[South Florida DX Association] Cell Phone DX Tools

[Tony Annese]

From:

SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE

SARL NEWS SUNDAY 01 APRIL 2007


WAP MEETS HAM - FROM DICK, ZS6RO

Suitably designed Web-sites are usually required to allow cellphones with 
their small screens to be viewed properly.  These are called WAP-sites.  WAP 
or 'Wireless Application Protocol' is the protocol used to send and receive 
certain data over cellphone networks.

If one considers that at today's South African prices for data, and assuming 
the cheapest cellphone package, one could easily view over twelve or more 
cellphone screens of text for about 1 or 2 cents.  Remember that one will 
not pay for the time connected, but for the amount of data sent or received. 
  You could stay connected all day and view one or two screens in that time 
and only pay one cent!

But what could be interesting enough to view to do that sort of exercise?

I have designed a WAP-site so anyone who has a WAP-enabled cellphone can 
visit it, from about anywhere in the world.  The WAP Home-Page menu links 
the cellphone user to various pages.  It has been running successfully for 
more than a year.

One link called 'DX-SPOTS' will bring back a screen with the latest five 
DX-Spots from the International DX-Cluster network.  As the DX-Spots come in 
from the DX-Cluster network, the user can refresh his cellphone screen and 
see the current spots straight away.

Another link called 'DX-Callbook' will allow the user to enter a callsign, 
local or DX, and get a screen showing that callsign's information.  Think of 
the possibilities when you are on your next field-day trip with your radio 
gear and cellphone.  By the way, one may also access the same callbook 
database by sending a packet message to ZS0MEE BBS where an automated packet 
message will be returned with the callsign information.

There is also a link to the weather anywhere in the world and defaults to 
South Africa on start-up.  There is a link to top South African News items 
as well.

To access my WAP site from a WAP-enabled cellphone, use the URL 
"www.zs6ro.co.za" - if that isn't successful, add to the URL "/index.wml". 
(www.zs6ro.co.za/index.wml).  The reason you may have to add to the URL is 
because some cellphone micro-browsers are not always recognised correctly by 
WAP sites.  As a matter of interest, if one uses the same URL, without the 
add-on just mentioned, on a standard desktop PC, the user will be directed 
to my normal WebPage on the Internet which contains other ham-related 
information.

Some desktop PC browsers may fail when trying to connect to a WAP site.  The 
reason is that the PC browser expects html content whereas a WAP-site sends 
text content and this may 'confuse' the standard WEB browser.

Have fun with your cellphone ...

SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE

SARL NEWS SUNDAY 01 APRIL 2007

You are listening to Amateur Radio Station ZS6SRL of the South African Radio 
League, the National Body for Amateur Radio in South Africa, with a news 
bulletin that is broadcast every Sunday at 08:15 CAT in Afrikaans and at 
08:30 CAT in English.  This broadcast can also be heard on Echolink by 
connecting to ZS6FCS.  To listen to a web stream go to www.sarl.org.za, 
click on ARMI and follow the links.  This, and previous bulletins, can be 
downloaded from the web site of the SARL i.e. www.sarl.org.za.  You can also 
read or download previous bulletins from there and subscribe to receive 
future bulletins by email.

This transmission is by Hans, ZS6KR, on 145,725 and 7,066 MHz from Pretoria 
with relays on 3,695, 10,135, 14235 and 51,400 MHz as well as 438,825 MHz in 
the Pretoria area.  (Other news readers please change to suit).

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