DX Clusters
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Denton County Amateur Radio Association, 2013
Finding those DX Stations?
Does anyone NOT know what a DX Cluster is?
How many have NEVER used a DX Cluster?
So What is a DX Cluster?
A DX Cluster is a packet node where DX chasers on any
band or mode can post rare or interesting stations that
they have worked or heard.
Clusters tend to be linked to each other so that the
amount of people using them is increased, thereby
increasing the amount of posted DX.
So What is a DX Cluster? (cont’d)
You can talk to other stations connected to the cluster
network too, in real time, whether at the node you are
logged into or on another node connected to the
network.
You can also use converse mode, where several stations
can talk to each other in the same way.
All this while the DX spots are still being posted for you
to see!
How DX Clusters Work
(The old way)
In the "good old days" DX’ers had to tune around the
bands to find the country or station they were looking for.
• Friends would help friends by getting together on VHF
nets to pass information, or
• by telephoning each other to say tune to Freq. 14.2 Mhz.
"DX1DX is on frequency now".
The old way updated
It all changed in 1986 when Dick Newell, AK1A wrote the
original “PacketCluster” program. This was a buggy DOS
program that ran on a node PC connected to a packet TNC.
The AX.25 packet protocol allowed many connections on
the same port - sharing time slots - to connect to the node.
One Dx’er in Dallas could spot (report) DX1DX and all the
other stations connected to the node would receive the
spot almost instantly. The same thing would happen in
Atlanta, Boston etc. The nodes would use a 70cm link to
talk to each other, and a huge network emerged.
Lone Star DX Association
Make way for the Internet
The local Packet networks, for the most part, are history.
With the introduction of the Internet Packet Nodes could
now be accessed by many hams from almost anywhere.
Using the TCP/IP protocol and a telnet client on a PC you
simply Telnet to an IP address and login.
The Telnet Way
Using a Telnet client like Putty you simply type in the IP address, set
the port the DX Cluster Node uses and off you go.
The Internet Web
One station (node) is set up with DX Packet Cluster
software and is linked to one or more stations also
running DX Packet Cluster software.
These nodes when connected make up a cluster.
Clusters are connected to other clusters, expanding the
network.
The Internet Web
(cont’d.)
Individual users connect to one of the nodes using:
1. An Internet browser to login to a Web Cluster site.
2. Cluster Client software on a PC that is connected to
the Internet.
Lets look at each of these methods a little closer.
Internet Web Clusters
The main advantage of a Internet web cluster is the userfriendly spot filters and the fact that the connection never
times out.
A disadvantage is that you will see DX spots from DX
spotters all over the world!
Beware! Due to the ease of the internet, the monitoring of
DX clusters has become very popular. Traditional and
well-valued amateur radio operating practices are not
always followed by all.
www.qrzcq.com
Using a Web Browser
Perhaps the most straight-forward manner to get current on-air
activity, is to connect to a DX cluster, like the DX-Summit Web
Cluster, maintained in Finland by OH9W.
(http://www.dxsummit.fi/DxSpots.aspx)
Using a Web Browser
(cont’d.)
F5LEN is another web cluster site. http://cluster.f5len.org/
SV8CS
(Spotter)
TJ3SN
Cluster Client Programs
The best way to connect is to use a DX Cluster Client
program loaded on your P.C.
1. Automatically logs you into a cluster using built-in X25 or telnet protocols.
2. Provides filters by band, country, call sign, etc.
3. Some offer WWV sun spot activity information
4. Some offer Grey Line propagation links
5. Have Telnet, DDE, or DLL outputs to talk to logging
programs.
.
Cluster Client Programs
(cont’d.)
6. Can insert States and Provinces into contest programs
to aid in multiplier determination
7. Separates data from the cluster. DX spots, WWV,
Announcements, Mail, filtering ,etc.
8. Each band can have its own color for DX Spots.
9. Removes bad DX Spots. (blank or duplicate)
10. Can be set to reject DX spots by spotter, DX call or by
comments.
11. Displays bearing and distance to DX and much more.
SpotCollector from DxLabs
SpotCollector is part of the Dxlabs suite of products which are FREE by
the way. http://www.dxlabsuite.com
VE7CC DX Cluster Client
CC User is a window to the DX world. You can see what stations and
countries are on the air and the band they are working in real time.
IQ2CJ
Logging Software
The logging program I use is ProLog.
IQ2CJ
Cluster Watch on a Smartphone
NKCCluster: Free Andorid
software to watch cluster
activity.
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