DX Cluster Commands
Complete Telnet Reference
Every command you need for SpottedHam's DXSpider node: spots, chat, filtering, and profile setup. Tested on KM6HBH-1.
Every command you need for SpottedHam's DXSpider node: spots, chat, filtering, and profile setup. Tested on KM6HBH-1.
Before running any commands, connect via telnet and log in with your callsign:
telnet spottedham.com 7300
When prompted, type your callsign and press Enter. No password or account required. For a full connection walkthrough see the Live DX Cluster page.
show/dx (shorthand sh/dx) is the most-used command on any DX cluster. It retrieves recent spots from the network.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
sh/dx | Show the most recent 10 spots |
sh/dx 20 | Show the last 20 spots |
sh/dx 50 | Show the last 50 spots |
sh/dx on 14 | Spots on 14 MHz (20m) only |
sh/dx on 7 | Spots on 7 MHz (40m) only |
sh/dx on 21 | Spots on 21 MHz (15m) only |
sh/dx 20 on 14 | Last 20 spots on 14 MHz |
Reading left to right: who spotted (KM6HBH), frequency (14025.0 kHz), station spotted (JA1ABC), mode and comment (CW 599 into CA), and UTC time (1423Z).
who shows every callsign currently logged into the cluster node. Useful for knowing if the node has active users and for directing chat messages.
who
On a quiet node you may see only yourself. On a busy one you will see a list of callsigns with connection times.
To spot a station you have just heard or worked:
dx <frequency in kHz> <callsign> <comment>
K-1234)You can also spot directly from the SpottedHam homepage, no telnet session required.
The cluster supports two types of messages: private messages to a specific user, and public announcements to all connected users.
Send a message to one specific connected user:
Example: talk W6XYZ nice signal on 20m earlier
Use who first to confirm the person is connected before sending.
Broadcast a message to everyone connected to this node:
Example: a anyone else hearing JA1ABC on 14025?
This reaches only users on SpottedHam's node (KM6HBH-1), not the wider cluster network.
Broadcast a message to all connected nodes worldwide:
Use this sparingly. Broadcast messages reaches every user on every interconnected cluster node globally. Best reserved for major propagation events or rare DX alerts worth sharing widely, not for casual conversation.
These one-time setup commands make your callsign show up with more context to other users. All optional, the cluster works fine without them. Settings are saved permanently against your callsign.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
set/name <your name> | Set your operator name |
set/qth <location> | Set your city or QTH description |
set/qra <grid square> | Set your Maidenhead grid locator (e.g. DM04) |
set/homenode <callsign> | Set your usual home cluster node |
You can turn specific types of cluster traffic on or off for your session. These reset when you disconnect.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
set/dx | Enable DX spot announcements (on by default) |
unset/dx | Stop receiving DX spots |
set/wwv | Enable WWV propagation reports |
unset/wwv | Stop receiving WWV reports |
set/announce | Enable announcements from other users |
unset/announce | Stop receiving announcements |
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
sh/time | Show current UTC time on the cluster |
sh/configuration | Show connected nodes and their links |
sh/version | Show the DXSpider software version |
help | List available commands |
help <command> | Get help on a specific command (e.g. help show/dx) |
bye | Disconnect cleanly |
SpottedHam's web interface gives you the same live spot feed without opening a terminal. You can post spots directly from the homepage and set up email alerts so you are notified the moment a specific callsign, park, or band appears. There is no session to keep open, no terminal required.
View Live Spots Set Up an Email Alert Telnet Connection Guidetelnet spottedham.com 7300 — enter your callsign when prompted. No account or password required.
They are identical. DXSpider accepts both the full command (show/dx) and the abbreviated form (sh/dx). Most operators use the short form out of habit.
Any standard telnet client works. The built-in client on Windows or macOS, PuTTY, or a mobile terminal app like JuiceSSH on Android. Most logging programs such as N1MM+, Log4OM, and DXLab have a built-in cluster connection. Just point them at spottedham.com port 7300.
DXSpider's built-in filtering is limited to band and some comment-based filters. For mode-filtered views, the SpottedHam web interface gives you more control. Set an email alert for any mode and band combination.
The K-index (0–9) measures geomagnetic activity. K=0–1 is very quiet and ideal for DX. K=3 starts to affect higher bands. K=5 or higher means a geomagnetic storm is underway and polar paths are likely disrupted.
DXSpider stores profile settings associated with your callsign. They persist across sessions so you only need to set them once.
Yes. Use SpottedHam's web interface on your mobile browser. The spot form on the homepage works on any device, no telnet session required.