Ragchew.app is awesome
A few weeks ago, while checking into the Tulsa Amateur Radio Club weekly net, I heard someone get on and shoutout their app for watching the net progress. I decided to check it out and I was so impressed by what I saw that I met with the developer and wanted to write about it a bit!
Ragchew.app is an open-source web interface for the Netlogger application. Tying into the data collected by Netlogger, Ragchew gives you an interface to watch as check-ins are being logged for a net and watch as the Net Control Station goes down the list in real-time.
Some of the features that I really enjoy are:
- Individual pages for many clubs that host their own nets, with descriptions and links back to their websites. (Here's TARC's for example.)
- "Favorite" callsigns, so you can see when your friends check-in to nets and go find them on the air!
- QRZ bio images next to callsigns, a nice visual touch!
- Integration with the chat system provided by Netlogger.
- Full responsive, mobile support!
As someone who checks in to a few nets locally on VHF/UHF as well as listens in to nets on HF, I always enjoy when I can boot up Netlogger and watch the net in real-time. But, there's unfortunately no native support for NetLogger on iOS and I even prefer to install as few apps as I can. Tim, KI5ZDF has solved this with Ragchew.app and made it possible for me to browse nets on the go, on my phone, without any extra apps! There's even no extra sign-up involved, the application just verifies your callsign with QRZ's login system.
After speaking with him regarding how he made the app and his future plans, Tim seems really passionate about this app and seems to have really enjoyed the process behind building it. As I mentioned previously, the app is open-source on Github and I had a fun time looking through the code trying to figure out how it all works, and I hope to make some contributions to the app's future myself soon.
I certainly recommend all hams that enjoy nets check out this app, especially if you're someone that enjoys watching Netlogger lists, but aren't one of the people activelly logging and want to forgo that much of the interface. Tim has managed to combine the useful data and logging capabilities of Netlogger with a simple to navigate and mobile friendly interface, and it's becoming one of my favorite regular tools to use for amateur radio activities.