Importance of monitoring DX spots
Basically a DX Cluster is a sort of chat room, or BBS into which amateur DX hunters can post about DX either worked or simply heard.
Many DXers monitors web DX clusters just to learn what’s on the air in that particular moment, but many others use the cluster like as a watchdog, to get alarmed when a particular station get spotted on the air.
Here comes the utility to have an always-on PC application that can monitor spots continuously and promptly alert the operator as it happens, by applying filters and rules to address a particular condition. So it’s possible to get a notification when someone from ZD7 is on 20m CW.
Where the Internet is available, these DX Cluster clients can connect using the telnet protocol to DX Cluster servers, but many of them can even connect via serial port to a TNC connected to the packet radio network; there where originally everything started.
Nowadays that radio interfacing is even possible, it become convenient to the operator to connect the DX cluster client directly to the radio, allowing to jump into the spotted frequency with a simple click.
There are several DX Cluster Clients that run on MS Windows, we selected here the top seven free programs, but you may be interested also in checking out the full list of DX Cluster Clients that includes additional freeware and even shareware DX Clients that require registration and payment.
This article, initially written in 2015, has been updated with latest dx cluster software available to the ham radio community.
During last years some dx cluster application listed on our site has been integrated into some companion tools, and they have been delisted from the original list. It is the case of Cluster Client by M0PZT now part of PZTlog or VQSpot that has been integrated into VQLog
HB9BZA
RXCLUS is a free windows amateur radio software especially designed for the DX'ers and SWL's wanting to receive the informations transmitted by packet radio on the DX-cluster system. It supports also telnet protocol.
AA6YQ
A free application that captures DX and WWV spots from up to 5 internet clusters and a local packet cluster. DX Spots are merged and stored in a Spot Database on your PC, enabling you to monitor, sort, and filter them in real time; known LotW participants are highlighted, as are needed stations. WWV spots are plotted to show SFI, A, and K over the last solar revolution.
AA6YQ
A free application that captures DX and WWV spots from up to 5 internet clusters and a local packet cluster. DX Spots are merged and stored in a Spot Database on your PC, enabling you to monitor, sort, and filter them in real time; known LotW participants are highlighted, as are needed stations. WWV spots are plotted to show SFI, A, and K over the last solar revolution.
IK4JPN
RDXCluster is a free windows telnet client for worldwide DX packet Cluster,featuring multiple spot windows, Band/Mode DXCC window, DX History window, Top DX window, Find, highlights, filters the spot by Roberto Verrini
IZ0KBA Lorenzo
DX-Fighter is a ham radio program for DX cluster spot reception. Connect to any DX cluster server and Telnet server. DX Fighter is the first program to receive the DX Cluster with an embedded web browser that allows browsing on any website also integrates the functions of research on search engines or databases such as
QRZ.com.
VE7CC
CCUser DX Spot Client is a robust Windows-based Telnet and TNC program for DX cluster systems like CC Cluster, DX Spider, and others. It offers features like multiple Telnet connections, advanced DX spot filtering, bearing/distance display, and integration with LoTW and eQSL. Users benefit from band-specific color coding, missed spot recovery, and detailed DX data, including zones and grid squares. Additional functionalities include chat groups, DX alarms, and WWV data display. It supports logging and contest tools via Telnet, DDE, and RS-232 outputs.
W1HKJ
flcluster is a free multiplatform dx cluster client that connects to and displays data from DX cluster servers. The three most common server types are AR-Cluster, CC-Cluster, and DX Spider. The program is designed to work stand alone or as a helper application to fldigi. It can transfer
call, mode, and frequency data from a spotted QSO to the appropriate fldigi controls. It can query fldigi for the same items when generating a spot report.
G3ZCZ
Telnet client for DXCluster, Sorts, colours and filters DX Spots by (2) bands, wanted DX Station, who spotted the DX, local to your area and more, Can spot automatically after logging a contact if you are using ZCZ Log, Look up
call on
QRZ.com
Check our list of DX Cluster applications for other Operative Systems or mobile devices.
