To The Moderators Or Site Owner:

[KN4SMF]

You've practically killed your own site by continuing to let it be nearly impossible to access. What's the problem? Somebody on another site you were relegated to very low priority on their rented server space, whatever that means. Or maybe you just plain don't care. All I know is there's no point in even coming here. If I were to make a post asking a question, or answering one, it could be months and months or a year, 2 years before anybody even sees it. Either get busy fixing your access problems or shut it down. What you've got going on now is one big fat nothing. Ban me if you don't like what I'm saying. Who cares?

[w8khk]

Today only three registered users accessed the board, but 378 total users were logged.  If bots are scraping the forum for data, and that is the root cause of the server error 500 normally encountered when the bot usage is extreme, it seems there might be a very easy fix that the admin might apply.

Simply alter the access capability such that anyone who is not logged in with a valid account can only access the login menu.  Without entering a valid username and password, no other access would be allowed, effectively locking the bots out of the forum.  Currently the forum allows unlimited access to EVERYONE, and a valid login is needed only to post replies or start new threads.  Even QRZ.com requires a valid login in order to obtain any valid information about users, etc.   Access without a login and password is extremely limited, as it should be.

That change would be a minor inconvenience for regular users.  The user database could be filtered (one time task) such that only valid calls, matched against the FCC license database, would be approved for access.  Separately, SWL and CB users could be granted access on an exception basis, but if nothing on the forum is accessible without a valid login, the bots would just "go away".   This would mean folks could not browse without a login, but this would be a minor compromise in order to keep the forum alive for bona-fide users.

[WA2SQQ]

This was my #1 site. I wish that whatever the problem is, it would be fixed?..

[N5RLR]

Ye Gods, admittedly I've not been here in a hot minute; what did I miss? 😲

[w8khk]

Well, folks, it appears the forum is still available and functional in the wee hours.   We also seem to still have a following, as 9 bona fide users logged in to see what is new.  But the last post is a week old; not much new to see.

Here is the clincher from the current stats:
Most Online Today: 268. Most Online Ever: 24504 (May 16, 2026, 01:05:31 AM)

It is obvious the bot crawlers are consuming this forum, as they are allowed to roam freely, albeit with only read access.

Of the 268 users online today, only 9 are legitimate, 259 are imposters.

It is amazing that 24, 504 unique "unregistered" users demanded resources from the server on May 16th, a bit more than two months ago, but long after the forum became mostly unavailable to the registered members.

Is it time yet to consider a minor change in access rights, requiring any browsing beyond the login prompt, to provide a valid user ID and password to do any reading or posting? In the past, login has only been required to post, but read access is granted to everyone, registered or not.  This minor change could allow the forum to continue, until a point at which the content and user base might migrate to other resources. 

Does anyone wish to comment and/or take positive action?  Or will the site just wither on the vine and decompose?

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Well, folks, it appears the forum is still available and functional in the wee hours.   We also seem to still have a following, as 9 bona fide users logged in to see what is new.  But the last post is a week old; not much new to see.

Here is the clincher from the current stats:
Most Online Today: 268. Most Online Ever: 24504 (May 16, 2026, 01:05:31 AM)

It is obvious the bot crawlers are consuming this forum, as they are allowed to roam freely, albeit with only read access.

Of the 268 users online today, only 9 are legitimate, 259 are imposters.

It is amazing that 24, 504 unique "unregistered" users demanded resources from the server on May 16th, a bit more than two months ago, but long after the forum became mostly unavailable to the registered members.

Is it time yet to consider a minor change in access rights, requiring any browsing beyond the login prompt, to provide a valid user ID and password to do any reading or posting? In the past, login has only been required to post, but read access is granted to everyone, registered or not.  This minor change could allow the forum to continue, until a point at which the content and user base might migrate to other resources. 

Does anyone wish to comment and/or take positive action?  Or will the site just wither on the vine and decompose?

Moderators (i is one) don't have administrative functions or control on the site.
You need to address the Staff, http://amfone.net/Amforum/index.php?action=staff
Of those listed, only three have been active here since 2025 (K4HX, KA1KAQ, W3JN).
I would suggest contacting one of them, or all of them, directly.

[w8khk]

Well, folks, it appears the forum is still available and functional in the wee hours.   We also seem to still have a following, as 9 bona fide users logged in to see what is new.  But the last post is a week old; not much new to see.

Here is the clincher from the current stats:
Most Online Today: 268. Most Online Ever: 24504 (May 16, 2026, 01:05:31 AM)

It is obvious the bot crawlers are consuming this forum, as they are allowed to roam freely, albeit with only read access.

Of the 268 users online today, only 9 are legitimate, 259 are imposters.

It is amazing that 24, 504 unique "unregistered" users demanded resources from the server on May 16th, a bit more than two months ago, but long after the forum became mostly unavailable to the registered members.

Is it time yet to consider a minor change in access rights, requiring any browsing beyond the login prompt, to provide a valid user ID and password to do any reading or posting? In the past, login has only been required to post, but read access is granted to everyone, registered or not.  This minor change could allow the forum to continue, until a point at which the content and user base might migrate to other resources. 

Does anyone wish to comment and/or take positive action?  Or will the site just wither on the vine and decompose?

Moderators (i is one) don't have administrative functions or control on the site.
You need to address the Staff, http://amfone.net/Amforum/index.php?action=staff
Of those listed, only three have been active here since 2025 (K4HX, KA1KAQ, W3JN).
I would suggest contacting one of them, or all of them, directly.

Thank you Pete.  I have forwarded my suggestion via email to Steve and Todd.  I was not able to obtain an email address for John.  Hopefully my suggestion may be helpful to all the AMfone forum members.

Best regards,
Rick Maxwell   W8KHK

[WB4AIO]

I think it's more than just bots causing the downtime (though they are horrendous these days and need to be filtered out). I think it is the VERY outdated forum software being used. I recall checking it a few weeks ago and it was well over twenty years old.

That is ancient in computer technology terms, and likely the hosting server's php version is simply not fully compatible with it any more. It likely crashes every few hours.

The site NEEDS to be migrated to new software. I am reasonably sure it can be done; forums with outdated software are routinely migrated these days.

I would be willing to help pay for a tech to do this. I'll put up $250 for that purpose.

With my best,

Kevin.

[WB4AIO]

Oh, and one more thing: So people can follow up with me on my offer, or join with me, here is my contact information:

Kevin Strom, WB4AIO

email: kevin.aio.85 "AT" iqradio.org
phone: 609-874-9291
postal mail: Box 85, Mineral Point PA 15942 USA
Signal: bluemountain.79
Session: breezewood.13

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I would suggest keeping your money in your pocket until the administrative staff responds with a possible solution, if they desire one.
The age of the forum software was pointed out a year ago when the forum first started having problems.
It could very well be that other more important activities are taking priority over keeping the forum running 24/7.

Life goes on!

[Sam KS2AM]

If anyone believes that the issue is being worked on or that magic "bots" are responsible,  I can get you on the inside track on some swamp land in a southern state or a lovely bridge on the East River ... take your pick.

It's the one-year anniversary of the site going into the toilet. No one can be bothered to take 30 seconds to create a post to let us all know what the real issue is and what is being done about it? If you're in IT, you know that this all should have been addressed a year ago.

Do you think my contribution$ and the contribution$ of others were used to effectively maintain a site that depends on unsupported 20-year-old software?

Wake up .... please.

[Tom WA3KLR]

I'm getting daytime access now!

[K4NYW]

I'm getting daytime access now!

Crikey! - I've gotten in for 3 days in a row. Is this the beginning of a new golden era for AMfone?

[W1RKW]

Shhhh.  don't jinx it. post something ham or AM related.  

[w3jn]

If anyone believes that the issue is being worked on or that magic "bots" are responsible,  I can get you on the inside track on some swamp land in a southern state or a lovely bridge on the East River ... take your pick.

It's the one-year anniversary of the site going into the toilet. No one can be bothered to take 30 seconds to create a post to let us all know what the real issue is and what is being done about it? If you're in IT, you know that this all should have been addressed a year ago.

Do you think my contribution$ and the contribution$ of others were used to effectively maintain a site that depends on unsupported 20-year-old software?

Wake up .... please.

Jeez....

Yep, we're all getting rich off of this forum and purposely trying the screw over our fellow hams.  Moreover we're all IT experts and we just delight in causing frustration.  Sure we could fix the issue in 10 seconds but what fun would that be?

(sarcasm, if you can't tell).

Enough on this.