2007-12-29
Invented by Uffe, PA5DD, implemented by Bo, OZ2M, and used by
You
This page describes the Shout client application of the VUSHF DX-peditions Shouts web and how both client and server sides work. It provides a simple guide to installing, setting-up and using Shout.
The Shouts web page shows a DX-pedition's blog and log that are either updated online or offline for later updating. Shouts has no delays between the source and the web, unlike manual information systems, and that all information is disclosed ensuring that all stations have access to all details.
In the blog the DX-pedition station can publish pseudo static comments and general feed back to the stations looking for the DX-pedition. In the log the contacted stations can be listed with additional information.
The webpage is automatically updated when new information is received from the DX-pedition.
When a message is posted and the DX-pedition station was offline while writing the message the time stamp is followed by a asterisk, e.g. 2006-06-01 12:34 * OZ2M C.
When you are on a DX-pedition your success with Shouts depends heavily on how you distribute your information. If your information is disbursed among several places, e.g. chat, DX-cluster, web, individual SMSs and phone calls, your success with Shouts and the DX-pedition in general will be lower than if you consistently use Shouts to consolidate the information. Below is a server hits chart showing the success of Shouts during Uffe's, LA/PA5DD, trip to Norway. Uffe managed to complete up to 18 MS QSOs in one hour which could only be achieved by focusing the information flow through Shouts exclusively.
Number of hits per day on www.rudius.net in July 2006. The impact of Shouts is clearly visible. Source: webstats from www.rudius.net.
Shout is a client side application that runs under Windows. The application is used to send messages to the Shouts webpage. Instead of sending an SMS you can use Shout to send a message which is both cheaper, about ten times, faster and requires no interaction to be published.
Download Shout and do the installation yourself. All you have to do is place Shout.exe in its own directory together with the user ID file, Shout.key that you have to obtain from Bo, OZ2M. Without the license .key file Shout will not run. The license can either be issued to the raw call, e.g. OZ2M, or the full call, e.g. QQ/OZ2M/4, which ever you prefer but the associated Shouts web URL and ID, i.e. index.php?callsign=oz2m or index.php?callsign=qq_oz2m_4 are affected.
No set-up of Shout.exe is needed. However, in order to minimise the WAN traffic some adjustments to your firewall, DNS and GPRS might be relevant even though this has nothing to do with Shout. You can choose to do all the adjustments, some or none. They are not interrelated and the more you do the fewer money you will have to spend on the connection.
This being said, you should familiarise yourself with Shout and the way it works on a normal Internet connection before starting to optimise the WAN bit load and before going portable and being connected on an expensive GPRS connection.
The advise is also to shut down all other applications such as Skype as they may be using the DNS. Uffe, PA5DD says: "Although "skype.exe" is blocked by the firewall and therefore not connected, it seems to generate traffic to the DNS server (UDP port 53) every 10 seconds. This gives an extra 100 kB/hour of GPRS traffic. More advanced firewalls than the free version of ZoneAlarm might be able to block this traffic."
Uncheck all network connections expect the Internet Protocol TCP/IP in your Control Panel | Network Connections (for the GPRS dial-up connection) | General | Properties | General and press OK.
Windows and other applications may have access to the web through the firewall. But they will most likely cause additional traffic. To avoid this exclude them from passing the firewall as long as you use Shout on a bit costly connection.
Use the ZoneAlarm software firewall, that is for free, to control the programs on your computer that access the Internet. Remember to shut down any other software firewalls you might have installed. By setting the program control to only allow your Shout.exe to access the Internet, you can safeguard yourself against automatic updaters and the like accessing the Internet, and generating GPRS traffic. Other firewalls with outgoing control might work as well.
Note that the Windows XP firewall cannot be used to control your programs. This because it only provides incoming protection.
Be sure to test that there is no leaking traffic after setting up the firewall. The way to test it is to shut down the Shout client and watch for other traffic. Right click connection icon, and choose Status. The initial connection will cost some bytes, but after a minute of so both Sent and Received bytes should stay constant, until you start your Shout again.
Your firewall probably has a logging option to help you identify sniper traffic. The Windows XP firewall has such a logging option.
Shout connects to the server using the IP address, and does not use the DNS at all. This is done because DNS verifies and updates addresses but due to this additional bits are used. Therefore "disabling" the DNS is necessary.
When you establish a GPRS connection, the TCP/IP layer will normally attempt to receive a DNS address from the GPRS server. This will cost you some kB on every connection. You can save these bytes by entering a DNS server address in the TCP/IP properties of your GPRS modem connection. Even with a manual set DNS address, the GPRS connection will try to establish contact with the DNS server on start-up. Again this is costing you traffic on every connect. The solution is to set the DNS server address to the internal loop back address on your PC (127.0.0.1). This way the traffic will not reach the GPRS modem. You should only use the last solution in case you are only using IP addresses. Every connection will still cost around 500 bytes, because the phone needs to acquire an IP address.
The unwanted traffic generated is related to the fact, that the ZoneAlarm firewall does not block traffic on the DNS IP port. If you set your DNS server to 127.0.0.1 you do not need to shut down other applications either. Find this setting in your Control Panel | Network Connections (for the GPRS dial-up connection) | General | Properties | General and select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) | Properties and make set like shown below and press OK.
If you plan to use GRPS your mobile network operator, mobile phone and subscription must all comply. This has nothing at all to do with Shout. Similarly, if you are out of coverage you cannot connect to the web server but you can always enter information into Shout and send it at a later stage.
How you connect your mobile phone to your computer has nothing to do with Shout. However, RS-232, the infrared port or bluetooth ... are all good. Please consult your PC and phone manuals.
If you are using WLAN or WiMax subscriptions that are costly the same applies as for GPRS.
If you want to be QRV on Shouts on your next DX-pedition all you have to do is:
If you are using Windows XP here are some ways for minimising periodic WAN traffic even further.
Bo, OZ2M, www.rudius.net/oz2m