During and immediately after the K7C operation, Steve Hammer K6SGH solicited comments on DXA. Below are reproduced all the comments received as of this date. [Emphasis in bold and comments in red are by KK6EK]
I think that your this DXA system is a very good, effective system.
As a result, if you understand the thing that my communication is approved
More people will be able to communicate because they do not do the
repetition communication.
It is hoped that the bureau of other DxPed in the future also uses
DXA.
--Nobu, JA2BQX
The DXA site has been great. It has confirmed my contacts & I don't waste anybody's time trying to get an insurance contact.
I can then use my time to try to work you on a band/mode
that I don't have you on. You guys have been doing a great
job! I just wish we had better propagation. I only have a
1-2 hour window that I can hear you on each day in N. FL.
Today was the first time I could hear you on 20M.
--Cory, N1WON
I love DXA. Now, if I could just HEAR K7C! My Mosley mini beam at 15'
just won't hack it with the sunspot number at 0.
In any case, one thing that I'd change is to make the clock YOUR time,
not mine. That way people would be more understanding of your schedule.
Ideally, the frequency on the band that you're working would be nice,
but with the clusters that's not been a problem. What would be more
helpful is your listening frequency, since the packet listings are often
wrong.
Hope that I hear/work you before you leave.
--Dave, W5GT
In response to your question -- yes, I really like DXA and I am certain
that once it is perfected and stable it will really save on dupes etc.
and save everyone a lot of time. Many folks here in the states are
wondering about the cost of this and if it will be usable by other
DXpeditions that are not as major as this one.
There are several problems with it but those can be corrected. I am not
certain how it all works on your end but I notice this morning you show
red dots on 40 SSB and 20 SSB. Actually an op has been on 40 CW for
hours working NA and SA. All of those contacts are showing as SSB, hi.
I know this will be corrected later but it would be best if it never
happened. Anyway, thanks for all of the HARD WORK on this DXpedition. I
picked up the last two bands I needed and it is much appreciated.
--Chris, ACØM
THE DXA IS VERY HELPFUL AND A GREAT ASSET TO THE HOBBY.
THE ONLY THINK I HAD HAPPEN WAS MY 160 AND 30 METER QSOs
DISAPPEARED WHEN MY 20 METER QSOs APPEARED AFTER NOT
SHOWING UP FOR 3 DAYS. OTHERWISE NO PROBLEMS.
ITS DISGUSTING FOR SOME GUYS TO CONTINUALLY WK K7C WHEN
THEY HAVE ALLREADY MADE CONTACT ON THAT BAND AND SHOWED
UP AS BEING LOGGED. THIS PREVENTS OTHERS WHO MAY NOT HAVE
WKD THEM TO GET IN THE LOG.
AGAIN MANY TX FOR ALL UR EFFORTS AND SUPPORT DURING THIS
GREAT DX-PEDITION TO KURE ISLAND. U ARE TO BE COMMENDED
FOR UR WORK
--JERRY N4JF
Yes, I have been using DXA every day and I would like to congratulate
you on a job extremely well done. Even in our evening hours, with bad
local weather over the weekend, with prime surfing time in EU for
everybody on the web, the response of your homepage and of course DXA is
just outstanding!
I get practically instantaneous response accessing DXA, logging in or
looking at your view of propagation. Even the pictures in your NEWS
section appear very fast. So I gather you have made real progress on
your server.
The K7C DX-pedition in my view of 49 years of DXing will certainly set a
landmark at the beginning of a new DXing era.
In the meantime I too got lucky and am in the log of K7C.
Please forward my sincere thanks to the team on the island for their
outstanding effort and for an all time new one for this DXer!
I wish them all the luck they need for a successful completion and for a
safe journey home.
I had hoped to work them in more than one mode, but noticing the fierce
pile ups, I decided to stand back an let others make their initial contact.
I'll be satisfied to have my one QSO confirmed and for another click up
on the way to the top. (7O, VU7 and BS7H to go, Hi!)
Good luck Steve and once again many thanks for a job extremely well done!
--Werner, HB9US
I am really quite impressed with the whole DXA operation. As I've said in
my past comments, I'm a programmer by trade (an old COBOL dinosaur working on
mainframe applications). So maybe I can understand the glitches that only
occur when the real fit hits the shan. A perfect example is my getting called
at 5:30 this morning because a new app I put into production went down
(worked fine in test). Turned out the receiving server wasn't 'quite right.'
hmmm, sound familiar!?
THEN you have the chutzpah to rely on satellite link up for data transfer!!
AND then put it on the internet where every 'i want it now' person in the
world can see it. FROM A FRIPPIN SOUTH PACIFIC ISLAND!!!! Yep,
chutzpah with a capital CHUTZ!
So to clarify my position, YES, it has been great. Do I miss the old days
when there was no internet, no online logs and now near realtime verification?
Do I miss the days of waiting 6 months to get back a sorry-you-worked-a
pirate note? UHHH, I don't think so. But maybe I do miss the hunt a little
bit. Must be the masochist in me.
Only disappointment was the deletion of the propagation charts. Next time...
I'm glad to see you're able to keep your sense of humor amidst the chaos.
Just remember that the ones complaining the loudest are the ones that know the
least (about dxing, dxpeditioning, computers, databases, propogation, etc
etc). And if THEY can do it better, let's see 'em do it (SO THERE!).
Just remember there are some groups that can't even get online logs working
yet. Even after the operation.
Feel proud. Say it LOUD! WE ARE K7C!!
--Steve, KZ2I
DXA is an excellent tool !! I did have some of the hiccups you describe, call
appearing then going away but for a first, not bad at all. The problem did cause
me to dupe a couple of Q's that appeared later but my 30 M Q is still gone.
Still-Really neat effort.
--BILL-W5VW
I think DXA is great, and understand that it is NOT the log. I have not
called twice on any band/mode slot, and trust that when my green
booger went away on 20M CW that it was still logged in the log.
HOWEVER, It is very hard to have such trust when emotions run high when you are
gunning for an all time new one. There have probably been more spots
whining about DXA than even being able to make a QSO. Also - DXA has
been somewhat of a distraction. It's a nice idea, and the lights that
tell you for sure if there is a pirate on the air are good. I do like
seeing where the propagation is from K7C too.=20
It would almost be better if DXA transmitted the log to the home server
and then we just had that silly old Java Servlet to know we are in the
log. The impression that some have gotten is that when DXA is down, the
on air operation is down. Or at least it caused unnecessary concerns.
--Rich, KY6R
I found DXA an exciting concept but was quite
disappointed in actual practice. It did not perform
up to the level promised by the demo at Dayton. I
know it may be a work in progress but had hoped more
Beta testing would have been done with the system
before it made its debut during such an important
DXpedition.
As just one example, I was surprised to see my
"greenie" for working K7C on 160 light up, then
disappear the next day, never to return. Despite
reassurances I still won't feel comfortable until I
make another 160 Q for insurance.
The grid showing which bands K7C was operating didn't
seem to always be up to date. It would be more
helpful if the actual frequency could be displayed but
I understand this may not be feasable.
I have had discussions with other DX friends relative
to DXA and the consenus seems to be that the good old
fashioned realtime log lookup would be much more
helpful and less complicated. While the maps are
interesting to look at they are fairly useless.
Showing that 80% of your Qs were with JAs is
meaningless to me. The propagation circles on the map
are likewise of little use especially since there is
no key to explain the difference between red, blue or
black circles.
Also there seems to be more than one version of DXA
online. I've compared notes in realtime with a friend
who is seeing updates at different times and actually
has several fields on his DXA screen that I do not
see.
He has been sending me the daily bulletins from a
field which I do not see when I bring up the DXA
screen.
Since it doesn't seem to perform as promised I would
suggest that the whole DXA concept be scrapped until a
more reliable version has been tested and proven. As
before, I would be very happy with a simple realtime
log lookup. It would certainly provide the level of
confidence and comfort that would allow me to not feel
the need for an additional "insurance Q" on some
bands/modes. The problem with disappearing "greenies"
is particularly irksome.
It would be a great idea if DXA worked and I applaud
the time and effort that has gone into its
development, but I've lost all confidence in the
system due to its poor performance and glitches.
--James Viele W8JV
I really think DXA has been a great technical advancement in the world
of DXing. Considering that this was the first time used, it worked very
well. I was assured of my contacts on 20 and 17 and did not feel the
need to needlessly make redundant contacts because of the display
showing that I had been logged. (unofficially). I made a contact on 80
but it did not show up but understand that there has been some problems
recording some of the QSOs on those bands so I will not make other
attempts as they were very sure contacts in my mind. It is just great to
have news as it is happening and even audio and pictures. Gee it makes
one feel as though they were there with you folks. Keep up the great
work, and I hope other expeditions use the same technology. Maybe it
will get us all going again. Congratulations on a real great DX
expedition.
--Larry Wassman W3OZ
Things were a little rocky with DXA for about the first four days. For
me the problem was not really knowing DXAs status. One of my QSOs was
missing even after 48 hours but the other one showed up in a matter of
minutes. So I was getting conflicting feedback. It seemed to me that for
some "random" subset of QSOs DXA would either (a) work fine and give a
valid status within minutes, (b) not show the QSO at all even after many
days, or (c) finally show the QSO but only after 24 to 48 hours.
I worked K7C a third time on (17meters CW) and DXA worked great. It
seems to me that after October 1 DXA has been very stable and working
fine. Evidently, the initial system overload problems that were going on
for the first few days have been solved.
The DXA functionality is great! DXA "sets the bar" for all future
DXpeditions.
I think you made the right decision on day one to scale back the update
to every 5 minutes and also cut back some of the "secondary" displays
from the DXA screen.
Overall, the K7C operation is top notch. I appreciate the updates
telling us what is going on.
I only have a "moderate" station with an ICOM 756 ProIII and PW1 linear
to a log periodic up 40 feet. I didn't know what my success to expect in
contacting K7C. I have you in my log 3 times - twice on CW and once on
RTTY. I don't work SSB. So I am one "satisfied customer".
I have been a ham since 1958 but have only started chasing DX this year
when I retired and moved here to Oklahoma City from Silicon Valley.
I appreciate all of you "going the extra mile" (literally) for the DX
community. I appreciate you putting up with poor operating practices on
the part of some DXers and still hanging in there.
When are you all going to Bouvet or Clipperton??!! HI HI
--Roger K5RKS
Yes! Most of the information is relevant to my needs. I am not sure
the total Qs or Elapsed time is relevant. As a software developer,
in a former life, I prefer to write software for the majority of computer/monitor
capabilities. My shack monitor is only 640x480 and the screen
currently has too much information for it.
In its infancy, DXA is a great tool! Keep up the work on it!
As an additional criticism, when working NA and having JAs call,
please don't have Qs with them. It only encourages more. Stick
to the sent instruction(s). I heard this happen many times this
morning on 40 and 80 cw. There were many NA stations who
could not get through!
--WN0L
DXA is great application!
Well, we always want more features. It is in human nature.
It would be good to know on which band last QSOs were made.
This info will help DX station to select proper frequency.
But as it is now it is just GREAT. It has discouraged pirate operations too.
Thank you for the DXA, best regards and good luck to K7C team.
--Martin Svaco, 9A2JK
Do the DXA users find the application useful. ?
YES
Do you like the display?
YES
Is the information relevant to your needs?
YES
Can you suggest other features that would be of interest to you?
ACTUAL OPERATING FREQUENCY ON EACH BAND SOMEPLACE ON THE DISPLAY.
Very nice job, thank you for all your work.
--Mel Carl (K5MEL)
Cute, but useless when info are not correct.
If we know the DXA data are not an accurate picture
of what is in the log, then what use is it?
Would prefer old-fashioned online log search - leave
out all the cute stuff, and keep the info up-to-date and
accurate.
While the DXA page is very flashy with a lot of bells and whistles, it has proved
to be counter productive in regard to its basic purpose of letting operators confirm
that their call is in the log.
It probably has led to many more duplicate contacts than it has prevented.
The simple on-line log programs used by other expeditions is far more effective
and reliable.
[But the simple on-line log programs are not real-time. You would not know
whether you were in the log until after the DXpedition is finished.]
The one thing that the scrolling "last minute" bar has been useful for is to
disclose the large number of copying and logging errors on the part of the K7C operators.
In one evening of monitoring both the K7C receiving and transmitting frequencies,
simultaneously, on my FT 1000MP, I copied 41 instances of the K7C operator logging
the callsign of the station that they worked incorrectly. This was out of about 350 QSOs.
These were all cases where the K7C operator gave the other station's callsign
correctly but, when the "last minute" list came up the callsign was logged incorrectly.
Only QSOs where I was able to clearly hear both sides of the QSO were tracked.
It was easy to confirm since the calls before and after the correct entry were there,
in the correct order; except for one instance where three calls in a row were
incorrectly logged.
[These comments cannot be correct. Larry quotes 41 errors in 350 QSOs, a rate of 13%.
In fact, the error rate of the K7C operators, shown by a detailed analysis of the log, was
about 0.8%, considerably better than the average DXpedition (about 2%). The "last minute" list was generated automatically from the K7C computer log, so cannot be different from the call entered by the op. Larry is clearly mistaken in these comments.]
Basically I think that more emphasis was being placed on quantity than quality of
logging. I haven't checked lately with the same degree of precision but the overall
feeling is that things improved considerably after the initial few days of settling
in took place.
I hope that this helped out some. Overall I think the DXpedition is one of the better
ones in recent years and appreciate all the new band/modes for Kure.
--Larry, N7DF
Only suggestion is to show the frequency you are working on each band you are up on
--N7WR
Nice display. What would I like to see? How 'bout a fly-over cursor on the
bands currently working section to display the frequency, split (if any),
current operator's call/name?
--Ken, WB1DX
GREAT CONCEPT!!!! THE FIRST SEVERAL DAYS WERE ROUGH--BUT AFTER THAT IT
WAS GREAT. WE THANK YOU FOR COMMING UP W/THE IDEA.
--R Baker
Great system giving lots of information and interest .Congratulations
and thank you very much to all members of K7C.Sets the standard for
other DXpeditions.
--Bill Booth, GW3RKD
DXA is nice.
I'd suggest something for us dial users: offer a text only version so we
can get the information without the overhead of the graphics.
Biggest complaint for me has been incomplete data on my log info. Some
disappearing, some never appearing. Very disconcerting.
Yesterday a 40m CW contact appeared as 40m SSB on the confirmed log for
some reason. I noticed the same thing for W0UCE who also worked K7C on
40m CW just before I did. So it may have been a wider problem.
Many thanks for all the good work, and I look forward to a few more
bands! I hope.
--Bill K4MWB
Since you asked for feedback about DXA, here's some
thoughts:
I found the most useful feature of DXA to be the spot
locations on bands/modes whre K7C was transmitting.
This was useful because it helped me to zero in on
weak signals that I might have otherwise tuned right
past. And of course I trusted seeing the K7C spots on
DXA more than anything I found on packet (and often
found K7C in places that weren't even yet showing on
packet cluster posts). Congratulations for a very
innovative idea!
The aggravating part of DXA was, of course, the utter
inconsistency of the greenie display. While I
recognize that techincal issues were involved, it
still seemed odd that one op's log entries would show
up immediately while another one would lag way behind,
while a third op's entries would not show up at all
even a week later and after your repeated claims that
the real whole log would be updated soon. To be
frank, the greenie mess caused more confusion than
having no online log whatsoever and no doubt caused
lots & lots of unnecessary dupes. Honestly, I think
more people (including me) fell more into the dupe
temptation than if you had no logs posted at all.
I know you did your best to say that anyone receiving
a report from a K7C op on the air was in the log and
not to worry about what DXA says. But really, how can
one not worry? What if the op copied the call wrong?
What if the op was a slim/pirate and not from K7C at
all? What if the op was from a different DXpedition
and the station in question wasn't actually working
Kure? I saw multiple instances where you and another
big DX station were posted on the same frequency at
the same time, and chaos resulted since no one was
really sure who they were talking to.
Sure we can blame the average ham for sloppiness and
carelessness in the above example, but still,
virtually guaranteeing that people are in the log even
if they don't see a greenie doesn't exactly inspire
confidence. There's simply too many legitimate ways
people can fail to get in the log and no way to
prevent people from making dupe contacts when you have
real-time log that works only "most" of the time.
Thanks for a terrific effort, though! I got loads of
new bands & modes for Kure thanks to you folks, and
your time & devotion are greatly appreciated.
--Dave AH6HY
DXA is a great opportunity to check very soon QSO is 100% correct. But
for weak link with satellite causes dropped data, it's also a great
worry for operator that have a QSO with the activation and after many
days don't appear on DXA. There is afraid to work a fake so many people
want to contact again to have 100% confirm on DXA. On my case, I had a
QSO on 30 September and today, 2 October, never seen my call on DXA.
Greetings.
--Pasquale IWØHEX
Thanks for DXA.
Despite some start-up challenges (heck, we all have those),
I was very impressed with the ability to:
a. check the log for not only my own contacts but those of my
buddies and the big guns to see who was REALLY doing what.
BRAGGING RIGHTS, don't you know.*
b. Observe real-time propagation. Science. Impact of sun-spots.
Like OH2BH found a new route to the U.S. by pointing at a European lake,
the DXA map allows for such experiments.
c. It was a benefit to see 'when and where' the DX'pedition was operating.
(I was at the computer, ironically reading your sponsor-benefactor list
and listening on 75, 3.795, when K7C popped up for about five minutes,
6:50 CDT. Storm noise at Kure was bad and the signal disappeared. But,
the 80-meter operation was noted along with operations on other bands).
I also used a spotting net for better Accuracy- when stations actually
'hear' and work the DX.
d. DXA seemed to work almost equally well on my office high speed DSL
and my Rural home hamshack dial-up.
e. DXA offered a visualization for those of us to see and feel what
was happening on DX'pedition without actually being there. (I guess
that raises the bar for armchair operating!?).
f. The availability of the sunrise-sunset grey line map may help would-be
DX'ers better Understand propagation?!
g. A bunch of us meet and greet at the local XE2 restaurant (Mexican)
every Friday And with DXA - you either had the contact or you didn't.
Hey, if it didn't get posted, All the more reason to beat your buddy
over the head with a fresh burrito! (Springfield, IL XE2 at 11:30 a.m.
if your in the area). XE2 because the first restaurant got raided and
most were sent back to XE1).
h. DXA is innovative; novel; valuable; user-friendly; quick refresh
rates. Awesome.
--Ben Kiningham, K9IDQ
Hi fellows
You have done a very great job with DXA. Last Saturday I was sure to have
worked you on 30m and with DXA I could see I was not in the log. Without that I
did not try to work you again on this band. Thanks a lot for this very nice
activity. Unfortunately I was unable to work you on 20 and 80. Conditions here
in France were very bad.
--Bert F6HKA
BRAVO, BRAVO, BRAVO.
Yes, I like the display.
It is a brain wave. Steady On DXA.
Next step will be from KH5, KH5K or KP5 ????
Tks a lot for all QSOs on 18 and 14 MHz CW.
--YO4WO - Oly
Really enjoyed seeing the map and current contacts. Loved seeing my call
listed in the log and the bands/modes that I have worked. Disappointed that
not every one used the system to see if they were in the log. Heard lots of
dups. oh well, not everyone had internet access I guess.
One feature that I would have loved to have seen was your frequency. Even
though the spots and DXSummit were helpful, knowing your frequencies and
splits would have been helpful too (I don't think it was on the web
site??). But, no complaints what so ever! Once the initial pileups simmered
down, even my 100w in Montana was enough to make the contact.
I appreciate your efforts and thanks for DXCC #316. I will enclose a
contribution with my qsl card.
Thanks again
--Frank W7PAQ
I very much enjoyed the DXA page; exciting to see your own call on the
map.
My 40 meter contact is not showing; hope it is in the real log.
Great job, everyone. Considering the conditions, you all did a
fantastic job, to give many of us a new one.
--Ron K9UVK
DXA is great. We understand that the DXA is not the log but refraining
from getting an insurance call for a QSO not shown is very hard to do.
The fingers just naturally migrate to the mike or the key. One has to
hold them down.
In the future, it would be nice to be able to see the frequency that you
are actually listening on. Perhaps by clicking on the red dot.
Terrific. Very useful and lots of fun.
--W6BK
First thanks for a great Dxpedition! I was desperate to get Kure Island
on 160m.
The DXA adds several octaves of thrill and interest to a Dxpedition!It
is great to see your callsign pop up withing 5 minutes of working the
DX, and your callsign then shown on the DXA map. This is a great
invention!
--Doug / NX4D (nr Orlando, Florida)
DXA has been useful and fun. It has one big operational fault and some
cosmetic problems. The big fault is the green square scorecard. Because
it is not very reliable, it causes people to worry unnecessarily about
their QSOs and, probably, to dupe K7C. (Although I did not succumb to
the temptation, it was difficult!) I don't know the absolute
reliability, but out of 11 band-mode QSOs I made with K7C, one did not
show up for over 48 hours and one showed up right away but on the wrong
mode for over 24 hours. If this anecdotal example is actually
representative, it suggests an 18% error rate and that is bound to hurt
your dupe rate. I think the scorecard should be dropped unless you can
achieve 99% or better accuracy. (Or make it user-settable as a handy
reminder log only!) Another approach would be to post the logs for all
to see.
The cosmetic problems involve pane sizing. Several people using several
different browsers have reported various panes being incorrectly sized.
For example, I use Mozilla Firefox and can only read one or two lines at
a time of the "Current Message from K7C," needing to scroll to read each
additional line. A friend uses Microsoft IE and can't see all columns of
the "Currently K7C Working" pane.
Thanks for running an excellent expedition. I missed a few band modes I
should have worked, but followed instructions and refrained from calling
on the last day when you wanted all-time new callers only. Good idea,
actually!
--Rick N6XI
First - thanks to the K7C crew. I'm sure it wasn't easy and the work
was appreciated. This was my first experience with contacting a big
DXpedition. Got 2 bands and 2 modes w/ 100W from Santa Barbara! (btw:
I don't know if you got feedback of this unfortunate incident, but
there was a "jammer" who seemed to track your xmit and recv
frequencies with annoying regularity. I hope that you and others have
some idea who that was. I wish I did. It was particularly bad today
around 2300, when K7C was right in the noise floor on 21.295. Again,
I hope someone has his "number".)
I really enjoyed using DXA. It was fun to see my call show up and get
my "greenie". Knowing what band and mode was active was very nice and
I used it in conjunction with a DXCluster to get a heads up on what
frequency and split that was in use. I noticed a lot of operators
missed the fact a split was in use. I'm wondering if in the future,
DXA can post your xmit freq and split info.
Otherwise, it was a lot of fun to have that real-time feedback. Keep
up the good work. Looking forward to the next dxpedition using DXA.
--Chuck, WB6KDH
I found the dxa system very useful for me, I worked k7c and when it came
up on dxa I noticed that I had been logged incorrectly, my call had been
logged as GM0E"k"I and should have been GM0EGI, this enabled me to work
them again and correct the mistake.
I know that there were a few problems, and also some comments on the
cluster regarding the system, but as it really was a new system , and I
am sure that it was not an easy task to get it to work 100% of the time
to 100% efficiency, from Kure, I think all in all it worked very well
and would be very useful for use in future dxpeditions, maybe Peter 1st
dxpedition could use a similar system. I am also sure that it reduced
the big guns from working countless "insurance" contacts.
Pass my regardson to the team , and thanks for a new one , # 317 for me.
--Brian, GMØEGI
dxa,
i loved it , it didn't work well at first.
but then anything new will have a few bugs.
Its a great ideas the same big gun dxer can confirm there contact., so
multi contacts are not needed. leaves room for the small guy to work dx.
I also wish other dx stations would take the time near the last few days
to just log new contacts.
Its nice to work a dx station on multi bands, but give the small guy a
chance to work it once. was nice to see these folks do just that
I wish the dx station would post the bands and mode of there operation
in advance and there times of operation
--AA8M..over all great performance
I haven't seen such innovative application for a long time. The map
gives a good imagination where the signals travel from my QTH to the DX
site and opens the eye for difficulties, here for example the path over
the Arctic. DXers who are always QRV from home do not always have this
in mind.
The feature to look up made QSOs is a very reassuring help for me to see
if was succesful, especially under weak conditions.
The list of the QSOs made in the last minutes and hours gives a good
overview of the propagation conditions and the speed of the DX station.
Thanks for your commitment and please do not take the QRM making lids
too seriously.
--Hans-Juergen Karius, DL4YBP
Aside from a few small problems that your system has suffered I believe
that your group deserves a great amount of credit for manageing a highly
inovative real-time web site. I have personally spent a great amount of
time monitoring it in order to try and manage my contacts, and in
addition, to improve my meager knowledge of Kure Atoll.
I really feel that you have set a high standard for future high caliber
DX-peditions to try to follow using the internet and modern technology.
Congradulations on a job well done !
--Keith Hoyt.....K6GXO
JUST A WONDERFULL SITE-- SOME PROBLEMS THE FIRST FEW DAYS, BUT REALLY
HELPFUL FROM THEN ON. I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND THE OPERATORS ON THIER
ABILITY TO COPY THOSE OF US IN " THE BLACKHOLE OF DX--I E. W0 LAND AND
WE WHO HAVE SMALL ANTENNAS/ TOWERS. WE ALSO HAVE BEEN HAVING TERRIBLE
THUNDER STORMS HERE IN MN. AND ANN COPIED ME ON 20M/9-28-05 AND TODAY ON
17M WHILE LIGHTING CRASHES WERE ALL AROUND!!!I WASN'T SO LUCKY ON 80M
W/WARD ON 10/1 THE BAND WAS FADING -- HE ASKED THAT I REPEAT MY CALL
WHICH I DID TWICE--BUT IT WAS MISLOGGED AS W0RRB RATHER THAN MY CALL
W0ROB. EASY ERROR TO MAKE GIVEN THE CONDITIONS -- NO PROBLEM AS ALL I
REALLY WANT IS ONE Q-- GOOD ENUF FOR A RATHER NEW DX-ER. SO, TNX AGN.
FOR YOUR GREAT EFFORT!! HAVE A SAFE TRIP BACK.
--BOB WØROB
The DXA feature was useful but the hiccups limited things a bit. I was
certain that I'd worked the guys on 3.795 SSB but my call didn't show up
24 hours later. That, in my view, necessitated an insurance contact.
Shortly after my 30m QSO showed up on DXA, my 160m QSO disappeared as
did my 20m QSO..
The information showing which bands the K7C ops were on, wasn't quite as
helpful. Info showing the frequency of operation would have been more
useful than a generic bit of band information.
Your plea to work only ops who needed Kure for an all-time new one
wasn't seen by me until after the operation ceased. I did need Kure on
40m CW and worked K7C on the last day of operations.
Overall, the operation was well organized and I appreciate the effort
very much. My solo Kure contact prior to this operation was one on 20m
SSB from way back in 1970!
--Dave Heil K8MN
Interesting app...
When showing the map in propagation mode, it would have been useful if
the spots displayed were filtered to match the band displayed.
Also... suggest to the guys that, next time, they use real antennas on
20-10M. (Not a vertical fan ;-)
Signals were surprisingly poor in the extreme NE NA most of the time.
Must have been real rough in EU!
--VE7DC
I think that DXA is a great idea but I also think that it not working
correctly caused quite a bit of confusion early on. I worked a 40 meter
cw qso for the second time because I did not see it highlighted once I
knew that my qso's may or may not be highlighted it caused me no more
problems. But it also was not as useful as I had hoped. once it is
perfected to work without hiccups I think it will be a great asset to
stop having as many dupes and give more people a opportunity to work the
dx station
--JESS COLVIN AI9L, http://www.qsl.net/ai9l
DXA was a new invention, nice to look. But it does not help to get contacts
from faraway, difficult areas with modest equipment, as Europe in this
case. On the contrary it makes them even harder as all can see on what
frequencies the operation is going on right now although it was not,
fortunately, uptodate all the time.
For small pistols it is essential to find the DX station before it is
announced in DXA or DX cluster. DXing was earlier more like fishing not
like buying a fish from the supermarket like it is nowadays. The chaos on
the frequencies of the DX station (K7C) was often terrible, deliberate QRM
very often, it was easy to see what band was activated also for the
delberate QRM maker. Checking a QSO from the log anyway is good, it helps
to keep the dupes down.
For farway districts the most important aspect is to take care of the
marginal peaks on each band and try to work the difficult areas, beginning
from the first day as you can never know what the conditions are after
that. QSOs are the most important outcome of a DXpedition anyway.
Unfortunately the conditions were very, very poor this time. Good antennas
might help a little bit only. I hope you can make another pedition to Kure
during sunspot maximum, the last peditions have been near the minimum. Then
you could reach easily to 100 000 QSOs.
Still missing even 17 m QSO to Kure, although have more than 320 on that band.
73 Heikki OH2EE
Thank you so much for my NEW one !! Well organized, skillful operators !!
About DXA,
I really enjoyed myself when I was looking for K7C.
Confirmed Logged section is similar, but much better, to other log
searches.
It can almost simultaneously let us know if the contact was a real one or
not.
I also like the map and the globe image with dark and light parts. Sitting
in front of my PC,
I felt like as if I were a crew member of USS Enterprise, Hi !! (My name is
Kirk, Hi !)
If the DXA has a section which shows us your operating frequencies with
your listening frequencies/ranges to let us much easier to find the
station.,
it would be much better!!
(No need to watch another PC to see a DX cluster anymore!)
I hope this message could be useful for you.
Sincerely yours,
Kirk ITAYA, JJ5CVM
DXA was AWESOME! Very cool. I understand there were problems and the green
spots often disappeared..I lost 8 out of 9 by the time it was all done.
BUT....seeing it working was so neat. The real time contact log/green spots,
etc...all very neat. Just keep refining the reliability issues but otherwise,
for me, it is just fine. Very nice work.
--Jeff NX9T
Any first time use of a system is going to have glitches, however, I thought
it went well and I fell in love with DXA. Conditions were horrible here on
the East coast until the last two days. I had the problem of my first QSO
disappearing when my second QSO was added. When my third QSO was added, the
second remained. I understand this will all be straightened out. The world map was
a nice touch. I've been hamming 51 years and not much impresses me, but
seeing my call come up on the map blew me right out of by chair. Great feature!.
Thanks for a wonderful DXpedition, and a new one.
--Ken, W3RFQ
My comment on DXA is that it was truly wonderful. I tried for days and
days to get through and finally around 2 days 9 hours before the end at
about 6:40 AM the op on 40 CW was giving his listening frequency as
7.028. And I managed a QSO. Then I came downstairs, logged into DXA and
there was that green square! I did a screen capture and that is a .jpg
will always treasure. It was especially great because I was unable to
work the LAST K7C operation. I'm sure providing this kind of feedback
helped to reduce all the dupes you'd normally get. I was just pleased as
punch. Below is the screen cap.
73 - I'll be sending a $10 donation with my QSL...
--Mike, K8IW
The DXA was great but I think it provided too much information. I for
one did not need to see the map as it seemed to take a long time to
download with dial-up. Also I was glad to see you drop the last hour
calls. The last 5 minute calls gave you all the propagation you need.
Sometimes you would be on a band and it not be shown which would have
helped and not all the green squares showed which is most important.
--Woody, KQ4NW
Thank you for you efforts in developing this new feature DXA.
I'm an SWL, but I'm also interrested in using DXA to find K7C's operating
frequencies.
The only problem is that the window is very big, and when I minimize it, the
tools at the right dissapear. All the rest want good.
I was really excited with the propagation prediction, very interesting!
Finally, thank you again, Hope to see DXA in other DXPeditions.
by KK6EK