I am pleased to announce the new NKCCluster beta-testing programme is now open to all interested in seeing what's coming next.

If you're interested, rest assured no previous testing experience is required, only a desire to help and willingness to accept the fact sometimes (due to the nature of beta-testing) not all new features will be fully functional. Your participation is voluntary and you can join and leave at any time.

Becoming a beta-tester is now a simple 2-step process (important note: ensure you use a Google e-mail address identical to the one you registered your device with Google Play):

1. Join NKCCluster Testers Google group: https://groups.google.com/d/forum/nkccluster-testers (this is a very low-volume e-mail group, the membership of which is mandatory owing to Google Play not supporting individual usernames as beta testers)
2. Register for beta-testing with Google Play: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.chonky.hamradio.nkccluster (simply follow the instructions)

Once you've gone through both steps, you shall automatically get NKCCluster betas just like any other Google Play update. Any issues you may experience while testing a NKCCluster beta can be reported to the NKCCluster Testers group (users who registered with this website can do it even simpler by submitting a Support Request).

This programme supersedes all existing beta-testing programmes (which have in time become increasingly more complicated owing to enhancements in the Android security model). Effective immediately, no more beta-versions will be published anywhere other than on Google Play.

To give you a taste of the kind of things you will be among the first ones to try, the currently published beta version contains a couple of new major features:

• Full XML integration with hamqth.com, providing easy access to a call's postal address, QSL information, e-mail, Web site etc.
• Mapping [*] for selected spots (if someone near you can hear a DX, perhaps you can too?)

Figure 1: Mapping feature (spots labelled green are accurate as in hamqth.com, spots labelled red are estimated to centres of their respective DXCC countries)	Figure 2: Callsign information screen now provides easy access to QSL information etc.

Don't wait until the full cycle of testing is finished - enrol today and enjoy the new features!

Kristijan, M0NKC

 [*] Android 2.3 or higher + up to date Google Maps and Google Play libraries required