This week, we visit the Black Cat Systems Web site and find an application that is the cat's meow.

Chris Smolinski, N3JLY, wrote to me recently, "I'm curious if you'd like to take a look at DX ToolBox?"

Chris cranks out Macintosh and Windows software for his company, Black Cat Systems. His catalog includes ten Amateur Radio applications.

I know that curiosity killed the cat, but I took a chance anyway and agreed to take a look at DX ToolBox especially since I was a satisfied user of Black Cat Systems' Multimode, an application that decodes and transmits a variety of non-voice radio modes.

I downloaded DX ToolBox from its Web page and gave it a go (DX ToolBox comes in three versions: for Mac OS 9, Mac OS X, and Windows 98/NT/2000/XP.

DX ToolBox is aptly named because it is a collection of implements that will help you dig up DX. In a nutshell, DX ToolBox searches the Web, gathering information on solar and geomagnetic conditions that affect radio propagation. (Yes, that means your computer must be connected to the Internet to use most of its features.) The application also features several propagation-forecasting tools.

Go to Black Cat Systems' Web site to get the lowdown on DX ToolBox and to download it as well.

There are 11 main windows in this application that provide a variety of information and some of these windows have multiple display options. For example, there are 18 display options in the Images window and 20 display options in the Reports window. In the Images window, you can view images of northern and southern aurora images, current MUF, F2 over North America, North Atlantic, Europe, Asia, and Australia, and more. In the Reports window, you can view reports like WWV Geophysical Alert Messages, Daily Geomagnetic Data, Three-day Space Weather Predictions, etc.

Getting back to the main windows, they include Current Conditions, Solar Data, Grayline Map, Propagation Map, Grid, Grid Map, Propagation Freq Chart, MUF/LUF Estimation, and Propagation Time Chart, in addition to the Images and Reports window.

Admittedly, you can find some of this information in various locations on the Internet, but DX ToolBox nicely gathers all this information in one place for easy access with one or two mouse clicks. If you are running Mac OS X, the DX ToolBox Dock icon automatically cycles through various current condition parameters to make it easy to view those parameters without opening a window in the program.

DX ToolBox is a very nice Amateur Radio application. It is priced right and it is one of those rare ham apps that are available on multiple platforms.

Until next week, keep on surfin'

Editor's note: Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, likes to try out new ham radio applications and sometimes between trying new apps, he actually gets on the air! To discuss ham radio applications, surfing, and other important, and neat stuff with Stan, send him e-mail at wa1lou@arrl.net.

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