@bud_t I'm not a fan of internet based connectivity modes. If you want to work DX, skill up, learn propagation, build an antenna and use radio art to make contacts. WIRES-X, IRLP, Echolink, D-Star, DMR etc etc are internet chat rooms that resemble radio. Even JT & FT digital modes require radio art skills.

I'm the club's repeater manager, we have a Yaesu Fusion repeater (they were dirt cheap so Yaesu could sell WIRES capable radios). In 8 years, we've had 1 inquiry about WIRES-X on that rptr.