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Reviews For: DXLab Suite by AA6YQ

Category: Ham Logging Software

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Review Summary For : DXLab Suite by AA6YQ
Reviews: 181MSRP: Free
Description:
Integrated suite of programs for logging and station management
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.dxlabsuite.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
251814.8
N4QWF Rating: 2025-01-11
Excellent in every way Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I migrated from my old program suite to DXLab after getting many responses from my request for suggestions. The chairman of the local contest club chapter (PVRC) was the deciding response. I have enjoyed the program and of course the excellent support. I can't imagine ever using anything else.
W2ECK Rating: 2025-01-11
By far the best! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have tried several different "suites of Ham Radio software over the last 15 years and DXLab is by far the best. It's head and shoulders above the rest. The programs in the suite are seamlessly integrated and provide every facet of information you could want , regardless of you goal in Ham Radio. My favorites are DXKeeper and Spotcollector.
Spotcollector is the most capable aggregator of spots you will find anywhere AND it interfaces with DXKeeper - to highlight the various entities you need . The 24x7 support provide by the author is the best you will find. If you newbee he will help you get started. This suite is all you need.
KK4GMU Rating: 2024-05-20
Integration? Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I'm new, so take this "first impressions" with a grain of salt for I know not what I do.

For a "Suite" that is supposed to be integrated, I don't understand why users have to fill in the same information in multiple fields in multiple app components, e.g. name, call, address, coordinates, grid, CQ, ITU, etc. There may be good reasons that escape me. But the reasons are not apparent.
W1AJT Rating: 2024-03-12
Outstanding Logger Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have paid subscriptions for Win4DX, ACLog (15 years), and use Logger32 (13 years) and N1MM for 20 years.

After 3 months using it, I learn new tricks almost every day. Handles multiple QTH's and configurations with aplomb. Very fast searching on almost any field along with the ability to bulk edit detail fields. Selectively tracks the vast majority of awards in real-time or in the background. Just about any DX spot filtering you could think of. QSL printing is easy and, for me, answering those pdf QSL’s that are becoming popular becomes trivial. All of the sub-programs work seamlessly together. It literally has it all. Support is outstanding from both the group and the developer.

The only caution is that with its amazing capabilities it takes time to learn and set-up beyond the basics to really get the value.

AK4I Rating: 2022-12-27
Great Program but Not for New Hams Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have used DXLAB Suite for at least 10 years. Before I used N3FJP, Prolog, Logger32, Hamradio Deluxe, finally settling on DXLab Suite. If you have someone who's familiar with program you can set it up in 20 minutes. If you're trying to figure it out on you own like me, well let's just say a bit longer. However, when I went to a new computer I had another ham with me and it was the 20 minute quick setup. My ham buddy watched and couldn't believe how quickly I could set it up. He said he'd tried to use it in the past but couldn't get past the initial setup and learning curve. After I demonstrated some of the features he said he was going to replace Logger32 that he's currently using with DXLab Suite. My only critique is WinWarbler, the package's digital program. It's okay but in my opinion Fldigi beats it hands down. That's no problem as both programs live together nicely on my computer. Definitely recommend.
KD4SIR Rating: 2022-06-15
Love the software, used it since 2004 Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I recommend DXLabSuite ($0) that intigrates practically everything I do.

However, as of 15 June, 2022 I got "moderated" in the group forums. I suggested the program use Windows API's for the shortcuts and they asked why, and I said so it doesn't look like it's written for the C64. Well that didn't go over well.

So.. I do recommend the software. The forums, not so much.

Here was my last comment but it was rejected: A message you sent to the group DXLab@groups.io was not approved by the moderators for the following reason: "There is no need to repeat your critique." The message is attached. To: DXLab@groups.io
Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2022 15:04:50 -0700
Subject: Re: Annoyance to a bug. Windows API needed, please "tame" this program.

My apologies to everyone for seemingly being unfriendly or being bitchy or snarky. I love this program. I'm trying to make it better. I've given several ideas and fixes for this program over the years, I'd like to continue to make it better for all of us. I'm simply outlining my viewpoint.

For Dave K9FN, I've used DXkeeper since September of 2004. It's always resized as I described. Click every check for the panels (aux, qsl, online qsl, award, contest etc) and the program changes sizes. Now click all the tabs going across (qsl, check progress, my QTH's, Import, Export) and each one also changes the size. Now do any of these rapidly enough, viola, dying fish affect.

For Joe Subich W4TV. Yes, I put it at the top left of my screen and use it with another program to it's right. I'm asking the program to use a standard windows api common in almost all programs today. If it weren't for Microsoft stupidity, I wouldn't have made a living. We share Microsoft sentiments.

For Dave AA6YQ, I know there is no maximize with this program. I noticed it's actually disabled. Sometimes, I would love to have it maximized because I'm an OM with old eyes. However, what I want the winkey + arrows for is the left and right arrow to move the program left or right through ALL my monitors (some are bigger screens). Even moving the program with the mouse, it will not "slam" against the left or right screen to make it half screen left or right. If you do this with another program, you will see this effect. I believe my request will also help with that.

For all the "clickity" Keyboard lovers: Like Pete Smith N4ZR, I too use the Dell L100 exclusively. I even love the Windows Key on it because it is fancy and easy to find. They are $5 at Goodwill. I never leave a Goodwill store without looking for one. I have several waiting for service and I type 40+wpm on them. For speed, I rarely reach for my mouse, thus my "passion" for keyboard shortcuts.

For the rest that are still mad at me: Again my apologies. I wish I could close this from further comments but all I can do is promise not to comment on it again. I've made my argument for the enhancement. Obviously, I've very appreciative of this software, and constantly telling others about it, which is how I discovered this.. issue.. and the reason for the reset button.

Again Dave AA6YQ, love your work.
73, Scott KD4SIR
K4PI Rating: 2022-05-31
Great Logging Program Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been using DX Lab for several years and it far surpasses anything I have used in the past or seen available. I had a prior logging program I paid a fair amount of money for but it was never keeping up with the times. DX Lab is constantly being upgraded and they have a great reflector. This is a complex logging program so don't expect to install it and be on your merry way. To get the most out of this program you will need to do some studying. If you take the time you will never regret it. I had an Elmer help me getting it going originally so if you can find an Elmer for DX Lab use him. It works well with JT Alert if you do FT8 and it would be hard for me to do FT8 with out it. Auto DX Lab update and auto upload to LOTW when using WSJT-X and JT Alert. And you get all this for FREE. Don't knock it until you have spent sometime using it and learning how it works. I saw someone comment on it and I say the same " If it wasn't free I would pay for it".
N4BAA Rating: 2021-08-11
How Software Development SHOULD BE!!!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Having been a user of Dave, AA6YQ's DXLAB Suite for over 20 years, I have to say that this INNOVATIVE software development model has been proven to be a pure winner. So much in fact, that other developers should and ARE taking note as well.

Still amazing how logical this suite is laid out and how operators can choose how much OR how little to of it to use.

If you have 'tried' it but failed to see the value in it for you, ask yourself what the gap is to the reason why you don't "like it" or "care for it". Is it lacking a feature you 'feel' it should have? Is it too much horse power for what 'you' do? I suggest you not toss it aside unless it is the latter, BUT..... if it needs something...Jus ask for it. If your suggestion has value to the community, it will be addressed!! Guaranteed! BUT if you are desiring to learn and get involved with one of the truly awesome ham radio logging software AND be 100% involved in it's maturing process ... Seek out someone who can get your started (Contact me!!!)... and pointed in the right direction so YOU can SEE for yourself exactly what this powerhouse of a logging program offers.

73
Jose
N4BAA



Having used every popular logging program ....and now having been a MOST satisfied user of DXLAB suite for over 2 years....I can positively tell you there is nothing that even comes close to what AA6YQ has given FREELY to the amateur public!! And NOW it has become even easier to download and install! YES THIS PROGRAM is FREE! Why would I pay all that money for the "other" programs? To actually be able to compare each program MYSELF!! I have tried DXBase 2006...I have tried DX4WIN....I have tried LOGGER32....I have tried N3FJP ACLOG....etc...and each time ....I return to AA6YQ's DXLAB suite. This is NOT a CONTEST LOGGING PROGRAM....I still use N1MM for that ....but there is NOTHING this program doesn't do that YOU WANT....and guess what.....?...In the event that you actually desire an implementation of a unique feature or think something should be modified.......you can make your desires known to Dave (AA6YQ) via email to him or more preferable to the email reflector....and if the masses agree with you......and it can be justified....it will be added!... These UPGRADES are FREE as well believe it or not...and best of all....you do NOT have to wait till next year for the updates....The program tells you automatically if there is an update...and with the BRAND NEW implementation of a system to automatically download AND INSTALL the updates ....this has become the biggest NO BRAINER...HAVE TO HAVE LOGGING PROGRAM since the beginning of time!!! Give it a try and YOU TOO will know there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING BETTER ON THE MARKET....NOTHING!!! This program does it all! FOR THE HFer/DXer/VHFer/IOTA hunter...you name it!!!

Good Luck, God Bless...and DOWNLOAD IT NOW!! What do you have to lose? Oh yeah...your OLD LOGGING PROGRAM just became HISTORY!!!!!

Jose Castillo
- N4BAA - YI9BAA - KG4SB -
KM2B Rating: 2021-06-18
Excellent Rig Control, Logging, Viewing, Spotting and much more. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
When I switched from the free version of Ham Radio Deluxe I looked at a few logging software suites and then chose DXLab.

http://www.dxlabsuite.com/

First, the developer for DXLab is AA6YQ. He is a long time software engineer and professor up in MA and began developing DXlab in the early 2000's to meet his own needs and released the compiled version to others soon after.

DXLab is powerful, and Dave (AA6YQ) is what, in East Texas, they used to refer to as a true gentleman. He answers every single question, not already answered by another member of the site, posted to the DXLab groups.io site at

https://groups.io/g/DXLab/topics

He also has a public (for the site) email where you can correspond with him. However, he prefers questions to the site since mostly it pertains to more than one person even if one person is asking.

He often says on this site: "Post any question, no matter how many times it has been asked before." Because, the software is changing he does not view previously answered questions as "answered".

The software is composed of no less than EIGHT different, independent, modules of which you can pick and choose which ones you want to install.

At the moment, I use Commander and DXKeeper. These allow rig control and full log capability with absolutely the most powerful search and modify capability I have ever encountered. There is the full ability to run SQL commands for all entries in the log. So, if you have anything you don't want, you can write your own query to remove it or change it (like changing /R).

You can fully customize what you see and put in SQL queries for whatever you want to see that Dave does not already have as a selection (which is, I think, everything anyone would want).

IF you cannot write the query, post it to the groups.io site and within hours somebody will send you the query to do what you want or Dave (AA6YQ) will.

The vast documentation Dave has makes it both easy and hard to learn. It is easy because everything you need to know is there in writing and often he points people to that written documentation as an answer to a question (since it is already fully answered).

But, you (I) have/had to sit down and really read to get started with all of the powerful features and screens. It took maybe two weeks for me to get through all the reading in a couple of hours a day for the two modules I use to get going with my two modules I plan to add DXView and DXSpot soon.

One can also configure the software to automatically upload entered QSO's to a variety of online logging entities including LOTW and QRZ.com (and more).

The entire platform is "free" BUT the code is not open source, you cannot modify it yourself. Dave is probably about my age, so, I don't know what will happen when his time is up here to the code. But, since that won't be much different from when my time is up, I am not sweating the long term code management issue.

I highly, highly recommend DXLab suite and the groups.io site where nothing but polite and congenial conversation takes place.

The combination of a polite and professional groups.io resource, complete and clear documentation, powerful search and modify capability, benchmark configurability, complete documentation, and OK ease of use makes DXLab a capable, fairly easy, and very, very powerful logging platform.

And, AAY6Q, is, as they say: A True Gentleman.
K6JW Rating: 2020-12-26
A Program That Does Everything Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Last January, I learned that the logging program I had been using for all but two of the last 18 years was nearing the end of its supported lifespan. After an intense search, I settled on the DXLab suite as the one most likely to meet my needs both for general operating and for my passion, chasing DX. I installed the program, including all of its modules, and began the task of finding my way in what I soon learned was a highly complex but almost infinitely capable suite of programs that could do so much more than any program I had used in the past, including the one I had just left. My experience over the nearly one year that I’ve been immersed in DXLab has been rewarding, but the learning curve has been steep. Much steeper, in fact, than it needed to be, and this is because I somehow, inexplicably, failed to recognize one of the most important resources available to the user, namely, the comprehensive Article Index with its included search facility. How could I have missed this? Beats me, but I did, and it resulted in my querying the Groups.io reflector as well as the program’s creator, AA6YQ, unnecessarily for things I would have been able to find easily if I’d been more astute. DXLab is remarkably customizable and versatile, but not always intuitive. What I have learned, however, is that there is nothing that I have wanted to do that I have been unable to do. My one major recommendation to all new (and maybe even some longer term) users is to be aware of and make use of the Article Index, including its search function. It will save you a great deal of effort you will otherwise have to expend to figure out how to accomplish some if the less intuitive tasks. Now, as I write this after nearly a year with the program, I’m more convinced than when I began that moving to it was the best decision I could have made when migrating from my prior program. Be patient, read the supporting documentation, and I think you’ll find the program will serve you very well.