Feature request for Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) function

I would like to formally submit a feature request for a feature that is the one thing holding me back from the full adoption of VarAC. In the EmComm section of the forum, this was already mentioned but I think it is a better fit here.

It would be amazing to integrate some basic ALE functions into VarAC. The main thing would be an automatic frequency hopping and sounding feature.

My Ideal implementation would look something like this:

A window where one can specify at what times what frequencies should be hoped to. So a row where one can select if this frequency should be considered during the day one during the night and then most importantly if a tuning cycle should be initiated.

I imagine something to the frequency scheduling window as implemented in the WSPR mode of wsjt-x.

It would be great if one could modify the available frequencies. These additional data fields could be added to the already existing frequency ingest file.

Freq Comment Day hop Nigth hop Tune

7.105 EmComm Yes Yes Yes

3.570 EmComm No Yes Yes

14.189 EmComm Yes No Yes

Then one additional field where one can select if only listening or also sounding should be done.

The crown on top of this would be if the time of the frequency hopping could be synchronised across all users.

So another field in the freq data file where each frequency is assigned to a time of the hour. At X:00 switch to 40m at x:10 switch to 20m etc.

It would be important that a random time offset is added to the sounding attempt so not everyone starts sounding at the same time.

The sounding should also have two modes. Broadcast mode where just a beacon is sent but no reply is expected.

And then one mode where upon a received broadcast the station hails back letting the sender know it has received the broadcast.

This could generate a lot of traffic so care needs to be taken.

In the far future, the gathered data could be nicely displayed with the station availability as a function of time and frequency.

If helpful I could also assist in coding these features.

Freq Comment Day hop Nigth hop Tune Sounding Time

7.105 EmComm Yes Yes Yes Yes 00

3.570 EmComm No Yes Yes No 30

14.189 EmComm Yes No Yes Yes 45