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"BandView"
software add-on for WSJT-X for Windows
September 2022
Low level slider at -10, high level slider at +6dB, wild matches only active.
Your screen layout may/will differ depending on software version !!
I recently developed a new 'add-on application' << BandView >> for WSJT-X for Windows (7/10/11 and 32/64 bit) that might improve the digital-modes operating experience for at least some users.
It is not totally 'you-beaut' but what it does is reverse-sort the band activity data from WSJT-X so that the newest is at the top but also allows the user to apply a 'filter' to the process across the 4 most important fields : (1) audio tone frequency, (2) callsign #1, (3) callsign #2, (4) report/grid info. It definitely makes it easy to 'watch' specific callsigns (avoiding the clutter) to make it easier to work them. Obviously, WSJT-X needs to be running processing incoming signals, for any data updates to occur within BandView.
By default, the software is typically used with * (ie a wildcard) in the Search match box, and that means it will display all band activity.
Optionally, you can enter a single letter (eg W, for USA calls) that will list only callsigns that start with that letter. More letters / numbers and the results list gets shorter. Put in a grid square (eg QG62, my home QTH grid square)) and it will list only entries that match that grid area. Typically QG gives more results than QG62 as it extends the area to most of eastern Queensland and nothern NSW).
Alternatively, put in a tone frequency (you might have seen it flash by a few seconds ago) and list the activity on that tone freq. Here is a tip - if it was 1823 Hz you saw and you enter it as 182 then it will show all with tone frequencies from 1820 to 1829..
Now add a mix of 'filters' separated by commas eg W,K,N,XE,VE,VO,VA and you will see just a list of North American callsigns - eg USA, Canada and Mexico. Ditto with prefixes for the EU area.
Remember to press the Enter key when finished entering the match criteria, comma separated (/delimited) for multiples...
There are a few tick boxes to take note of :
The Auto box enables and disables automatic data updates as WSJT-X cycles.
The Active tickbox next to the 'MyCall' user callsign entry box (at top LHS) enables and disables specific matches to the entered callsign - highlights in either red or yellow when your call appears.
The Active tickbox at the RHS of the search parameters box enables and disables specific matches to the search field.
The CQ tickbox disables both the MyCall and Search List tickboxes and those functions. That results in only CQ calls being listed on screen, with a green background.
The red numbers at top RHS is the current time in seconds - updates occur a few seconds after the normal FT8/FT4/.. odds/evens periods This delay is intentional to avoid data file crash error messages.
TIP : Hover the mouse over other things on screen and most will have a description of what it means or is for.
The way the software works is that it takes a copy of the WSJT-X ALL.TXT file into the local executable's folder (eg c:\ham_radio\vk4adc\' c:, then processes it back to a reverse-order equivalent named REVALL.TXT (reverse all). It is that file copy which the software then processes. It does not use UDP to work with WSJT-X, simply a copy of the raw WSJT-X text file. So provided the ALL.TXT file exists then it will create REVALL.TXT in the local folder. You can check that using Windows Explorer : both files should exist on your Windows-based hard disk !
The normal WSJT-X install places files into " C:\Users\(username)\appdata\local\WSJT-X \ " where everything up to the "\WSJT-X\" is retrieved from a Windows environment variable for LOCALAPPDATA ( using GetEnvVarValue('LOCALAPPDATA') ), and that is where IT stores the ALL.TXT file, along with some other files. You might check if that is actually where your WSJT-X files have been placed if it does not start up correctly. I simply take a TXT copy of that WSJT-X file to work with.
The Auto tickbox must be ticked for screen updates to occur. There is actually a very brief green flash, then a second or so later a yellow flash occurs. The green flash is when it copies the WSJT-X all.txt file to the local folder - very quickly for SSDs. The yellow flash is while it processes the file into reverse order then puts the data-matching details to screen.
The tickbox next to 'MyCall' doesn't show anything different if you aren't making QSOs - so your callsign in Call#1 or Call#2 has not triggered a colour change to red or yellow for those entry lines. For instance, I have had my copy with VK in the Search List box just observing the various QSOs and CQs from VK stations, then I noticed VJ6X on air (in WSJT-X) so added a ",VJ" and all of those QSOs and calls appeared too.
Note that with WSJT-X proper, you need to stop the 'Monitor' button to scroll back in history (up) else it refreshes every 15 seonds (on FT8) In BandView, you scroll downwards but don't lose anything. Unticking the BandView 'Auto' box achieves a similar outcome to that of the Monitor button in WSJT-X but the QSOs update normally in the WSJT-X Band Activity window - so no other band history data is lost.
At least ONE tickbox must be selected from MyCall, Search or CQ tickboxes otherwise no data is displayed.
The little button with the 'S' label is a "Snapshot" that saves the data as listed on screen into a file simply named YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.TXT, yes a text file but CSV format, in the application's folder. Mainly implemented so that you can save a set of QSO exchanges for historical purposes.
The font size of the presented data list : the size changeable by a small up/down control near top RHS. The font size range is intentionally limited but, even so, some fields like date/time will overflow the preset field width available at maximum. The font size setting is retained from one session to the next.
The font colour is blue for the period starting at either 00 seconds or 30 seconds (ie first period on FT8), black for the periods starting at 15 and 45 seconds (second period on FT8). For FT4, the alternate colour is altered for the 7.5 second first/second period configuration.
To explain the colours put to screen :
A callsign line matching MyCall is red when in the Callsign#1 field. I.E. You are being called
A callsign line matching MyCall is yellow when in the Callsign#2 field. I.E. You are calling
A station calling CQ is green.
Alternate timing periods are either blue (first) or black (alternate) text, once the software figures out which mode is in use (eg FT8, FT4, MSK144..) so which is actually a first/evens period.
The percentage of available 'data to be processed' setting can be changed by typing a new value in the box next to the % symbol, or can be defaulted back to a figure of 5% by pressing the '5%' button.
Signal-level based highlighting :
The two small slider controls near the centre set the received signal level at which highlighting colours are activated.
The top slider has a range from +0dB to +40dB and signals above the setting value have a magenta-like background colour.
The bottom slider has a range from -40 to +40dB and signals above the setting value have an aqua-like background colour.
The default values are +6dB for the upper control, and -10dB for the lower slider control.
These help you figure out which signals are above the "I can normally work them at this level" strength, or the "strewth, that's strong" point.
To turn OFF the level highlighting, set both sliders to the RHS (ie +40dB) positions, exit to save these values and then restart.
There is no level-highlighting active when actually transmitting as all 'Received Level' reports are set at +0dB in the WSJT-X software.
An additional series of tickboxes have been added (in 1.0.0.7, as against earlier releases) just above the data listing area to allow specific column searches. Eg.. search for "14" with FRQ ticked will list only entries starting with "14" eg 14.074. Experiment using data below each tick box to see how it can help you specialise your search parameters.
V1.0.0.8 introduces an optional mode for when there are multiple instances of WSJT-X are running on the PC. The normal mode is 'Default' and it sets BandView up so that if utilises the normal single-instance settings. The Percentage options are now set automatically in other code depending on the size of the ALL.TXT file so the screen space now displays a drop-down selector box which might contain some thing like Default, OmniRig Rig 1, OmniRig Rig 2. These definitions have to be set up manually but the user in a text file named 'rigs.txt' in the BandView executable's folder. For instance my rigs.txt file contains these settings :
Default,C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\WSJT-X,WSJT-X.ini
OmniRig Rig 1,C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\WSJT-X - OmniRig Rig 1,WSJT-X - OmniRig Rig 1.ini
OmniRig Rig 2,C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\WSJT-X - OmniRig Rig 2,WSJT-X - OmniRig Rig 2.ini
* Note that the User text above (in italics) must be replaced bywhatever account name you are using as your Windows logon name.
The first field contains the displayed label then a comma (,), the second field is the folder for the folder detail where that instance stores it's ALL.TXT file then a comma (,), the third field is the name of the WSJTX INI file for that instance. The number of entries is not specifically limited but you MUST get the details accurate in the file as there are no bug-fixes to accommodate invalid configuration entries. If you aren't proficient/confident then do NOT create the rigs.txt file.
All relevant software settings are saved in the Windows Registry from one user session to the next upon program exit.
While this software was written mainly for my own use, others may find it useful/helpful hence the "sharing".
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Download ZIP file (about 250KB in size)
There is no installer aplication : simply download and unZIP into a folder of your choice (C:\BandView is suggested), right-click on the file 'BandView.exe' and select Send To Desktop from the displayed list.
Current version displayed at the top frame of the application : 1.0.0.8
You will probably have to do a 'Run Anyway' under Win10.
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