[Ham-Mac] New native macOS DX Cluster client - QCluster

Tue Aug 11 12:00:18 EDT 2026

Further updates to QCluster:

0.66b (086) - 2026-08-07 - Added auto update.  QCluster can now check once/day or once/week (configurable through settings) for updates and offer to download the new .dmg file.  This can also be disabled.  It's set to daily by default.

0.66b (088) - 2026-08-07 - The stat/u command doesn’t show RBN status if the RBN has never been enabled so the status query would fail.  Fixed that.

0.66b (089) - 2026-08-08 - Tidied automatic reconnect logic.

0.66b (093) - 2026-08-09

• Added 'Connect on startup' option in settings.
• Added 'Save and Enable' button in each alert setup page.
• Added Apple Notifications to alerts.  This is set so that each matched alert will be notified.
• Further tidying of alerting code.

0.70b (101) - 2026-08-09

• Backup DX Cluster support — QCluster can now be configured with a secondary cluster server. If the primary server cannot be reached after several attempts, QCluster automatically connects to the backup and periodically checks for the primary to return, switching back automatically when it becomes available. Backup cluster support is disabled by default and can be enabled in Settings. A suitable secondary server is already entered.
• Redesigned Settings page
• Added callsign search on the main screen.  Type in the box to search DX callsigns in the spot table.

0.70b (105) - 2026-08-10

• UDP Feed – Added an optional UDP output for sending QCluster’s filtered DX spots to other software or devices. The feed can send either all displayed spots or only spots which trigger an enabled alert, with configurable destination address and port.
• Settings page - Further redesign.
• LoTW - Updated bundled LoTW lookup.

0.71b (108) - 2026-08-10

• Clicking 'Spot types' in RBN now selects all or deselects all options below.
• Lots of work tidying up source code.  Certain files had got a bit messy, I've stripped things out to their own routines.

0.71b (109) - 2026-08-11

• Backup cluster now mirrors last known RBN configuration.
• Automatically reconnect and Enable backup cluster now enabled by default.

I strongly recommend all users to join the group at https://groups.io/g/qcluster where I post release notes straight away.

73 Keith G6NHU
On 6 Aug 2026 at 20:11 +0100, Keith, G6NHU via Ham-Mac <ham-mac at mailman.qth.net>, wrote:
> I’ve been busy.
>
> Updates since my original open beta release.
>
> 0.60b (070) - 2026-08-03 - After using the 'set automatically' option within custom spotter setup, the memory taken to load the two large CSV files wasn't being released. Now it is. It means that the first time you click 'Select entities within radius', the cache is loaded and it's kept in memory until that window is closed rather than being held in memory for the entire session.
>
> 0.60b (071) - 2026-08-03 - Updated bundled CTY and LoTW files.
>
> 0.61b (073) - 2026-08-03 - Custom Info Filter
> Added a new Custom Info Filter that lets you hide unwanted spots based on text contained in the cluster information/comment field.
>
> • Build your own list of words or phrases to block.
> • Matching is case-insensitive and uses simple text matching rather than whole words.
> • If any blocked entry is found anywhere within the information field, the spot is automatically hidden.
> • Entries are saved between sessions and can be enabled or disabled without deleting the list.
> • The filter is fully integrated into the existing filtering process, so it has no measurable impact on performance or memory usage.
>
> Things to be aware of
> The filter uses straightforward substring matching. This makes it flexible, but also means it does not distinguish between whole words and parts of words. For example:
>
> • Blocking tour will also block Tour, TOUR, touring and detour.
> • Blocking POTA will match POTA, POTA! and POTA?.
> • Multi-word phrases such as please ignore are matched exactly as entered (ignoring case), so they are useful for filtering recurring spot comments.
>
>
> 0.61b (074) - 2026-08-04 - Clicking on the LoTW header toggles between showing all stations and only showing those who have uploaded to LoTW within the last year.
>
> 0.62b (075) - 2026-08-06 - Added intelligent automatic reconnect. QCluster can now automatically reconnect after unexpected disconnections. It detects duplicate logins using the same callsign, helps resolve the problem by offering to use an alternative SSID, and prevents endless reconnect loops by automatically stopping after repeated failures.
>
> 0.62b (080) - 2026-08-06 Fixed a bug where opening the custom allow list under Filters could hang or crash the app.
>
> 0.65b (082) - 2026-08-06
>
> • Configuration settings are now stored in a dedicated JSON file within the application container instead of macOS User Defaults. This provides a single, self-contained settings store and allows a complete reset by simply deleting the QCluster container.
> • Note: This update introduces a new settings format and will reset your existing configuration. After updating, you’ll need to re-enter your settings before connecting.
> • Further tidying of button handling to prevent potential crashes.
>
>
> On 3 Aug 2026 at 15:28 +0100, Keith, G6NHU via Ham-Mac <ham-mac at mailman.qth.net>, wrote:
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I’ve just released a new native macOS DX Cluster client called QCluster, and thought it might be of interest here.
> > It’s written specifically for macOS using swift, and is aimed at being quick, lightweight and easy to use without being cluttered with features you’ll never touch.
> >
> > I’m calling it an open beta at the moment but I think that it’s largely finished.
> >
> > Some of the features include:
> >
> > • Native Apple Silicon and Intel support.
> > • Connects to DXSpider cluster nodes.
> > • Fast filtering by band, mode, continent, DXCC etc
> > • Highly configurable alerts with sound and highlighting.
> > • Club Log integration to alert on entities you still need.
> > • LoTW activity display.
> > • Local telnet server so other software can receive the filtered spot stream.
> > • Automatic hiding of FT8/FT4, CW, beacons and other spot types if you don’t want to see them.
> > • Built-in country file and LoTW database management.
> >
> > It’s free, and I’d be interested in any feedback or suggestions.
> >
> > More information and downloads are available here:
> >
> > https://qso365.co.uk/qcluster
> >
> > There’s also a support group here:
> >
> > https://groups.io/g/qcluster
> >
> > 73 Keith G6NHU
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