smart beacon.
It might be an idea to add a "smart beacon" to the default beacon.
By default, the beacon interval time is at least 15 minutes, which is a good value in most cases. However, it can happen that a much shorter beacon interval can be useful. This could include, for example, testing for non-standard frequencies, or drawing attention to VaRAC activity on frequencies that are standard, but on which there is only seldom activity.
A "smart beacon", for example, could have the following properties.
1- Beacon interval upwards adjustable from 60 sec.
2- When detecting "trafic" on the frequency, automatically switching to a lower interval of eg 300 sec.
3- Only when after a period of 60 sec. no more "trafic" detected, switching back automatically, to an interval of 60 sec.
I use VarAC in the background while working or other tasks. I can quickly Ping/LHR, returning to my foreground tasks. If I want to Beacon more frequently, as when conditions may be changing quickly in the mornings, I restart the Beacon manually or in previously versions, toggled the frequency to reset.
I have given it some thought. I do not wish to go to to lower frequency below 15 minutes. there are times where there are over 50 people at the same time beaconing. in 5 minutes that means all the time. I did released the reset beacon timer in V3.6.6 so it allows you to resend beacon manually if you want.
73s
Hu Ben. I'll consider this.
Next version will allow you to manually Reset the Beacon timers so if you are active on the freq and want to conduct some testing - you could RESTART the beacon and it will start the countain from scratch.
I will also think about maybe if not on a QRG - allow you to take the Beacon timer to a lower number (like 5 min)
I want to make sure no one forgets their beacon on 5 min as the QRG becomes quite busy lately and this will generate too much QRM.
I'll think this through. but next version will allow you some flexability as I mentioned.
Irad