[Dx4win] Band Map Wish List

[Dave Hawes]

Having recently installed a 160m antenna here for the first time, I am starting 
completely new on this band.  I find that I am doing a huge amount of tuning 
on the band, and find the DX4WIN bandmap useful for skipping over stations 
already worked, etc.

I had waited for 8.03 to be released to see if Paul made any improvements to 
the band map's functionality, but it seems to be the same as in 8.02.  
Therefore, here are my wish list ideas for improving the band map for DXing:

1.  Entering a callsign/frequency on the band map.

As far as I know, the only way to get a call onto the bandmap is to spot it.  
The band map should be useful for those who are not connected to a cluster 
or who wish to enter a call without spotting it.  Working a station should 
automatically enter that call on the band map at the logged frequency.  A Ctrl 
or Alt key combination should take the call from the "Callsign" field in the 
main entry window and enter it in the bandmap at the current radio frequency.

2.  Band map scrolling.  (In this email, "scrolling" is meant as the way the 
band map is repainted when you tune off the visible part of the map.)

a.  Inconsistent scrolling - For whatever reason, I find that the band map does 
not consistently scroll, that is, I can tune off the top or bottom of the visible 
portion of the map, and the red arrow just disappears and the map does not 
repaint to bring the current frequency (red arrow) into visibility.  When this 
happens, clicking either the + or - zoom button will recenter the frequency, 
and the red arrow is again visible.

b.  I am not particularly fond of the way the band map scrolls as you tune.  
What happens now is you tune the radio up in frequency, the red arrow 
moves down the visible map until it "disappears off the bottom."  (See 2.a. 
above for consistency issues.)  Then the map repaints (or should do so) with 
the current frequency at the top of a new band segment.  In my opinion, this 
could be improved by scrolling the window when the current frequency gets a 
certain distance away from the center of the map.  This way, your current 
frequency is always near the center of a segment of the band, the size of the 
segment being set by the + and - buttons.

I find the band map to be very useful, even as is, but hope that future 
DX4WIN releases can provide increase functionality.  If I have missed some 
menu setting or other band map control features, please direct me to them.

73 - Dave N3RD