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Reviews For: TravelPlus for Repeaters

Category: Ham Software/Apps - Other than logging

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Review Summary For : TravelPlus for Repeaters
Reviews: 35MSRP: $39.95
Description:
Map based repeater directory software
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.arrl.org/catalog/index.php3?category=FM+%26+Repeaters
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00351.9
N4MB Rating: 2011-06-06
Problems Installing mediocre software Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
"This version of TravelPlus is not compatible with the version you have installed".

But I deinstalled the prior version! Sorry, not good enough, you need to turn off user account control, find all the pieces from the prior version, delete them manually, then re-install the product. Oh, don't forget to turn UAC back on.

This took over an hour and I know what I'm doing.

There are no apparent new features I've found in version 15 and some the incorrect data that were in the prior rev are still in this one.

Why did I send the ARRL another $22.70? Just a sucker for the latest version.

My advice - skip this one. You might never figure out how to make it work.

YMMV... 73!
N5FXX Rating: 2011-06-04
Version 15.0 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just installed version 15.0 after deleting version 14.0. When I try to run the program I receive a message box telling me: "The version of TravelPlus is not compatible with the version you have installed" I give an "Awful!" review to this version. System: Windows 7.
W4YJ Rating: 2011-05-24
Maybe better than nothing Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This softwaere is archaic in the way it is written. You cannot add repeaters to the database and it is a bit "clunky" as far as ease of use. NOT worth the 40.00. As usual anything ARRL puts out is ages out of date. With the prices ARRL charges for their stuff you would think they could at least hire a C+ programmer to get it right.
W5LZ Rating: 2010-10-19
Better than nothing, maybe. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I'm afraid I had more expectations than I should with this program. I've removed it from the computer and seriously doubt if it will ever be reinstalled. So I'm just agreeing with the typical thoughts about this thing.
Most states have a 'state' repeater organization that's supposed to keep up with active/inactive repeaters, etc. That's a huge job, and trying the same thing on a national level is ever 'huge'er! Coordinating all that is a full time job for more than just one person! I know I don't want any part of it, so good luck.
Paul
KC7CJO Rating: 2010-10-19
ARRL Says it all! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Having never heard of this software until now, I can't really make a judgment one way or the other. However, since it's patterned after or maybe even created by the ARRL, that answers A LOT of questions!

I discourage EVERYONE NOT to purchase the ARRL Repeater "Directory"! It doesn't even make a BAD door stop!

MOST of the repeaters listed in this directory either don't exist, or don't work!

I, personally, have found and documented for my own use (and for those that want them) a listing of about 64 VHF & 60 UHF repeaters that can be brought up from my home and work locations.

How many are in the ARRL directory? Maybe 6 total! And of the ones that ARE listed only 4 of them are actually working.

But it's not all the ARRL's fault! They only print the information that's "GIVEN" to them! They don't do any research into what repeaters are actually working, or how many are in any given area. (This they could do by just searching the FCC database)

I wouldn't waste ANY money on either the book or the software!
AI8O Rating: 2010-08-17
Travel Plus v.14 Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is a followup to my review of August 13, 2010. Most of my comments apply to TP v.14.

Al of DHF systems contacted me directly after he read my review of August 13,2010.

KUDOS TO HIM and DHF for the prompt follow-up.

I spent two hours on the phone with Al working out several problems with TP v.14 running under WIN7 PRO.

First and foremost it appears that there have been changes between TP v.13 and TP v.14.
The changes from 13 to 14 were intended to update TP to Windows Vista.

Unfortunately, MicroSoft decided to dump VISTA and go to WIN7. When writing WIN7, they changed the OS a lot, including changing what various commands do.

Microsoft WIN7 Premium, which is the default on many new computers, and it is really WIN7 Basic. It will NOT run programs configured to run on WIN XP. You have to upgrade to WIN7 PRO or Ultimate to run WIN XP compatible programs in the WIN XP Virtual Machine mode.

If you try to load TP v.13 on a WIN7 Premium machine, it will not work.

I found this out he hard way, after several frustrating hours, which were made even more frustrating, because of MS's lack of error messages that could have told me what was wrong.

Most distressing was the fact that MicroSoft did NOT in any way tell me that WIN XP programs would NOT work under WIN7 Premium.

After several days of asking around in the local ham community my 20 year old son told me about the WIN7 Premium WIN XP incompatibility problem.

I had to pay Microsoft an additional $89.00 to upgrade to WIN7 PRO.

I then decided to upgrade to TP v.14.

If you try to use commands under WIN7 that you are used to in TP v.13 under TP v.14 strange things happen.

For example a command that tells WIN XP to "print preview" will in TP v.13 open a preview window and show you what a document will look like. In WIN7 the same command merely takes you to a window showing your desktop icons. You then have to drill down several layers to actually get to print preview.

There are several problems like this in the transition from TP v.13 which is well adapted to WIN XP and TP v.14 which is supposed to be compatible with VISTA.

When you upgrade from TP v.13 to TP v.14 and go from WIN XP to WIN7 there are just too many incompatibilities.

Also, ARRL does not and cannot support this program.
Order fulfillment people are non technical and don't have a clue as to what you are talking about.The ARRL lab people are too busy to get involved with solving problems with a program they didn't write.





Summary:

If this review sounds confused, that's because I am. Mostly the problems seem to be caused by MicroSoft's implementation of the various flavors of the new WIN7 OS.

If you are using WIN7 make sure you are using WIN7 PRO.

If you are WIN XP stay with TP v.13.


There are problems with the WIN7 OS implementation that effect TP v.14 negatively,
Al and DHF are working on this, but these are going to continue to be problems until everyone gets WIN7 PRO.

This program is one of a kind, and very useful to me as I travel around, so I will continue to use it.


I hope AL and DHF Systems can get these WIN7 problems, which really aren't of their making,but are caused by MicroSoft, resolved soon.

Dan AI8O


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Earlier 2-star review posted by AI8O on 2010-08-13

I am NOT happy with this program.

It has major problems.

There is no contact data for DHF Systems, so you cannot get help with a problem.
I am reviewing this here because there is NO way to contact DHF Systems.

There are NO other programs that I am aware of, that do what TP is supposed to do, so I cannot compare it to other programs, consequently I am locked to TP for this application.


I bought v.13 of this software and ran it on a WIN XP computer. I later bought a new computer with WIN7 Premium which is really "Win7 basic". TP v.13 had major problems so I updated to Win7 PRO with the virtual XP option. TP V.13 ran so-so under WIN7 virtual XP. I then bought TP v.14. The packaging says that TP v.14 will run under Win7 so I installed it on the Win7 desktop.

The first copy of TP v.14 would not install at all.
I called ARRL Publication sales and got someone named Jackie. She was very nice, but didn't have a clue as to what I was talking about.
She connected me to someone named Zak, but he didn't seem to be interested in solving my problem with an ARRL product. He tried to pass me back to Jackie but, I got disconnected and had to call ARRL HQ for a second time. Jackie then sent me a new CD of TP v.14

The software tries to do too many things:
Gray line, ham call-sign lookup, grid squares, etc.
The programmers need to concentrate on the main thrust of TP, which is to make repeater lists along a track and show them on a map.

Several parts of the TP v.14 do not work under WIN7:
1) you cannot print a repeater list under WIN7. Every time I go to FILE>Open Report Format TP v.14 opens a window showing the contents of ny desktop, it does not show any printers or .tpf files.
2)when you use print preview, It will not print in portrait mode, you get a generic page which will not print on one page unless you do major editing on a repeater list before you call up print preview. Each line is too wide due to all the useless data each line shows.:

Band is very wide (40+ characters). 2m, 440, 902,etc would be more than enough,

Full state names could be reduced to the two letter USPO state codes

Region takes up 15 or 20 spaces, but I have never seen any data in this space.

Bearing and distance are useless, I know of several repeaters which are a long way from their listed towns or PO addresses This is particularly true in my area, the Piedmont of NC.
There are repeaters on mountains that cover large areas that include their home town address, but are miles from their listed town.
I would presume that his same problem exist all along the Appalachians, Colorado, California,Utah, Oregon, Washington State.
The solution here is to put in repeater transmitter locations in Latitude and Longitude, like you have to do when you add a repeater to the database.

The EXPORT Repeater Data button does not work. every time I try to click-on FILE>EXPORT Repeater Data it takes me to the same window with my desktop icons that I get when I try to Open report format.

The repeater list is out of date.
It is easy to hide SK repeaters, but adding a repeater is a major undertaking.

I cannot export data and download it into MCP-g707 for the TM-G707A, nor CS-V82 for the ICOM V82.

The map has no zoom or scroll function you have to doof around with arrows on a direction rosette.


Summary; If I got a performance review like this at work, I would be fired.

DHF Guys, I want this to work;call me. I'm good in the callbook and QRZ.

Dan
AI8O



KE2KB Rating: 2010-07-21
Useless Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have an older version, but from what I am reading here, nothing has changed with the map software. Perhaps the repeater database has been updated though.

I am trying to find repeaters that I may be able to access while hiking the Appalachian Trail, but this map won't let me find many of the towns along the trail, and surely cannot see the trail on the map, so I cannot create an accurate route.

Cannot zoom, and cannot find even larger towns like Damascus Virginia.
I am much better off using Google maps, and finding the repeaters separately.
N0FPE Rating: 2010-05-29
bad Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bad 8 years ago and still bad now. If you have $40 to toss away send it to me. address good on QRZ!!! LOL

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Earlier 1-star review posted by N0FPE on 2008-03-14

I have had this software in 2-3 different versions and it has never lived up to what I hoped for. Just plain clunky to use. No way to update the information. I will not be buying it again.
KILLN Rating: 2010-05-29
Avoid - ripoff Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This has to be the lamest software I have ever tried to use. You can't zoom in, and the software is so poorly wrote that i swear some 15 year old part time pizza delivery guy wrote it. For $50 its over priced by $45.

AVOID this software -- yes i know that its the only think out there .. but it sucks so bad it better to go on the Internet and google search repeaters for the areas you plan to travel.

Honestly - this software is terrible... wonder if its ever been updated cause half the repeaters seem either too far outside of the search area or non-exsisant???
KI4BDS Rating: 2010-03-03
Total *^%$$#@# Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I tried to print out the repeaters and make a trip to Oklahoma from N VA down I 81 to I 40. I never talked talked to anyone on any listed repeater and after arriving in OKC and going to the airport to meet my wife, using the list in order we had a plan to try ea. repeater for 15 min. None listed was even in reach of a 75 Watt Icom V8000 and we never made contact. The only one we ever got to a contact on was Shawnee. Furthermore, I never found one Echolink repeater to contact my wife at home while driving.