WTS - Overview (General)

At its most fundamental level, WTS is a SEARCH and DISPLAY type of program. You give it something to search for (or to do) and it will (quickly) find and display results or information based on what you asked it to do or find. "Under the hood" WTS is fairly complex. But from a user's perspective, it’s simplicity itself. While several methods are used to display or provide you with information, the program routinely uses only two basic screens: INPUT (Data Entry) and OUTPUT (Results based on your input). The standard Windows® Word Processor, WordPad is used to display information of a "report" nature.. On the INPUT side, ALL typing is done on a single input line at the exact same spot every time regardless of your query or command. In fact, much of the program's (internal) complexity is centered around making it possible and easy for you to enter your queries or commands in a localized, quick and concise manner. Basic query examples and common command examples are also instantly available at the click of your mouse or via the keyboard. There’s quite a variety of things you can do from the input line - See the Overview Details Page for more information. On the OUTPUT side (results screen), you’ll find a wide range of "little" enhancements that augment the basic information provided including mouse "hot zones" that you can click on to get additional information about a specific item. Times and dates are shown for UTC, your Local Time and Local time and date at the station - all corrected for time zone and daylight savings when and where appropriate. Sunrise and Sunset times are also shown for you, the station and relative to the station based on your local time. Programs like WTS are, of course, powerless without good databases. WTS currently uses four: a daily updated, and published monthly, AM/BCB DB that covers roughly 7,000 North American stations, a relatively small but growing DB, containing various Station Slogans and Keywords, one covering U.S and Canada Telephone Area codes and one for U.S. Zip Codes. Currently, I'm planning on posting an updated Medium Wave database on the first of each month. Thinking of databases, one of the features of the input screen is that it shows the current MW database ID and creation date. That way, you’ll always know how old the database is and when it’s time (generally if it's over a month old) to check for a FREE downloadable update from the Downloads Page. In terms of actual usage, WTS was designed to be used in conjunction with a receiver having a Digital Frequency Display. While WTS doesn't actually care what type of receiver you use, the ability to identify a station will be MUCH, MUCH easier when you know the exact frequency you're tuned to.