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DXLab

DXLab. Prepared for Central Texas DX and Contesting Club AD Ø K. AA6YQ. the DXLab Suite. Better DXing Through Software. What is the DXLab Suite?. This is a DX-chasing program… optimized for DX

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DXLab

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  1. DXLab Prepared for Central Texas DX and Contesting Club ADØK AA6YQ

  2. the DXLab Suite Better DXing Through Software

  3. What is the DXLab Suite? This is a DX-chasing program…optimized for DX It works well as a general purpose log, and can be used for contesting, but is NOT optimized for it. The Suite of programs: Eight applications that • Automate mundane DXing activities • Can be used individually or in combination • Automatically interoperate • Include comprehensive online help • Evolve continuously based on user feedback • http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxlab/ • http://www.qsl.net/dxlab • Are free • Developed by Dave Bernstein, AA6YQ

  4. DXLab: Monolithic Architecture (1996-1999) Transceiver Control Prefix lookup, world map Logging & award tracking Spot Collection Propagation forecasting QSL routes Rotator XCVR Sound Card

  5. DXLab Suite: Distributed Architecture (2000 onward) Logging & awards Propagation Spot Collection QSL routes Transceiver Control Prefix lookup, world map Digital Modes XCVR Sound Card Rotator

  6. AA6YQ’s shack

  7. ADØK’s shack

  8. What Functions Does DXLab Provide? • Transceiver Control • Rotator Control • Solar terminator display and prediction • Prefix Lookup • World map display • Callbook Lookup (with separately purchased CD) • Logging • Award Tracking and Submission • QSL card/label generation • eQSL.cc and LOTW support • PSK31, PSK63, RTTY. CW generation (no reading) • Voice Keyer • DX & WWV Spot collection and analysis • Propagation prediction • Propagation monitoring • QSL route discovery • Suite management

  9. What Do the Eight Applications Do? • Transceiver Control Commander • Rotator Control DXView • Solar terminator display and prediction DXView • Prefix Lookup DXView • World map display DXView • Callbook Lookup (with separately purchased CD) DXKeeper • Logging DXKeeper • Award Tracking and Submission DXKeeper • QSL card/label generation DXKeeper • eQSL.cc and LOTW support DXKeeper • PSK31, PSK63, RTTY. CW generation (no reading) WinWarbler • Voice Keyer WinWarbler • DX & WWV Spot collection and analysis SpotCollector • Propagation prediction PropView • Propagation monitoring PropView • QSL route discovery Pathfinder • Suite management Launcher

  10. Commander

  11. Commander • Transceiver control for • Elecraft K2 • FlexRadio SDR-1000 • Icom transceivers with CI-V interfaces • Kenwood TS-50, TS-440, TS-450, TS-570, TS-690, TS-711, TS-811, TS-850, TS-870, TS-940, TS-950, TS-2000 • TenTec Omni V.9, Omni VI, Argonaut V, Jupiter, Pegasus, Orion • Yaesu FT-100, FT-757, FT-767, FT-817, FT-840, FT-847, FT-857, FT-890, FT-897 FT-900, FT-920, FT-990, FT-1000D, FT-1000MP, FT-1000MP MarkV • Switches between multiple radios based on frequency • 10 banks of 10 memories • Frequency-dependent devices (Tuners, Amps) • User-defined commands • Captures PC  Radio message traffic

  12. DXView • Prefix lookup • Solar terminator display • Now or anytime • Sunrise/sunset calculator • Auroral Zone Presentation • Plots VHF QSOs • World map display • beam headings • DX spots) • MapQuest • DX Atlas • Country maps • DXCC db maintenance • Rotator control for • Hygain • M2 • Yaesu • ARSWIN • Heath • SARtek • TIC • Yaesu

  13. DXKeeper • Logging • Comprehensive database • Capture window optimized for operating • Supports HamCall, Buckmaster, and QRZ callbooks • QSLing • Generates QSL cards and Labels • Generates Address labels or prints envelopes • Real-time interface to eQSL.cc • ADIF interface to new ARRL Logbook of the World (LOTW) • Independently tracks hardcopy, eQSL, and LotW confirmations for each QSO • Automatically updates log to reflect downloaded eQSL and LotW confirmations • Award Tracking • Real-time: DXCC and TOPLIST • Reports: DXCC, TOPLIST, VUCC, Grids, WAS, WAC, WAZ, WPX, IOTA, US. Counties • Multiple QTHs per Log, Multiple Logs • Importing and Exporting via ADIF, tab-delimited, and Cabrillo • DXView Interoperation • Lookups • Showing progress

  14. DXKeeper Capture Window Database Window

  15. A DXKeeper-generated QSL Card

  16. DXKeeper • Logging • Comprehensive database • Capture window optimized for operating • Supports HamCall, Buckmaster, and QRZ callbooks • QSLing • Generates QSL cards and Labels • Generates Address labels or prints envelopes • Real-time interface to eQSL.cc • ADIF interface to new ARRL Logbook of the World (LOTW) • Independently tracks hardcopy, eQSL, and LotW confirmations for each QSO • Automatically updates log to reflect downloaded eQSL and LotW confirmations • Award Tracking • Real-time: DXCC and TOPLIST • Reports: DXCC, TOPLIST, VUCC, Grids, WAS, WAC, WAZ, WPX, IOTA, US. Counties • Multiple QTHs per Log, Multiple Logs • Importing and Exporting via ADIF, tab-delimited, and Cabrillo • DXView Interoperation • Lookups • Showing progress

  17. WinWarbler • Supports 5 modes • PSK31 and PSK63 (uses AE4JY’s PSKcore engine) • 3 receive panes • Broadband decode with callsign extraction to maintain “stations heard” list • RTTY • Soundcard RTTY (uses JE3HHT’s MMTTY engine) • External TNC (KAM, PK232, MFJ, SCS) • CW • Phone (voice keyer) • Panoramic tuning display • 32 macros, comprehensive macro language • Logging • Built-in ADIF minilog • Automatically logs to DXKeeper if running • Commander interoperation • Frequency for logging • QSY to optimize tone within transceiver bandwidth • PTT • GPS interface

  18. WinWarbler: PSK

  19. WinWarbler RTTY Spectrum View

  20. WinWarbler RTTY Waterfall View

  21. SpotCollector • Connects to six spot sources • Four Telnet clusters • DX Summit cluster (via IRC #CQDX) • Local packet cluster (via external TNC) • Captures DX spots and places them in a database • Duplicate spots eliminated • Spots of same DX station are combined into one entry • Spot database entries can be filtered by Need, Call, Entity, Freq, Band, Mode, Continent, Spot Source • Spot database entries are “colored” based on “need” • Spots are plotted on DXView’s world map • Spots can be announced via the soundcard • Built-in web server provides access from other PCs on your network • Tracks statistics • Double-clicking on a spot database entry or a plotted spot • QSY’s the radio (will set QSX if available) • Populates DXKeeper’s Capture window • Captures WWV spots • Displays most recent solar flux, A-index, and K-index • Displays 1-month history of solar & geomagnetic parameters

  22. SpotCollector

  23. PropView • Propagation prediction • Uses IONCAP engine • Gets solar flux from SpotCollector • Gets locations from DXView • Produces graphical predictions • Propagation monitoring • Monitors NCDXF/IARU beacon network • Builds beacon schedules by band, by bearing, or by specified beacons • QSYs transceiver per beacon schedule • Rotates antenna per beacon schedule

  24. PropView

  25. Pathfinder • Searches the Web for QSL information • Country-specific callbooks (~100) • QSL sites (~40), • DX Summit spot archives • 12 user-assignable search keys • Captures callsigns entered via DXView or DXKeeper • Pathfinder Web Client • Download or install not req’d • 12 fixed search keys

  26. Pathfinder Web Client

  27. Launcher • Provides ability to start and stop your DXLab applications with a single mouse click • Provides ability to minimize and restore your DXLab applications with a single mouse click

  28. How is the DXLab Suite Developed? • User-driven iterative development • Full release: standard Windows install • All required components • Required for first installation on a PC • 2 to 14 Mbytes • Development release • Typically just an executable • 200 to 500 Kbytes • Frequent: typically several per week • Optional (Development releases are cumulative) • User critique and feedback is a primary driver • Yahoo-based DXLab reflector: 1400+ participants • Defect repairs get highest priority; goal is < 24 hours • Prioritization is always a challenge • Closed source, one developer (but lots of help) • Public, documented DDE interfaces

  29. Where is the DXLab Suite going? • Transceiver Control • Kachina & JRC support • Bandmap • User-defined controls • DXView • Ability to apply old prefix-to-entity rules • Display common phrases in the DX station’s native language • DXKeeper • More real-time award tracking (e.g. counties) • ADIF 2.0 support • Literally hundreds of creature comforts • User-defined fields • WinWarbler • CW decoding • MFSK • PropView • Long-term beacon analysis for discovering secondary openings • Launcher • Automatic DXLab application updates

  30. What do I need to run the DXLab Suite? • Minimum (2-4 applications) (struggled on a PII, 266 Mhz/512 RAM) • 133 Mhz Pentium • 64 MB DRAM • 800x600 SVGA monitor • Windows 98SE • Good (all applications) (I use a P3/650 Mhz/384 MB RAM) • 400 Mhz Pentium 2 • 128 MB DRAM • 1280x1024 XVGA monitor • Windows 2000 or Windows XP • Optimum (all applications) • 1.5 Ghz Pentium 4 • 256 MB DRAM • 1600x1200 XVGA monitor (or multiple smaller monitors) • Windows 2000 or Windows XP

  31. How Many Ops Use the DXLab Suite?

  32. Where do I get the DXLab Suite?

  33. the DXLab Suite Better DXing Through Software AA6YQ

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