I am pleased to announce the release of the Handiham Remote Base software release version 6.1! Since the beginning of my work with the Handiham Remote Base software, it truly has been an honor to work on technology that facilitates the use of the W4MQ software for ham operators that are handiham members.
This version of the Remote Base client is a springboard release. We believe that this release will enable many enhancements to the remote base right now and in the future. With this release, we are prepared to continue the life-cycle of the W4MQ client through the recently announced Microsoft support of Visual Basic 6 applications. Microsoft, as of November 2012, announces that Visual Basic applications will be supported through the lifetime of Windows 8. This means Windows 7 and 8 are now shipping with common components that enable continuing support for the Handiham Remote Base client. Typically, Microsoft will support a released operating system for five years with an additional five years of extended support. That means we are prepared to have the Remote Base client supported for at least five years if not ten.
With this release of Web Transceiver, version 6.1, we have included the following major fixes.
1. Phone Home Bug Fix – Essentially, the Phone Home bug was uncovered and fixed. We now have an interim update that enables one station to be phoned home, the W0ZSW station. Without enabling one remote station to be polled, the remote base client times out on a constant basis and non-sighted users will have no functionality with the client; hence having to shut it down from Windows Task Manager. The Phone home bug fix / workaround is not required with this release of the W4MQ client. For those that have implemented the Phone Home Bug fix, you may remove the HOSTS file entry as soon as the update is applied.
2. Increased Performance – The Web Transceiver software is now faster than ever. The interface is crisper and feels much more robust.
3. .Net support enhancement – With this version, we get closer to the day when the Web transceiver can be converted to the .Net framework.
4. Menu enhancements – The Web Transceiver menu is much more robust and all options now work. There are options that have been removed and new options added as well.
5. Addition of an Exit Option – you may now press ALT+X to exit the Web Transceiver application..
6. Removal of Legacy / Obsolete Code – Much of the obsolete code has been removed from this version of the remote Base client, hence making it much more robust.
7. URL Updates – Many of the broken links within the application have been fixed. The links now work and bring up the correct web sites.
8. Internal Code Improvements – To make the code much more readable and user friendly, this version of the Web Transceiver has been updated to be more readable internally.
9. User Friendly Messages – Application messages are now much more descriptive and provide details on actions that the software will take.
10. Debugging Facility Included – This facility will improve with time and has been added to improve software debugging.
As we continue working on enhancements to the remote base client, we hope that our beta team will continue to participate in this great tool for Handiham members and the like. Team, without your help, this release would not be possible. For those of you who will continue on to the next release, thank you for your continuing support.
I thank Pat, WA0TDA, and Lyle, K0LR, for leading this effort and for getting me started in this development. Pat, I never imagined that I would be working on this code but when you mentioned you needed help with the remote base, I truly was excited about the prospect of working through the code. For me, it had been a good ten years since I had worked on VB6 but it came back so quickly; it was like knowing how to ride a bicycle, I just remembered.
Now I am hooked! Time to work on the documentation and audio files!
73,
Jose Tamayo – KK4JZX
