When all is said and done, this is the main function of a DX cluster. +In its simplest form you can just connect to the node and you will +start to receive DX spots almost immediately! You can check on +recent postings in either a general manner or on a particular band or +mode. You can even check DX by callsign or a fragment of a callsign. +Of course, once you get the hang of things, it is expected that you +start posting some yourself! After all, there would be no clusters +if people did not post DX and you get the added thrill of the hunt! +
+
As we have already said, it is possible just to connect to the +cluster and you will receive spots automatically. However, you may +wish to check on spots just posted. Maybe you wish to see if a +particular band is open or if a certain callsign is active, perhaps a +DXpedition. The command to do this is SHOW/DX. Without any +other arguments, this command will output the last 10 spots +posted. It is possible to look at more than this, for example the +last 20 or 50 spots, by adding the number to the command. You can +make it even more specific by adding a band in either wavelength or +frequency, and/or any additional information such as QSL details. +
Examples: +
+
+
+show/dx
+show/dx 5
+show/dx 20
+
+will show the last 10, 5 and 20 spots received by the cluster +respectively. +
Examples +
+
+
+show/dx on 20m
+show/dx 10 on 20m
+show/dx 20 on 20m
+
+will show the last 5, 10 or 20 spots on 20 metres only. +
It is also possible to check for certain callsigns, or fragments of +callsigns in the same way. +
Examples: +
+
+
+show/dx g0vgs
+show/dx 10 g0vgs
+
+would show the last 5 or 10 dx spots containing the callsign g0vgs. +
+
You can check for DX by offset and also by specifying a comment to +search for. +
Examples: +
+
+
+show/dx 30-40
+show/dx 14000-14033
+show/dx iota
+
+would show the spots that arrived between 30 and 40 spots ago and any +spots with the word iota in the comment field. The case of +the comment is not important. +
Checking DX posted on a certain day is possible too. All you have +to do here is to specify how many days ago it was like this ... +
Example: +
+
+
+show/dx day 30
+
+It is of course possible to specify multiple arguments. +
Example: +
+
+
+show/dx 20 prefix 9a on vhf day 30
+
+This would show the last 20 spots posted by or about calls with the prefix +9a on vhf 30 days ago. +
As you can see the SHOW/DX command is very flexible, so if you are +not sure whether something will work or not, try it and see! More +information can be found in the Command Set section. +
+
To post DX you use the DX command. The syntax is shown below. +
Example: +
+
+
+dx (frequency) (callsign) (remarks)
+
+Where frequency is in kilohertz and the callsign is the callsign of +the station you have worked or heard, (ie not your own callsign!). +The remarks section allows you to add information like the operators +name or perhaps a location. Actually DXSpider will allow the frequency +and callsign fields to be entered in any order. +
Example: +
+
+
+dx 14004 pa3ezl OP Aurelio 599
+
+In fact, all the following will give the same result... +
+
+
+dx 14004 pa3ezl OP Aurelio 599
+dx pa3ezl 14004 OP Aurelio 599
+dx pa3ezl 14.004 OP Aurelio 599
+
+This posting, or callout as it is known, will be forwarded to all +other connected stations both at the cluster you are connected to and +other active clusters in the network. The callout will also be sent +to you as proof of receipt. +
+