Google maps in TDoA, admin page degraded/broken currently [beta test fix in v1.238]

jksjks
edited December 2018 in KiwiSDR Discussion
Google is now requiring me to place a credit card on file with them to continue to use the maps even though the Kiwi use is well below the free quota threshold. I'm not going to do that. So until I find another unencumbered source the maps will show their current degraded condition.

Comments

  • PowernumptyPowernumpty
    Ha! I hear you, hit them where it hurts.

    I didn't allow location on my work Android till I needed it for maps/traffic (visiting family) since then even though I turn it off it will turn back on and battery life is much worse. I use a wifi analyzer app and that won't work unless location is on, it's all BS and data gathering, at least I block Facebook (and a few others) at the router here, must get round to dropping my gmail accounts.
  • WA2ZKDWA2ZKD
    Check out Here (ex-Nokia maps)
  • jksjks
    edited September 2018
    The original plan was that if you didn't have a card on file then Google maps would simply stop working when you hit the free quota limit. This was a common sense policy. Now the policy has been changed to force you to put a card on file so a few cents can flow their way the moment you hit the limit.
  • WA2ZKDWA2ZKD
    http://geoawesomeness.com/google-maps-api-alternatives-best-cheap-affordable/
  • jksjks
    v1.236 switches the timezone lookup provider away from Google so it will work again.
  • jksjks
    Progress, but still a long, long way to go:

    image

    Attachments:
    https://forum.kiwisdr.com/uploads/Uploader/fe/9aa72f51f89f2e2276bf29a88ddf77.png
    PowernumptyChristophWA2ZKDM0TAZ
  • jksjks
    edited October 2018
    v1.238 is out that uses the new map provider. There are still many problems (you don't have to report them, I know what most of them are). But the new maps are now better than the current Google situation. To revert to using Google maps start the TDoA extensions in the URL and use the "gmap:" option, e.g. "my_kiwi:8073/?ext=tdoa,gmap:"

    You'll note some serious problems:
    • The map tile provider doesn't yet have high-resolution satellite imagery except in some special areas (e.g. The Netherlands). They're working on improving this situation. It's also possible we can use multiple providers if the licensing terms are acceptable.
    • Sometimes not all the map tiles appear (or are clipped).
    • Sometimes the markers point at the wrong locations as the map is zoomed.
    • Lots of minor things like the day/night overlay getting lost on kiwi-map / result-map switches etc.
    • As usual, things seem to be worse on iPad and no doubt other mobile devices.
    • I'm not completely sure, but some of the mapbox-gl code might contain Javascript ES6 which means it might not work on older browsers.
    • The marker and cluster colors aren't that good and are not final.

    On the plus side there are a few improvements:
    • The layer icon at the top right of the map lets you select 6 different base maps.
    • The TDoA options list lets you toggle the Kiwi host markers, same as for the reference location markers.
    • The "quick zoom" menu has a new entry for the entire world.
    • The "old map" option has been removed as taking the coastline plotting out of the Octave script will speed up the TDoA process for everyone.
    ChristophWA2ZKD
  • UlliUlli
    John, in the reversed beacon network there is obviously the same problem with google maps (as it is on wsprnet.org)
    Thorsten, DL9GTB mentioned the following in the rbn-forum how to treat the Google maps problem:

    ".... I had the same problem. The solution was a different spelling of the API Key script.This is how it looks to me and it works like this without an error message:
    ... "

    I don't know, if his solution really helps for the kiwi-sdr problem, but wanted to note it here. I have never tried Thorsten's suggestion.

    Regards,
    Ulli, ON5KQ
  • UlliUlli
    Unfortunately the code has been erased, which is the most important...
  • jksjks
    Hi Ulli. Thanks for the suggestion. But this is not a simple problem with the Google API key capitalization. It is a policy change within Google that is not compatible with how the key needs to be shared by all the Kiwi servers that are made public. We needed to move on to other map providers to solve the problem. And, despite the disruption, I think there will actually be some long term benefit in dong so.
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