Thanks Dave! will report back in a bit!

Thanks & 73 de Dave, W5SV

SpotCollector's inability to connect to "DX Summit" via IRC and CQDX if no other spot sources are enabled is the result of a defect in SpotCollector. I have corrected this defect; Dave W5SV and Steve W7WM, you'll find directions for obtaining this new version in your email Please let me know how it goes...

     73,

            Dave. AA6YQ

Steve, your experience parallels mine; I had the same behavior in SAFE mode. I was also doing the single source as a means of deciding which sources I would use.

And Dave, thank you for your efforts and a very fine complex set of software that has served me well (thanks to the support from you and this community. Your suggested solution of adding to the documentation works for me just fine.

Thanks & 73 de Dave, W5SV

On Tue, Feb 7, 2023 at 05:01 PM, Dave AA6YQ wrote:

Given the that the number of SpotCollector users seeking to run DX Summit as their only internet spot source is likely zero, I will update the reference documentation to indicate that at least one DXCluster connection is required to use DX Summit as a spot source.

Thanks.

I only fell into this 'rabbit hole' while trying to evaluate the different spot sources.

I will stop being in the non-zero group!

+ AA6YQ comments below

I ran the setup in SAFE MODE with NETWORKING (quite a PITA since I have not done a 'non-standard' boot in a LONG time [had to re-learn]).

Behavior did not change.

+ Thanks for performing the test and reporting the results here. That eliminates interference from another application as the casue.

 

For the record (not that it probably matters) I was initially using Windows Defender. I then switched to AVG Antivirus. No change.

What happens if you run the scenario on one of your test systems?

+ I have been using DX Summit (via IRC) as a spot source since SpotCollector first began supporting it many years ago. While the path through IRC and CQDX can result in varying connection times, testing with DX Summit as a single spot source was successful. Roughly 20 years later, yours and Dave's are the first reports of a problem when DX Summit is the only spot source.

+ Given the that the number of SpotCollector users seeking to run DX Summit as their only internet spot source is likely zero, I will update the reference documentation to indicate that at least one DXCluster connection is required to use DX Summit as a spot source.

     73,

              Dave, AA6YQ

 

 

I ran the setup in SAFE MODE with NETWORKING (quite a PITA since I have not done a 'non-standard' boot in a LONG time [had to re-learn]).

Behavior did not change.

For the record (not that it probably matters) I was initially using Windows Defender. I then switched to AVG Antivirus. No change.

What happens if you run the scenario on one of your test systems?

-Steve, W7WM

@ More AA6YQ comments below

I have responded to your questions in line.

@ Thanks!

I have also replied with a way to recreate the issue that I am seeing and that Dave, W5SV is as well.

+ Are you reporting that SpotCollector could not connect to CQDX until your first connected with MIRC?

** No. MIRC has nothing to do with the situation except that it was a tool to help see what was going on. Only a diagnostic tool


+ What host address have you specified for CQDX on the Spot Sources tab of SpotCollector's Configuration window?

** US.WorldIRC.Org Channel = CQDX

+ Did you confirm that IP Port 6667 is "open", as suggested in the 5th
+ paragraph of

https://www.dxlabsuite.com/spotcollector/Help/SourceConnection.htm#Connecting%20to%20the%20#CQDX%20IRC%20channel

** Yes

@ Based on the information that you and Dave W5SV have reported, I can only conceive to two possible explanations:

1. another application (cough anti-malware cough) is interfering

2. something in your system's network hardware or software is timing out or shutting down when the only connection is to "DX Summit" via IRC

@ To test for interference from another application, please do the following:

A. Reboot Windows into "Safe mode with networking"

B. Start SpotCollector, and disable all spot sources except "CQDX"

@ What happens?

73,

Dave, AA6YQ

Thanks Steve!

That did the trick!

73 de Dave, W5SV

Thank you Steve, I experience exactly the same thing, replaceable in the same fashion!

Dave, W5SV -

• Go to the Spot Database Display tab on Spot Collectors config page.
• Go to the last entry in the list of displayed fields
• Select the 'network' parameter

You may want to move the new field to the left so you can view it without inducing auto-scroll.

-Steve, W7WM

To see the situation that I am seeing:

• connect to a single Telnet DXCluster
• connect to IRC CQDX
• disconnect from the Telnet DXCluster
  • IRC CQDX will timeout and eventually Disconnect
• reconnect to a single Telnet DXCluster
• IRC CQDX will reconnect and resume sending Spots

A similar situation occurs if one tries to start IRC CQDX with no Telnet DXClusters enabled. CQDX times out and Disconnects.

MIRC has nothing to do with any of this. I only used it as a diagnostic tool.

The obvious solution is: 'if it hurts', don't do it'.

-Steve, W7WM

I have responded to your questions in line.
I have also replied with a way to recreate the issue that I am seeing and that Dave, W5SV is as well.

+ Are you reporting that SpotCollector could not connect to CQDX until your first connected with MIRC?

**  No. MIRC has nothing to do with the situation except that it was a tool to help see what was going on. Only a diagnostic tool

+ What host address have you specified for CQDX on the Spot Sources tab of SpotCollector's Configuration window?

**    US.WorldIRC.Org Channel = CQDX

+ Did you confirm that IP Port 6667 is "open", as suggested in the 5th paragraph of

https://www.dxlabsuite.com/spotcollector/Help/SourceConnection.htm#Connecting%20to%20the%20#CQDX%20IRC%20channel

**  Yes

I must be overlooking the Spot Database Entry's Network field somehow; I don't see it anywhere on the main display window even when I scroll ti the right to examine all the fields displayed.

Is there some control I am missing that I have set incorrectly; where would I see it?

Sorry for such elementary question...

Thanks & 73 de Dave, W5SV

+ AA6YQ comments below

I am curious, how can you tell where a specific spot came from?

I ask because I am interested in determining which sources are most productive for my purposes.

+ A Spot Database Entry's Network field records the caption of the spot source from which it was created or most recently updated.

73,

Dave, AA6YQ

Steve, I am interested and have been following this thread...

Like you, I have found that odd anomaly of requiring a TELNET source to be connected to get IRC to show connection and produce spots...

I am curious,how can you tell where a specific spot came from?

I ask because I am interested in determining which sources are most productive for my purposes.

Thanks & 73 de Dave, W5SV

+ AA6YQ comments below

I think I have some interesting information. I was having trouble connecting to CQDX. I had turned off all of my Telnet sources, leaving only IRC for troubleshooting. Reliably, IRC would timeout and not connect. Enabling one of the Telnet sources caused CQDX to connect. I was able to monitor this behavior with mIRC.

When IRC was connected (with one Telnet source enabled), and the SQL expression network='CQDX' spots began appearing in the display window - all with network parameters marked as CQDX.

Also, monitoring CQDX with mIRC, I see MANY stations join and then quit (ping timeout), over and over again. I wonder if CQDX is getting overloaded. I am not an expert, but it looks that way.

I don't know what that all means, but with one Telnet enabled and CQDX enabled, things seem to work - as evidenced by spots coming in assigned to network CQDX.

-Steve, W7WM

BTW, what prompted me to use mIRC was the fact I could not connect, in order to collect the information you requested.

+ Are you reporting that SpotCollector could not connect to CQDX until your first connected with MIRC?

+ What host address have you specified for CQDX on the Spot Sources tab of SpotCollector's Configuration window?

+ Did you confirm that IP Port 6667 is "open", as suggested in the 5th paragraph of

https://www.dxlabsuite.com/spotcollector/Help/SourceConnection.htm#Connecting%20to%20the%20#CQDX%20IRC%20channel

?

      73,

             Dave, AA6YQ

 

 

 

On Mon, Feb 6, 2023 at 06:18 PM, Dave AA6YQ wrote:

network='CQDX'

I think I have some interesting information. I was having trouble connecting to CQDX. I had turned off all of my Telnet sources, leaving only IRC for troubleshooting. Reliably, IRC would timeout and not connect. Enabling one of the Telnet sources caused CQDX to connect. I was able to monitor this behavior with mIRC.

When IRC was connected (with one Telnet source enabled), and the SQL expression network='CQDX' spots began appearing in the display window - all with network parameters marked as CQDX.

Also, monitoring CQDX with mIRC, I see MANY stations join and then quit (ping timeout), over and over again. I wonder if CQDX is getting overloaded. I am not an expert, but it looks that way.

I don't know what that all means, but with one Telnet enabled and CQDX enabled, things seem to work - as evidenced by spots coming in assigned to network CQDX.

-Steve, W7WM

BTW, what prompted me to use mIRC was the fact I could not connect, in order to collect the information you requested.

+ AA6YQ comments below

Sorry I missed the comment about the window not displaying spots.

I have set the filter (as shown in SQLfilters.txt) and no spots are appearing in the SpotCollector Display window in the last 10 minutes.

+ Please paste

network='CQDX'

+ into the textbox in the Filter panel at the bottom of SpotCollector's Main window, and then depress the CTRL key while striking the S key.

+ How many Entries appear now appear in the Spot Database Display? What is the "First" time for the most recent Entry?

73,

Dave, AA6YQ

Sorry I missed the comment about the window not displaying spots.

I have set the filter (as shown in SQLfilters.txt) and no spots are appearing in the SpotCollector Display window in the last 10 minutes.