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The Eclipse Project

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Transceiver Control Rotator Control Solar terminator display and prediction Prefix Lookup World ... The Eclipse Project Author: Dave Thomson Last modified by: ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: The Eclipse Project


1
DXLab
Prepared for Williamson County Amateur Radio
Club ADØK
AA6YQ
2
The DXLab Suite
  • Better DXing Through Software

3
What is the DXLab Suite?
  • This is a DX-chasing programoptimized 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
Rotator
Sound Card
6
AA6YQs shack
7
ADØKs shack
8
(No Transcript)
9
DXLab With Dual Monitors
10
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

11
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 SpotCollecto
    r
  • Propagation prediction PropView
  • Propagation monitoring PropView
  • QSL route discovery Pathfinder
  • Suite management Launcher

12
Commander
13
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

14
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

15
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

16
DXKeeper
Capture Window
Database Window
17
A DXKeeper-generated QSL Card
18
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

19
WinWarbler
  • Supports 5 modes
  • PSK31 and PSK63 (uses AE4JYs PSKcore engine)
  • 3 receive panes
  • Broadband decode with callsign extraction to
    maintain stations heard list
  • RTTY
  • Soundcard RTTY (uses JE3HHTs 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

20
WinWarbler PSK
21
WinWarbler
RTTY Spectrum View
22
WinWarbler
RTTY Waterfall View
23
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 DXViews 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
  • QSYs the radio (will set QSX if available)
  • Populates DXKeepers Capture window
  • Captures WWV spots
  • Displays most recent solar flux, A-index, and
    K-index
  • Displays 1-month history of solar geomagnetic
    parameters

24
SpotCollector
25
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

26
PropView
27
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 reqd
  • 12 fixed search keys

28
Pathfinder Web Client
29
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

30
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 lt 24
    hours
  • Prioritization is always a challenge
  • Closed source, one developer (but lots of help)
  • Public, documented DDE interfaces

31
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 stations 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

32
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

33
How Many Ops Use the DXLab Suite?
34
Where do I get the DXLab Suite?http//www.qsl.net
/dxlab http//ad0k.net
35
The DXLab Suite
AA6YQ
  • Better DXing Through Software
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