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Two
Counties DXCluster Group (Shankill)
SHANDX - EI7SDX
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Introduction
EI7SDX alias SHANDX is now principally an Internet
based packet cluster node located in Shankill, South County Dublin, Ireland (IO63wf). It also provides the
basis for an Amateur Radio Reporting System (APRS) DIGI and IGATE using the
European APRS frequency of 144.800 MHz. EI7SDX-6 is the call-sign of the APRS server at Shankill; it gates APRS
information from the 144.800 MHz radio port to the Internet and vice versa. For
the time being the DX cluster node and packet radio network can still be
accessed in the Dublin area by means of a node (EI7SDX-3), operating on 2m (144.950 MHz)
from Piperstown, IO63TF in the Dublin mountains
above Tallaght.
DX Cluster
Before July 2008 4 radio based ports were available
on EI7SDX and EI7SDX-9 - 29.25 MHz, 70.325 MHz, 144.875 MHz and 433.675
MHz. These provided access to the DX
cluster network, packet radio network and provided a limited APRS facility on
the frequencies in use for other packet applications. EI7SDX has public
access INET ports located at the address telnet://shandx.ath.cx:5000
and telnet://EI7SDX.ath.cx:7300.
It is connected to the Internet by means of an Eircom
ADSL connection. The node is accessible using the telnet client in most PCs.
The global packet radio network can also be reached using the address
telnet://EI7SDX.ath.cx:7400.
Prior to January 2003 two cluster nodes were in
operation, a packet radio node EI3IO-3 and an Internet node EI3IO-4. During
January 2003 the frequency of the 2 metre port was changed to 144.875 MHz and
the two nodes were combined under the call EI3IO-4. In March 2003 the Irish
regulator Comreg allocated the calls EI7SDX and
EI7WDX to the Two Counties DX Cluster Group comprising EI7SDX in Shankill,
Co. Dublin and EI7WDX in Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Radio ports were previously available on 29.25,
70.325, 144.875 and 433.675 MHz from Shankill, IO63WF and 70.325 and 144.950
MHz from Piperstown, IO63TF. EI7SDX links with
cluster nodes CS3MAD, CX2SA-6, EI7WDX, F5MZN-3, K2UT and OZ5BBS-7. With the
exception of the 2m ports, 144.875 MHz (which has now been retuned to 144.800
MHz for APRS traffic) and 144.950 MHz, all other RF ports could be
reactivated if there was a demand to do so.
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SHANDX originally utilised the DxNet cluster software developed by F5MZN. However in
April 2003 the node was changed to G1TLH DXSpider
software running with the WIN98SE OS and SV2AGW packet engine.
Since August 2004 the EI7SDX
(SHANDX) and EI7SDX-9 (renamed SDXIP) radio ports have been controlled by XRouter running on a DOS PC, which also provides an
APRS and CHAT facility. XRouter was developed by
Paula Dowie, G8PZT.
The DXSpider
Software now runs on a dedicated PC using the LINUX (Slackware)
OS.
The
Irish DX Cluster network currently comprises EI7SDX Shankill, Co Dublin,
EI7WDX Bray, Co Wicklow and EI7MRE Castlebar, Co
Mayo. You can read and download Help information, manuals and the packet
cluster Command structure in the popular Wiki
format here.
USE
A JAVA ENABLED BROWSER TO ACCESS THE EI7SDX DX CLUSTER NODE
CLICK HERE: 
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EI7SDX:SHANDX
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NETROM
There are two NETROM nodes in the system provided by XRouter, EI7SDX-3 (DDXIP) at Piperstown
and EI7SDX-9 (SDXIP) at Shankill. They are TCP/IP enabled and have the IP
addresses 44.155.1.232 and 44.155.1.230 (ei7sdx.ampr.org) respectively.
Around 100 NETROM nodes can normally be accessed around the world.
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EI7SDX:SHANDX Antennas
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APRS
Automatic Packet
Reporting System (APRS)
is an amateur radio based system for real time tactical
digital communications. All such data is directed into the APRS Internet
system (APRS-IS) and distributed globally for instant access. In addition
to messages, alerts, announcements and bulletins, the most visible aspect
of APRS is its map display. Anyone may place any object or information on
their map and it is distributed to all maps of all users in the local RF
network or monitoring the area via the internet. Any station, radio or
object that has an attached GPS is automatically tracked. Other prominent
map features are weather stations, alerts and objects and other map related
amateur radio volunteer activities including Search and Rescue and signal
direction finding.
EI7SDX-6 is the callsign
of the APRS server DIGI and IGATE operating in Shankill on 144.800 MHz. APRS information received on the
144.800 MHz radio port is passed to the Internet and vice versa. To
find further information on APRS consult the APRS Wiki. To get
started with APRS a popular windows based client program is UI-View. For more information on APRS in Ireland see EI7IGs web pages.
APRS interface to the FINDU and APRS World
Databases
The CALL field in the forms below requires a Call and SSID if
appropriate e.g. EI7SDX-6. If you
don't know the CALL/SSID wildcards can be used e.g. EI* or EI7S*. For
example to list all EI calls providing APRS information, enter EI* in the
Map Display box. To see the location of one of the listed stations on a
map, enter the call in Map Display box. For example entering EI2SDR will
provide the location of the South Dublin
Radio Club.
To find APRS stations near to a specific
station:
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Technical and
Operational Information
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Calls
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EI7SDX, EI7SDX-6, EI7SDX-9
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Alias
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SHANDX, SDXIP
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Sysop
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Dave, EI3IO
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QTH
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Shankill, Co Dublin. IO63WF
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Operational Frequencies
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Shankill IO63WF
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Port 1s
29.250 MHz (Not operational)
Port 2s
70.325 MHz (Not operational)
Port 3s
144.800 MHz
Port 4s
433.675 MHz (Not operational)
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Calls
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EI7SDX, EI7SDX-3
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Alias
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SHANDX, DDXIP
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Operational Frequencies
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Piperstown
IO63TF
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Port 1p
144.950 MHz
Port 2p
70.325 MHz (Not operational)
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TX/RX 29.25 MHz (Port 1s)
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Alinco
DR-MO3 + CP100 amp 50 Watts
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Antenna
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Sloping Dipole or 3 element yagi
(HP)
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Controller
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AEA PK88
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TX/RX 70.325 MHz (Port 2s)
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SMC 2507L12
20 Watts
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Antenna
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3 element yagi beaming
south east (VP)
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Controller
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MFJ 1270C
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TX/RX 144.875 MHz (Port 3s)
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Azden
PCS-3000 25 Watts
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Antenna
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Cushcraft dual band 2m/70cm vertical
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Controller
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AEA PK232
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TX/RX 433.675 MHz (Port 4s)
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SMC 545LI
+ Microset amplifier 20 Watts
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Antenna
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Cushcraft dual
band 2m/70cm vertical
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Controller
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Pacomm Tiny
2
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TX/RX 144.950 MHz (Port 1p)
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Yaesu TX/RX
20 Watts
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Antenna
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Omni 15 metres agl, 300
metres asl
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Controller
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Pacomm Tiny
2
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TX/RX 70.325 MHz (Port 2p)
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Pye
Westminster TX/RX 5 Watts
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Antenna
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4 element yagi beaming
north (VP)
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Controller
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MFJ 1270C
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PC
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2 x Pentium
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Software
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DXSpider,
OS Linux - Slackware, XRouter OS:
MSDOS 6.2
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Why not get QRV on
you local DX Cluster? There are
freeware client telnet programs specifically designed for amateur radio
purposes. Contact the RXCLUS
web site for more details.
Hope to see you on one of the Dublin area DX Cluster nodes soon!
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