[Dxspider-support] What exactly are the country files used for?

Tue Jan 3 07:46:27 GMT 2023

Hi Keith,

When a user of the node decides to apply a filter or a search by DXCC entity, CQ zone or ITU, so that the result is as expected, all the callsigns of the spots are checked with the cty.dat, thus obtaining information about the dx station as real as possible.

If you want the spots to be displayed with the ITU/CQ zone, the same thing happens.

If you look at the content of a CC11, you will be able to see that information of entities and zones.

HNY de Kin EA3CV

De: Dxspider-support <dxspider-support-bounces at tobit.co.uk> En nombre de Keith Maton via Dxspider-support
Enviado el: martes, 3 de enero de 2023 8:33
Para: The DXSpider Support list <dxspider-support at tobit.co.uk>
CC: Keith Maton <g6nhu at me.com>
Asunto: Re: [Dxspider-support] What exactly are the country files used for?

Joe,

Not really, no. For those people who have no link between their logging software and the cluster, the situation you’ve described is completely irrelevant. 

Aether has no link to the cluster, I access my node via the terminal.  That’s why I keep cty.dat up to date for Aether. 

In the cluster output on screen there is no reference to entity, etc. 

I’m not trying to be awkward here, just trying to understand what the node does with the info contained in this database. 

73 Keith. 

—

On 2 Jan 2023, at 23:01, JOSEPH REED <joe at n9jr.com <mailto:joe at n9jr.com> > wrote:

Keith,

I don’t load a copy of CTY to my Mac, I trust the cluster to be authoritative in that regard. And that is why we have crontab jobs to keep it current. When a node receives a spot and retransmits it to the user it has all the data it needs for a good log.  And on the flip side, it illuminates the spot as a potentially needed for example if WZ8ZZZ is in KH4 and it is needed on 1.8 MHz it will flag it a needed country in the logging software and not my neighbor down the road in Michigan.

Does that make sense?

Joe N9JR

On Jan 2, 2023, at 4:33 PM, Keith Maton via Dxspider-support <dxspider-support at tobit.co.uk <mailto:dxspider-support at tobit.co.uk> > wrote:

Hello Joe,

Yes, I understand the reason for them when it comes to logging software but that still doesn’t explain why they need to be updated on a dxspider node.  A logbook will read that info from its own local copy of the cty file. 

How does dxspider use these files?

73 Keith G6NHU

—

On 2 Jan 2023, at 22:24, JOSEPH REED <joe at n9jr.com <mailto:joe at n9jr.com> > wrote:

Not a dumb question.  They are used to identify what DXCC entity, CQ and ITQ zone a station is in.  They allow for accurate logging so if you upload a LoTW contact it is for the correct entity.  Today I worked W6W which intuitively you would think it was California, but it was actually Hawaii and my logging program recorded it as KH6.

If they are old you may not get the results you are expecting.

73,

Joe N9JR

On Jan 2, 2023, at 3:12 PM, Keith Maton via Dxspider-support <dxspider-support at tobit.co.uk <mailto:dxspider-support at tobit.co.uk> > wrote:

This may sound like a really dumb question but it only occurred to me earlier today and this is after running a cluster for years.

What exactly are cty.dat and wpxloc.raw used for in the context of the dxspider?

I know they’re important, it’s a big thing to keep them updated and I have scripts running not only on my node but also on my main logging computer for Fldigi and Aether so that they’re always up to date.  I know why they’re using them.

But why?  How does dxspider use these files?  What are the implications if they’re old?

My dad always told me that if you want to know something, it’s always better to ask than remain quiet.

Thanks.

73 Keith.

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