DX ClusterClient

For many years, the DX Cluster network has been used to check for that elusive "DX" - in the hey-day of packet, cluster access was achieved via a TNC and a basic packet terminal (such as paKet62 or WinPack)...

Nowadays, radio amateurs rely heavily on the internet to provide up-to-the-minute information on band conditions, beacon reports and activity.

I like to operate /P from my village green (among other places) and often find the DX cluster a useful tool to see what's happening on the HF bands. With the advent of compact netbooks and USB broadband dongles, getting 'net access "in the field" has never been easier.

A netbook typically offers a low screen resolution so any fancy graphics, windows, tables and such would immediately make a bit of a mess on such a small screen -
In the absence of a simple DX cluster viewer, I wrote 'ClusterClient'.

ClusterClient is a DX Cluster monitor application that connects via telnet to your favourite DX cluster. It offers a simple window with a spot counter (for each band) on the left-hand-side and a couple of text-boxes that permit easy "spotting" of stations heard/worked. The simple screen layout is thus ideal for laptops and can be re-sized to suit operating preferences.

The band filter

Spots can be filtered to display only the bands you're interested in - no complex cluster filter commands to worry about, just (un)tick the bands on the filter window!

This software came about as a result of my
work on a /P logging package called MiniLog (http://www.m0pzt.net/projects.php#MiniLog) and a few people asked if I could make the DX cluster window a "standalone" package...

ClusterClient is a free application written by Charlie Davy, M0PZT and is available at: http://www.m0pzt.net/projects.php
#ClusterClient