We all have different operating styles including some bad habits which I will admit I have a few of my own.
Thanks to Doug (W7DRM) and Roland (HB9VQQ) for educating me on cluster usage. I feel I am now to the point I have enough knowledge to be dangerous so consider my comments/request below a discussion more than anything.
For my particular operating style I really like being able to compare "new ones" whether it be states, countries or grids against my log and getting a visual (or audible) indication there is a new one. I like that V2 has made it easier to run multiple clusters which for many of us are local clusters as we can pull spots from CWSkimmer and Even WSJT-X. In my case Slice Master with my Flex works as an aggregate server for telnet and collects that data.
Anyway, the things that would be helpful to me are:
1) Easier access to turn favorite servers on/off. Ideally this would be done below the cluster window in the area where it now shows connected. This would include stopping and starting the servers. Currently you have to go and stop the servers and add/remove to the list and restart them. Works perfect but its quite a process for those of us running local and remote servers.
2) We talked about this in another thread but adding states to cluster. That data is available from certain servers like VE7CC and if I understood it correctly is available from a downloadable file. So possibly download a file like we already do for LOTW, IOTA, etc.?
I like knowing who the spotter state is as it adds to the possible validity of the spot and I also would like to know if its a needed state because right now I am going blind. The only mode I have had success at chasing states on is FT8 because JTalert checks the Log4OM log. Would be outstanding if the states would show up as needed.
And finally
3) Everyone keeps pointing back to the power of using CC cluster for filtering and after Roland and Doug set me straight I have to agree. However, I don't like jumping back and forth between two systems to do what I need.
Log4OM almost does everything I need but would be nice if a couple features could be added. Once again I am talking out loud as I don't know what I am doing
So maybe in the area highlighted below we could have a section for external server filtering which either allowed you to have user nameable SSIDs or maybe a set of user nameable commands where under settings I could define the text command and name it. A button would show up in the highlighted area with whatever I named that would send that command.
I typically like to filter my spots to my state and a few surrounding states. However I sometimes like to open that up a little bit. Would also be nice for those using clusters with external skimmers to have a button for skimmer on/off which can be done with command.
Once again, consider this a discussion
Thanks again to Roland and Doug for setting me straight on a few things.
73,
Rich
