+use DXDebug;
+
+use strict;
+
+my %channels = undef;
+
+my %valid = (
+ call => '0,Callsign',
+ conn => '9,Msg Conn ref',
+ user => '9,DXUser ref',
+ startt => '0,Start Time,atime',
+ t => '9,Time,atime',
+ priv => '9,Privilege',
+ state => '0,Current State',
+ oldstate => '5,Last State',
+ list => '9,Dep Chan List',
+ name => '0,User Name',
+ consort => '9,Connection Type',
+ sort => '9,Type of Channel',
+ wwv => '0,Want WWV,yesno',
+ talk => '0,Want Talk,yesno',
+ ann => '0,Want Announce,yesno',
+ here => '0,Here?,yesno',
+ confmode => '0,In Conference?,yesno',
+ dx => '0,DX Spots,yesno',
+);
+
+
+# create a new channel object [$obj = DXChannel->new($call, $msg_conn_obj, $user_obj)]
+sub alloc