Page 1 of 1

Log4OM - JTAlertX - WSJT-X intercommunication

Posted: 03 Oct 2018, 08:50
by hammarby
Hello! I'm using Log4OM, JTAlertX and WSJT-X together and it works great on Win10.

I have one thing though that I haven't figured out how to solve though.

Let me explain. When working with Log4OM alone, I can click a callsign in the spots window and Log4OM will provide me with a lot of information about that call sign. (Even though I'm not currently having a QSO with that station) It also updates the Grey Line Map. It's really useful.

However, when using the "Log4OM - JTAlertX - WSJT-X"-combo, I would like Log4OM to show the same info for any ongoing QSO in WSJT-X. That would be both useful and really cool. (I do recall I had that functionality in another logging program together with WSJT-X).

So my question for you guys is if that's possible to set up.

Cheers!

Re: Log4OM - JTAlertX - WSJT-X intercommunication

Posted: 10 Oct 2018, 16:11
by hammarby
Hello! I'm currently trying to figure out why my question hasn't been answered.

Maybe it's a difficult question or maybe it's an odd request.

I tried to set up Log4OM with WSJT-X without JTAlertX. Logging works but, same in this setup, Log4OM doesn't show me any info about the call sign for any ongoing QSOs.

Please, if you have any idea about how to set it up, share it with me.

Cheers!

Re: Log4OM - JTAlertX - WSJT-X intercommunication

Posted: 12 Oct 2018, 10:44
by hammarby
I've tried today using wireshark and npcap to trace the intercommunication on localhost adapter but i failed to catch them for some reason. I might give it another try later.

My configuration
  • WSJT-X is set up to accept UDP requests on port 2237
  • Log4OM UPD Server is listening at port 2236 (127.0.0.1) (Inbound for Log4OM communicator)
  • JTAlertX is transmitting ADIF UDP packets on port 2333. JTAlertX can be set up to rebroadcast WSJT-X UDP Packets but it's not activated.
There is a lot of intercommunication set up. I try to get some better understanding of it.

Some assumptions. Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
  • JTAlertX connects to WSJT-X on port 2237. JTAlertX gets information both about ongoing QSO and logging requests. I don't believe that WSJT-X is making any connections. (JTAlertX shows ongoing QSOs, the info must come from somewhere...)
  • JTAlertX connects to Log4OM at port 2236 for logging purposes only. Question is though if there is any information sent about ongoing QSO or not.
Cheers!

Re: Log4OM - JTAlertX - WSJT-X intercommunication

Posted: 12 Oct 2018, 11:26
by G4POP
hammarby wrote: 03 Oct 2018, 08:50 However, when using the "Log4OM - JTAlertX - WSJT-X"-combo, I would like Log4OM to show the same info for any ongoing QSO in WSJT-X.

So my question for you guys is if that's possible to set up.

No that is not how it works Log4OM receievs the data sent by JTAlert on port 2236 and records it directly to the logbook, there is a setting in our latest release that will analyse the inbound qso and improve the data quality but thats all.

Re: Log4OM - JTAlertX - WSJT-X intercommunication

Posted: 12 Oct 2018, 11:28
by G4POP
You might receive more responses if users could see your call sign and know your location as a result. Thats why we request that you use your call sign as your user name

Re: Log4OM - JTAlertX - WSJT-X intercommunication

Posted: 25 Oct 2018, 09:04
by IW3HMH
We can add another TCP function to receive a QSO to be analyzed by Log4OM, but before that i need to know if KTAlert guys are willing to use it.
We also added an INI file to let them autoconfigure some parameters without asking user to provide them, but it's (right now, as far as i know) not used. I wish to avoid wasting more time on useful-but-not-used features

Re: Log4OM - JTAlertX - WSJT-X intercommunication

Posted: 06 Nov 2018, 13:05
by hammarby
G4POP wrote: 12 Oct 2018, 11:28 You might receive more responses if users could see your call sign and know your location as a result. Thats why we request that you use your call sign as your user name
Well, It's OT but I am a EU citizen (as you also might be, at least for a few more months). If I enter personal data about myself, the website is not allowed to display it unless it's GDPR-compliant and has requested a consent from me. Due to GDPR many sites block EU users access to their services. Personal data is all data that can lead to identify a person. Now, I did not invent GDPR and I actually don't like it at all. (Yes, The GDPR Will Affect all U.S.-Based sites) But the GDPR is way OT to discuss in this thread. But now, you might understand why I avoid writing personal data here.

IW3HMH wrote: 25 Oct 2018, 09:04 We can add another TCP function to receive a QSO to be analyzed by Log4OM
That would be "useful". Because today, if I'm interested to know with whom I'm having a QSO with, I need to manually enter their callsign in log4om. Of course, as an alternative I can just wait for the QSO to finish. This feature would have very little with JTAlert to do though (could work w/wo JTAlert) as the message originates from WSJT-X.
IW3HMH wrote: 25 Oct 2018, 09:04 I wish to avoid wasting more time on useful-but-not-used features
Personally, I believe it's exciting to see in real time details about the callsign that I am having a QSO with. I'm sure that I'm not alone in this aspect. There are other logging softwares (not as good as LOG4OM though...) that supports this WSJT-X intercommunication.

Re: Log4OM - JTAlertX - WSJT-X intercommunication

Posted: 18 Nov 2018, 22:40
by IW3HMH
I'll try to find how their protocol works, if it's documented...

Re: Log4OM - JTAlertX - WSJT-X intercommunication

Posted: 29 Nov 2018, 01:15
by VK3AMA
IW3HMH wrote: 25 Oct 2018, 09:04 We also added an INI file to let them autoconfigure some parameters without asking user to provide them, but it's (right now, as far as i know) not used. I wish to avoid wasting more time on useful-but-not-used features
?????!

What .ini file is JTAlert not using?

JTAlert uses the Log4OM provided status file "log4om.status" @ %appdata%\LogOM\ to auto determine some of the Log4OM settings, and has been for a long time. Prior to that the "Log4OMCommunicator_log_*.txt" file was parsed to try and gather necessary configuration data.

If a user is using an older version of Log4OM that doesn't provide the "log4om.status" file, JTAlert proceeds to examine the most recent Log4OMCommunicator_log file, using a regex expression to determine the currently connected database/file.

I am unaware of any Log4OM provided .ini file that can be used for auto-configuration apart from the "log4om.status" file.

de Laurie, VK3AMA
(JTAlert Author)

Re: Log4OM - JTAlertX - WSJT-X intercommunication

Posted: 29 Nov 2018, 07:52
by IW3HMH
Hi Laurie, i apologize about that.
I wasn't aware about usage of the status file by your application. (ini is referred to the file format)
I have asked sometimes if anyone was using the status file but i received no feedback, so i'm really happy you're using that feature.

the status file was provided to help external apps auto-configure themselves but we receive couple of support requests by many (other) software users about log4om connection, missing database and mysterious ports... so my answer was a bit too "large" and off topic for JTAlert.

Please let me know if you need something more in this file, as it was based on my thoughts of what could be of interest for an external application

I was thinking about portable versions... in that case i cannot write directly on the %appdata%\LogOM\ folder and i refer to the local config path. In this case you should ask user to provide Log4OM folder of the portable version in order to find the file inside the /config folder. Another thought was to use windows registry, but again is not a good thing as if an user is running portable and installed concurrently the registry must be used by both... Open for suggestions

Best 73 and sorry again for my misunderstanding :)