New Web Based Net Control Tool
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Greetings,
I’ve been developing a tool to assist with net check-ins and it is coming along nicely. If you would like to check it out, go to https://netcontrol.meskis.net/, register for an account and once approved you can see all of what is available.
One of the biggest features is the expected check-ins section of a Net page. Here, you can set a query on minimum number of check-ins and the range of dates, with some presets. This will create a list of previously checked in stations that you can go by and just tick the check in box.
Another great feature is each station has a traffic tic box that will indicate stations with traffic. This also creates a list at the top of the page of all stations indicating they have traffic for the Net and as you call on them, you tick the box next to their name and it strikes it out, indicating that they have given their traffic.
Hope you all enjoy this and I would love input on improvements.73 de KF7KOL
Hi Tiesa,
Thanks for working at this!
I had some problems accessing it. After creating an account and typing the information to log in, it won’t let me log in.Regards,
John B.
WB6FRZHi John,
New registrations require admin approval. I just approved yours, and you should have gotten an email.
I’ll put a bug issue into git to make sure this is more visible to future registrants.
73
Hi Tiesa,
Got it. I checked out your tool and it looks pretty cool. So, this would be used by net control along with the summary sent out by Dan, showing most-recent check-in stations over the past few weeks? I’m trying to visualize just how the two tools would work together.
I don’t actually use Dan’s spreadshet with my computer. I find it faster to print out the summary sheet and write in unlisted check-ins, etc with a pen. Oh no, an actual writing instrument??? Yeah, I’m a bit old-school in that regard. But I find that controlling a net is a very fluid activity and using a keyboard to input data into a program, finding the right place to input data, checkmarking the right place, etc. is more of a burdon when things are happening quickly and I need to respond on the radio pressing mic buttons and such.
I’m open to better ways of doing things, and other NCS operators using Dan’s computer-based net tool may very well use his program for logging stations in the net. I would love to hear from the more-frequent NCS operators and the methods they prefer to juggle the many balls in the air during net operations, and their comments about your tool.Sincerely,
John B.
WB6FRZWhat an interesting idea, Tiesa! With the caveat that I haven’t signed in or looked at it yet, I’m curious–what if multiple people check folks in during the same net? Like one person is actually net control and the other is just practicing or following along.
I really like the concept, especially since Dan KK6VIQ has been maintaining the list of recent check-ins in his Access database, which may go away once he steps down as Membership coordinator at the end of the year.
I’ll also tail onto what John said: when I’m net control I don’t use Dan’s tool. I take the one-page PDF of recent check-ins he produces and mark it up on my iPad. That might be a cool feature to add to your tool: an easy way to print/PDF a one-pager of recent check-ins. Or at least create a decent-looking print stylesheet so NC’s can save to PDF easily.
Hello John,
One of the concepts I built into this tool was the ability to generate a list of expected stations based on a minimum number of check-ins within a specified period of time. For instance, you could set it to show all stations that have logged in a minimum of two times in the past four weeks and it will only display those stations in order by callsign suffix. Each entry in the expected stations list has a check-in and traffic box, so all you have to do is tick the check-in, or traffic and check-in if they have traffic for the net. For any new stations, you will need to type their callsign into the manual entry box; this does a lookup on their call and populates the name field for you.
There is also a live page which will allow you to view the net check-ins in real time.The help page lists all of the features of the site and gets updated anytime I add or change a feature.
Hello Erin,
Only one net control op can have a session for that net open at a time, or at least that’s how it should work. I am working on setting up a demo server so you can run your practice on there without affecting live data.
I plan to test things tomorrow night when I run the net to work out any workflow issues, but it is nice to have input from others, as I can’t think of everything, and what works for me may not work for everyone.
I’ll look into adding a pre-session report you could use for that. You can always add the check-ins later, but the timestamps will be off.
If you are git-centric, you can look at everything I’ve been doing on GitHub at https://github.com/LadyHwesta/ham-net-tracker. Feel free to add any issues that you feel would be relevant to the tool
I’ve been a busy bee with the site.
I added the ability to put the net control script into the net. This will display at the top so you can read it directly from the screen. There are also variable substitutions that automatically fill in the netcontrol’s and ARN broadcaster’s name and callsign for the current net and the next net. The net control script is static, so scrolling the page will not scroll it out of view.
There are a bunch more additions that you can see in the readme, and I intend to use it for running tonight’s net.
73
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