[OKDXA] A Good DXCluster/DXSpider?

Fri Dec 8 10:56:37 EST 2006

Kim,

I knew Marshall.  He was quite a guy.

Neat feature on DXBase.

Have a good day.

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

Kim Elmore wrote:
> Hi Coy,
>
> Yep, I'll bet you're plenty busy as a director. I used to be the
> Colorado TC and I knew Marshall Quiat relatively well while I was in
> the Longmont/Boulder/Denver area. I was saddened at his loss. I'll
> look up Dave Duskin. I've not had any of my cards checked since I
> first got DXCC, so I'm way behind.
>
> While piddling here (and being late to work, but hey! it's Friday) I
> finally learned how to use DXBase to filter spots to show me only
> those that I need (I never used this before, as I would only connect
> to a cluster briefly since all we had was 56k dial-up shared by me
> and my wife). Hence, filtering spots can be done locally within
> DXBase. I'm sure other loggers do this, too. I can see the raw window
> to show me general activity and propagation whenever I want. Kewl...
>
> A good thing I got up this morning: I learned something.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Kim N5OP
>
> At 09:06 AM 12/8/2006, you wrote:
>>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
>> >> >
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>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >>
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