Downloading and Installing DXLab Applications

DXLab applications run on Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, and 11 in both 32-bit and 64-bit flavors. 

Using virtual machines, DXLab applications can also be run on Linux and Macintosh:

You can begin learning about DXLab before you install it by reviewing Getting Started with DXLab.

Getting Started with DXLab

Documentation

Availability Announcements and Release Notes

Available Releases

Bridges, Gateways, and Extenders

Distribution Sites

Articles and Presentations

DXLab Reflector

 

Before installing your first DXLab application, install the Launcher

The DXLab Launcher automates the installation of new DXLab applications and the upgrading of already-installed DXLab applications. If you're an aspiring DXLab user who has not installed any DXLab applications on your PC, or if you're a long-time DXLab user who has never installed the Launcher, then installing the Launcher will make it easy to install new DXLab applications and keep them up to date as upgrades are released. Clicking the Install Launcher button below will download and install the DXLab Launcher on your PC. Step-by-step guides to installing the Launcher are available in HTML for browsing and in PDF for printing

Do not click the Install Launcher button if the Launcher is already installed on your PC. If you're not sure, here's how to check.

If the Launcher is already installed on your PC, you should determine if a newer version is available and, if so, upgrade it.

By default, each DXLab application will be installed in a subfolder of

c:\dxlab

but you can specify an alternate location if desired. The Launcher will ensure that each DXLab application is installed in a separate folder, e.g.

  • c:\dxlab\dxkeeper

  • c:\dxlab\winwarbler

  • c:\dxlab\pathfinder

If you decide to install DXLab within c:\program files\ or c:\program files (x86)then

  • If your PC is running Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11, login to an account with Administrator privileges to install or run DXLab applications

  • If your PC is running Vista, login to the account named Administrator  to install or run DXLab applications

  
   To install the Launcher on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 10, or 11, click this button:

   To install the Launcher on Windows NT, 2000 or XP, click this button:

  After installing the Launcher, reviewing Getting Started with DXLab is strongly recommended.
 

Installing a new DXLab Application

With the latest version of the DXLab Launcher installed on your PC, you can install an uninstalled DXLab application by following these steps:

  1. start the Launcher

  2. click the Launcher's  Config button to open its Configuration window

  3. click the Configuration window's New ? button to update the installation status and release availability of all DXLab applications

  4. click the appropriate Install button on the DXLab Apps tab 

The Launcher will confirm your intention to install the application, and display the pathname of the folder into which the application will be installed so you can confirm or correct it. The Launcher will then initiate a Setup program that registers the application and its components, prompting you for additional installation decisions such as the creation of start menu entries, desktop shortcuts, and the installation of optional files like country maps or audio announcements. A step-by-step guide is available.

If you haven't yet reviewed Getting Started with DXLab, doing so is strongly recommended.

 

Upgrading an Installed DXLab Application

With the latest version of the DXLab Launcher installed on your PC, you can upgrade an installed DXLab application to its latest release by following these steps:

  1. start the Launcher

  2. click the Launcher's  Config button to open its Configuration window

  3. click the Configuration window's New ? button to update the installation status and release availability of all DXLab applications

  4. click the appropriate Upgrade button on the DXLab Apps tab 

The Launcher will inform you when the upgrade is complete. A step-by-step guide is available.

If you installed a DXLab application at some time in the past but haven't been installing its upgrades, you can obtain all subsequent defect repairs and enhancements by upgrading to the latest release, as described above.

Cleanup

After upgrading a DXLab application, the DXLab Launcher does not automatically delete the previous version of that application; the previous version is retained in the application's folder in a file named AAAXXX.exe , where AAA is the name of the application, and XXX is a version number, for example

After the Launcher successfully upgrades an application, you should retain the previous version of that application just in case; older versions can be manually deleted.

 

Full releases and incremental releases

All DXLab applications are produced using a software engineering process known as iterative development, characterized by frequent releases. To facilitate this process, two kinds of releases are provided: a full release containing all software and documentation components, and an incremental release that contains only those components that have changed since the most recent full release. A full release is installed once; from then on, only lighter-weight incremental releases need be installed. It is not necessary to install every incremental release of an application; installing the most recent incremental release is sufficient to bring an application up-to-date, no matter how many incremental releases may have previously been skipped.

When the DXLab Launcher installs a new DXLab application, it first installs the application's most recent full release; if a later incremental release is available, the Launcher automatically performs the upgrade. Subsequently, the Launcher can report the availability of new incremental releases and, at your direction, download and install them.

If you installed a DXLab application at some time in the past but haven't kept up with subsequent releases, directing the Launcher to upgrade that application will obtain all subsequent defect repairs and enhancements.

Availability announcements and Release Notes

You can configure the Launcher to automatically check for new application releases at startup and daily thereafter; if releases are available that are newer than what you have installed, a "new app upgrades" message will appear on the Launcher's Main window, as shown above. On the Launcher's Configuration window, available DXLab application releases that are newer than what's installed on your PC are highlighted in red font. Double-clicking any version number will display the Release Notes for that version.

New releases of DXLab applications are also announced on the DXLab Reflector, an open forum that you are encouraged to join. This reflector plays a major role in driving the development of DXLab -- suggestions are refined, alternatives are considered, and releases are critiqued; the result is a powerful flow of ideas whose implementation benefits all participants. At your option, messages posted to the reflector can be delivered via email -- either individually, or in a daily digest.

See https://www.dxlabsuite.com/dxlabwiki/InstallingDXLabApplications for step-by-step guides to installing and upgrading DXLab applications.

 

Documentation

For step-by-step help with common installation and usage scenarios, see Getting Started with DXLab. The table below provides links to feature summaries, online reference documentation, and printable documentation for each DXLab application:

Summary Online Reference Documentation  Searchable & Printable English Reference Documentation Searchable & Printable German Reference Documentation
Commander summary Commander help

Commander PDF English help

Commander PDF Deutsche Hilfe

DXKeeper summary DXKeeper help

DXKeeper PDF English help

DXKeeper PDF Deutsche Hilfe

DXView summary DXView help

DXView PDF English help

DXView PDF Deutsche Hilfe

Launcher summary Launcher help

Launcher PDF English help

Launcher PDF Deutsche Hilfe

Pathfinder summary Pathfinder help

Pathfinder PDF English help

Pathfinder PDF Deutsche Hilfe

PropView summary PropView help

PropView PDF English help

PropView PDF Deutsche Hilfe

SpotCollector summary SpotCollector help

SpotCollector PDF English help

SpotCollector PDF Deutsche Hilfe

WinWarbler summary   WinWarbler help

WinWarbler PDF English help

WinWarbler PDF Deutsche Hilfe

Release Notes, Defect Logs, and Enhancement Logs are helpful in identifying changes made over time; links to this information for each DXLab application are provided in the Available Releases table below.

 

Available DXLab Releases

DXLab applications can be manually downloaded via hyperlinks in the table below, or via any of several worldwide distribution sites; if you do this (instead of directing the Launcher to install and upgrade a DXLab application you seek),

  1. first download and install the application's Most Recent Full Release

  2. then download and install the application's Most Recent Incremental Release

Application Most Recent Full Release  Most Recent Incremental  Release  Auxiliary Files Release Notes Versions Defect Logs Enhancement Logs
Commander 5.8.7

16.0.3

   Commander history log log
DXKeeper 7.1.9

17.8.5

Scripts

Primary Subdivision Database
Secondary Subdivision Database

DXCC Compare

DefaultModes.txt
DefaultSatellites.txt

YASME Database 2022-09-22

DXKeeper history log log
DXLab Launcher 1.9.7

2.3.2

  DXLab Launcher history log log
DXView 2.6.8

4.9.6

DXCC Database 
DXCC Database installation instructions

eQSL.cc AG database
IOTA Database
LotW Database
RDA Database
USAP Database

Country Maps

Standard World Maps (96 DPI)
Enlarged World Maps (120 DPI)
Enlarged World Maps (192 DPI)

DXView history log log
Pathfinder 4.3.9

5.3.5

SearchLibrary

Pathfinder history log log
PropView 1.3.0

2.0.7

BeaconLocation.txt

BeaconSchedule.txt

PropView history log log
SpotCollector 3.4.2

9.8.3

Audio Announcements by Joe DX

Audio Announcement Update 2022-01-11

Audio US State Announcements by Joe DX

Audio Introductions by Joe DX

Audio Phonetics by Joe DX

Audio Announcements in CW

Special Callsign membership lists

Sub-band Definition file as of 2022-12-06

SpotCollector history log log
WinWarbler   6.9.5 9.6.1 WinWarbler DXCC List

AA6YQ-FIR-512 Profile

WinWarbler history log log

 

Bridges, Gateways, and Extenders

DXLab applications can interoperate using several protocols. This has stimulated the development of new applications that work in concert with some or all members of the DXLab Suite:

Application Function Most Recent Full Release  Most Recent Update  Online Documentation 
Alpha 87a CAT Remote Control provides control of your Alpha 87a amplifier, interoperating with Commander 1.1.8    Description
BMUtil extends DXKeeper's AddNeeded operation to support "every entity on every band in every mode"            
CW Get to WinWarbler displays CW characters decoded by CW Get in WinWarbler's CW receive pane 1.0 Description
CW Skimmer to Commander provides interoperation between CW Skimmer and Commander 1.6      
CW Skimmer to DXKeeper provides interoperation between CW Skimmer and DXKeeper 2.0
DX Atlas alternative world map for DXView 2.3      
DXLabFrequency displays a small window that displays frequency, mode and s-meter 1.1.0 1.1.6   ReadMe
DXLabPTT Supports the use of IZ8BLY Hellschreiber with Commander 1.0.0        
DXLabTest application that illustrates the use of DXLab's DDE interfaces (includes source code) 1.2.8        
interoperation with TurboHAMLOG           
Frequency Manager stores frequencies including a title and mode in a tree hierarchy layout, with optional scanning 2.0 2.0 ReadMe
Fldigi-DXLab Gateway enables Fldig to interoperate with CommanderDXView, DXKeeper, and SpotCollector 1.5.0 1.5.0 Description
FreqEZ Band Decoder a hardware/software project that provides highly configurable Band Decoding and Remote Antenna selection that interoperates with Commander 2.2.0   Overview
Greencube/IO-117/CUBEBEL-2/LEDSAT Terminal program satellite terminal program     Description
Gritty Gateway enables WinWarbler to display RTTY characters decoded by GRITTY in its external modem receive pane 1.0.0 HTML Help
JTAlert a helper app for WSJT-X providing various audio alerts based on callsigns decoded. It provides
  • Audio and visual alerts for multiple alert conditions (wanted DXCC, Grid, State, zone, ...)
  • Automatic logging to  DXKeeper  and lookup of previously logged QSOs with a decoded callsign
  • Automatic posting of decoded callsigns to SpotCollector (local spots)

  • Automatic lookup of decoded callsigns with DXView and Pathfinder
  • Lookup of decoded callsigns via QRZ.com (paid) or HamQTH (free)
  • Uploading of logged QSOs to Club Log and HRDLog.net

  • Reporting of all decoded callsigns with frequency and signal reports to HamSpots.net

2.11.5 Getting Started with K1JT Modes
JT65-HF-Comfort implements JT65, interoperates with Commander and DXKeeper 3.9.6 Documentation
JT65-HF-HB9HWX-Edition implements JT65, interoperates with Commander and DXKeeper 1.0
Log Publisher manually or automatically uploads QSOs from DXKeeper to HRDLog.net and QRZ.com 1.0.2 1.0.5 Documentation
LP StepLink Commander to SteppIR control box interface          
MixW DXLab Gateway MixW interoperation with DXKeeper, DXView, Commander, SpotCollector and Pathfinder 3.1.0 3.1.0   
MM DXLab Bridge MMSSTV, MMTTY, and MMVARI interoperation with DXKeeper and Commander 6.0.0      HTML help
MRP40 to DXLab Gateway displays CW characters decoded by MRP40 in WinWarbler's CW receive pane 1.0.0   Documentation
MultiPSK digital mode application that directly interoperates with DXKeeper, Commander, SpotCollector, and DXView 3.11      
N1MM-DXKeeper Gateway N1MM to DXKeeper realtime logging 1.1.3    HTML help
N1MM-Toolbox N1MM to DXKeeper realtime logging      
PstRotator supports additional rotators, provides remote control over IP
Rotor4WinContest inteoperates with DXView and Win-Contest            
SIM_PSK 31-63 an application that supports the SIM mode and uses Commander for transceiver control Current   User Guide

SpotCollector To PSKReporter Bridge

takes local spots created in SpotCollector and posts them to PSKReporter; specifically intended for local spots created by WinWarbler's PSK broadband decoder 0.03 HTML help
SpotSpy extends SpotCollector to support visible and audible alarms for needed IOTA groups, RDA districts, and individual callsigns
1.4.1 2.0.7 HTML help
Windows help
VarAC a free, modern HF P2P real-time chatting application that employs the VARA protocol 3.6.5   FAQ
Win4K3 a windows control program for the Elecraft K3 and KX3 transceivers that supports the secondary receiver, the antenna tuner, the KPA500 Amplifier, the KAT500 Antenna tuner and the P3 Panadapter. 1.3.9 HTML help
WSJT-X WSJT-X implements FT8 and JT9, new modes designed especially for the LF, MF, and HF bands, as well as the popular mode JT65.  All three modes were designed for making reliable, confirmed QSOs under extreme weak-signal conditions. Interoperates with Commander and DXKeeper .     Getting Started with K1JT Modes

 

Distribution sites

 

DXLab Discussion Group

If you have questions or suggestions, post them on the DXLab Discussion Group, which you are encouraged to join.