DXCluster.Info - PacketCluster Logon Tutorial

Your DX Cluster Resource Connection

Formerly DX PacketCluster WebNet

PacketCluster Logon Tutorial

Today's DX Cluster Nodes are worldwide - a network providing instant DX spots and related information to Ham Radio operators logged onto their local cluster node. Even access via Telnet is possible to some nodes.

The system has many commands to provide DX information, mail, bulletins, and informational databases. As a User you won't need to know all of them to make the network work for you. Following is a introduction to the commands you should know, and how to use.

When you log on you may go through a registration dialogue asking for your name and QTH. If you do not and plan on returning to utilize the DX node again, it is normally asked that you provide your name, QTH, and latitude/longitude of your station. Here's how:

To enter your name, type SET/NAME <name>:

SET/NAME Chuck
To enter your QTH (or full address/telephone), type SET/QTH <qth>:

SET/QTH Lockeford, San Joaquin County
To use the features which give the DX station heading and sunrise-sunset times, you need to enter your latitude and longitude using SET/LOC[ation]:

SET/LOC[ation] 37 23 N 121 15 W
To verify the information entered, type in SHOW/STA[tion] <yourcall>:

SHOW/STA[tion] K6PBT

(Using some other user's callsign, you can get their station information which they entered.)

The most important item of the network is the sending and receiving of DX related information. To see what DX has been sent, type SHOW/DX to list the last five DX announcements. If you're interested in one band, say 15 meters, type SHOW/DX 15. To list spots for a particular call, type SHOW/DX <call>:

SHOW/DX S79A

To send a DX announcement, the format is: DX <freq> <call> [optional comment]:

DX 14223.4 VU2TTC
-or-
DX 28012.0 9X5AA up 3 QSL via W4FRU

Other primary commands are:

BYE or QUIT - to log off the network
SHOW/WWV - lists last 5 WWV solar flux reports
DIRECTORY or LIST - lists last 5 (or more) mail messages since last checked
READ nr - reads that particular numbered mail message
READ - reads mail messages addressed to you
DELETE nr - deletes the mail message to/from you
SEND call - send a mail message to someone (call) on system
SHOW/BULLETIN - lists the directory of bulletin files
TYPE/BU filename - reads the bulletin (filename) requested
SHOW/HEADING prefix - gives the heading of the country prefix requested
SHOW/SUN prefix - gives the sunrise/sunset of country prefix requested
TALK call msg - send a one-line message to someone (call) on system
SHOW/COMMAND - lists the available information databases

Commands may be sent in abbreviated format. Examples are:

DIR for Directory
L for List
R for Read
T for Talk
SH for Show

This Command Summary contains all the important cluster commands.

This logon tutorial was written by Chuck, K6PBT for the Northern California DX Packet Spotting Network and later distributed in a Local Help database file for use by other PacketCluster nodes; therefore, modified versions of this tutorial may be found.