How about someone programming API to put SPOT into.Waterfall

KY6LA_Howard

Now that. The API has been released into the Wild, perhaps its a good time for some third party developer to use the API toto integrate SPOTS into SSDR waterfall display Frankly this would be incredibly useful improvement to both DXers and Contesters and is a feature I would gladly pay for. Here are links to how this implementay much work https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/which_version_of_spot_integration_to_you_prefer

Jay Nation

Howard 
I just looked at the waterfall, and I'm seeing SPOTS, also see short little lines and in some places longer lines. Can't you get skimmer to read the callsigns and send them to the spot server and watch them in your spot collector window so you can click on them and autotune right to them.  ;-)

KY6LA_Howard

First. I am NOT a CW guy so CWSkimmer Spots are not of any value to anyone other than CW OPs. Second, I already can do something like that with HRD logbook and/or Writelog Spots window However that means looking at a couple of windows and moving the mouse all over the place. Workflow. Suffers especially in a contest Spots directly. In the waterfall would be an elegant solution.. More important they would allow you to see how strong a partial spot is at your radio. This would give you a very good idea as to how likely you are to work that spot which is something that is missing from the HRD and other 3rd party spot windows The link I sent is a couple of different ways to implement it.

Jay Nation

I had never considered getting other spots on the waterfall. Taking it to that degree of spotting might be useful after all. Ok, would be useful. I don't chase spots often. I think they are useful just never really looked that hard at the concept. Thanks for the eye opener. 

KY6LA_Howard

Here is a version Al NN4ZZ came up with I was just hoping that one of the hot shot programmers playing with the new API would take a shot at implementing it.

Jay Nation

Now I don't see the SPOTS, are you sure thats the right image file looks like PowerSDR to me?
 
--EDIT--

Nevermind! I had the monitor gamma adjusted too low again. I can see the SPOTS now when I squint real hard. It's kind of like reading the power/level meters. Huh? 

Al_NN4ZZ

Hi Jay,
You are right -- actually my suggested version has the spots below the waterfall with the call signs vertical.    And it could be for "live spots",  CW Skimmer spots, or both.  The options would be user selectable so it works for CW and SSB OPs. 

It would be great if someone could add this to the SSDR display but that seems problematic.  It probably could be more seamlessly integrated if the Flex programmers did it.    So this may be one idea we just need to vote up so the FRS teams takes it on.  

Note, the original idea thread was closed for comments and it looks like that PREVENTS you from adding your vote.   If someone can verify that I'll ask Tim to open it back up.  I think folks should be able to continue adding votes to an idea.  

https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/pfskimer_what_is_the_possibility_for_a_smartsdr_dis...



Regards, Al / NN4ZZ  
al (at) nn4zz (dot) com

KY6LA_Howard

i like this version

KY6LA_Howard

Here is the NaP3 version of spots Note. It's open source and the author has quit supporting it

James Whiteway

Is the source code available ? James WD5GWY

Jay Nation

It kind of has to be since it looks like it uses a large chunk of PowerSDR code. No I'm not finding a source code download. Guess he both doesn't want to share or comply with the GNU license that appears in his installer, He even admits its based on PowerSDR 2.XX 

NaP3 is a panadapter display program from Pete, F5VNB. It is an open source program running under the GNU General Public License v2 and is based on a combination of PowerSDR/IF* from WU2X and PowerSDR* v2.x.x from Flex Radio

Probably just an oversight.
All he has to do is include an email address to write to for the source. and provide the source to anyone that asks for it.
Probably just another oversight.
Some folks think Open Source means free for the stealing,
IT DOESN'T!
You cant release binary executable without some way to obtain the Source
the instructions for where to get it from aren't supposed to be hard to locate.
But I am not a lawyer and I don't even play one on TV.
Maybe that's why he stopped supporting it. 
:-(
Further down that page.

Note: Pete has recently stopped development / support of NaP3, but aside from one minor bug, the program is still the best and most up to date SDR for use as an IF based panadapter. In the meantime, support questions can be posted to the LP-PAN User Group. 

73,
Larry N8LP 

And

*On this page and web site, all references to PowerSDR apply to FlexRadio Systems PowerSDRTM program. Support questions for the various PowerSDR based open source programs referenced here, should not be directed to FlexRadio Systems, but rather to the specific author of the modified version, or to N8LP, or the LP-PAN User Group. 

Possibly the lawyers have located him.

But the email link to N8LP might scrape by, since he does say contact him, or the  "specific author of the modified version" (whoever that is) if you have questions.  But why waste the time, what with the "one minor bug" and the  "recently stopped development / support" and all? Pete's, QRZ listing sez he's now retired to the South of France.  "F5VNB" if anyone cares. I Wonder if any of the other Open Source authors and developers of PowerSDR, FFTW, DttSP, and Portaudio will get to retire there too. Seems like a very nice Estate kinda place. Surely must be nice.

I love my FlexRadio's that come with the ® TM's. I also like Open Source and the GNU License.

KY6LA_Howard

Ask LarryN8LP. Heis usually very helpful

KY6LA_Howard

It's exactly because of issues like this that I am very pleased That Flex is going to be charging for software

James Whiteway

Howard, I think the reason no one has yet to try doing what you are asking is because from my understanding of the FlexLib api, (looking at the source code )
it does not allow adding to SmartSDR's GUI. It does allow for controlling SmartSDR or creating a separate program to run the radio without SmartSDR running at all.
It might be possible to get the screen coordinates of the PanaFall when SmartSDR is running and creating an overlay that has the info you are wanting. But, it would probably cause Focus problems with SmartSDR.
  The issue is, FlexLib.api is not SmartSDR, it is an interface to the Radio and also SmartSDR ,for controlling SmartSDR with something like the Flex Control or other outboard controller.
   The actual source code for SmartSDR is not available. (doubt it ever will be) Unlike PowerSDR which is Open Source. Currently, there is one portion of the API that will allow adding to SmartSDR, but, all it allows (and it's a BIG one!) is adding new Modes. I have not seen anyone posting in the API section of this forum that they are working on adding new modes to SmartSDR yet. But, we are supposed to see a new Digital Audio mode when V1.4 hits.
james
WD5GWY

(oh, and I could be completely wrong !!)
:-)
 


Al_NN4ZZ

Hi James,
Agree with your thinking also and that is why I commented earlier:

It would be great if someone could add this to the SSDR display but that seems problematic.  It probably could be more seamlessly integrated if the Flex programmers did it.    So this may be one idea we just need to vote up so the FRS teams takes it on.  

Maybe Steve Hicks can confirm one way or the other.

Regards, Al / NN4ZZ  
al (at) nn4zz (dot) com

Ken - NM9P

I think it is a very good idea, especially with the spots vertical under the position in the panafall.  It would make clicking spots very easy, whether phone, CW, RTTY or other modes.  The scaling of the posting vs. the zoom of the pan display might be problematic, but I am sure a good programmer could do it eventually.

Gene - K3GC

This is the one thing that i miss from my old Yaesu DX5000 days.  The LP-Pan with NaP3 software had a spot option with the spots on the spectrum.  That system had weaknesses but having the spots there was really great.

KY6LA_Howard

I first used Spots in the spectrum display on a LP-PAN via NAP3 on a K3 in a contest at NX6T contest Station. It so improved contest workflow vs spots on a Bandmap in Writelog that it became a MUST HAVE for me in contests I don't understand all the ramifications of the API ..but I hope James is not right about restrictions on access to the spectrum display in the API Maybe Steve will elucidate

Al_NN4ZZ

Hi Ken,
Yes, the downside on the NaP3 version is when the spectrum gets very crowded.   If there is a lot of activity, you can't  read the calls.   Here is a snapshot example:



That's one reason I like them vertical and below the waterfall.  The other reason is this approach lets them spread out with angled lines like on the CW Skimmer screen.  You can see that just starting to happen below on the calls around 034.5.   No matter how busy it gets the calls don't overlap.





Here is another example (using CW Skimmer) to illustrate the display when there are a lot of calls.  And there is NO Overlapping. 



I'm not sure how the angled lines strategy would work up in the spectrum but maybe there is a way. 

Regards, Al / NN4ZZ  
al (at) nn4zz (dot) com

James Whiteway

Howard,
  The only access to the display in the api that I can find is to change frequency, zoom in/out the display and a few other things. Were it possible to do what you are wanting, it would be trivial to do something as simple as change the interface colors. (aka adding the ability to change skins and colors of the GUI) Adding features to the interface beyond that does not seem possible to me.
One could do like I suggested above and write an overlay that locked itself to the Panafall and
would show the spots. But, as I said, I think it would cause Focus problems when someone clicked
on a portion of the Panafall to change frequency or change the Slice with the mouse.
  I believe as Al does, that it would be something the developers of SmartSDR would have to integrate directly into SmartSDR. Maybe, they will add more Plug-in support in a future version that would allow outside developers to manipulate the SmartSDR interface at a lower level.
But, I can see some danger in that idea too !!
james
WD5GWY
  

Ken - NM9P

Perhaps they could implement a small panel section under the panafall and give access to that via the API? That would keep the rest of the gui safe from meddling.