DXLab Prepared for: Williamson County Amateur Radio Club ADØK AA6YQ

Better DXing Through Software The DXLab Suite Better DXing Through Software

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

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

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

AA6YQ’s shack

ADØK’s shack

DXLab With Dual Monitors

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

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

Commander

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

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

DXKeeper Logging QSLing Award Tracking 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

DXKeeper Capture Window Database Window

A DXKeeper-generated QSL Card

DXKeeper Logging QSLing Award Tracking 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

WinWarbler Supports 5 modes Panoramic tuning display 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

WinWarbler: PSK

WinWarbler RTTY Spectrum View

WinWarbler RTTY Waterfall View

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

SpotCollector

PropView Propagation prediction Propagation monitoring 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

PropView

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

Pathfinder Web Client

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

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

Where is the DXLab Suite going? Transceiver Control Kachina & JRC support Bandmap (completed) User-defined controls DXView Ability to apply old prefix-to-entity rules (scripts to accomplish this, now) 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

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)

How Many Ops Use the DXLab Suite?

Where do I get the DXLab Suite. http://www. qsl. net/dxlab http://ad0k

Better DXing Through Software The DXLab Suite AA6YQ Better DXing Through Software