This week, visions of rare ones dance in our heads as we find out all we need to know about DX clusters.

Hands down, AK1A's PacketCluster software is the most useful implement in a DXers toolbox today. The software provides a conduit for the DXing ham to exchange information with his fellow DXers.

PacketCluster's most popular function is for relaying information regarding current DX activity. For example, when Josephine Ham hears that rare one from Slobovia on 15 meter CW, she can announce its presence via the PacketCluster. As a result, everyone on the PacketCluster will see the announcement and be given an opportunity to work that rare station.

If you are just getting your feet wet using PacketCluster or are a veteran packeteer who wants to bone up on the software, you should go to the DX PacketCluster WebNet, which rightfully bills itself as "Your DX Cluster Resource Connection." Chuck Strobel, K6PBT, is responsible for the site and he did a very nice job of organizing a lot of information into a sensible Web site.

"DX is!" as one pundit so put it and the DX cluster is, too. Find out more about the latter at DX PacketCluster WebNet.

A summary of the page's links reveals all that is built into this site.

Logon Tutorial describes how to get onto the DX cluster and Commands describes the DX cluster commands that you are most likely to use.

DXNodes Guide lists the DX cluster nodes by location, while Telnet Directory lists DX clusters (by location) that you can telnet to via the Internet.

Pcluster Mail describes how cluster SysOps can subscribe to a email reflector that exists specifically for them and Pcluster Archive lists downloadable zipped files containing the archives of Pcluster reflector and related mail collected between 1994 and 1997. A message index lists the topics covered in each zipped archive.

DXP Files contains downloadable zipped files that are useful to cluster SysOps, Links to Files contains links to useful files on other Web sites, and Resource Links lists other Web sites that support DX clusters.

Finally, Cluster Software describes how to obtain the PacketCluster software, while AR Cluster describes how to get AR-Cluster software.

With all those links, if you can't find it here, you won't find it anywhere!

Until next time, good DXing and keep on surfin'.

Editor's note: Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, of downtown Wolcott, Connecticut, is an ARRL Life Member and an incessant contributor to QST and QEX (516 pieces in 23 years), not to mention the author of five ARRL books and contributor to a bevy of other ARRL titles. First licensed in 1969 as WN1LOU, he upgraded to WA1LOU in 1971. Stan began using computers with Amateur Radio in 1978 when he bought a Radio Shack TRS-80 Model I computer and wrote BASIC programs to dupe contests and calculate antenna bearings. A virtual beach boy, Stan has been surfing the radio dials as long as he can remember, however, instead of surfing all over Manhattan and down Doheny Way, he now surfs the Internet searching for that perfect page. To contact Stan, send email to wa1lou@arrl.net.

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