+
+ The DXSpider DX cluster system is written in perl 5.004 running under Linux as an exercise in
+ self-training for both protocol research and teaching myself perl. It also runs perfectly
+ happily under Microsoft Windows from Win98 upwards using either
+ Activestate perl or one
+ of the unix subsystem/environments for windows such as
+ Cygwin.
+
+
What is a DX Cluster?
+
+ A DX Cluster is a means for Amateur (Ham) Radio operators to tell each
+ other, in realtime, about DX stations (other interesting or rare
+ Amateur Radio stations all over the world).
+
+
To quote what is probably the most comprehensive source of DX Cluster related
+ information, the DX PacketCluster WebNet,
+ a Cluster is:-
+
+
One station is set up with PacketCluster and is linked to one or
+ more other stations who have installed the software. These nodes
+ when connected are called a cluster. Clusters are connected to
+ clusters, expanding the network. Individual users connect to the
+ nodes on a frequency different from what the node stations are
+ linked on. Users are capable of announcing DX spots and related
+ announcements, send personal talk messages, send and receive
+ mail messages, search and retrive archived data, and access data
+ from information databases among its many features.
+
+
It's a rather specialised (and not as robust) form of IRC really.
+
+
The original package runs under DOS and was created by Dick Newell AK1A
+ but is no longer under active development. Most replacements also run under
+ DOS and/or are closed source. I wanted something in open source (so I don't
+ have to do all the work) and for Linux. A side benefit of writing
+ the program in perl is that it works perfectly well on other versions of
+ unix as well as all flavours of Windows from Win98 upwards.
+
+
This document will contain all the instructions for its
+ installation and use - eventually...
+
+