[OKDXA] A Good DXCluster/DXSpider?

[Coy Day]

Kim,

Good deal.  I'm afraid the days of the old local DX Cluster are long gone.
 ;-)

I use DX-Central at times.  Now and then AB5K will go down and I then log
onto DX-Central.  It works real well for me as well.  I like AB5K because
I know quite a few others that log onto it.  That makes it easier to go
the Talk mode.

There was a cluster in Dallas that was local only spots but I'll have to
research to see if I can find it.  I didn't like it because it was only
local.

I can field check cards but choose not to because of my position as
Director.  However, Dave Duskin, NE5S, in OKC is a card checker and I'm
sure he would be glad to check your cards.

Good hunting!

Coy
--
Coy Day, N5OK
20685 SW 29
Union City, OK 73090
405-483-5632

Kim Elmore wrote:
> Mornin' Coy!
>
> Well, my questions probably wasn't well posed.
>
> I haven't done much serious DXing for years. When I was in CO, there
> were no Internet clusters and everything I got was off of a local DX
> Cluster run by MHDXA. Their cluster could only "see" as far as they
> were willing to build dedicated UHF links, so all the spots we saw
> were from relatively local sources. Those days are long gone, but I
> haven't kept up with cluster evolution.
>
> I'm aware that DXSpider is open source and in Perl and that it's
> essentially a port of DXCluster. Some commands aren't exactly the
> same as the old Clusetr commands, but close enough. I'm simply
> wondering if there is a way to emulate the old, limited-scope
> DXClusters, and your answer tells me that as close as I can get is to
> cleverly use filters.
>
> I use DXBase as my logging program -- which I suppose makes me a bit
> of an oddball because I chose not to use freeware logging software --
> and it has some nice Internet cluster features. I chose DXBase
> because at the time because none of the freeware loggers did what I
> wanted. They probably do now, but I haven't looked. Since I now have
> a fully computer-capable radio, I'm finding that I use these features
> and like them.
>
> So, the hunt is on for a good Internet cluster site. I'm currently
> using N0VD-8, which is DXCentral Node 2 (if what they say in their
> login header is right).
>
> You are certainly right about seeing activity of a station
> world-wide, even if we can't hear it. That's a good point and one
> I'll have to keep in mind. I need to make some tools to allow me to
> find operating patterns for some stations to help me in the hunt.
>
> I'll give AB5K a look!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Kim N5OP
>
> P.S.: Are you one if the DXCC field-checkers?  I need to gather up my
> new ones and get my totals up to date.
>
> At 08:27 AM 12/8/2006, you wrote:
>>Kim,
>>
>>Good morning.  I'm a little confused about your question.  (but then, I'm
>>still on my first cup of coffee)  DXSpider is a DX Cluster program with
>>open source code.  That means you can dink with it if you know how to
>>program in Perl.
>>
>>Some prefer to connect to a DX Cluster such as AB5K and others like to
>>keep a window open with DX Summit, DX Watch or the like.  DX Summit has
>>been sick lately so I don't recommend it right now.  Take a look at
>>DXWATCH.COM.  What it does is send you a summary of what has been
>> spotted.
>>  It does this about once a minute.  It also stores all the data which is
>>searchible.  I find that feature very valuable.
>>
>>If you are connected to a DX Cluster, you are correct in that you can set
>>up filters to receive only certain spots.  The filtering system has many
>>combinations that you can implement.  I prefer leaving mine open except
>>for frequencies on 2 meters and above.  I do have to put up with a lot of
>>Euro and JA, etc. spots but I know when a station is active and it helps
>>me watch for them.  This has been particularly true of the VU7 operation
>>when they are working Euro's and the band suddenly opens up to the
>> states.
>>
>>Hope this helps.
>>
>>Coy
>>--
>>Coy Day, N5OK
>>20685 SW 29
>>Union City, OK 73090
>>405-483-5632
>>
>>Kim Elmore wrote:
>> > So, which ones do you prefer?  Are they all more-or-less linked
>> > together, or are there some that limit themselves to regional traffic?
>> >
>> > I find about half the stuff I work without them, but I'd like to see
>> > one that shows spots mainly from our region. I could set up filters
>> > for seeing spots that originate only in the US, but I'm wondering if
>> > there's another way. On the other hand, maybe I'm just a luddite...
>> >
>> > To be sure, seeing spots world-wide is sometimes useful, but
>> > propagation vagaries make posts from my region more useful to me.
>> >
>> > Kim Elmore, N5OP
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > OKDXA mailing list
>> > OKDXA at mailman.qth.net
>> > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/okdxa
>> >
>> >
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>OKDXA mailing list
>>OKDXA at mailman.qth.net
>>http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/okdxa
>
> _______________________________________________
> OKDXA mailing list
> OKDXA at mailman.qth.net
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/okdxa
>
>