YB Land DX Club DX-ing Is Our Life
by KK6EK
WHAT IS DXA? DXA displays near-real-time information from an amateur radio DXpedition. It was developed as an aid to DXers wishing to work the DXpedition, and as a tool of general interest. It makes use of a source computer, a satellite data link, and a website with dynamic content. The system enables the remote site to update the information on the website, which is then able to serve dynamic content to clients using an ordinary web browser. No software is required to use DXA; it works in any web browser.
If you are a radio amateur interested in working the DXpedition, you will find the information on DXA very helpful. The DXA window automatically updates itself approximately once per minute. Provision is made for you to log into DXA using your callsign. While this is not required, it enables you to obtain current information about your status in the DXpedition radio log.
DXA was written by Robert W. Schmieder, KK6EK, with the advice and consultation of many DXers. Its initial use was for the 2005 Kure Atoll DXpedition K7C, and the instructions below were written for the K7C DXpedition. Currently (Nov. 2011) it is being re-written to be useful for any DXpedition; it will be used next on the 2012 Clipperton Island DXpedition TX5Q. You may use the DXA website freely and openly, but you may not download the site or reuse its contents without permission from the copyright owner. Please see the DISCLAIMER comments below. We would welcome your comments about DXA; please send them to KK6EK at cordell.org.
THE MAIN DXA WINDOW
The first step you should do is LOG IN. Use your own callsign but do not use a suffix such as /K7. Logging in enables you to see your personal records in the DXpedition log. Each time you launch a new browser, you must log in again.
This is your personal bandmode table. It shows which bandmodes have been logged by the DXpedition for the entered callsign (here W1AW). After you make a QSO, watch this table. Within a few minutes, a green square should light up, indicating that you are safely in the log. If is does, you can be sure of getting a QSL confirmation of this QSO. If it does not, you should consider making another QSO with the DXpedition.
MAINVIEW reloads the entire DXA window, and resets the displays to their default and current values.
Callsigns are displayed on the azimuthal-equidistant map of the world. Some callsigns may be obscured. The callsigns on the map correspond to those in the LAST MINUTE list (see below). The position of the callsign is approximate.
Propagation ellipses are superimposed on the MAINVIEW map. These ellipses show the predicted strongest signals from K7C. The signal strength is color-coded:
9+RED 9 YELLOW8 BLUE7 BLACK
Clicking on the bands indicated in the line at top will bring up the ellipses for that band. These ellipses are calculated to within the hour.
NOTE: This plot does not imply that the callsigns shown were logged on the band shown.
We thank Dean Straw N6BV for these calculations.
WHAT IS DXA?
DXA is a dynamic website that allows DXers to view the current status and activities of the DXpedition in near-real-time. Within a minute or so after making a contact with the DXpedition, the DXer is able to see confirmation of that contact entered in the expedition log. Information such as the callsigns logged in the last minute and in the last hour, and the bandmodes currently being worked by the DXpedition, are displayed in a simple, automatically-updated interface. The entire application runs within a standard browser–no software needs to be downloaded or installed.
When the DXpedition logs a QSO with you, a green square is illuminated in your table for the appropriate bandmode, confirming your entry in the log. You can see this green square actually turn on if you are logged into DXA when you make the QSO. Note that once you see the green square, there is no need for an insurance contact. Also, if you have a green square, you can be absolutely certain that you have not worked a pirate, since no pirate can turn on the green squares.
Please note that logging into the DXA window DOES NOT enter you in the DXpedition radio log. You must make your QSOs on the air; DXA merely confirms that these QSOs are in the DXpedition radio log.
If you wish, you can log in with your callsign (lower left corner), and see whether you are in the DXpedition log. It is not necessary to log in to see the activity of the DXpedition, but you must log in order to see your own personal bandmode table for logged contacts.
Please log in with your licensed callsign, not with a “/XX” suffix. DXA does not recognize “/XX”.
