On the Web : November 2003

If you enjoy reading 'On the Web', your ham radio club can publish this column on an exchange basis with SJRA. Contact Ted, , for the exchange details.		Our contributions to the South Jersey Radio Association club bulletin "Harmonics" includes lengthy Web addresses. As the URL's can be difficult or a nuisance to type into your Web browser, the postings here should make it easier to get to the Web sites SJRA members are interested in. Look for the posting at w2xq.com at the time "Harmonics" is scheduled for delivery in the south Jersey area. Questions, suggestions or contributions are always welcome.
		Solar X-rays  Geomagnetic Field  N 3 K L

Having DX withdrawal when away from the ham shack? Watch the DX callouts through any Web browser anywhere -- so long as Java is installed -- at http://dx.qsl.net/cqdx/ by using one of the two Java applet browser links offered about half-way down the page. This connects to the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channel #CQDX. The Web site e.Ham offers current DX spots at http://www.eham.net/DX/spots but won't automatically refresh the page unless you subscribe. DXUSA.net at http://dxusa.net/ and EI7SDX at http://www.connogue.com/ei3io/shandx.htm offer packet radio Web interfaces too, both using the Spider Telnet Web software. VE9WH has catalogued more than 225 amateurs around the world providing Telnet services into DX clusters: dial into http://ve9wh.weblink.nbtel.net/dxclusters.html and select the cluster.

And for Stan, KC2HDR, and other 6 meter DX chasers, "DX World's Magic Band" at http://dxworld.com/mbframe.html offers a wealth of live chat and callout monitoring communiques. 6 and 2 meters, and on up the spectrum... HF too, if you go the other way.

If you are traveling and desire a directory of packet nodes, or if you are trying to explain the concept of DX clusters to a new amateur, perhaps "DXCluster" at http://www.dxcluster.info/ may help; some of the node information is not entirely up to date but like any FM repeater directory it is a decent start.

Looking for a DX-oriented Telnet program? Try the free Windows "DX Telnet" available from http://www.qsl.net/wd4ngb/telnet.htm and written by IK4VYX. The program links to DX Telnet packet clusters and to IRC #CQDX.

A full lunar eclipse occurred on November 8, 2003. Tom, W2XQ, took a batch of digital pictures from his location near Red Lion and posted two on the Web. Go to http://sundstrom.org/ and click on the "Latest Pictures" menu link. Additionally, about 40 new weather links (including for SNJ) were added to http://trsc.com/links_weather.html in the past month.

Do you have a Mac and are you running OS X? Our favorite weather program is a little tiny thing that sits atop the screen and tells all all the time. It is free, may be downloaded from http://sourceforge.net/projects/heat-meteo, and is called Meteorologist. Highly recommended. Son of Weather Grok at http://www.bainsware.com/sonofgrok/ is a quite good alternative.

TRS Consultants - Keep up to date with breaking news during the month! Newsfeed help.

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Revised 22 November 2003

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