NAME Ham::Reference::Solar - Get basic solar data from the web that's useful for Amateur Radio applications.

VERSION Version 0.03

INSTALLATION To install this module, run the following commands:

perl Makefile.PL
make
make test
make install

SYNOPSIS use Ham::Reference::Solar;

  my $solar = new Ham::Reference::Solar;
  die $solar->error_message if $solar->is_error;

  # access data with a hash reference

  foreach (sort keys %{$solar->get_hashref})
  {
     print "$_ = $solar->{$_}
";
  }

  # or access data with the get method

  foreach (sort @{$solar->all_item_names})
  {
     print "$_ = ".$solar->get($_)."
";
  }

DESCRIPTION The "Ham::Reference::Solar" module makes use of WM7D's Solar Resource Page to "scrape" (parse) data and return it for your use.

Please note that this module depends on the current formatting of the
web site, and if it changes, this module will no longer work until I
have a chance to update it.

CONSTRUCTOR new() Usage : my $solar = Ham::Reference::Solar->new(); Function : creates a new Ham::Reference::Solar object Returns : a Ham::Reference::Solar object Args : a hash: key required? value

            timeout   no          an integer of seconds to wait for
                                  the timeout of the web site
                                  default = 10

METHODS get() Usage : my $sunspots = $solar->get( $data_item_name ); Function : gets a single item of solar data Returns : a Ham::Reference::Solar object Args : a single item from the list of data items below

set() Usage : $solar->set( $data_item_name, $new_value ); Function : gets a single item of solar data Returns : n/a Args : data-item: see the list of data items below data-value: any value with which you'd like to override the actual value

get_hashref() Usage : my $hashref = $solar->get_hashref(); Function : get all current solar data (this is probably the easiest way to access data) Returns : a hash reference Args : n/a

all_item_names() Usage : my $arrayref = $solar->all_item_names(); Function : get an array reference of all solar data items available from the object
Returns : an array reference Args : n/a

is_error() Usage : if ( $solar->is_error() ) Function : test for an error if one was returned from the call to the web site Returns : a string, the error message Args : n/a

error_message() Usage : my $err_msg = $solar->error_message(); Function : if there was an error message when trying to call the site, this is it Returns : a string, the error message Args : n/a

DATA ITEMS The following items are available from the object. Use them with the get() method or access them with the get_hashref() method.

sfi Solar flux index.

a-index
    The A-index number.

a-index-text
    The text interpretation of the A-index.

k-index
    The K-index number.

k-index-text
    The text interpretation of the K-index.

forecast
    Brief text forecast for the next 24 hours

summary
    Bried text summary for the past 24 hours.

sunspots
    Current sunspot count.

image
    URL for the current solar image from the Solar and Heliosphereic
    Observatory.

image_thumbnail
    URL for the current thumbnail sized solar image from the Solar and
    Heliosphereic Observatory.

time
    Time of the last update.

TODO

• Convert date to something more useful.

• Add more data items.

• Improve documentation and error checking.

• Maybe improve the synopsis.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This module gets its data from WM7D's Solar Resource Page at http://www.wm7d.net/hamradio/solar. Thanks to Mark A. Downing!

AUTHOR Brad McConahay N8QQ [email protected]

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE "Ham::Reference::Solar" is Copyright (C) 2008-2010 Brad McConahay N8QQ.

This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
under the terms of the Artistic License 2.0. For details, see the full
text of the license in the file LICENSE.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but it
is provided "as is" and without any express or implied warranties. For
details, see the full text of the license in the file LICENSE.