DXSeeker – DX application testing
I've been working for some time on a small project for radio amateurs called DXSeeker, and it has now reached a stage where real-world testing by as many users as possible would be very useful, both to validate its operation and, especially, to identify the limitations of the current hosting environment.
The idea behind the application is simple: to automatically monitor information from several public sources regarding radio activity and propagation conditions, and to identify DX opportunities relevant to each individual user, based on their Maidenhead locator, selected bands and operating modes.
DXSeeker correlates information from DX Summit (voice spots), PSK Reporter (digital-mode spots), RBN (CW spots), and NOAA propagation data, rather than relying on a single spot or source. The results are scored and filtered so that users receive potentially relevant opportunities from their own QTH instead of a continuous stream of raw spots.
In the current version, users can configure:
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their Maidenhead locator;
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the bands they want to monitor;
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operating modes (voice, CW, digital);
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the scoring threshold above which an opportunity is considered relevant enough to be reported.
The application can generate email and push notifications when potentially interesting conditions are detected and the calculated score exceeds the user's selected threshold.
The project currently covers the 160 m through 6 m amateur bands, and I do not intend to extend it into VHF/UHF/SHF.
DXSentinel is still under development and has now reached the point where real-world testing is needed. I would particularly appreciate feedback regarding the relevance of detected opportunities, false alerts or missed opportunities, the user interface, and features that would actually be useful in day-to-day operation.
At this stage, my goal is not to promote a finished product, but to test the concept and fine-tune the algorithm based on the experience of operators located at different QTHs and interested in different bands and modes.
If you are interested in participating in the testing, please visit dxseeker.yo4kca.ro. I believe you will find there all the information needed to get started.
One important note: please do not use your yo4kca.ro login credentials, as DXSentinel and yo4kca.ro are completely separate applications.
73! And many thanks in advance for any kind of feedback.
Costin, YO4YPC