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RFinder The Worldwide Repeater Directory new features, new platforms, IRLP Status !

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by W2CYK, Sep 30, 2011.

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  1. W2CYK

    W2CYK Ham Member QRZ Page

    Since we first launched RFinder back in April, we have received an incredible response from users and gotten tons of very enthusiastic feedback. Thank you all for your support! We are constantly adding new features and now we are adding new platforms.

    CHIRP (http://chirp.danplanet.com/), the open source radio programming software is now in Beta and uses the same credentials from RFinder for Android. Our plan is to add new platforms, such as web, which will be released in October, 2011 and iPhone. Your subscription will work on any platform we release. If you do not have a subscription (you don't have RFinder for Android), click http://www2.rfinder.net/ and subscribe with either PayPal or Google Checkout, and we will send you your credentials within 24h. If you want to be a beta tester on the web interface, send an email to bobg@w2cyk.net.

    RFinder has grown far beyond its original functionality. Based on user requests, we have already added the following features:

    - Additional Sorting Functionality
    Allowed sorting of the list by Frequency and Callsign, not just distance.

    - Location Override
    This gave users the ability to override the phone's gps or network supplied location to search for and get lists of repeaters anywhere, including dynamic location of places by name/zip/city or other simple criteria.

    - Memory of search criteria and overridden locations
    Users' selected band and radius criteria as well as the state and coordinates of location override, if active, are saved by the app whenever the app is closed or the main screen is exited. This saves users from having to re-enter their favored search criteria. It also helps maintain the app's current repeater list for overridden locations, helping avoid extra lengthy server queries.

    - Grid Square Display
    Displays the Maidenhead grid square of the current location on the top of screens next to latitude and longitude.

    - TPE Export
    Export repeater lists as .TPE format spreadsheet files compatible with import directly into many radio memory management programs. The .TPE file is placed in the Download folder of the phone's SD card and the app also automatically creates an e-mail message with the file attached. This message can then be sent anywhere for easy retrieval of the file on another machine.

    - IRLP Status
    When viewing repeater details, IRLP node numbers can be touched to look up the current status of the nodes.

    - Repeater Update and Deletion
    Gave users the ability to help improve the repeater list for their area by submitting repeater updates and dead repeater deletion requests on their own directly from the app.

    - Repeater Add
    Gave users the ability to add new repeaters directly from the app or from the http://add.rfinder.net interface.

    - Mapping
    Fully functional map showing the chosen list of repeaters. Touching repeater icons brings up a summary of the repeater detail, including trustee, frequency, offset sign, and codes.

    - Universal User Registration
    As part of initial setup, the app registers and authenticates users as paid users of the RFinder Worldwide Repeater Directory. Paid users are entitled to use the Directory from any version of RFinder, the RFinder Worldwide Repeater Directory browser interface (COMING SOON!), or any application compatible with the Directory.

    - Callsign Lookup
    Lookup license information for any callsign from the main screen

    ...and that's not all! We are constantly listening to your feedback and requests and are already working to add the following additional features in the near future:

    - D-Star info
    - Filtering and sorting repeater lists based on functionality (D-Star, Echolink, IRLP)
    - Editable Notes field in the Repeater Update function
    - Full landscape support
    - Fully Functional browser-based interface available to registered users
     
  2. K2NCC

    K2NCC Ham Member QRZ Page

    Why do I constantly see advertisements under "News"?
     
  3. K3YBN

    K3YBN Ham Member QRZ Page

    Why does someone put an announcement on here for an application/product that ONLY applies
    to a very small sub set of the population, ie. people with Android smart phones.

    NOTE TO ADVERTISER: Not everyone has a smart phone nor do we care to have one.. Please post announcements that fit us web users.

    J
     
  4. KB3FXI

    KB3FXI Ham Member QRZ Page

    Because it is a great product that is directly related to amateur radio.

    Why would anyone not just have the good sense to skip the message and move on if it was not of particular interest to them?

    I have the application and greatly appreciate the work they've done.

    -Dave, KB3FXI
     
  5. K9FV

    K9FV Ham Member QRZ Page

    I'm sorta confused here - they talk about CHIRP, then RFinder. RFinder I'm not really interested in, but CHIRP sounds like something I'd like - "IF" I understand it correctly.

    It's an open source program to program various radios from PC?

    73 de Ken H>
     
  6. KE5YJR

    KE5YJR Ham Member QRZ Page

    I see announcements on here all the time that do not apply to my sub set of the population and I just move on without being a curmudgeon.

    NOTE TO ADVERTISER: Not everyone has a smart phone nor do they care to have one. They instead prefer their old rotary phones or strings and tin cans, heck a lot of people don't have a ham radio nor do they care to have one.

    For those of us that embrace a positive and productive change in technology and enjoy the usefulness of a smartphone, THANK YOU for all your time and effort in making a wonderful app that helps to make our hobby more enjoyable.

    This is the first app that I thought worthy of paying for. THANK YOU for your continued support and upgrades to an already wonderful app.

    Please continue to post announcements that fit us web users.
     
  7. K2NCC

    K2NCC Ham Member QRZ Page

    I don't think anyone minds the app as much as the ad in a News room. Such threads belong in Swapmeet.
     
  8. WT5Y

    WT5Y Ham Member QRZ Page

    wait are we talking bout ham radio or ham phone now?
     
  9. K0RGR

    K0RGR Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    They mentioned RFinder and Chirp together because they work together. The Rfinder repeater lists can be used to generate a file that Chirp can import to program most popular radios.

    I think these two applications are worthy of a 'news' item. Those with Android devices might benefit and RFinder is a neat thing for people who travel. If more people discover it, maybe people will start using their rigs on trips again.
     
  10. KE5YJR

    KE5YJR Ham Member QRZ Page

    I think that you might be having this app confused with echolink. This is an awesome app that allows an amateur radio operator the ability to find repeaters in the area he or she might be in at the time. Extremely helpful to a mobile operator.

    The bottom line is - this app does not allow one to talk on any repeater like echolink, rather just locate them, kinda like a repeater directory.
     
  11. KE5YJR

    KE5YJR Ham Member QRZ Page

    Or ham computer?
     
  12. N6KZB

    N6KZB Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    Thank you for a nice application.

    Continue to move forward with more improvements.

    This is another good approach to furthering the service we operate in.
     
  13. N8OHU

    N8OHU Ham Member QRZ Page

    Just because the most common use of D-Star is for repeater use doesn't mean that's the only thing it can do; D-Star is not limited to what things Icom has chosen to implement in its radios, even though those are the things that most people know about. It's quite useful in Simplex mode and a lot of hams can still talk around the world even if they can't hit the repeater.

    As for the original post, once the system is operational via the web, a lot of hams will be able to use it from their hotel rooms or from non-Android mobile phones. Keep up the good work, folks.
     
  14. WX1DX

    WX1DX Ham Member QRZ Page

    okay folks calm down LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE!

    One just about any smart phone can run this , most folks have smart phones or will in the next five.( as new phones come out and as service providers require you to have one) it's already happening!
    Next free is always better! Read the information on chirp! next using phones to help supplement or expand applications is no new idea Gee look at history cell phones came about in great part from HAM RADIO!
    next echo link is as much ham radio as any thing that uses a solid state circuit board!
    like was mentioned if you are not interested in the topic SKIP IT! now D-star read the history of it IT IS a non proprietary soft ware!http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-STAR

    ANYTHING THAT HELPS EXPAND AMATEUR RADIO IN ANY WAY IS A GOOD THING!
    MANY OF THE POSTS ARE PERFECT EXAMPLES OF WHY WE ARE OUR OWN WORST ENEMY!

    JUST MY TWO CENT'S ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION OF COURSE LOL1
     
  15. W2CYK

    W2CYK Ham Member QRZ Page

    Hi Abe...Read carefully...Open source on Windows/Mac/Linux (CHIRP), web...iPhone coming.
     
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