I’ve posted a few little guides on how to set up and use Thetis (Windows only) on a Mac with RUMlogNG (Mac only) and thought I’d add another little post to my Mac/Thetis series on how I configured and use Spots and DX Clusters with Thetis on my Mac etc.
For my main logging app I use the excellent RUMlogNG – it’s free, and is an absolute class product – containing all the features and benefits of commercial apps, including a feature I use frequently, and the subject of this blog – clusters and spots. However, sometimes when I’m simply having a browse around the bands using the HermesLite2 and don’t wish to launch the full RUMlogNG app, and simply want to see via spots, what is happening on the air. Richie (MW0LGE) recently pointed me to a windows app developed by a friend of his – Ernst (OE3IDE) – called Cluster-TCI-Bridge, so decided to install and set it up.
Using and Telnet DX Cluster in either RUMlogNG or Cluster-TCI-Bridge is extremely straightforward. With Thetis having been developed by Richie to use TCI for quite some time now, both RUMlogNG and Cluster-TCI-Bridge also allow you to use a direct TCI connection to radios that are TCI capable (SunSDR, Anan, HermesLite2)- just ensure you have your TCI Server configured correctly in Thetis, and that it is up and running – Setup > Serial/Network/Midi/CAT > [Sub Tab] Network > TCI Server. Make sure you have ticked the Server Running checkbox. Once you are happy TCI Server is up and running in Thetis, it’s time to configure each of the apps.
The steps for configuring each app are pretty much the same in both cases:
- Enter the TCI Server Settings – to establish a connection between software and your radio
- Add your preferred DX Cluster(s) – to grab the spot data
- Set up your spot filter preferences – to show only those spots you prefer
RUMlogNG DX Cluster and Spot Set-up:
In RUMlogNG this is done in Settings > TX[1]or[2] > CAT:TCP as highlighted in the image here on the left. Make sure you enter the correct Thetis TCI Server IP address and port number in this area. I have covered mine.
Now to add your preferred choices of DX Cluster(s): Settings > DX Cluster – add however many DX Cluster telnet terminal URL’s you wish, and on the same page select your Spot filtering choices. Use the + and – buttons to add individual cluster servers as per your preferences. Then in RUMlogNG go to the main menu and select Window > DX Cluster Terminal, select which DX Cluster you wish to connect to and subsequently any spots discovered on that cluster which are permitted through your filter will be shown at the top of the Spectrum display in Thetis.
You can also view any spots found in a separate window in RUMlogNG by selecting Window > DX Spots – you can click on an individual spot which should then make the necessary adjustments in Thetis by switching the band and mode to the correspondingly selected spot. This should also populate certain fields in your main logging page.
NB Please note: which fields are actually populated depends on connections / paid subscriptions to QRZ and/or other online QSO lookup services.
Cluster-TCI-Bridge Cluster and Spot Set-up:
The set-up process for Cluster-TCI-Bridge is similar, but with one notable exception – which I explain in a little more detail below.
On initial installation the Set-Up page is automatically opened, and is where you add the same information as above. Here you can add your Thetis TCI IP Address and Port number, your preferred DX Cluster telnet servers and credentials, together with your selected Spot filters. NB: Note the exception I alluded to earlier… in this app, the selected filter Modes, Bands, Continents (DX) and Continents (Spotter) are excluded and not sent via TCI, so make sure those spots you do wish to see and have sent via TCI to Thetis are not selected. Once you are happy with your DX cluster, selected filters and TCI Server set up etc. press the save & close button.
Once you have completed the configuration and set-up, you should see the main operating Cluster-TCI-Bridge page as shown here. You can start/stop any of your selected telnet clusters, and also send spot data about a QSO if you wish.
Don’t forget an important point here though folks, that Cluster-TCI-Bridge is not a logging app and subsequently any spot clicked on doesn’t send all the data to any logging app you may have open. For example, when I click on a spot in Cluster-TCI-Bridge and I have RUMlogNG open; whilst all the Spot information is sent to Thetis (which changes the rig band/mode/freq accordingly), only the frequency is sent to RUMlogNG. I am unsure if this is a Mac issue, a Windows Parallels issue, a TCI Server issue, or maybe the software isn’t actually set up to do this – or a totally more likely explanation, is that my understanding of the entire process is of course not 100%. I will have discussions with Ernst to establish this.
UPDATE 13:57 4th Nov: I have since spoken to Ernst about this, and here is the information direct from the man himself…
Regarding click on spot in Cluster-TCI-Bridge and bring the callsign into a logger… Unfortunatly this is not possible with the current TCI-command set (I talked with Richie about that). Sending out “SPOT xy clicked” is only done via Thetis and cannot be triggered by a TCI-command.
Technical Explanation UPDATE 22:30 4th Nov: I’ve spoken to Ernst and Rich and this specific feature i.e. to broadcast a TCI message to all connected clients from a click-on-a-spot in Cluster-TCI-Bridge will be implemented in a future release of Thetis! The reason it is a Thetis development item is that this feature needs a new TCI function to be developed and added to Thetis TCI Server. This has been tested briefly in the development versions of Thetis and Cluster-TCI-Bridge and works as expected, so is likely to appear in a future release of these apps.
As with RUMlogNG, once you ave set everything up correctly, any spots discovered on that cluster which are permitted through your filter will be shown at the top of the Spectrum display in Thetis.
In summary what I must say here though is that Cluster-TCI-Bridge is an excellent, easy to set up and use DX Cluster / Spotting app, and I’d recommend anyone who is after a stand alone spotter to take a look and download it to try it out. Ernst has done a great job in creating another small form, easy to use app. Several more apps available on his www site, all of which are free, but please note Ernst accepts donations on his page so please do consider donating if you use any of his software. And before anyone asks, yep, I have donated accordingly 🙂
Thanks for reading.
73
Another good write up Mr burns from M7SBC ..