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Date: 2026-02-20 Status: Feature Complete / Stability Sprint
This nightly release represents a major milestone in platform independence, moving the core propagation and weather logic from backend scripts to native C++ within the application.
New Features
Native Propagation Engine (PropEngine)
- Physics-Based Overlays: Full local calculation of MUF, Reliability (REL), and Take-Off Angle (TOA) grids.
- Geometric TOA Model: Implemented multi-hop F2 layer geometric propagation model (350km standard height) for accurate long-distance path predictions.
- Internal MUF-RT: Real-time MUF heatmaps are now generated locally from raw ionosonde data, allowing for perfect projection alignment on Robinson and Azimuthal maps.
JPL Asteroid/NEO Tracker
- Near-Real-Time Data: Direct integration with the JPL SSD CAD API for tracking prospective near-earth objects.
- Hazard Detection: Automated calculation of "Potentially Hazardous" status based on NASA/JPL magnitude and proximity thresholds.
- Details View: Interactive asteroid list showing miss distance (KM/Lunar Distance) and relative velocity.
Map & Weather Enhancements
- WX Pressure/Wind Overlay: New high-fidelity weather overlay powered by GFS GRIB2 data.
- Advanced Activity Pins: POTA/SOTA map pins with async coordinate resolution for summits lacking direct API location data.
- Beacon Monitor Cache: Implemented texture caching for the NCDXF Beacon Monitor to reduce GPU memory pressure.
Performance & Stability (RPi Hardening)
- Zero-Churn Rendering: Refactored
BeaconPanelandTooltipsystems to use persistent texture caches. Eliminates hundreds of small texture allocations per second on embedded targets. - Threaded Service Architecture: Data fetching and parsing for RSS, Contests, and Propagation have been moved to the
WorkerServicethread pool to prevent UI mini-freezes during network activity. - KMSDRM Compatibility: Enhanced NULL-safety and resource cleanup for Raspberry Pi builds running without X11.
Parity Status
- Overall Score: 95%
- Major Gaps Closed: VOACAP World Map Overlays, Real-Time MUF imagery.
- Remaining: Cloud Cover (Composite Rendering), WX Precipitation (Radar).
Dedicated to the memory of Elwood Downey (WB0OEW).
