DX CLUSTER MANNERS - COME ON GUYS!

Today's cluster "chatters" and "abusers is OUT OF CONTROL.....Why is this?
Mostly, because people are NOT EDUCATED enough nor have been properly instructed on the bi-products of their "postings" on a cluster...

FAR too many hams are not aware that a large majority of fellow Dxers utilize software that compares INTERNET DX CLUSTER spots to their actual computer logs, and ANNOUNCES over their SPEAKERS when a DX entity they need comes on!

Thus, when these hams make these IMPROPER spots, they are causing 1000's of DX ALARMS to needlessly go off and the BI-product of these FALSE ALARMS is 1000's of hams go RUNNING to their radios only to find out someone made a comment ABOUT a DX station they can't hear or thanking them for a QSL or ...god knows what...but it ISN'T GOOD!!!

WHAT? You didn't know about this kind of software??? NO MATTER! You STILL have a responsibility to those who DO have it to adjust your behavior in such a way as to accommodate!!! Bad eggs suck!....and I know no one would want to be a bad egg! We have enough as it is!

SO WHAT is the solution????

1. EDUCATION! Know what is and is NOT a good spot.
2. EDUCATION! KNOW alternatives to posting COMMENTS without setting off these alarms.

SO....here comes YOUR education!!!!

DX CLUSTERS are: FOR SPOTTING DX STATIONS YOU...YES "YOU" actually hear....ON a specific Freq!!!

THAT IS IT! Nothing else..... NOTHING!!!

DX Clusters are NOT for ANY of the following:
Asking a DXPedition to QSY to another band.
Asking if anyone has heard a DX station.
Thanking a DXpedition for a QSL ..TOTALLY RETARDED!
Telling someone they have key clicks
Self spotting.
Commenting on an operator's ability or lack thereof.
CHAT talk....If you want to IM like a teenager...then got to MiRC or what ever...
Those are just a few....

What are ALTERNATIVES to this POOR OPERATING PRACTICE????

If you MUST spot a COMMENT ...and MUST see your COMMENTS on the web for what ever reason.......

SPOT at the LOWEST / bottom of the band.....IE:
28000.0
21000.0
14000.0
7000.0
3500.0
1800.0 etc...

DX CLUSTERS are set up or can be set up to NOT SET OFF ALARMS for THESE and ONLY these freqs...so if you HAVE to and CAN NOT RESIST .......spot like this...

DX de N1BAA: 14000.0 P5DX COMMENT WILL SHOW HERE....

PERFECTLY 100% acceptable to do this.....just modify your freq before sending....

This is only if YOU CAN NOT RESIST the urge to do NOT Chat on a DX Cluster!!!

ANNOUNCMENTs VS SPOTTING....

Sites such as DX Summit and others have methods of ANNOUNCING to the internet instead of SPOTTING...this is THE ALL TIME BEST PREFERED METHOD for making an ANNOUNCMENT or COMMENT that is NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT an ACTUAL SPOT....
I DID NOT SAY SPOT...I SAID ACTUAL SPOT!!!!

If you want top notch DX CHAT rooms.....go to http://www.on4kst.info/chat/login.php?band=7

Here is how you ANNOUNCE:

In any cluster...type the follwoing to ANNOUNCE or COMMENT......

ANN and then your comment...... for example.....

ANN KG4SB please listen up if you are monitoring cluster....

That will be shown all over the DX WORLD...but NOT SPOTTED....WHAT A PERFECT COUNTRY!!!! just do it!

By ANNOUNCING correctly and NOT ABUSING the DX CLUSTERS for CHAT SPAM...you will not be considered a VERY POOR OPERATOR! Again...Just do the right thing!

With more and more amateurs now about to FLOOD the HF spectrum, it is vital that we SHARE GOOD OPERATING techniques and practices with them!!!! We ALL have an obligation to assist in others’ learning!

I did not say POLICE their actions!....however, when someone we know does something that is flat our wrong,…again…we have an obligation to address it in hopes that it will be taken well.. and in turn, make the airways a more sane environment in which to operate! FAILURE to do say makes you guilty too!

If you would like a Power Point Presentation to share with your DX CLUB or ANY club for that matter.....drop me a line at n4baa@arrl.net and I will be happy to send it to you!!

73 and good operating!
Jose