jtdx_improved Files

jtdx_improved is an enhanced version of JTDX by Igor Chernikov et al. (https://sourceforge.net/projects/jtdx/). Both my and Igor's forks are based on the excellent WSJT-X software by Joe Taylor K1JT, Steve Franke K9AN, Bill Somerville G4WJS and others (https://sourceforge.net/projects/wsjt/). 

After the succes of my wsjt-x_improved project (https://sourceforge.net/projects/wsjt-x-improved/) I thought it was time to implement some of its enhancements now also to JTDX…

Notes: jtdx_improved is experimental and is licensed under GNU GPL v3 (https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt). I am not aware of any adverse effects. However, use it at your own risk!

Mailing list: https://sourceforge.net/projects/jtdx-improved/lists/jtdx-improved-community

CHANGELOG

jtdx_2.2.159

Update 2023-03-28:
 - New buttons for the frequently used bands allow direct switching to the main operating
   frequencies. You can hide the buttons via the View menu.
 - The Rx / Tx frequency selection fields have been swapped so that the Tx field is now
   at the top.
 - New option: Show distance and/or azimuth in messages with grid: If a station sends
   a valid Maidenhead locator, jtdx_improved now automatically calculates the distance
   and the great-circle azimuth and displays it in the Band Activity pane.
 - A new "Align DXCC / distance / azimuth" checkbox allows you to keep the displayed
   distance/azimuth values in an aligned table form with the DXCC names (or with the
   principal prefixes).
 - The spin box allows further configuration of the preferred layout. It sets the number
   of spaces between the DXCC and the distance/azimuth field. You can increase or decrease
   the default number.
 - In the help menu, hyperlinks to the jtdx_improved home page as well as to a new pdf
   file "The additional features of jtdx_improvd" have been added.
 - Upgrade to the "Big CTY" variant of the cty.dat file. This allows in particular a much
   more correct mapping of the ITU zones.
 - Update of the lotw-user-activity.csv file.
 - The jtdx_improved source code is now also compliant with macOS.

Update 2023-02-20:
 - The mode buttons now change their background color to indicate which mode is currently 
   selected.
 - Update to hamlib 4.5.4.

Update 2022-11-14:
 - This update prevents you from calling the Fox in the wrong time slot when in Hound mode.
   There is a convention that Hound must always TX odd (15/45), and Fox always even (00/30). 
   So far, on all JTDX and jtdx_improved versions, it was possible to change this manually
   as with the normal FT8. In my eyes this is/was a severe bug, because currently there are
   again and again OMs calling the various DXpeditions in the wrong time slot. I also sent 
   my patch to the developers of the original JTDX, so hopefully they fix it there as well.

Update 2022-11-09:
 - Bug fix: The ▲ (triangle-up) and ▼ (triangle down) buttons worked the wrong way around.
   Only the 'improved' ("AL") GUI was affected.

Update 2022-10-07:
 - Dark Style: Some improvements have been made to layout and geometry of the GUI when 
   using the dark style. (I implemented the various improvements I programmed for the 
   new wsjt-x_improved dark style mode.)
 - Auto-scaling for my 'improved' ("AL") GUI has been improved. The area of the controls 
   now automatically increases or decreases when switching to a new font size. A special 
   version for 4K screens is no longer necessary! The GUI can now be used with font sizes 
   between 7 and 12 pt without any problems. Also 14 or 16 pt fonts still work, but with 
   a few limitations.
 - Update to hamlib 4.5_2022-10-02.
 - Last but not least: There is a new jtdx-improved-community mailing list where all
   jtdx_improved topics can be discussed and where you/we can all try to help each 
   other. To subscribe, go to the following page:
   https://sourceforge.net/projects/jtdx-improved/lists/jtdx-improved-community
   In the future I plan to use this mailing list also to announce updates. 
 Note: For technical reasons, updates to the Raspberry Pi installers must be made later. 
       Should one of you be able to provide me with installers for Raspberry Pi and/or 
       macOS, please contact me via private email.

Update 2022-09-26:
 - Better readability of Tab 3 when using the dark style. Since the dark style requires 
   more space, the height of Tab 3 is now automatically adjusted when switching to or from
   the dark style.
 - Update to hamlib 4.5_2022-09-05.  

Update 2022-07-19:
 - New feature: A double click with the right mouse button on the waterfall now sets the 
   Rx & Tx audio frequencies.
 - Update to hamlib 4.5_2022-07-17. 

Update 2022-07-13:
 - Correct a flaw that could cause OmniRig 1.19 or later to set incorrect frequencies 
   after initialization.
 - New feature: Double-click on the Lookup button searches on QRZ.com for the callsign 
   from the DX Call box.
 - Update to hamlib 4.5_2022-07-10.

Update 2022-06-22:
 - Fix another inconsistency in the GUI: Improve stretching of the fields for DX Call 
   and DX Grid.

Update 2022-06-19:
 - Fix a small inconsistency in the GUI
 - Update to hamlib 4.5_2022-06-19.

Update 2022-04-28:
 - jtdx_improved now supports the following JTAlert features (like WSJT-X and 
   wsjt-x_improved do):
    - Color Band Activity Callsigns/Exchanges with alert colors
    - Color Band Activity Decodes ending in 73 or RR73
    - Highlight Band Activity DT values that exceed threshold
   It works with JTAlert v2.51.3 and upwards. Thanks to Laurie VK3AMA for the good 
   cooperation!
 - Due to the new possibility to highlight single "words" (callsigns, grids, etc.) 
   I slightly changed the behavior of Highlight messages with DX Call / Grid. The 
   coloring of whole lines is now only done for CQ messages. For all other messages 
   callsign and grid are colored individually. 
 - Update to hamlib 4.5_2022-04-24.

Update 2022-03-26:
 - For those of you who like my enhanced features but not the new layout, there is 
   now also a version of jtdx_improved with JTDX's default GUI. Everything else is 
   the same there.  
 - Some minor fixes and improvements to the code.

Update 2022-03-24:
 - Adding an option to highlight messages with DX Call / DX Grid.
 - Update to hamlib 4.5_2022-03-24.

Update 2022-03-23:
 - Adding an option to highlight all messages with My Call by a yellow or cyan 
   background (like wsjtx).
 - Update to hamlib 4.5_2022-03-23.

Update 2022-03-20:
 - Implementation of my Alerts feature. Play individual alert sounds as notifications
   ("New DXCC", "New Grid", "Calling You" and so on). Note: This feature requires that 
   your rig is connected via USB audio, and that this audio sink is NOT named 'Default'. 
   Current limitation: Due to the structure of the JTDX source code it is necessary to 
   have "Blank line between decoding periods" enabled, and the very first decode period 
   is not alerted.
 - Update to hamlib 4.5_2022-03-20.

Release 2022-03-15:
 - Forked from the official JTDX_2.2.159 source code.
 - The GUI of the main window has been optimized. It is now similar to that of 
   wsjt-x_improved AL.
 - New “FT8”, “FT4”, and “JT” buttons make it easy to switch between the frequently used 
   modes.
 - Implementation of my Band Hopping feature. A new Tab 3 has checkboxes for the most 
   important FT8, FT4 and JT65 frequencies. Just select the bands/modes you want and push 
   the "Band Hopping" button. Automatic band hopping takes place every other full minute.
 - Update to hamlib 4.5_2022-03-14.