Spot Database Entries Have Incorrect Modes

Each arriving DX Cluster spot conveys the following information:

  1. callsign of station spotted
  2. frequency of station spotted
  3. time of spot
  4. callsign of spotting station
  5. up to 29 characters of spot notes

Some DX Clusters can be configured to append additional information obtained by performing a callbook lookup: the grid square of the spotting station, or the grid square of the spotted station, for example.

What's missing from the above information is the spotted station's mode.

So when creating a Spot Database Entry for an active station, how does SpotCollector determine what mode to specify? If the spot notes specify a mode like PSK63 or RTTY, then SpotCollector assigns that mode to the Spot Database entry. If the spot notes don't specify a mode, then SpotCollector consults the sub-band definition file you've specified at the bottom of the Configuration window's General tab. This file specifies a list of sub-bands (frequency ranges) and a mode for each. Consider this set of entries in a sub-band definition file:

7000.1,7070,CW,40M
7070,7074,PSK31,40M
7074,7077,FT8,40M
7077,7078,JT65,40M
7078,7080,JT9,40M
7080,7090,RTTY,40M
7090,7093,FT4,40M
7093,7125,CW,40M
7125,7300,LSB,40M

A station spotted at 7073 with no mode in its spot notes will be assigned a mode of PSK31

A station spotted at 7074 with no mode in its spot notes will be assigned a mode of FT8

A station spotted at 7085 with no mode in its spot notes will be assigned a mode of RTTY

A station spotted at 7092 with no mode in its spot notes will be assigned a mode of FT4

Stations operating in FT8 Fox/Hound mode often operate outside the standard FT8 watering holes, but spots of such stations generally includes spot notes that specify FT8 or F/H, either or which will cause SpotCollector to assign a mode of FT8.

When you install SpotCollector, a sub-band definition file named BandModes 2019-05-02.txt is placed in your SpotCollector folder; this sub-band definition file contains up-to-date sub-bands for K1JT modes like FT8, FT4, JT65, and JT9, as well as sub-bands for older digital modes like RTTY and PSK31. Configure SpotCollector to reference this sub-band definition file, and most of the Spot Database Entries subsequently created will accurately specify their station's mode. Additional information about sub-band definitions is provided here.

A complete description of how SpotCollector creates and maintains its Spot Database with information extracted from spots can be found here.


Post a question or suggestion on the DXLab Discussion Group

Getting Started with Spot Collection

Getting Started with DXLab

SpotDatabaseEntriesHaveWrongModes (last edited 2020-04-13 18:25:31 by AA6YQ)