Packet Cluster Terminal

 

 

This is the Packet Cluster Terminal. It  is composed by two windows: the traffic window and the command interface window below it to dialog with the remote system. The program gets automatically the owner's Callsign and with it connects the remote system. The font and its size are selectable by a right click on the windows. A selection window will open and the user can perform his settings:

 

 
First of all some SETTINGS are requested:
 

 

In the section GENERAL we should choose the media we can use in our shack: Radio Cluster for VHF or UHF connections  via TNC or Telnet Cluster for Internet connections. Third option, Cw Skimmer, allows to transform the Packet Cluster window in a Cw Skimmer Terminal, if we have this software installed in our computer (http://www.dxatlas.com/CwSkimmer/) . Rx Font Color allows to set the foreground color and Rx Background Color that of the background

 

 

The TELNET option allows to select the node for the connection. The software gets for default ther USER'S Callsign or that one specified in the field NODE LOGIN  when a new node is added (ADD NODE) or when an existing node is edited (EDIT NODE), and with it connects the selected PCL. it is possible to insert a PASSWORD foe each Telnet Node. The nodes can be deletedwith DELETE NODE. The Internet Telnet Link drives to a web page that contains a big list of Telnet nodes with all data for the settings.

Here are the node settings:
 

 
It is possible to insert all the data related to that Node and to select the Node Type between DXSPIDER, DXNET and ARCLUSTER.
 

 

With RADIO we can set the paameters in case of connection via Radio to a Packet Cluster: ComPort is the serial port used, Speed in bauds indicates the data transfer speed between radio and computer (mostly 9600 but some exceptions can occour), TNC Type allows to select the built-in parameters for several TNC, and Handshake allow to set the protocol, if needed (None, XON/XOFF,  RTS or XON/XOFF/RTS). Usually with some trials the user can easily set his TNC. Also with the option Radio there are the keys for EDIT, ADD and DELETE the Nodes. Nodes Radio is a menu that shows and allows to select the Node we are going to connect and Set TNC Radio is a key to select the mode Radio Cluster, like in secion GENERAL. The central window TNC Commands shows the setting commands sent to the TNC function of the choice done with TNC Type.

 

 

The option FILTERS allows to set some filters on the spots according with that we want to put in evidence: Filter Band allows to select the interesting bands and Filter Mode the modes. Only DX spotted from allows to select the continents from which the spots comes, excluding as example those whom spots cannot be useful for us. These selections will be valid only for the spot window and for the filtered spot window. In the main window all the spots anyway will be shown. With Selected Callsigns the user can insert the Callsigns to monitor: when these Callsigns will be spotted a special alert color MAGENTA will start to flash, in the upper toolbar and a RED strip flashes in the SPOT Window (double-click to cancel) . The same in Selected Comments: if we are monitoring a certain IOTA expedition, we can insert the reference, and when this reference will appear in the notes of any spot the flashing alerts will appear (of course the exact syntax must me respected: if we set AN-001 and the spot contains AN001 it won't be recognized)

 

 

The option BANDS allows to see the spots selected by band. The buttons appear according with  the bands selected in FILTER BANDS of the SETUP (feature available since the release 1.0.2.7 / 001). A double click opens the F2 window and import the data in it if Spot > QSO is selected (see the picture below).

 

 

The section ALERTS allows to select all concerning those spots we are interested to: Icon Spot shows a balloon with all the dataof the spots beside the tray (lower right corner of the screen). it is useful if we have the program minimized because the balloon has the priority over any other window and appears always in foreground. Speech Spot gets the computer talking with a spot comes: a female voice will play the Callsign with the ICAO phonetic alphabet (alfa, bravo, charlie delta, echo...). More voices are available at www.bblogger.it with 5 languages prononciations. If we don't want a voice but a sound we can select Sound Spot instead of Speech Spot. Spot Marker allows to change the foreground color of the selected spots, those who are under the conditions set in SETUP>FILTERS, and the key Spot Marker Color allows to select the color. The box Spot>QSO, if tagged, allows to transport the spot to the Insert Qso Window  (F2) with a double-click on the callsign appeared in the Spot Window or in the Filtered Spot Grid. Check Calls and Check Remarks if tagged allow to get the alerts beside the orange feed symbol in the upper toolbar when the selected Callsigns or the Comments selected in SETUP>FILTERS will appear. New One filter allows to show only the New Ones, Check LoTW makes the column LoTW visible on the Filtered Spots grid and Auto Connect allows to automatically connect to the Packet Cluster at the start of the program. Spot Log on File allows to write the diary of the received spots as TXT file.

 

 

Selecting FILTERED SPOTS this grid appears: in it there are all the spots that satisfy our conditions. The cell background colors allow to know our situation about that Country o that Prefix (for WPX). Same color code appears in a strip beside the orange symbol of the feed in the upper toolbar: this is the meaning: YELLOW means a NEW ONE DXCC in the specified band, ORANGE means a NEW ONE DXCC in that band ALREADY WORKED BUT NOT YET CONFIRMED (the alert indicates also the year of last contact),  RED means a NEW ONE DXCC IN ANY BAND, GREEN means a NEW PREFIX in the specified band and CYAN means a NEW PREFIX IN ANY BAND. A DOUBLE CLICK on the grid transports all the data related to that spot (callsign, band,  mode and note) in the Insert QSO window if the box Spot>QSO in SETUP>ALERTS is tagged. Selecting a row and hitting F7 we will have the DXCC situation of that Country (see last picture). Last three columns tell the bearing (short Path and Long Path), if that Callsign is member of the LoTW  program and the info already shown in the coloured strip.

 

 

The MON RQ window is the output of our requests to the Packet Cluster made with the key in the upper toolbar. In this way the info won't abide the scroll due to the coming of new spots. Anyway the output is directed also to the main window Cluster Monitor.

 

 

WWV gets this window appearing (above) that provides info about the sun activity, last 10 or last 100 spots can be shown with display WWV or WCY.

 

 
SATELLITE allows to get the keplerian data of the amateur and meteo satellites just selecting the satellite from the proper menu.
 

 
GREYLINE shows the above screen with the greyline and other info.
 

 
PROPAGATION shows the above screen with the data related to the conditions of the sun and the propagation in the various bands.
 

 

MESSAGE introduces the section dedicated to the messaging of the Packet Cluster. In the above screen we can see the list of the messages transited on the PCL we can get hitting the DIR key.  DIR/100 shows last 100 messages, DIR/BULL shows the list of the bulletins, DIR/NEW shows the list of the NEWS messages and DIR/OWN shows the list of the messages directed to us. Each message can be selected with the left key of the mouse flashlighting the row and with the right key of the mouse can be read selecting READ MESSAGE. The window MESSAGE will open and the text of the selected message will appear. With PrintView Msg we can get a preview of the selected message in order to print it. The messages directed to us can be also deleted witr the command Delete Message apearing with the right key of the mouse Other messages cannot be deleted.

 

 

SEND MESSAGE allows to send a message to an uer (inserting the call in the box To) in a private way (tag in Private) or to ALL in a public way.

 

 

With TALK we can send and receive short messages, like in a chat. In Call to send we have to write the Call of the User we want to send the talk, and possibly the Packet Cluster Node if that User is not connected to the local Node. In the box below we can write the short message and with Enter we can send it. The larger pale blue backgrounded window will show the traffic of the received talks.

 

 
CALL INFO allows to get info about a Call connected to the Cluster Web. This tool is useful to know the Home Node of that User to address the Talks.
 

 
ANN introduces the ANNOUNCE MANAGER. In the window List Announces the transited Announces are shown. The commands in the left side allows to select how many announces to show.
 

 

To send an ANNOUNCE we have to use the Section New Announce: the two radius allow to select the destination of our Announce: Local Cluster is that one whose we are connected, so, if this option is tagged, the Announce will be transmitted only to the people connected to the Node which we are connected, with the option To All Nodes Clusters we will send it to all the Clusters connected in the Web. The text of the message-announce has to be written in the proper box and with SEND ANNOUNCE key it is sent.

 

 

In the SPOT WINDOW will appear only the spots filtered by the criteria we have sat in the Section SETTINGS. A DOUBLE CLICK on the callsing appeared in RED in the window transfers al the data (callsign, band, mode and note) in the Insert QSO Window (F2) if Spot > QSO in Setup>Alerts is selected. The strip below the one showing the DXCC Country shows the QRB and the bearing of the antenna via short path and long path. Below that we will see our situation about that DXCC Country in the spotted band and in the various modes. The color code has this meaning: WHITE = not worked, RED = worked, GREEN = confirmed, YELLOW = confirmed via LoTW, CYAN = credited by the DXCC Desk.

 

 
F6 key shows your situation about the country of the spot in the selected bands and modes. The modes are reduced to 6 and OTHER is for all other modes than those shown: