I’d like to share with the community a web tool I developed to visualize my VarAC traffic activity in real-time.
It's called VarAC Log Mapper - Terminal Edition. The idea was to create a dashboard that looks like it came straight out of an 80s computer (Green Phosphor CRT monitor style), but packed with modern monitoring features.
Here are the main features of the software:
1.
The system reads the local VarAC.db file directly (client-side within the browser for privacy, no data is uploaded to external servers).
Visualizes both Confirmed QSOs (Red) and Heard Stations (Cyan) on the map.
The Last 5 stations received pulse in bright green for immediate identification.
Includes a "Last 5" summary table showing Time, Call, Grid, and SNR.
2.
Beyond the map, I’ve integrated several useful tools into a single screen:
HF Propagation Monitor: Real-time solar data (SFI, Sunspots, A/K Index) fetched from HamQSL, indicating conditions (Good/Fair/Poor) per band (Day/Night).
NCDXF Beacons: A synchronized panel showing exactly which beacon is transmitting at that specific second across all bands (14.100, 18.110, etc.) and highlighting it on the map.
Greyline & Astro: Visualizes the terminator line, sun/moon position, and moon phase/illumination.
World Clocks: UTC, Rome, NY, Tokyo, etc.
PSK Reporter: A quick query feature to check spots for your callsign on PSK Reporter (last 15 mins).
3.
Since this runs as a web page on a server, I implemented a Secure Login System.
Access to the map is protected by a "Terminal Style" authentication screen requiring a Call and Password (verified against a local file on the server) to keep the log private.
4.
The entire interface is designed to be eye-friendly (Total Dark Mode) and recreates the "Scanline" effect of old monitors, using the VT323 monospaced font.
How does it work technically?
It is a PHP/HTML5 page that uses Leaflet for mapping and SQL.js to read the SQLite VarAC database directly from the browser. You simply select the .db file, and the page auto-refreshes every 5 seconds looking for new spots.
I hope you find it interesting and perhaps it can serve as inspiration for your own projects!
If you have any feedback or would like to try it, let me know in the comments at this mail: iu7iwt@gmail.com
Note to all radio operators: enter your grid locator in the VarAC software info. This is required for correct mapping in various software. Try not to leave this parameter blank.
Here is the link to try the software: https://www.curiositaastronomiche.it/varac_db/index.php
Use these credentials to try the software:
call: user
password: demo
At this link you can find the software instructions(English version): https://www.curiositaastronomiche.it/va ... manual.pdf
At this link you can find the software instructions(Dutch version): https://www.curiositaastronomiche.it/va ... ual_nl.pdf
Youtube video tutorial: https://youtu.be/dDY19jaDQi0
A big thanks to my friend OM Andrea IU7LVA who helped me testing the VarAV Log Mapping.
73 de IU7IWT
