About this Manual

This manual is presented in the hope it will answer most of the questions that new users have about the North Alabama DX PacketCluster. We wrote this manual because we know there are DXers who would like to have the facility of an on-line, DX oriented information network, but who have not yet spent a lot of time getting involved in digital technology. This manual is intended to give both beginning and accomplished DXers an intro into the operational basics necessary to put this additional powerful tool at their disposal.

The North Alabama DX PacketCluster is open to any person who is seriously interested in DX and no contest or DX club affiliation is required. The PacketCluster is NOT open to casual packeteers, tinkerers, or curiosity seekers. It is not to be played with -- it is a sophisticated tool for use by those of us who are involved in this phase of the hobby. We REQUIRE that all users of our portion of the network enter the network with a thoroughly debugged packet system--and that they have read this manual.

The PacketCluster is supported solely with donations which are welcome at any time. As you can imagine, this kind of network is not cheap to install and maintain. Computers, radios, antennas and software cost money. We do request a minimum contribution on a yearly basis, and we do our best to make it useful enough, and friendly enough, that people will WANT to use it, and will, therefore, WANT to support it.