DXLab

AA6YQ

Prepared for

Central Texas DX and Contesting Club

ADØK

the DXLab Suite

Better DXing Through Software

What is the DXLab Suite?

This is a DX-chasing program…optimized for DXIt 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 ControlPrefix lookup, world mapLogging & award trackingSpot CollectionPropagation forecastingQSL routes

XCVR Rotator

Sound Card

DXLab Suite: Distributed Architecture (2000 onward)

QSL routes

XCVR RotatorSound Card

Propagation

Spot Collection

Digital Modes

Logging & awards

Prefix lookup, world mapTransceiver Control

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ADØK’s shack

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 Yaesu

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

DXKeeper

Capture Window

Database Window

A DXKeeper-generated QSL Card

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

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

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 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 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

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

How Many Ops Use the DXLab Suite?

Where do I get the DXLab Suite?

the DXLab Suite

Better DXing Through Software

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