Connecting to DX Summit via Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
SpotCollector supports connection to the CQDX Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channel for two reasons:
to capture DX spots and WWV announcements from the excellent DX Summit DXCluster, which is not accessible via the Telnet protocol
- to provide convenient real-time interaction with DXers worldwide much as a DXCluster's talk command allows real-time interaction among its users
Installing SpotCollector pre-configures its IRC connection parameters for the CQDX channel via the IRC host US.WorldIRC.Org. SpotCollector uses your Operator Callsign as both the UserName and First Name with which you connect to CQDX; you can change these by editing the appropriate textboxes in the IRC panel.
Open the Configuration window and select the Spot Sources tab. In the IRC panel, place check the Auto box; this will configure SpotCollector to automatically connect to CQDX on startup, or if disconnected. Then place a check in the Enable box and find the CQDX window that appears; you'll see the welcome text, followed by messages from individual DXers that may be conversing at the moment. Like DXCluster windows, DX spots are automatically captured and entered into the Spot Database; unlike DXCluster windows, DX Spots do not appear in the CQDX window, as they would otherwise make it hard to follow any conversation. If you are not interested in participating in the conversation, you you can minimize the CQDX window by clicking on the Minimize button (the one labeled _ ) in the upper right-hand corner, or you can click the Close button (the one labeled with an X) in the upper right-hand corner to hide the CQDX window but maintain the connection. To disconnect from CQDX and close its associated window, click the Disconnect button. Alternatively, you can leave the CQDX window on-screen and interact with it directly.
Make sure your firewall and anti-malware applications do not block TCP port 6667.
Post a question or suggestion on the DXLab Discussion Group