”. i.e. there’s no audio difference between informative alerts and serious fault alarms. Very poor.

3 Likes

All good suggestions, but no one is suggesting the audio alert feature actually on SOTAwatch. Go to your username, click on it and select the Settings button. There’s a range of pleasant voices there in a variety of dialects.

You can also exclude spots containing the word test by going to the main settings panel as previous or to the top of the Spots tab and using, as a filter, the regular expression “^test” - I think, without having a reference handy, but there will be a particular expression that can be used.

The different alerts based on points types is probably not easy to do right now, but I will think about it.

2 Likes

Thanks Andrew. I’d forgotten about that setting, despite having tried it in the past.

Now we just need some way to stop her talking over the speakers in my Zoom meeting. :wink:

2 Likes

Thanks for the link. Yes, that’s close to what I’m asking for. I like seeing the points right there on the list.

I’ll give it a go today.

Re the audio alerts, I currently get “SOTA” buzzed out in CW on my cellphone’s vibrator. At about 18 WPM, it can be quite annoying, a source of QRM in the shack! I’d prefer a simple ping, blip or chime - ideally I’d like it to play an audio file of my choice.

73
Gary

Thanks Ron. Are you a SOTAwatch maintainer?

Is it OK for us to discuss potential improvements, or is that forbidden?

73
Gary ZL2iFB

Ham spirit is to work a SOTA station when possible. And it’s fun anyway. So why?

Ahoi
Pom

2 Likes

Errr, only if you mouse-over a spot … and the pop-up message soon times out.

ON6ZQ’s page shows the points on the list. That’s what I meant.

73
Gary ZL2iFB

Tnx Andrew.

It’s a long time since I did any coding - way back when Babbage was a lad!

73
Gary ZL2iFB

OK, so it would need to be turn-on-and-offable, a simple user setting.

I’d like some choice over which sound get played too.

73
Gary ZL2iFB

Thanks. Hmmm, nice display! I’ll try that site out today as well.

73
Gary ZL2iFB

The ‘why’ is because I am mostly busy doing other things.

If an 8 or 10 pointer comes on, that’s a higher priority interrupt for me than a 1 or 2 pointer. If I’m not busy, then I’m only too pleased to chase any and all SOTAs … and IOTAs and DXCCs and portables and special event stations and friends and unusual paths and … whatever.

73
Gary ZL2iFB

Hi Gary, see my post. It’s already a simple user setting (and I am the SOTAwatch maintainer :slight_smile: )

User uploads of their own audio is perhaps a possibility, but we would have to work through copyright implications for that, which are jurisdiction dependant. If you have specific examples, I can add them. I will add a few more options tomorrow. I have 2 10 pointers lined up today that will take priority :slight_smile:

1 Like

So the immediate issue would be that you may get several spots in a minute and the alert only plays once, so I would need to work out how that’s best handled. Probably just play the highest points level