This release bundles HamClock 4.25, which brings new features and
bug fixes from the
Open HamClock 4.25.0 release.
No changes have been made to the launcher itself; this update exists to bundle
the new client.
New Highlights from HamClock 4.25
- Tropical weather reporting and cyclone tracks — new
cyclone and tropical weather data displayed on the map
- Satellite UX improvements — a Refresh button for TLEs,
shortened “Select Satellites” label, and improved handling when a
satellite disappears from view
- Improved lightning rendering — better bolt sizing and
decluttering across all resolutions
- Optional config file metadata — useful for power users
and scripted setups
Fix Notable Bug Fixes
- Mapped ports are now saved correctly
- Lightning requests now include the user agent, fixing issues with some backend servers
- Fixed NCDXF lightning ghost rotation visual glitch
For the complete list of changes and bug fixes, see the
upstream 4.25.0 release notes.
This release bundles HamClock 4.24, which brings significant new
features and bug fixes from the
Open HamClock 4.24.0 release.
No changes have been made to the launcher itself; this update exists to bundle
the new client and its updated User Guide.
New Highlights from HamClock 4.24
- Lightning strikes on the map — display real-time lightning
data (sourced from Blitzortung), including configurable concentric range rings
- Advanced propagation maps and band conditions with new backend
support, including reload when the antenna configuration changes
- VOACAP pane improvements — a white border around “now”
and a NOW arrow indicating current modeled conditions
- Environment variable overrides for first-run defaults, useful
for scripted setups and power users
- Updated User Guide covering all 4.24 features — the new
HamClockKey.pdf is bundled with this release
For the complete list of changes and bug fixes, see the
upstream 4.24.0 release notes.
This release removes the ClearSkyInstitute legacy server option, which is no longer
the default in the Open HamClock ecosystem. It is replaced with three explicit backend
choices: Open HamClock Backend (the new default), hamclock.com,
and a Custom option for any other OpenHamClock-compatible server.
New Features
- Three-way backend selection — choose between
Open HamClock Backend (ohb.hamclock.app:80),
hamclock.com (hamclock.com:80), or a
Custom Open HamClock Backend with a user-supplied host:port
- Automatic migration of server preferences on first launch of 1.3:
users on the legacy ClearSkyInstitute server are moved to Open HamClock Backend;
saved custom hosts matching a preset (
ohb.hamclock.app:80 or
hamclock.com:80) are mapped to the corresponding radio button;
all other saved hosts remain under the Custom option with their value preserved
- Bundled User Guide —
HamClockKey.pdf now ships inside
the app and opens in your default PDF viewer (typically Preview), removing the
dependency on an external website for the user guide
Notes
- The HamClock website link and attribution in the About dialog have been updated
to reflect the Open HamClock project at
github.com/openhamclock/hamclock,
crediting both Elwood Charles Downey (SK, 2020–2025) as the original developer
and Dave Koberstein as the current maintainer
This release adds backend server selection to support the amateur radio community
following the passing of Elwood Downey (WB0OEW, SK), the original creator of HamClock.
By default the legacy ClearSkyInstitute server is still used, but other HamClock backends can used,
such as the OpenHamClock-Backend community project and other hamclock servers.
This ensures that the HamClock continues to function for the amateur radio community.
New Features
- Backend server selection — Choose between the ClearSkyInstitute legacy server (default) or any OpenHamClock-compatible server by entering a
hostname:port address
- Persistent server settings — Your server choice and host:port are remembered between sessions using macOS preferences
- Adds a new Tools menu with a Clear HamClock cache command. This will clear the downloaded files in HamClock's cache while preserving the user
settings. It may be useful when switching servers to clear HamClock's cache.
- Release Notes menu item added under Help
Fix Bug Fixes
- Patched HamClock client to ensure satellite TLE data is retrieved from the selected backend server on startup, resolving issues with stale TLE data from the legacy server
Notes
- The HamClock autoupdate feature is not compatible with the launcher. Each new HamClock version requires a new DMG release. An autoupdate mechanism for the launcher itself is planned for a future release.
New Features
- Updated DMG download links and GitHub Pages website
- Separated Apple Silicon and Intel Mac download targets
- Improved header copy to clarify macOS-only support and bundled binaries
Initial public release of HamClock Launcher.
New Features
- wxPython GUI wrapping the HamClock web binaries
- Resolution selection via radio buttons (800x480, 1600x960, 2400x1440, 3200x1920)
- Real-time output capture and display with configurable line limit
- One-click browser launch to
http://localhost:8081/live.html
- Graceful shutdown with confirmation prompt if HamClock is running
- Edit menu (Copy, Select All) and Help menu (User Guide, About)
- DMG installers for both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs with all HamClock binaries bundled