Spot 1.9.6 Released on 15 November.
This release fixes two bugs: the first bug involved the formatting of frequencies of spots causing some programs using Spot's server function to not recognize the spot. The frequency sent to programs using Spot as a server no longer have formatted frequencies. Second bug was the inappropriate warning that an update was in progress via Spot's update mechanism. This initial check has been disabled and a newer version of the update mechanism will be implemented in the next release.
K3NC Review in Oct., 2008 CQ Magazine
Read Neal's review of the fantastic Flex-Radio Systems Flex-5000a transceiver in the October 2007 CQ Magazine or download a pdf version from the Flex-Radio website (click here).
Neal Campbell, K3NC, Receives Software Excellence Award.
On May 17, 2008 at the FlexRadio Banquet and Forum held at the Dayton Hamvention, a Flexi Award was presented to Neal Campbell, K3NC, in honor of providing services and solutions to all Flex Radio operators. Flex-Radio stated that Flexi award were given to people who recognized an opportunity to unselfishly give of themselves a knowledge or skill that advanced the cause of software defined radio and benefited the FlexRadio community as a whole. You can read more about the Flexi awards on the FlexRadio web page at this URL: http://www.flex-radio.com/Users.aspx?topic=flexies.
virtuallY
A virtual Y cable, for Windows platforms, makes connecting amateur radio programs to each other possible. Go to download page for version 1. If you are a PowerSDR user, use K5FR's DDUtil program.
Setting spot/announcement filters by country prefix
Screen Details
We are now looking at the display in the preference window where you can define filters based on DX prefixes. Most DXClusters allow some spot filtering by DX, if you can remember how to set them. Spot remembers for you, so just click and forget!
This display will change based on the capabilities of the DXCluster type you are connected to. Some, for instance, do not provide spot filtering by the dx prefix of the spotter. Others do not allow filtering of announcements. Spot will deactivate the relevant butons so you know exactly what you are doing.
Spot will define filters that either reject the selected countries or only include (pass) these countries. This is controled by clisking on the radio buttons on the bottom left.
Aids are provided to quickly select prefixes based by continent.
The main options are:1. to filter spots by where the spotted callsign resides; to filter announcements by the prefix of the announcing station; or, 3. filter spots based on where the spotter lives.
One caveat: AR Cluster will not allow you to select more than 70 prefixes. If you are connected to an AR Cluster node and select more than 70, when you click the Update Cluster button, Spot will alert you of too many countries selected so you can select the proper number.
If you ever want to refresh your memory on what your filter selections are, just bring up this display and the filter settings will automatically be shown. Click on the various filter type radio buttons and the display immediately changes to show that filter setting. Spot checks these settings in real time, so even if you entered in a manual command to change them, Spot is smart enough to display what the Cluster has for your filters.
