The DXSpider User Filtering Primer v1.0
Compiled By W3BG - Jim Samuels (jimsam@comcast.net) With
Introduction by N3RD - Dave Hawes (dave.n3rd@comcast.net)
- March 2003 revision 0.1
+ April 2003 revision 0.2
A primer and tutorial for Users and SysOps of the DXSpider DXCluster
program.
______________________________________________________________________
- 1. Introduction.
+ \e[1m1. Introduction.\e[0m
The PacketCluster software written in the mid-80s by Dick Newell,
AK1A, has served us well. Dick has moved on though and has not
- supported the software with updates etc for the last 10 years.
+ supported the software with updates etc. for the last 10 years.
Numerous PacketCluster "clones" have come and gone over the years,
however there is one, called DX Spider, which provides a very similar
user interface to that of AK1A, allows internet connections of users
- 2. Foreword
+ \e[1m2. Foreword\e[0m
While attempting to learn how DXSpider filters work, I found that I
had to glean bits and pieces of information from the DXSpider User
- 3. Configuring Spot Filters
+ \e[1m3. Configuring Spot Filters\e[0m
- 3.1. What is a spot filter?
+ \e[1m3.1. What is a spot filter?\e[0m
A spot filter is one rule (a one line spot filter) or multiple rules
- (multiple line spot filters) that a user can setup with-in DXSpider to
+ (multiple line spot filters) that a user can setup within DXSpider to
control which specific spot(s) are received at the shack console.
These configurable filters/rules reside on the DXSpider node and are
stored along with the user's other information. Filters can be likened
- to a car wash . . . . . like cars; information goes in one end dirty,
+ to a car wash . . . . . like cars, information goes in one end dirty,
gets washed and comes out the other end cleaned.
- 3.2. How can filters be used?
+ \e[1m3.2. How can filters be used?\e[0m
For example, let's say our local user has never owned a microphone in
- this life and definitely doesn't want to see any of those useless SSB
+ his life and definitely doesn't want to see any of those useless SSB
spots. Our user simply sets up a basic filter to reject any SSB spots
before they reach the user's console. Similarly, it's now the ARRL CW
DX contest weekend, so not only does our user not want to see SSB
- 4. Types of spot filters used in DXSpider
+ \e[1m4. Types of spot filters used in DXSpider\e[0m
Basic filter types are "accept", "reject", and "clear" where the
following applies ...
of reject filters are usually easier to administer and change.
- 4.1. Numbering lines and slots
+ \e[1m4.1. Numbering lines and slots\e[0m
There are ten usable filter slots in DXSpider. Each slot holds one
reject and one accept rule. Therefore, each type filter can have up to
works.)
- Important: The filter rules are applied in sequence, i.e., 0-9. If a
+ \e[4mImportant:\e[24m The filter rules are applied in sequence, i.e., 0-9. If a
line matches, action is taken on that line. The filter sequence acts
on rules in the order listed. It acts on the reject filter in each
slot before acting on the accept filter contained in that slot. If the
- 4.2. Reject before accept
+ \e[1m4.2. Reject before accept\e[0m
This is not a good rule for life, but it makes sense for DXSpider
filters. As a general rule, reject filter rules within a slot are
passed to the next filter line in the set. However, if a spot matches
an accept filter, it is sent immediately to the user.
- 4.3. Using Multiple Reject Filter Rules
+ \e[1m4.3. Using Multiple Reject Filter Rules\e[0m
Another important concept to know is that you can do everything you
want to do with multiple reject filters AND NO ACCEPT FILTERS. By
default, if a spot doesn't match any of the reject filter definitions,
- then the system considers you want the spots and sends it to you. For
+ then the system considers you want the spot and sends it to you. For
example, the following two filters perform exactly the same thing ...
The spot doesn't match the filter definition, so pass it to
next filter.
- filter2: Is spot within the freq. Range defined for RTTY? Yes.
+ filter2: Is spot within the frequency range defined for RTTY? Yes.
Since the spot matches the filter definition, the spot is rejected
- and the users never see it.
+ and the user never sees it.
Had the frequency of the spot been 14025, then the spot would have not
matched the filter2 definition either, would have passed through all
the filters, and would have been sent to the user at the end of the
- filter set. Also, had the spot been on 10 MHz, it would have met the
- definition of filter1, been rejected immediately, and the filtering
- process would have stopped before processing filter2.
+ filter set. Similarly, had the spot been on 10 MHz, it would have met
+ the definition of filter1, been rejected immediately, and the
+ filtering process would have stopped before processing filter2.
In addition, the filtering system has a rough time handling accept
- 4.4. A very useful command
+ \e[1m4.4. A very useful command\e[0m
To see all active filters in use at any time, just type the following
command ...
- 4.5. Case does not matter
+ \e[1m4.5. Case does not matter\e[0m
In entering any filter - case does not matter. Upper, lower, or mixed
case will not effect how filters work or perform.
- 4.6. Qualifiers
+ \e[1m4.6. Qualifiers\e[0m
Logical operands can be used in rule sets to combine multiple actions
or qualify others. These are ...
(). We will see how these can be used in examples later.
- 4.7. Comma Separation
+ \e[1m4.7. Comma Separation\e[0m
Any command can have multiple pattern variables if commas separate
them. For example ...
- 5. Reject filters
+ \e[1m5. Reject filters\e[0m
A reject filter line means that if a spot matches, send it to the
trash, dump it, do not send it down the line to the next rule or to
- 6. Filters to reject spots based on frequency
+ \e[1m6. Filters to reject spots based on frequency\e[0m
- Important: both freq and on are exactly the same and can be used
- interchangeably - most persons use on (less typing.)
+ Important: both \e[4mfreq\e[24m and \e[4mon\e[24m are exactly the same and can be used
+ interchangeably - most persons use \e[4mon\e[24m (less typing.)
For range, you can specify a frequency like 7040, a range of
or "region" names defined in the show/bands command.
- 6.1. Bands Available
+ \e[1m6.1. Bands Available\e[0m
- 6.2. Regions Available
+ \e[1m6.2. Regions Available\e[0m
- 6.3. Examples
+ \e[1m6.3. Examples\e[0m
The following line will reject spots on 7,040 kHz and pass all others.
- 6.4. Sub-bands as part of range
+ \e[1m6.4. Sub-bands as part of range\e[0m
In conjunction with range, you can use the following sub-band names,
- 6.5. Filters to reject spots based on the "info" data in the spot
+ \e[1m6.5. Filters to reject spots based on the "info" data in the spot\e[0m
- Note: The following series of filters are based on call and by. Call
- always references the call sign of the spotted DX station. By always
- references the call sign of the spotting station.
+ Note: The following series of filters are based on \e[4mcall\e[24m and \e[4mby\e[24m. Call
+ always references the callsign of the spotted DX station. By always
+ references the callsign of the spotting station.
- 6.6. Filters to reject spots based on call
+ \e[1m6.6. Filters to reject spots based on call\e[0m
- 6.7. Filters to reject spots based on call_dxcc
+ \e[1m6.7. Filters to reject spots based on call_dxcc\e[0m
This filter is based on DXCC entities and uses either the country
prefix or the DXCC entity number, found by using the command
- show/prefix.
+ \e[4mshow/prefix\e[24m.
As in ...
- 6.8. Filters to reject spots based on call_itu
+ \e[1m6.8. Filters to reject spots based on call_itu\e[0m
Similarly, call_itu and call_zone use ITU regions that can also be
obtained using the show/prefix <prefix> command (see above.)
- 6.9. Filters to reject spots based on call_zone
+ \e[1m6.9. Filters to reject spots based on call_zone\e[0m
This filter is based on CQ zones and uses the CQ zone number found by
- using the command show/prefix (see above.)
+ using the command \e[4mshow/prefix\e[24m (see above.)
Example ...
- 6.10. Filters to reject spots based on call_state
+ \e[1m6.10. Filters to reject spots based on call_state\e[0m
Syntax: reject/spot [0-9] call_state <state2-letter abbreviations>
- This filter is based on the state of the call spotted, for those call
- signs contained in the usdb database. Use the command show/usdb to
- see an example of a listing in the database, like this ...
+ This filter is based on the state of the call spotted, for those
+ callsigns contained in the usdb database. Use the command \e[4mshow/usdb\e[0m
+ to see an example of a listing in the database, like this ...
- 6.11. Filters to reject spots based on by
+ \e[1m6.11. Filters to reject spots based on by\e[0m
- by filters are similar to and function exactly as call filters except
- that they act on the spotting station call sign and not the spotted
- call sign.
+ \e[4mby\e[24m filters are similar to and function exactly as call filters except
+ that they act on the spotting station callsign and not the spotted
+ callsign.
So ...
This filter is similar to and functions like the call <prefixes> (See
- above) except that it rejects spots generated by the spotting call
- sign and passes all other spots.
+ above) except that it rejects spots generated by the spotting callsign
+ and passes all other spots.
This next filter is based on ITU regions and uses the ITU region
- number found by using the command show/prefix (see above), except that
- it rejects spots generated by a spotting call sign within the ITU
+ number found by using the command \e[4mshow/prefix\e[24m (see above), except that
+ it rejects spots generated by a spotting callsign within the ITU
region and passes all other spots.
This filter is based on CQ zones and uses the CQ zone number found by
- using the command show/prefix (see above), except that it rejects
- spots generated by a spotting call sign within the CQ zone and passes
+ using the command \e[4mshow/prefix\e[24m (see above), except that it rejects
+ spots generated by a spotting callsign within the CQ zone and passes
all other spots.
This filter is based on the state of the spotting station found by
- using the command show/usdb and passes all other spots.
+ using the command \e[4mshow/usdb\e[24m and passes all other spots.
- 7. Accept filters
+ \e[1m7. Accept filters\e[0m
An accept filter line means that if a spot matches pass it on to the
user, send it down the line to the next rule or to the user, and
Frequency of the spot
- Call sign of the spot (country or zone)
- Call sign of the spotter (country or zone)
+ Callsign of the spot (country or zone)
+ Callsign of the spotter (country or zone)
Contents of the "information field" which comes with the spot
- 7.1. Filters to accept spots based on frequency
+ \e[1m7.1. Filters to accept spots based on frequency\e[0m
- Important: as noted before, both freq and on are exactly the same and
+ Important: as noted before, both \e[4mfreq\e[24m and \e[4mon\e[24m are exactly the same and
can be used interchangeably.
- 7.2. Sub-bands as part of range
+ \e[1m7.2. Sub-bands as part of range\e[0m
In conjunction with range, you can use the following sub-band names:
CW, RTTY, DATA, SSB, and SSTV by using a back-slash [(band or
- 7.3. Filters to accept spots based on info
+ \e[1m7.3. Filters to accept spots based on info\e[0m
- Note: The following series of filters are based on call and by. Call
- always references the call sign of the spotted DX station. By always
- references the call sign of the spotting station.
+ Note: The following series of filters are based on \e[4mcall\e[24m and \e[4mby\e[24m. Call
+ always references the callsign of the spotted DX station. By always
+ references the callsign of the spotting station.
- 7.4. Filters to accept spots based on call
+ \e[1m7.4. Filters to accept spots based on call\e[0m
accept/spot 1 call PA
- This filter will accept spots for call signs beginning with "K", i.e.,
+ This filter will accept spots for callsigns beginning with "K", i.e.,
K1AA, KC4AAA, KH6DDD and reject spots for W3BG and N3RD as well as
all other spots.
- 7.5. Filters to accept spots based on call_dxcc
+ \e[1m7.5. Filters to accept spots based on call_dxcc\e[0m
This filter is based on DXCC entities and uses either the country
prefixes or the DXCC entity number found by using the command
- show/prefix. See example of show/prefix above.
+ \e[4mshow/prefix\e[24m. See example of \e[4mshow/prefix\e[24m above.
Examples ...
- 7.6. Filters to accept spots based on call_itu
+ \e[1m7.6. Filters to accept spots based on call_itu\e[0m
Similarly, call_itu and call_zone use ITU regions that can also be
- obtained using the show/prefix command (see above.)
+ obtained using the \e[4mshow/prefix\e[24m command (see above.)
- 7.7. Filters to accept spots based on call_zone
+ \e[1m7.7. Filters to accept spots based on call_zone\e[0m
This filter is based on CQ zones and uses the CQ zone number found by
- using the command show/prefix (see above.)
+ using the command \e[4mshow/prefix\e[24m (see above.)
Example ...
- 7.8. Filters to accept spots based on call_state
+ \e[1m7.8. Filters to accept spots based on call_state\e[0m
- This filter is based on state of the call spotted for those call signs
+ This filter is based on state of the call spotted for those callsigns
contained in the usdb database.
accept/spot 0 call_state pa
- 7.9. Filters to accept spots based on by
+ \e[1m7.9. Filters to accept spots based on by\e[0m
- by filters are similar to and function exactly as call filters except
- that they act on the spotting station call sign and not the spotted
- call sign
+ \e[4mby\e[24m filters are similar to and function exactly as call filters except
+ that they act on the spotting station callsign and not the spotted
+ callsign
So ...
This filter is similar to and functions like the call <prefixes> (See
- above) except that it accepts spots generated by the spotting call
- sign and dumps all other spots.
+ above) except that it accepts spots generated by the spotting callsign
+ and dumps all other spots.
This filter is based on DXCC entities and uses the DXCC entity number
- found by using the command show/prefix and it accepts spots generated
+ found by using the command \e[4mshow/prefix\e[24m and it accepts spots generated
within the spotting DXCC entity and rejects other spots.
This next filter is based on ITU regions and uses the ITU region
- number found by using the command show/prefix (see above), except that
- it accepts spots generated by a spotting call sign within the ITU
+ number found by using the command \e[4mshow/prefix\e[24m (see above), except that
+ it accepts spots generated by a spotting callsign within the ITU
region and rejects all other spots.
This filter is based on CQ zones and uses the CQ zone number found by
- using the command show/prefix (see above), except that it accepts
- spots generated by a spotting call sign within the CQ zone and rejects
+ using the command \e[4mshow/prefix\e[24m (see above), except that it accepts
+ spots generated by a spotting callsign within the CQ zone and rejects
all other spots.
This filters is based on the state location of the spotting station
- found by using the command show/usdb and accepts only those spots
+ found by using the command \e[4mshow/usdb\e[24m and accepts only those spots
generated by stations from the states(s) specified rejecting all other
spots.
Syntax: accept/spot [0-9] by_state <state2-letter postal codes>
- 8. Clear filters
+ \e[1m8. Clear filters\e[0m
A clear filter line will delete the slot number specified or all slots
and consequently all filters that have been created by a user.
slot 1 by default.
- 9. Some Practice Examples
+ \e[1m9. Some Practice Examples\e[0m
The proceeding sections have discussed the basics of DXSpider filters.
The following are some examples utilizing basic filters and some not
so basic combination filters.
- Lets say you only want to see any of those 6m, 2m, or 220 spots.
+ Let's say you don't want to see any of those 6m, 2m, or 220 spots.
were not used, slot 1 is assumed.
- 10. Contacts
+ \e[1m10. Contacts\e[0m
This Primer is a work in progress. Additional features and filters are
added from time to time by Dirk Koopman, G1TLH, the developer behind
projects / spider.git / blobdiff