DXView Configuration

Online Help Index

DXView's Configuration screen contains 6 tabs, each containing a related group of settings and controls that you can inspect and/or modify:

 

The General tab contains seven panels and three free-standing buttons:

Display progress data in bold font when checked, data in the info window's Progress table is rendered with a bold font
Open most recent log when checked with DXKeeper not running, DXView opens the most recent log opened when DXView and DXKeeper were both last running (if DXKeeper is terminated with this box checked, DXView will continue to display progress from the currently open log)
Query Special Callsign database when checked and SpotCollector is installed, queries SpotCollector's Special Callsign Database, reports any resulting Tags in a panel on DXView's Info window, and makes these Tags accessible to other applications
Query IOTA database when checked with the IOTA database installed, any action that selects a DXCC entity will query the IOTA database for IOTA groups in that entity
  • if the entity contains no IOTA groups, the Main window's IOTA textbox will be empty

  • if the entity contains one or more IOTA group, the Main window's IOTA textbox will be replaced by an IOTA selector populated with the IOTA tags for each group contained by the entity; you can select a particular IOTA tag by clicking its entry in the selector

Display GeoMag panel when checked, DXView display a GeoMag panel on the Info window that displays the maximum geomagnetic latitude for the current path, and provides a K box in which you can specify the current geomagnetic K index used to calculate the location of the auroral zones; if SpotCollector is running, DXView's K textbox will be automatically updated as SpotCollector receives WWV data.
Generate propagation forecast when checked with Commander and PropView running,
  • a callsign lookup via the Info window will direct PropView to generate a short path forecast of propagation from the selected location using the transceiver's current band

  • clicking the word short in the Info window's Heading panel will direct PropView to generate a short path forecast of propagation from the currently selected location using the transceiver's current band

  • clicking the word long in the Info window's Heading panel will direct PropView to generate a long path forecast of propagation from the currently selected location using the transceiver's current band

Display information in title bars when checked, window title bars display the current UTC time (disable if running Vista!)
Use multiple monitors when checked, windows that resided on a secondary monitor during the previous session will be restored to the same secondary monitor on startup; when not checked, all windows are restored to the primary monitor on startup
Log debugging information when checked, DXView records diagnostic information in a file named Errorlog.txt residing in DXView's folder.
   
Latitude the North Magnetic Pole's latitude (defaults to the estimated 2015 position of 86 4' N)
Longitude the North Magnetic Pole's longitude (defaults to the estimated 2015 position of 153 21' W)

 

Miles button  sets the DX textbox's unit of distance measurement to miles
Kilometers button sets the DX textbox's unit of distance measurement to kilometers
 
Normal click on the rectangle to set the color used to display the backgrounds of textboxes in the Search and DXCC panels when the callsign is not known to participate in the ARRL's Logbook of the World
LotW click on the rectangle to set the color used to display the backgrounds of textboxes in the Search and DXCC panels when the callsign is known to participate in the ARRL's Logbook of the World
eQSL click on the rectangle to set the color used to display the backgrounds of textboxes in the Search and DXCC panels when the callsign is an Authenticity Guaranteed member of eQSL.cc
LotW & eQSL click on the rectangle to set the color used to display the backgrounds of textboxes in the Search and DXCC panels when the callsign is known to participate in the ARRL's Logbook of the World and an Authenticity Guaranteed member of eQSL.cc
 
Station Callsign your callsign
Latitude your QTH latitude, in the format D M' S" Z
  • D is the degrees component of your QTH latitude
  • M is the minutes component of your QTH latitude
  • S is the seconds component of your QTH latitude
  • Z is the letter N or S

examples:

  • 77 13' 156" S
  • 38 15' N
  • 42S
Longitude your QTH longitude, in the format D M' S" Z
  • D is the degrees component of your QTH longitude
  • M is the minutes component of your QTH longitude
  • S is the seconds component of your QTH longitude
  • Z is the letter N or S

examples:

  • 113 10' 12" E
  • 128 37' W
  • 71E
Position button click to set your QTH latitude and longitude to the currently selected position on DXView's world map
Save button click to save your QTH latitude and longitude for use by subsequent DXView sessions
Restore button click to set your QTH latitude and longitude to the previously saved QTH position
Location buttons choose your QTH location:
  • NAE  for the eastern part of North America
  • NAM for the midwestern part of North America
  • NAW for the western part of North America
  • AS for South America
  • EU for Europe
  • AF for Africa
  • AS for Asia
  • OC for Oceania

This location is used to establish an origin for plots created when you click the Plot button. The Origin Filter considers a plot's origin in determining whether or not that plot should be displayed on DXView's earth map.

 

This panel governs DXView's ability to display translations of amateur radio phrases for languages used in the currently-selected DXCC entity. This panel is disabled unless the Translations database is installed.

Enable when checked, enables the lookup and display of translated amateur radio phrases in DXView's Translations window
native language select the language used to display column headings in the Translations window
Auto Size when clicked, column widths in the Translations window are adjusted so that each phrase will be completely visible

 

 

show control explanations when checked, enables the display of explanatory information when the mouse cursor lingers over a textbox, button, checkbox, display pane, or setting.
Browser pathname if this setting is blank, DXView displays online help using your PC's default HTML browser; if this setting contains the pathname of an HTML browser, DXView displays online help using that browser. MapQuest and Google maps are displayed using the same browser.

The Plot Settings tab contains five panels that govern what is displayed on the world map

QSOs when selected with DXKeeper running, logged QSOs are displayed on the world map
  • this item is disabled -- "grayed-out" -- until you direct DXKeeper to designate a set of QSOs to be plotted by clicking the Plot button on the Log QSOs tab of its Main window 

  • if DXKeeper's Log Page Display is filtered when you click the Plot button on the Log QSOs tab of its Main window, then this item's caption will change to Filtered QSOs; allowing the mouse cursor to hover over the caption will produce a popup display containing the filter expression

DXCC Entities when selected with DXKeeper running, DXCC entities are displayed on the world map
Unworked when checked, the world map displays logged QSOs whose DXCC award status is expired or invalid,  and DXCC entities whose award status is unworked
Unconfirmed when checked, the world map displays logged QSOs whose DXCC award status is worked or requested,  and DXCC entities whose award status is worked, queued, or requested
Confirmed when checked, the world map displays logged QSOs whose DXCC award status is confirmed or submitted,  and DXCC entities whose award status is confirmed
Verified when checked, the world map displays logged QSOs whose DXCC award status is verified,  and DXCC entities whose award status is verified

 

band checkboxes determine which bands will be included in the Scan DX sequence 
ann if checked, directs SpotCollector (if running) to announce each band as its active DX stations are displayed during a Scan DX operation; if dwell is set to less than 3 seconds, each band's active DX stations will be displayed for 3 seconds 
dwell specifies how long in seconds each band's active DX stations are displayed during a Scan DX operation; a value less than 1 will be interpreted as 1 second, and a value greater than 30 will be interpreted as 30 seconds

 

band checkboxes determine whether DX spots, DX QSOs, or DXCC entity award progress on the specified band appear on the world map
? checkbox determines whether DX spots, DX QSOs, or DXCC entity award progress whose band is unknown appear on the world map
Xcvr band only if Commander is running, DX spots, DX QSOs, or DXCC entity award progress on the transceiver's current band appear on the world map
None  checkbox resets all band checkboxes
Top checkbox sets the 160m checkbox
Low checkbox sets the 80m and 40m checkboxes
Tri checkbox sets the 20m, 15m, and 10m checkboxes
Warc checkbox sets the 30m, 17m, and 12m checkboxes
VHF checkbox sets the 6m and 2m checkboxes
All checkbox sets all band checkboxes

 

mode checkboxes determines whether DX spots, DX QSOs, or DXCC entity award progress in the specified mode appear on the world map
? checkbox determines whether DX spots, DX QSOs, or DXCC entity award progress whose mode is unknown appear on the world map
None  checkbox resets all mode checkboxes
All checkbox sets all mode checkboxes

 

NA checkbox determines whether DX spots or DX QSOs in North America appear on the world map
SA checkbox determines whether DX spots or DX QSOs in South America appear on the world map
EU checkbox determines whether DX spots or DX QSOs in Europe appear on the world map
AF checkbox determines whether DX spots or DX QSOs in Africa appear on the world map
AS checkbox determines whether DX spots or DX QSOs in Asia appear on the world map
OC checkbox determines whether DX spots or DX QSOs in Oceania appear on the world map
AN checkbox determines whether DX spots or DX QSOs in Antarctica appear on the world map
? checkbox determines whether DX spots or DX QSOs whose continent is unknown appear on the world map
None checkbox resets all continent checkboxes
All checkbox sets all continent checkboxes
 

 

NAE checkbox determines whether DX spots or DX QSOs originating from eastern North America appear on the world map
NAM checkbox determines whether DX spots or DX QSOs originating from midwestern North America appear on the world map
NAW checkbox determines whether DX spots or DX QSOs originating from western North America appear on the world map
SA checkbox determines whether DX spots or DX QSOs originating from South America appear on the world map
EU checkbox determines whether DX spots or DX QSOs originating from Europe appear on the world map
AF checkbox determines whether DX spots or DX QSOs originating from Africa appear on the world map
AS checkbox determines whether DX spots or DX QSOs originating from Asia appear on the world map
OC checkbox determines whether DX spots or DX QSOs originating from Oceania appear on the world map
? checkbox determines whether DX spots or DX QSOs whose origin is unknown appear on the world map
None checkbox resets all origin checkboxes
All checkbox sets all origin checkboxes
 

The Rotor Control tab contains several checkboxes and six panels

AlfaSpid specifies and AlfaSpid antenna rotator using the ROT1PROG protocol
ARCO Hygain specifies an ARCO antenna rotator using the Hygain protocol
ARCO Yaesu specifies an ARCO antenna rotator using the Yaesu protocol
ARSWIN specifies a rotator controlled by ARSWIN
Heath specifies a Heath HD1780 IntelliRotor
Green Heron
Hygain
MDS
Rotor-EZ
specifies a rotator whose controller uses the Hygain DCU-1 protocol, which is also used by Green Heron, MDS, and Rotor-EZ controllers
LP-Rotor specifies a rotator controlled by LP-Rotor
M2 RC2800P-A specifies an M2  RC2800P-A antenna rotator
M2 RC2800X specifies an M2 RC2800PX antenna rotator
N1MM Current specifies rotator control via the current version of N1MM Rotor
N1MM V12.11 specifies rotator control via N1MM Rotor (version 12.11 or earlier)
Prosistel specifies a Prosistel antenna rotator
SARtek specifies a SARtek antenna rotator
TIC specifies a TIC antenna rotator  
TrackBox specifies a TAPR TrackBox antenna rotator
Yaesu specifies a Yaesu antenna rotator

 

Slow selects the rotators slowest speed of rotation
Medium selects the rotators mid-range speed of rotation
Fast selects the rotators fastest speed of rotation

 

Serial when selected, DXView communicates with the ARCO antenna rotator  via the serial port specified in the Serial Port Interface panel
TCP when selected, DXView communicates with the ARCO antenna rotator  via TCP using the specified Host Address and Port
 
Endpoint enables the Rotor-EZ "endpoint" option (disabling jumper on PCB must be removed for this to work)
Overshoot enables the Rotor-EZ "overshoot" option (disabling jumper on PCB must be removed for this to work)
Unstick enables the Rotor-EZ "Unstick" option (disabling jumper on PCB must be removed for this to work)
 
Solar-QTH
  • continuously displays the difference, in degrees, between the Sun's present longitude and your QTH's longitude

  • if your QTH longitude and PC's clock are set accurately, the Sun is due south or due north of your antenna when this value is 0

Ant1 rotator offset
  • use this setting to compensate for a rotator positioning error associated with the primary antenna, and/or for rotator controllers requiring a fixed offset (e.g. Yaesu rotator controllers in North America require an offset of -180)

  • enter a value between -359 and +359

  • changing this setting clears the most recent heading display

Ant2 rotator offset
  • use this setting to compensate for a secondary antenna on the mast whose rotator offset is different than that of the primary antenna , and/or for rotator controllers requiring a fixed offset (e.g. Yaesu rotator controllers in North America require an offset of -180)

  • enter a value between -359 and +359

  • a non-blank value causes the Heading panel caption to indicate which antenna is currently active

  • changing this setting clears the most recent heading display

 

Clicking this panel's Show button displays the Antenna presets panel on DXView's Info window; clicking this panel's Hide button hides the Antenna presets panel on DXView's Info window.

If Commander is running, the checkboxes in this panel determine whether rotation directives from other applications are obeyed or ignored: if the box associated with transceiver's current band is checked in this panel, then

If Commander is running and the box associated with transceiver's current band is not checked, then

If Commander is not running, then

 

 

The World Map tab contains five panels:

This panel governs DXView's Interoperation with DX Atlas:

The selector in this panel specifies the type of map to be displayed when Google Maps are invoked to display the current position: 

The slider in this panel specifies the initial zoom level when Google Maps are invoked to display the current position. Zoom level 15 uses the least magnification for the widest possible view, while zoom level 0 uses the most magnification for the most detailed view. High magnification maps are not available for some parts of the world.

 

The Override List tab allows you to

Each entry on the Override List specifies the following information:

Callsign the station's Callsign
DXCC Entity the DXCC entity from which the station is operating
Location the name of the location from which the station is operating
CQ the CQ zone from which the station is operating
ITU the ITU zone from which the station is operating
Continent the Continent from which the station is operating
Grid the Maidenhead Grid Square from which the station is operating
Grid2 a second Maidenhead Grid Square, for use when the station is operating on the border between 2 grid squares
Grid3 a third Maidenhead Grid Square, for use when the station is operating on the border between 3 grid squares
Grid4 a fourth Maidenhead Grid Square, for use when the station is operating on the border between 4 grid squares
IOTA the IOTA tag for the island from which the station is operating
TimeZone the UTC offset for location from which the station is operating, in hours (positive for west of Greenwich England, negative for east of Greenwich England)
StartDate the date on which the override becomes active, in YYYY-MM-DD format; the override becomes active at 0Z on the specified day.
EndDate the date on which the override expires, in YYYY-MM-DD format; the override expires at 0Z on the specified day, so it's best to specify an expiration date several days after the override's callsign is expected to QRT
Notes additional information about the callsign (ignored by DXLab applications)
Source indicates whether the entry was manually created by the user, or created from a Club Log exceptions


DXView, DXKeeper and SpotCollector use these Overrides when determining a station's location. DXKeeper can optionally be configured to use these Overrides when importing QSOs.


You can configure the Override List:


Using functions on the Configuration window's Override List tab, you can create, update, and delete overrides, either manually, from Club Log, or from Big CTY exceptions:

The Override Filter panel provides the ability to filter the Override List by callsign, DXCC prefix, source, and expiration:

The Databases tab shows you which versions of the databases used by DXLab applications are currently installed and which versions are currently available. It also provides controls that let you install or upgrade these databases.

Check for new versions on startup when checked, DXView will during startup download a file whose contents specify the currently available versions of each database and update the Available versions display; if a new database version is available, New DB! will appear in the Info window's title bar, and a new DB! message will appear in red font above the Main window's Config button; clicking this message displays the Configuration window's Databases tab, from which database upgrades can be initiated.
New? when clicked, DXView downloads a file whose contents specify the currently available versions of each database and update the Available versions display

 

Database Installed Available Action
DXCC version number of the installed DXCC database   version number of the currently available DXCC database  
Install download and install currently available DXCC database  
Upgrade upgrade the currently available DXCC database 
View Notes displays Change Notes for the currently available DXCC database 
IOTA version number of the installed IOTA database version number of the currently available IOTA database
Install download and install currently available IOTA database
Upgrade upgrade the currently available IOTA database
USAP date-of-last-update for the installed USAP database date-of-last-update for the currently available USAP database
Install download and install currently available USAP database
Upgrade upgrade the currently available USAP database
RDA date-of-last-update for the installed RDA database date-of-last-update for the currently available RDA database
Install download and install currently available RDA database
Upgrade upgrade the currently available RDA database
GridDXCC date-of-last-update for the installed GridDXCC database date-of-last-update for the currently available GridDXCC database
Install download and install currently available GridDXCC database
Upgrade upgrade the currently available GridDXCC database
LotW date-of-last-update for the installed LotW database date-of-last-update for the currently available LotW database
Install download and install currently available LotW database
Upgrade upgrade the currently available LotW database
eQSL AG date-of-last-update for the installed eQSL AG database date-of-last-update for the currently available eQSL AG database
Install download and install currently available eQSL AG database
Upgrade upgrade the currently available eQSL AG database

 

Translations version number of the installed Translation database version number of the currently available Translation database
Install download and install currently available Translation database
Upgrade upgrade the currently available Translation database