I've just connected up my Mobilinkd TNC4 to my FTM-400XDR in my car.
I use my iPad in the car to listen to music and podcasts, but now I have a connection to my Mobilinkd TNC4, I can use RadioMail to connect to RMS stations over packet radio.
The issue I have is this:
To check for or send mail I have to click on the "Stations" button, which presents me with a list of local RMS, based on my current location. However, the Stations list may not be accurate, based on my current location because it was last updated a few days ago.
In order to connect to one of those nearby stations, I have to...
. Save it as a favorite
. Exit the list
. Open the connection page
. Select Favorites
. Find the station in the list and select it
. Click Connect
So now I have a station in my Favorites list that I may never use again (seeing as I'm mobile) and will have to be deleted at some point.
What would be really helpful is being able to do the following:
. Force an update to the Stations list so that it shows the stations closest to my current location
. Select a station from the local stations
. Press a Connect button on the station information screen and start a connection to that station
Any chance an "Update Station List" can be added to the Stations list?
Can a "Connect" button be added to the station information screen to bypass all those extra clicks and having to add it to the favorites?
Current workflow for RadioMail has been optimized around the concept of curating local favorite stations and favoriting stations for an upcoming trip in advance, while you have access to the internet. It does not work as well for the "on the go" mobile case you're describing.
One thing I'd like to clarify is that the station directory is cached and refreshed periodically (~ once per day). The assumption is that RMS gateway should be relatively stable (you can alway go to settings and force a manual refresh if desired) so it's not clear to me that a server fetch would always be necessary.
One design option I've been toying with would be to offer access to "near me" on the connect screen (a button next to recents and favorites). This would provide a list of close station you can connect to without needing to favorite them. A panel similar to Favorites would open when you tap "near me", where you can toggle by modes and stations would be grouped by bands. You would then just select the entry and tap connect. Telnet would probably be omitted from that screen.
Once you successfully connect to that station, perhaps you could be offered a choice to add it to favorites.
Your “Near Me” button idea would accomplish pretty much everything I was hoping for. Having to mark a station as a favorite, exit the list, then find it in the Favorites List again before you can connect to it is a bit of a pain. I would also suggest sorting the Stations List *every* time it is accessed instead of only once when the app is started - or giving the user that option in settings. That would mean the Stations List is *always* showing stations that are sorted based on whatever your chosen sort criteria is. Is there any time when you would not want to see the stations sorted in Closest to Furthest order?
I would not agree with you that the current workflow of RadioMail does not work as well for portable operation. It works great!
Of course, I found the Refresh RMS List button in Settings after starting this topic, so we can ignore that request!
Appreciate your input and your work on RadioMail, George.
I would also suggest sorting the Stations List *every* time it is accessed instead of only once when the app is started - or giving the user that option in settings. That would mean the Stations List is *always* showing stations that are sorted based on whatever your chosen sort criteria is. Is there any time when you would not want to see the stations sorted in Closest to Furthest order?