[SFDXA] An Alternative for alerting the Club on DX

[Sebastian, W4AS]

FYI: For those who use DXLab software, the author has decided to implement an email alert function similar to what we have been discussing.

SpotCollector is just one 'module' of DXLab.  It's basically a DX Cluster program, but you can run it alone or with the log program you currently use. 

As you can see, the author of this free software is very accommodating to suggestions.  I've used it now for just a few months, and in that time he has implemented several suggestions I made; and often will send me a beta version to try with those new features sometimes less than a couple of hours after I made the post!

73 de Sebastian, W4AS



Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Dave AA6YQ" <aa6yq at ambersoft.com>
> Subject: RE: [dxlab] SpotCollector Idea
> Date: September 11, 2012 2:09:04 AM EDT
> To: <dxlab at yahoogroups.com>
> Reply-To: dxlab at yahoogroups.com
> 
> I just wrote and tested a module that can send an email message at no
> charge; it supports SSL, for those (like me) whose Internet Service Provider
> requires authentication to send an email message. This module requires that
> Microsoft's "Collaboration Data Objects" be installed on your system. The
> test module worked on my Windows XP system, in which Microsoft Outlook (and
> Office) is installed. It also worked on my 32-bit Windows 7 test system, in
> which the only Office component present is Access 2010.
> 
> For those with PC's missing "Collaboration Data Objects", its available at
> no charge via
> 
> http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=3671
> 
> Tomorrow, I will test this on 32-bit Vista and 64-bit Windows 7 systems.
> 
> Even if all of these tests are successful, given the way Windows works, it's
> still possible that many users would be unable to use this capability; the
> only to know for sure would be to include it in the next version of
> SpotCollector as an option and see what happens.
> 
> At this point, it will take me longer to update SpotCollector's
> documentation to describe this new capability than to update SpotCollector's
> code to include it.
> 
> Better ideas?
> 
>   73,
> 
>        Dave, AA6YQ
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dxlab at yahoogroups.com [mailto:dxlab at yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of
> Sebastian, W4AS
> Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2012 1:15 AM
> To: dxlab at yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [dxlab] SpotCollector Idea
> 
> 
> I am aware of that capability of SpotSpy, however there is a charge for each
> email that is sent.
> 
> With the process I had in mind, there would be no cost.
> 
> Another use would be if you had entered multiple special call signs, a quick
> look at that directory would show how often those were spotted, which is
> easier than creating SQL filters in SpotCollector, IMHO.
> 
> FYI, in the SpotCollector online help contents, Identifying Special
> Callsigns, number 3 has a link for 'groups or activities'.  That link has a
> defect.
> 
> 73 de Sebastian, W4AS
> 
> 
> 
> On Sep 11, 2012, at 12:18 AM, Dave <aa6yq at ambersoft.com> wrote:
> 
>>>>> AA6YQ comments below
>> 
>> --- In dxlab at yahoogroups.com, "Sebastian, W4AS" <w4as at ...> wrote:
>>> 
>>> As we know, SpotCollector has a function which can announce a special
> call sign, regardless of award purposes.
>>> 
>>> Can this function be enhanced by also creating a blank text file named
> with the callsign and frequency, in a certain directory?
>>> 
>>> My goal would be to utilize the free program TheFolderSpy, available
> here: http://venussoftcorporation.blogspot.com/2010/05/thefolderspy.html
>>> 
>>> This program (along with many other functions) monitors a directory for
> changes, and will send an email when a change is detected.  I would use the
> email address of my cell phone, as sending an email to that address is
> converted to a text message.
>> 
>>>>> Wouldn't it be better for SpotCollector to provide the option to send a
> message to a specified email address or phone number whenever a new Spot
> Database Entry is created for a needed or special callsign?
>> 
>>>>> The SpotSpy add-in provides this capability now.
>> 
>> <http://www.dl9ho.de/SpotSpy/SpotSpy.htm>
>> 
>>>>> Because SpotSpy provides this capability, I've focused on other
> enhancements that don't re-invent the wheel...
>> 
>>   73,
>> 
>>       Dave, AA6YQ