DX cluster spots
The console on your station address shows live spots from the DX cluster network: stations other hams have just heard, with their frequency.
Choosing a node
The first time you open the console, the DX cluster panel asks you to choose a node: a list of public cluster nodes in North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania, plus the Reverse Beacon Network's skimmer feeds. Pick one near you, or choose Another node… and enter its address as host:port.
RemoteMyShack logs in to the node with your own callsign while your console is open, the same as a cluster program on your computer would, and disconnects about 10 minutes after you close it. It only reads spots; it never posts anything.
To change node, tap the node's name at the top right of the panel. Turn spots off stops it.
Reading the spots
Each spot shows the frequency, the callsign, its country, the spotter's comment and how long ago it was spotted. Spots are marked against your logbook:
- New one: you've never worked that DXCC entity.
- New band: you've worked the entity, but not on this band.
Spots are only shown for bands your radio has. This band (on by default) shows just the band you're tuned to; Needed shows only new ones and new bands.
Tuning to a spot
Tap a spot and your radio tunes to its frequency. Spots also show along the top of the scope's waterfall, in their badge's color, where you can click a call to tune to it; DX spots on the waterfall on the console's Controls tab hides them (see The spectrum scope and waterfall). They're on the map in the console's Log tab too, as dots at each station's country center (red for a new one, highlighted for a new band, gray otherwise); point at a dot to see who it is and click it to tune (see Your logbook). Check the mode before you transmit: spots don't always say which mode the station is using.
Good to know
- Spots refresh every 15 seconds while the console is open.
- The marks use your logbook, so import your log to get the most out of them. A contact you log shows up in the marks within a minute.
- You can read spots here, but not post them. Use your usual cluster client to post a spot.
- The Reverse Beacon Network nodes send only skimmer spots, and a lot of them. Turn on Needed to keep the list useful. To see which skimmers hear you, use the RBN layer on the map in the console's Log tab instead (see Your logbook).
- If a node is unreachable, the panel shows why next to its name and keeps retrying; choose another node if it stays down.