Ham Radio Station Map?

[VK5TM]

I seem to remember at some stage, there used to a map showing the location of amateur stations (using the ACMA data overlaid on Google Maps possibly).

Is that still around or in these days of privacy, has it gone the way of the DoDo?

Just curious more than anything else.

[VK4ADC]

The only one I could remember is the one by EI8IC :  https://www.mapability.com/ei8ic/vkcallbook/index.php although I have a feeling that there was a link and topic on the now-gone VKLogger forum that did provide for some station mapping through Google Earth and a KML overlay but whether that was just repeaters and beacons (via ACMA database site details) is something I can't clearly recall.   Do a search on WWFF as well as they have some VK mapping stuff, and also at https://telecnatron.com/articles/VK-Repe...index.html (dated info).

There haven't been any new Aussie callbooks available since the AMC took over callsign management AND the ACMA reviewed their bulk data access with respect to privacy and copyright, circa 2019-ish, so the EI8IC stuff would be out of date now anyway.

[VK5TM]

I think it must have been the VKLogger one, none of those you linked or the WWFF ones are it.

I remember putting my callsign in to see who was near me, only to find out (at the time) there was nobody for miles and I don't think anything much has changed.

[VK2CSW]

You could try looking at the Wayback Machine.

Thanks Mr Peabody! (1970's cultural reference)

https://web.archive.org/web/*/vklogger.com

[VK5TM]

That only gets to the actual logger, the map would have been in a post on the forum (not saved on Wayback).

[VK4ADC]

Terry

What you can do is do an ACMA database search on services within say 100KM of your Lat/Long through the https://web.acma.gov.au/rrl/site_proximity.main_page and press the WiFi image button to give you nearby base station services overlaid on a map. It does not show amateur locations.

You might like to indicate exactly what details you are looking for : amateur repeater/beacons. amateur other..   

Please remember that while street addresses are supplied to the ACMA for the normal amateur (where they are not PO Boxes like yours is), there is no geographic data accompanying it so it can't be plotted on a map.  You can do an ACMA Regsister search based on postcodes with a second search term 'VK' and that will reveal some locals but not all (no PO boxes).

Doug

[VK5TM]

Not looking for anything in particular Doug, it was just something that popped in to the head a few days ago and I went looking to see if it was still about (I was bored  )

If I remember correctly, you put your callsign in and then a distance and it showed who was within that radius of you.
Pretty sure it would show just about any sort of license assignment based on the ACMA data, but it definitely showed amateur licenses.

I do use the ACMA database if I particularly need to know something, but the map bit of it - either I'm doing something wrong or it breaks just as I want use it - the little going round in circles thing up the left hand top side does just that, goes round in circles and nothing else, although I did once manage to get it to show my callsign location.

[OZ2M]

Some 15 years I made a file that could be loaded into Google Earth as it was called then. It used the users' locators from the ON4KST chats:
https://rudius.net/oz2m/googleearth.htm

Perhaps you can do something similar combining various sources since the data from licensing data may not be really useful. Data could come from here, chats, QRZ, ... from time to time. Then remove the duplicates and do some datawash.

Bo, OZ2M
www.rudius.net/oz2m :: www.rfzero.net

[VK4ADC]

Terry

Since yesterday's post I have done a bit of work with the ACMA database and here are just a few excerpts from locally generated data files :

Beacons with freq, emission mode,  lat,  long, location :

VK3RXX,B,10368.432000,T,200HA1A,-37.828787,144.956744,68 Clark St SOUTH MELBOURNE,VIC
VK3RXX,B,1296.530000,T,200HA1A,-37.828787,144.956744,68 Clark St SOUTH MELBOURNE,VIC
VK3RXX,B,2403.432000,T,200HA1A,-37.828787,144.956744,68 Clark St SOUTH MELBOURNE,VIC
VK3RXX,B,3398.432000,T,200HA1A,-37.848606,145.093766,Amateur Site 19 Darling Avenue Camberwell,VIC
VK3RXX,B,5760.432000,T,200HA1A,-37.828787,144.956744,68 Clark St SOUTH MELBOURNE,VIC
VK4RBB,B,10368.440000,T,100HA1A,-27.707811,153.163313,28 Hillside Crescent EDENS LANDING,QLD
VK4RBB,B,10368.440000,T,630HF1DEN,-27.707811,153.163313,28 Hillside Crescent EDENS LANDING,QLD
VK4RBB,B,1296.440000,T,100HA1A,-27.707811,153.163313,28 Hillside Crescent EDENS LANDING,QLD
VK4RBB,B,1296.440000,T,630HF1DEN,-27.707811,153.163313,28 Hillside Crescent EDENS LANDING,QLD
VK4RBB,B,2403.440000,T,100HA1A,-27.707811,153.163313,28 Hillside Crescent EDENS LANDING,QLD


Repeaters with freq, Tx or Rx, emission mode, lat, long, location :

VK2RAY,R,52.700000,R,16K0F9W,-36.022594,146.945887,Albury Wodonga Amateur Radio Club 161 Shaw Street SPRINGDALE HEIGHTS,NSW
VK2RAY,R,53.700000,T,16K0F9W,-36.022594,146.945887,Albury Wodonga Amateur Radio Club 161 Shaw Street SPRINGDALE HEIGHTS,NSW
VK2RAZ,R,433.700000,R,16K0F3E,-34.138707,150.664759,Metwide 2MCR Razorback Mt Prudhoe RAZORBACK RANGE,NSW
VK2RAZ,R,438.700000,T,16K0F3E,-34.138707,150.664759,Metwide 2MCR Razorback Mt Prudhoe RAZORBACK RANGE,NSW
VK2RBA,R,431.837500,R,11K3F9W,-36.924324,149.235232,Walabadah Mawson Street BOMBALA,NSW
VK2RBA,R,438.837500,T,11K3F9W,-36.924324,149.235232,Walabadah Mawson Street BOMBALA,NSW
VK2RBB,R,146.025000,R,16K0F3E,-28.602217,153.435042,Goonengerry Trig Near MULLUMBIMBY,NSW
VK2RBB,R,146.625000,T,16K0F3E,-28.602217,153.435042,Goonengerry Trig Near MULLUMBIMBY,NSW
VK2RBB,R,430.400000,T,16K0F2D,-28.602217,153.435042,Goonengerry Trig Near MULLUMBIMBY,NSW
VK2RBB,R,440.400000,R,16K0F2D,-28.602217,153.435042,Goonengerry Trig Near MULLUMBIMBY,NSW

Operators list by callsign, licence level, name + address, postcode :

 **** REMOVED ****



The operators list is a pseudo callbook and just a few lines have been shown above. The total listing is some 14861 entries.  
While postcodes could be used as a basis for plotting, the inclusion of PO Boxes defeats that option.

These details are correct as of yesterday.  Note the positional info for repeaters (R in 2nd field) and beacons (B in second field) that can be used to create KML files for Google Earth - just haven't written that code as yet (hey, it was only yesterday I started this !) but I have found the structure to generate same..

Per Bo's idea, I also have a world-wide callsign list with grid squares from my FT8 operations and my LogView software but that is mostly 4-char details so not particularly accurate for your purpose :


VK3HGQ,QF33
VK3HY,QF22
VK3IK,QF22
VK3IRM,QF22
VK3JX,QF22
VK3MDH,QF22
VK3MH,QF22
VK3MY,QF22

Currently 3820 unique calls in that grids vs calls data file.

I will continue to work on generating some KMLs in the next week or so, easy to do for the beacons and repeaters lists.  The normal operators list remains a challenge.


73 Doug

[VK5TM]

Digging around the ACMA website, I found a there are quite a few kmz (Google Earth) files for various services but I couldn't find one for general amateurs calls.

There was mention of it being available (on one page) in the RRL downloads, but haven't checked that out.

Not that I have any experience with what to do with these files anyway.

Also, didn't Google do something like requiring payment for using their maps now to do things like this?
I know they changed something that made a whole lot of map services stop working and most of them just showed Google the middle finger and took them down instead of re-doing them to comply with Googles demands.

[VK4ADC]

Terry

Been playing a bit today.. Created the attached based on postcode and suburb/locality name details, VK5's only in this one... The other state prefixes have been done too.   Can't do anything about the PO Box address entries. Note that there will be several calls at one location due to lack of better/true location details.   Errors in positioning can be expected.


  myfile5.zip (Size: 20.86 KB / Downloads: 621)

I hope you have a PC with Google Earth installed, and it is reasonably fast as the KML file in the attached zip (once de-zipped) will take quite some minutes to fully load before you can zoom or scroll.

Anyway, try it and advise if it worked for you.

73 Doug

[OZ2M]

Looks good Doug. The PoCo gives some privacy too like locators do. I guess you can have rather large areas covered by one PoCo unlike here in real OZ where the largest area is 462 km2 and smallest is 0,336 km2.

Bo, OZ2M
www.rudius.net/oz2m :: www.rfzero.net

[VK4ADC]

Bo

I generated a separate KML file for each prefix, VK0 ..  VK9, simply because the entire amateur operator database is 14000+ records and Google Earth doesn't like that many entries - says 'Not responding'.. because I tried that first. 

The available map details were kept sparse on purpose, just callsigns and approximate positions, to keep the KML file small. I could add some detail but not really interested.

The ACMA data has statements about the use of the RRL data in regards to privacy etc but I have used extracted data then used another data source file to get Lat/Long versus locality name and postcode to get approximate positioning.  The real data used from the RRL is purely callsign, the remainder is interpreted.

Not a bad project outcome for time well under two days from absolute start.

The data files will eventually be made available via my web site at VK4ADC.COM, at my convenience.

73 Doug

[VK5TM]

I hope you have a PC with Google Earth installed, and it is reasonably fast as the KML file in the attached zip (once de-zipped) will take quite some minutes to fully load before you can zoom or scroll.

Anyway, try it and advise if it worked for you.

73 Doug

Fast PC but no Google Earth - will download and give it a go tomorrow and let you know - thanks.

[VK5TM]

All working here, although as you said, positional accuracy is somewhat off.

I'm apparently in the back drive way of the local tyre place (~50m from my listed address) and I notice three callsigns smack bang in the middle of the golf course in Murray Bridge  

Does give a good idea where others are roughly in relation to ones self (assuming they are active of course).

[VK4ADC]

Terry (et al)

The positional info is derived from postcode/locality data file that centres mainly on postal delivery stuff.  I would be very surprised if it was less than 1-2KM in error, and could easily be 5KM or more.  It is not based on an individual's address at all, other than locality name.

It is amazing how many entries in the ACMA system data have incorrect locality spelling, postcodes etc. and I have even noted at least one that has the wrong state ID (NT in lieu NSW). 

The work on the beacon, repeater and general operator data files has progressed a bit more to the point that is considered nearly complete, and then I can move onto other tasks.

Today I tried it on the browser-based Google Earth and it does work - but takes "many" minutes to paste all of the yellow thumbtacks, just for eg VK4..

The beacon listing now has a grid square detail:
6. Data records processed : 160
VK3RXX,B,3398.432000,T,200HA1A,-37.8,145.0,Amateur Site 19 Darling Avenue Camberwell,VIC,QF22ND
VK3RXX,B,5760.432000,T,200HA1A,-37.8,144.9,68 Clark St SOUTH MELBOURNE,VIC,QF22LE
VK4RBB,B,10368.440000,T,100HA1A,-27.7,153.1,28 Hillside Crescent EDENS LANDING,QLD,QG62NH
VK4RBB,B,10368.440000,T,630HF1DEN,-27.7,153.1,28 Hillside Crescent EDENS LANDING,QLD,QG62NH


Ditto the repeater listing :
6. Data records processed : 3703
VK2RAY,R,438.575000,T,16K0F9W,-36.0,146.9,Albury Wodonga Amateur Radio Club 161 Shaw Street SPRINGDALE HEIGHTS,NSW,QF33LX
VK2RAY,R,52.700000,R,16K0F9W,-36.0,146.9,Albury Wodonga Amateur Radio Club 161 Shaw Street SPRINGDALE HEIGHTS,NSW,QF33LX
VK2RAY,R,53.700000,T,16K0F9W,-36.0,146.9,Albury Wodonga Amateur Radio Club 161 Shaw Street SPRINGDALE HEIGHTS,NSW,QF33LX
VK2RAZ,R,433.700000,R,16K0F3E,-34.1,150.6,Metwide 2MCR Razorback Mt Prudhoe RAZORBACK RANGE,NSW,QF55HU
VK2RAZ,R,438.700000,T,16K0F3E,-34.1,150.6,Metwide 2MCR Razorback Mt Prudhoe RAZORBACK RANGE,NSW,QF55HU
VK2RBA,R,431.837500,R,11K3F9W,-36.9,149.2,Walabadah Mawson Street BOMBALA,NSW,QF43OB
VK2RBA,R,438.837500,T,11K3F9W,-36.9,149.2,Walabadah Mawson Street BOMBALA,NSW,QF43OB


The operator listing has an approx lat/long plus grid square :
7. Data records processed : 14861
 **** REMOVED ****


Your location detail comes out as "-35.88,140.05,QF04AC" and you might like to advise how far out that is.

Cheers
Doug

[VK5TM]

When I tried the VK5 file on the local install of Google Earth, it completed in less than a minute.

Lat and lon 35.52'56,53"S 140.03'16.25"E, so not a long way off - grid square is correct.

[VK4ADC]

The last data update for the year has now been put on my website and this time it includes the current 2X1 callsigns (16Nov21) coupled with the normal VK callsigns as per the ACMA data dated today, 11 Dec 2021.  Each call area KML file is included as well as beacons and repeater sites.

I try to remember to update it early each month so it is reasonably accurate, a little late this month due to other doings here.

https://www.vk4adc.com/web/index.php/sof...k-lic-data  and look down the page for the link to the ZIP file : vk-amateur-data.zip

Doug VK4ADC

[VA3TS]

Hello, Tom VA3TS here. I hoped you could help with my installation of logview, I have wsjt working fine on my win11 computer, But I get these errors when running the software.  Program disk locations  c:/logview  and   C:\Users\tomst\AppData\Local\WSJT-X

I also manually allowed logview through the firewall and updated the wsjt "fileettinjgs:reporting" to Enable UDP Server "but it does say it's deprecated. However, thanks for any tips you may have..best regards and 73  Tom
   

   

[VK4ADC]

Tom

The issue may be because of the build version of the Windows on the PC – whether 32 or 64 bit.  Typical LogView error messages says something like that a function does not exist in ssleay32.dll or similar.

LogView runs here on 64 bit Win10 on several machines but the correct SSL support must be in place.

Only 32 bit SSL library DLLs should be placed in the LogView folder and it will use those versions even if they are installed elsewhere on the system. Now the hard bit is that they must always be the 32 bit version since the development software is 32 bit, even if running on a Windows 64 bit system.  Any version found elsewhere on the PC will be an incompatible version, undoubtedly 64 bit.

The ZIP pointed to by  this weblink  has the three SSL files from my working LogView folder, and on a 64 bit machine. 
Extract them over any already in the Logview folder or if missing, making sure LogView is not running first. 

Start LogView and the errors should hopefully be gone.

73 Doug VK4ADC