Amateur Radio - DX Cluster - KC5KQV

GJKastra · 2017-11-15T04:04:11.931Z

I am an amateur radio operator. I have recently discovered OuterNet and am very excited about what does and what it can do. I have an idea for amateur radio operators around the world.

I can envision the OuterNet providing ASC data of information from the DX Cluster we all use for World Wide Communication. It provides spotting of who is on the air, in what part of the world, and what frequency they are using.

Here is a small sample data for example.

DX de AB3AH: 3795.0 YT1AA big sig as usual +YU 0325Z PA
(This is AB3AH reporting) (on 3795 KHz) (heard YT1AA) (Big Signal as usual) (0325zulu) (PA short for Pennsylvania)

DX de K4FWJ: 7006.0 9U4M up 9U 0326Z FL
DX de K7CF: 7026.5 HR9/W1UE HR 0327Z ID
DX de ZL2RVW: 7006.0 9U4M 9U 0330Z ZL
DX de R8CA: 7006.0 9U4M QSX 7007.20 __ FB!!! 9U 0330Z UA9
DX de UA4AGU: 7074.0 YV5DRM FT8 YV 0331Z UA
DX de 4Z5CP: 144106.0 ZL3NW KM72MTRE66HO ZL 0334Z 4X
DX de RA2FF: 7032.6 VP2MDL QSX 7033.80 CW VP2M 0334Z UA2
DX de RA1QD: 1821.0 UA9FAR CQing UA 0334Z UA
DX de SP4AWE: 1830.0 SP6JOE cq CQ 599 SP 0334Z SP
DX de RD3ZA: 7014.9 R9UBF UA9 0335Z UA
DX de K4HYJ: 7074.9 E76C FT8 +E7 0336Z GA
DX de OH3XR: 1826.4 9U4M cq up 9U 0336Z OH
DX de IZ2GNQ: 14084.0 9U4M cq cq oc oc 9U 0337Z I
DX de KQ2M: 1838.2 J5T qsx 1835 TNX! J5 0338Z CT
DX de WB8YXF: 7074.6 5T2AI +5T 0339Z VA
DX de N6RW: 1838.2 J5T BAD FREQ in middle of WSPR J5 0340Z AZ
DX de K4HYJ: 7075.1 N8KYX FT8 +K 0340Z GA
DX de NO3K: 7032.6 VP2MDL VP2M 0341Z GA

This information is available all over the internet BUT in areas where internet is not available an amateur radio operator will still be able to locate other stations using the OuterNet. I am not able to explain it better but GOOGLE DX Cluster and you will understand the need.

Gus.

Konrad_Roeder · 2017-11-15T05:31:30.295Z

This is a huge idea. Especially for folks that are on DXpeditions or out in the middle of nowhere.

Amsat Phase 4b is being built right now. It’s too bad that it will take access to their specialized ground stations.

– Konrad, WA4OSH

Kenneth_Schildt · 2017-11-16T00:21:58.204Z

Hello,

From what I can tell Outernet doesn’t operate in real time. It’s possible the spots will be over an hour old before being broadcast.

k

GJKastra · 2017-11-16T11:54:03.493Z

I would expect a delay. An Amateur radio DX post occurs one line at a time and the next post would occur a few second later or longer depending on DX activity. I do not know the response time from a DX posting a message and it appearing on the Outernet. If I had to guess there are several messages encapsulated then sent to the Outernet.

Konrad - Thanks for your response on my request/idea. I feel it is “huge” too. It can work since it is one way traffic (information) posted by amateur radio operators. Outernet can be used by amateur radio operators worldwide and would be well appreciated during a DX Expedition.

Using the Outernet and Amateur Radio with the DX cluster information will allow radio operators globally to communicate worldwide.

Gus.
KC5KQV

dl1mfu · 2017-11-16T16:49:06.636Z

+1 for this idea

73 de dl1mfu

pe1chl · 2017-11-16T19:27:57.669Z

For a proof of concept you could relay filtered DX spots to APRS (with OUTNET as destination) and see how it works out…

GJKastra · 2017-11-17T13:34:23.104Z

Thank for your suggestion on proof of concept. I sent two messages. Both messages I was able to view with OuterNet. The first message took 10 minutes and the next message took 5 minutes. The response time is acceptable.

Are there other amateur radio operators that wish to comment on this idea?

Gus.
KC5KQV

Konrad_Roeder · 2017-11-18T03:10:32.485Z

I think Outernet could be used as a service to set-up a sked with a ham in a few minutes or in a day or so. Great idea.

mistermatt2u · 2017-11-18T14:50:33.140Z

+1. I also think this is a great idea. Would love to see DX reports come out over Outernet. Not sure if doing it via APRS is the best option. But certainly some data stream of DX spots to Outernet is an awesome idea.

KM4EXS / HS0ZMU

donde · 2017-11-18T15:50:50.460Z

The Outernet as we know it today, will be changing for the better. No details yet, except to stand by for further information within a month.

nbkhwjm · 2017-11-19T14:31:31.627Z

Ham in alabama here… I like the idea, both would prefer outernet to use precious outernet band width for something more gerneral population centered.

I love DX Cluster going back to the early days of packet clusters on VHF… I was disappointed when that went away in favor of internet.

Chris…

pe1chl · 2017-11-21T18:08:30.581Z

Should the L-band narrowband service be abandoned, it could be considered to re-purpose the existing L-band receivers to be used on a narrowband service on the future Es’Hail2 satellite (which will carry a 13cm->3cm transponder at the 26e orbital position). With a modified TV LNB (PLL type) the receivers could be used as an IF backend. A datastream with amateur radio related content could be setup, which would include APRS, DXcluster, amateur radio related news and Wikipedia-like articles, etc.
Of course it would be nice to discuss it with the operators (Qatar and AMSAT-DL) but I would think they would consider it a good idea when appropriate signal level and bandwidth is used.

Konrad_Roeder · 2017-11-22T17:19:23.963Z

pe1chl:

Es’Hail2

EsHail-2 Amsat Phase 4a

K9CHU · 2019-11-15T01:07:12.568Z

+1

Not sure if this has been addressed/ updated since the transition from L to Ku?

-Chui

Syed · 2019-11-16T00:49:02.536Z

Is this still a good and relevant idea?

rbeavers · 2019-11-16T21:51:31.916Z

So I just wasted $59?

demandzm · 2019-11-16T22:06:41.784Z

That post is 2 years old. That change already happened.