2013-11-07 Station Integration with DXLab by Ken Moak, KM8AM

Ken Moak, KM8AM gave an excellent and concise presentation on station integration with the DXLab Suite. DXLab is a free program designed by David Bernstein, AA6YQ, Wayland, MA. The DXLab Suite consists of eight free applications that can run individually. However, when run simultaneously the applications sense each other’s presence and interoperate automatically.

DXLab Suite is constructed with a modular software architecture consisting of the following applications: Commander, DXKeeper, DXView, Launcher, Pathfinder, PropView, SpotCollector, and WinWarbler. DXLab Launcher acts as the single point of control for Commander, DXKeeper, DXView, Pathfinder, PropView, SpotCollector, and WinWarbler.

• Commander - Transceiver control, filters, vfos, select user defined function keys. Four primary radios can be controlled. A radio/amplifier combination can be dedicated for quick band switching. Over 100 different radios are supported.

• DXView - Search databases by callsign, prefix, IOTA tag, Grid, and Lat/Lon. 

  • Rotor Control - Over sixteen brands of rotors supported. Includes antenna rotor control for a park function.

  • Phrase Translation - Knows which of 70 languages are spoken in a callsign's region. Displays 50 common ham phrases.

  • World Map Display - More than just a map. Beam headings, the solar terminator can be displayed. Filter map view by numerous modes.

  • Google Maps - Ability to use Google Maps for the map display.

  • DXKeeper - Logging portion of DXLabs for QSLing, award tracking, cloud logging. Use N1MM for contesting. Generate QSL cards, address labels, tracks aging on QSLs.

  • SpotCollector - Used for chasing DX. 4 Telnet cluster, web cluster or packet cluster via TNC. Captures spots into database. Highlights and announces needed station. Database interfaces to view generator for display on table, audio, email, map, band spread, and propagation. DX Spot Database scrolling can be paused then restarted.

• Database can be browsed from any web browser including a smartphone.

• Pathfinder - QSO information and callbook information. Callsigns captured via DXView, DXKeeper, Winwarbler, SpotCollector

• Winwarbler - digital modes including CW decoding

• PropView -  3 prediction models correlated, monitor beacon network, builds schedules by band, bearing, and specific beacons

• Works with many of your favorite programs, on Microsoft Windows computers

• It is helpful to use two monitors for an SDR radio setup. One monitor for the SDR and one monitor for DXLabsuite.

Getting Started - download program from http://www.dxlabsuite.com/. Information and help at Wiki site and Yahoo Group

A demonstration highlighting spotting, transceiver control, and rotor control was performed.

A detailed slide presentation from the DXLabSuite author, David Bernstein, is at http://www.dxlabsuite.com/Presentations/DXLab%20Suite%202012-03-19.pdf