I found a way to get a notification when a new spot is added to the WOTA site when using a desktop computer or a tablet that runs the Chrome web browser, rather than constantly having to check for spots manually.
It relies on the Distill Web Monitor plugin.
The first step is to install the plugin from the Chrome webstore page.
Once installed you will have an additional icon to the right of the URL bar. The icon looks like a drip of water:
What we are going to do is tell the Drip Web Monitor to check the spots list on your home page for changes.
Click on the drip web monitor icon and select: ‘Select parts of page’ in the Add Monitor column:
Click on the text ‘No spots for today’ or the date/time of the first spot in the list. Click in the ‘Selected’ XPath box and delete text at then end until it reads: //div[@id=‘spots’]
Click on ‘SAVE SELECTIONS’:
You will then see the Options page for this monitor:
Use the slider next to ‘Schedule checks’ to pick an appropriate interval, I have mine set to 1 minute. Then you can add actions such as buzzers, popups or emails. I have a buzzer go off when someone spots.
When you are done click the Save button at the bottom and you are good to go.
In order for this to work you have to have your Chrome browser open. You don’t need a tab with the WOTA site open, the plugin will open the page and check automatically.
The plugin will be added to Chrome on each of your devices, but I think you still need to add the WOTA site monitor on each device.
I have been trying to find a method to show spots on a mobile app. I can make it work using Zapier and Pushbullet but there is a limited amount for free. I have found another app called IFTTT but when trying to enter the RSS feed it gives and error “feed has items without valid urls”
The suggestion was to run the RSS feed through a validator, this comes back with a few errors. Is there any way to get the errors fixed then I can try and put a guide together for people to use the apps?
I think I have worked it out. Each new <item> requires a unique guid with a URL. The example from the Sota feed is:
<item>
<title>HB9EVF/P on HB/NW-019 - 24.906 cw </title>
<link>http://www.sotawatch.org</link>
<guid>http://www.sotawatch.org/#307727</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 03 Jun 2019 12:21:55 GMT</pubDate>
<description>*Tom [VK port-a-log]. Posted by HB9EVF</description>
</item>
Each guid needs to be a unique reference but the Sota one appears to just link to the Sotawatch page with the #number which changes each time. Think it might also need the pubDate adding as well.
I have the IFTTT app notifying me for each Sota spot but with the Sota activity across the world it can be a lot of pings.
If you need any help or testing, just let me know.
I noticed the lack of guid’s being the most significant issue too. I’ve updated the feed. The guids are nonsense but unique. Let me know if that helps.
<rss version="2.0">
<channel>
<title>Wainwrights On The Air - Latest Spots</title>
<link>http://www.wota.org.uk/spots_rss.phplatest_rss.php</link>
<description>
<![CDATA[
Latest activations from Wainwright summits - see http://www.wota.org.uk for more information.
]]>
</description>
<language>en</language>
<item>
<title>GX0OOO/P on LDW-025 - High Street</title>
<guid>
http://wota.org.uk/spots/2019-06-03%2011:49:22/LDW-025/GX0OOO/P
</guid>
<description>
<![CDATA[
Frequencies/modes: 145.550-fm. [SOTA>WOTA] . Spotted by G0TDM.
]]>
</description>
<pubDate>Mon, 03 Jun 2019 11:49:22 +0000</pubDate>
</item>
</channel>
</rss>
I’ve downloaded the app and get the same issue. I think it will take a little more work as the app is expecting the link to actually go somewhere. I’ll let you know when that is the case.
I am pulling Alerts through now from SOTA too. We don’t currently have a WOTA RSS feed for Alerts, I guess we could add one without too much difficulty if it is of use?
