I’ve searched through the forum but couldn’t find anything quite like this, so I thought it might be worth proposing as a new feature that could be slightly more useful for some activators.
I would love to see PoLo support a configurable self-spotting template that automatically formats the comment section of a self-spot.
For example, a simple template like:
SOTA {sotaRef}, QRV
can generate comment: SOTA YU/JS-019, QRV
The idea is that {sotaRef} would be taken from my existing operation settings from current operation. Same idea for other activities and data {potaRef}, {wwffRef}, {qth} . Then, when I click Self-Spot or use a shortcut for self-spotting, PoLo would automatically generate and send pre-formatted message to the cluster.
This would:
reduce repetitive typing during activations
ensure consistent spot formatting
make quick self-spotting easier in portable / field conditions
Allow chasers without PoLo app with simple cluster data which contains callsign, frequency and comment section to know what type of activity we are working on, instead of seeing a default “QRV” message.
Thanks in advance for considering the idea, and thanks for all the great work on PoLo.
You realise that PoLo does not spot to the Cluster.
Spots for SOTA go to SotaWatch and already have the reference embedded.
POTA spots go to pota.app spots and already has the reference embedded.
Other activities are spotted to their relevant spots page.
My point being, that OPs who are looking only at the DX Cluster, will not see any spots natively/directly sent from PoLo. They may see a post forwarded by someone not using PoLo, but not from PoLo.
PoLo was originally and still is a portable logger designed for the popular portable operation activities, SOTA, POTA WWFF etc. It is not trying to be a DXLogger at this time.
There is a desktop version coming out soon (no specific time frame but being worked on). It will have some of the more popular DX logging/general logging features associated with the main log managers around.
A decision was made some time ago not to engage with DX Cluster spotting moving forward with PoLo. Typically this would require another complete layer of credentials, chosen Cluster urls to be saved in settings and a host of catchalls for the myriad behaviours displayed and expected of the Cluster network spider servers.
Also, as you are aware, Cluster spotting is relatively clumsy with regard to Mode and relies on comments which have no convention other than some systems which recognise the presence of some substrings and filtering or impose generic band plans to decode. Typically, the portable activities spotting pages do enforce better conventions, making the hunt/chase a more enjoyable experience for each specialist activity.
Thanks for the quick and detailed response I didn’t know that, thanks for sharing! Then I must to say that I have misunderstood how PoLo works, but, correct me if I’m wrong, when you said:
Spots for SOTA go to SotaWatch and already have the reference embedded.
POTA spots go to pota.app spots and already has the reference embedded.
Other activities are spotted to their relevant spots page.
Does it mean If I work two activities, e.g POTA and WWFF, then POTA chasers will see only POTA reference and WWFF chasers only WWFF reference without knowing that I’m doing both activities?
That’s where comment section could be beneficial
For people who activate a summit in a park and enable SOTA and both the POTA and WWFF version of that park, then when they self spot, 3 individual spots will go out from the device. One spot will go to SotaWatch, then next will go to POTA.app and the WWFF park will be spotted on Spotline.
If you are also activating a Silo in Australia at the same time (a rare event, maybe not possible), then a fourth spot will go out to the ParksnPeaks website.
This process is the best way to be in front of the audience you are appealing to.
It’s sad to say, but there are those chasers who will only chase one program. If the activator gives them the program they are after, then the other program is a bonus and they are non the wiser.
I didn’t know that, thanks for sharing! Then I must to say that I have misunderstood how PoLo works, but, correct me if I’m wrong, when you said: