ColMon

I’m beginning a project with Willem AC0KQ to build an AllMon replacement for the Colorado Connection. The Colorado Connection is a network of AllStarLink linked analog repeaters spanning across the state of Colorado. It’s a great resource for hams in the state, but the AllMon web interface is a bit dated. We’re calling our replacement ColMon, and it will be customized to our needs.

Willem built a working prototype before I joined the project. We’ve worked together a little bit in the past, and I respect him a lot, so I’m excited to be working with him on this project. That said, we come from different generations of programming. Willem’s systems are usually written in C or Perl, using Apache CGI for dynamic web pages and hand-rolled HTML, CSS and JavaScript, and plaintext protocols with tab-separated fields and newline record separators. I’m more comfortable using Angular TypeScript and Golang, with a preference for REST APIs and JSON.

The analogy I’ve landed on is that he’s used to hand-crafting beautiful log cabins, while I’m ready to bring in the house-sized 3D printer. Is either approach better or worse? No, they both have pros and cons, but we’ll both have to get out of our comfort zones and work together to find a middle ground where we can both be productive.

With some luck, our skills together will come up with a beautiful and innovative fusion like the Cornell Ashen Cabin.