I’m very new to WRL and I’m enjoying it. I’m coming from using Ham Radio Deluxe in the QTH and POLO Ham2K for POTA/SOTA. There are so many things I’m loving about WRL but a few deficiencies that I’d love to see added in the future. Coming from a software and hardware background I know about eating the elephant one bite at a time, quality control, waterfall vs agile. Alpha and Beta testing but here is my BIG list of what I’d like to see added to the product. You all are doing awesome with WRL and I hope it continues to grow and gain popularity.
CAT Control
Don’t keep jumping back to some previous random frequency when re-connecting. It should poll the radio for frequency and mode
Allow auto listen for WSJTX logging rather than having to make sure to click the button to turn it on. Default should be on
Allow Multicast for WSJTX listening. Allow not only a port but allow an IP Address to allow things like 127.0.0.1, 224.0.2.0 or 192.168.1.10
Don’t block/monopolize port 2237. I use Gridtracker2 and it won’t receive decodes if WRL CAT Control is running to monitor 2237. Luckily Gridtracker2 allows another port to have it re-forward log data. I’m using 2238. But then if I don’t use Gridtracker2 things won’t log correctly unless I remember to change 2238 to 2237 in WRL CAT Control
Allow multiple listen options at the same time. What is the issue with having WRL CAT Control to listen to all of the possible integrations at the same time? The ports don’t overlap
Have radio control options. I’ve actually written a prototype app for button clicks that allow for rapid band/mode changes from the desktop that communicates through the hamlib library that the WRL CAT Control app is based on. It works!
In the setting it would be nice to have an icon or message that said whether you were connected via CAT Control as I like having this open for the start/stop of integrations also but can’t see CAT Control state here
I get random issues where changing bands using some other application will not reflect the frequency change. Sometimes it does. WRL CAT Control should have a polling interval to check the current mode/frequency
WRL Web
Logbooks
I would like to be able to select a default logbook to open with an option to pull up the list and select a different one
Spotting. Would like it to remember the sort order between loads
When going to the logbook with CAT Control running I have to spin the dial before it will fill in the frequency. Blank until I do that.
For the optional items in a logbook like notes, it would be nice to be able to keep an item like that open between QSOs
Would be nice to have an option to mark a contact that was confirmed via other methods like QSL cards or other e-sql confirmations (Clublog, eSQL, LOTW, etc)
Would be great to be able to control what items are shown in the logbook. Like the persons name or comments, distance, etc
Don’t refresh spot list back to the top during refresh or after adding a contact. This is annoying as I have to scroll back down and find where it was before the refresh
Similar to the above, even when you have the spot list paused it will sometimes rebuild the list and jump back to the top and after adding a QSO it always rebuilds the list. Annoying to have to scroll back down
Map view customization’s. Have an option for date range or band or mode
When highlighting a spot or a call sign in log, show name and state as an option
QSO Manager
When selecting the time filters I’d like to be able to select a start and end date and time
Leaderboard
It sucks that previous contacts imported from my previous log do not count
Integrations to 3rd parties
Need to have LOTW upload in the app. If sending after each QSO is an issue then queue them for a bulk upload. Also show confirmed contacts
Need to have eQSL upload and download support in the app. Also show confirmed contacts
Need to have ClubLog upload support in the app. Also show confirmed contacts
Need to have QRZ confirmed contacts show
I’m sure there are other QSL sites I’m not thinking of but the biggies should be built in
General
I like how Smart Logger allows for the “installation” of the web app, giving it a separate start menu icon and window. Reasoning is lets say I use Firefox as my browser and I have WRL in a tab and then I click a link, it opens the link in that browser, opening a new tab and I have to tab back and forth. My current work around was to install another browser to be dedicated to WRL
WRL iOS
Option to download ADIF or existing logbook to use for callsign lookup for name and state and count of previous contacts when offline. I find it very nice to have this when using POLO Ham2K as there are many repeat hunters and having their name and state pop up even when offline helps to personalize the contact but also as a way to confirm it’s them. I can’t say how many times I said the hunters name after the callsign and while they didn’t notice I had the wrong call they did hear the name was wrong and then we do a correct.
WRL Android
Option to download ADIF or existing logbook to use for callsign lookup for name and state and count of previous contacts when no Internet. Same as above for iOS
Joe - KK7PZE