WA9ALS DX Telnet Page

DX Telnet is a wonderful DX spotting program that offers several features of interest to DXers and contesters including, but not limited to, the ability to:

1. Export spots to Writelog and DX4WIN.
2. Connect to RF and web clusters at the same time, and even multiple clusters, without duplicate spots. This gives you the "world-wide view" of the bands.
3. Page your digital pager or cell phone when your callsigns of interest are spotted. This can be awesome when you need to mow the grass!

I initially found it difficult to see how to set up DX Telnet so that it exported the spots to BOTH DX4WIN and Writelog. However, once you figure it out, it's easy!
Fab's new DX Telnet Launcher program available!
This makes it even easier! (Details available near the end of this page.)

In the hopes of helping others use this VY FB program, I've tried to outline the specific steps required to get it going with both of these popular programs. (Note that this technique also works even if you only use ONE of the programs!)

Why set up DX Telnet to export to BOTH DX4WIN and Writelog?
1. If you set up DX Telnet to ONLY export to Writelog for a contest, then the next time you're casually DXing with DX4WIN, DX Telnet won't be exporting to that program. It will still be set for Writelog. If you set up DX Telnet like I describe on the web page to export to BOTH programs, then it will always be exporting to the one you're using at the time, e.g. Writelog -OR- DX4WIN... Nothing to change when you go from using one program to the other! So it's a good way to set up DX Telnet, even if you will always be using only ONE of the other 2 at a time.

2. If you're running 2 monitors or otherwise have the real estate, running DX4WIN at the same time as Writelog can be interesting. Writelog has the bandmaps and DX4WIN has the world map and a color scheme for spots. There are likely many possible ways to benefit from the combo setup - You could have DX Telnet set up to only show spots in the 10M CW band on Writelog, but in DX4WIN you could set additional filters to show a new 10M CW DXCC spot in a different color or voice announce it to grab your attention.

3. Because it can be done!

The steps involved are:
A. Setting up Writelog
B. Setting up DX4WIN
C. Setting up DX Telnet

(The first 2 are easy and the 3rd is only a little more involved!)

A. Setting Up Writelog
1. EDIT THE Writelog ini file (C:windows\writelog.ini) to add the following:
[OBJECTS]
pktObject=DXT2WL.clsWlPacket
SAVE the file!

B. Setting up DX4WIN
1. File|Preferences|Packet1
TYPE = Regular
COM Port = Msg
Message handshake = ThunderRT5Form|DXTelnet<>DX4WIN
Screenshot http://www.qsl.net/wa9als/dx4winsetup.gif
(The text in the Message handshake doesn't all show in the screenshot due to length, but it's as above.)
2. Close the program for now.

C. Setting up DX Telnet
1. Run DX Telnet (v4.90 tested). When the opening windows come up, just hit ESC to abort connecting to a cluster for now. Go to Configuration|Links. In the first window "DX Hunter or external Log Path", enter "C:\DXTELNET\DUPER\". Check the Enable Link checkbox. Leave the 3 windows below under the DDE heading BLANK! Click on SAVE. Set up any filtering you want, and then exit DX Telnet. Screenshot http://www.qsl.net/wa9als/dxtconfiglinks.gif

2. There are 3 programs in your DX Telnet folder that you will run when you first start things up after a reboot - DUPER, DXT4WIN.EXE, and DXT2WL.EXE - It is convenient to have shortcuts for all 3 of these on your desktop - make them now!

3. Run DXT4WIN.EXE - This will start a DXTELNET<>DX4WIN window that appears on the desktop - minimize it for now. Screenshot http://www.qsl.net/wa9als/dxt4win.gif (There won't be anything in the window when you first do this.)

4. Run DXT2WL.EXE - This doesn't do anything obvious at this time, BUT DO IT!

5. Run DUPER.EXE - It will bring up a window labeled Spot Duper, and there will be places to enter 2 pathways - Enter "C:\DXTELNET\DXT2WL\" and
"C:\DXTELNET\DXT4WIN\". Click on APPLY and minimize the window.
Screenshot http://www.qsl.net/wa9als/duper.gif

6. Now restart DX Telnet and connect to your favorite cluster. Note that you can now start multiple instances of DX Telent and connect to several clusters - you will not receive duplicate spots.

7. Start DX4WIN, and bring up the packet spots window.

8. Start Writelog, and bring up the packet window. Note the title bar of the packet window reflects that it's linked to DX Telnet. Screenshot http://www.qsl.net/wa9als/dxt2wlpacket.gif (Note - Again, this window will not have anything in it when you first open it.)

9. Spots should now be flowing into both programs! Note that any additional filtering that you have set in DX4WIN will be applied to the spots as received from DX Telnet, AFTER any filtering you set in DX Telnet.

10. To spot a station:
From DX4WIN, hit ALT-A (http://www.qsl.net/wa9als/dxt4winspot.gif) and from Writelog, hit CNTL-T (http://www.qsl.net/wa9als/dxt2wlspot.gif).

too!

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