[ADXA] JTAlert 2.50.2

[sbranyan at cox.net]

It's been frustrating over the past month with JTAlert updates. The
developer redesigned the Call Alert Window in 2.50.1 requiring installation
of Windows NET 5 Desktop Runtime app. I started having issues with the call
alert window closing and opening up when TXing in WSJT-X. WSJT-X would then
crash in at the start of the QSO! 

 

I looked on their group discussion page, and the developer had no help other
than the usual, "It's the antivirus software. Disable it. Norton is
especially bad." OK. I'm not going there. Been down that road too many
times. 

 

Another week or so past and I was still having issues with crashes. Dev said
Windows Runtime had sent out an auto update 5.07 and that was the culprit.
So I uninstalled 5.07 and reinstalled 5.06 runtime. Problem solved until
runtime auto installed 5.07 again. Dev said to turn off auto updates. Sorry,
but if your software doesn't work, it doesn't work. Dev then said to turn
off the sound notifications and that would be a temporary fix. I did as
suggested. But WSJT-X still crashed. So I uninstalled runtime and JTalert.
WSJT-X crashed a few more time until I rebooted. Then it seemed to run
stable. 

 

Yesterday, JTAlert came out with 2.50.2. I installed it last night and
tested it all evening. Smooth as silk. Dev said it was able to address the
issues with a component of Runtime so that it and JTAlert finally play
nicely together. So I am hoping it's resolved. 

 

The new call alert window takes some getting used to but has some nice
features I am still exploring. For one, it has unlimited call alert capacity
so it doesn't stop alerting after the window box fills. You just scroll down
to see more of the window and alerts if there are a bunch all at once. It
does run very smoothly with no hiccups like the most recent versions. 

 

I am a big proponent of keeping windows and apps up-to-date. Sure, there
will be issues, but it's the only way to stay safe online and take advantage
of new features. Small software developers have a big job keeping up-to-date
with windows releases, and this was an example of how it sometimes just
takes patience until the developer can work the issues out. 

 

So last night I was able go back to sound alerts and to chase JW and
XT2AW--unsuccessfully but I had some shots. I did pick up ES and EI on 5W.
So my QRP DXCC pursuit stands at 65 LOTW confirms in mid-April. JTAlert is a
big help to me and I am glad it is back to working well. 

 

One other note. I was listening to FT8 frequencies the other night just to
check propagation. I was surprised how many times I heard JTAlert call
alerts on the freq. So there are hams out there who don't have their audio
settings set right and the windows sounds are TXing on the freq. I heard
this on different frequencies, so it seems to be a general problem. Read the
manual if you have question on this. 

 

Both my audio output and input selections under settings in WSJT-X are set
to USB Audio Codec. And under Windows sound settings, output (speakers) is
set to Realtek High Definition Audio and input (microphone) set to USB Audio
Codec. If your windows output is on audio codec, it will TX your windows
sounds on the air! 

 

That is all.

 

73,

Scott/W5AAJ

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