diff --git a/application/controllers/Qso.php b/application/controllers/Qso.php
index ec28da550..9d7175256 100644
--- a/application/controllers/Qso.php
+++ b/application/controllers/Qso.php
@@ -92,8 +92,14 @@ class QSO extends CI_Controller {
 		$qkey_opt=$this->user_options_model->get_options('dxwaterfall',array('option_name'=>'enable','option_key'=>'boolean'))->result();
 		if (count($qkey_opt)>0) {
 			$data['user_dxwaterfall_enable'] = $qkey_opt[0]->option_value;
+			$data['dxcluster_default_decont'] = $this->optionslib->get_option('dxcluster_decont') ?? 'EU';
+			$data['dxcluster_default_maxage'] = $this->optionslib->get_option('dxcluster_maxage') ?? 60;
 		} else {
 			$data['user_dxwaterfall_enable'] = 0;
+			
+			// default but not used, prevent unset variable, without the need of a db call
+			$data['dxcluster_default_decont'] = 'EU';
+			$data['dxcluster_default_maxage'] = 60;
 		}
 
 		$data['qso_count'] = $this->session->userdata('qso_page_last_qso_count');
diff --git a/application/views/qso/index.php b/application/views/qso/index.php
index 8adb0e38c..84aa31c44 100644
--- a/application/views/qso/index.php
+++ b/application/views/qso/index.php
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ switch ($date_format) {
   var lang_invalid_ant_el = "<?= __("Invalid value for antenna elevation:"); ?>";
   var latlng=[<?php echo $lat.','.$lng;?>];
   var user_date_format = "<?php echo $date_format; ?>"; // Pass the user's date format to JavaScript
+  var dxcluster_default_decont = "<?php echo $dxcluster_default_decont; ?>"; // used in dxwaterfall.js
+  var dxcluster_default_maxage = "<?php echo $dxcluster_default_maxage; ?>"; // used in dxwaterfall.js
 </script>
 
 <!--- DX Waterfall --->
diff --git a/assets/js/dxwaterfall.js b/assets/js/dxwaterfall.js
index 5694606db..58cf6c1f2 100644
--- a/assets/js/dxwaterfall.js
+++ b/assets/js/dxwaterfall.js
@@ -1267,8 +1267,8 @@ var dxWaterfall = {
     spotInfoDiv: null,
     spotTooltipDiv: null,
     lastSpotInfoKey: null,
-    currentContinent: 'NA',
-    currentMaxAge: 60,
+    currentContinent: dxcluster_default_decont,
+    currentMaxAge: dxcluster_default_maxage,
 
     // ========================================
     // SPOT NAVIGATION STATE