An Introduction to the Reverse Beacon Network

(RBN)

Dave Duskin – NE5S

• Background

• What is CW Skimmer?

• What is the RBN?

• How does the RBN work?

• How to access the RBN

Overview of this presentation

• How to be spotted by the RBN

• RBN Accuracy

• NE5S RBN setup

• What can it do for you

• More information

• Acknowledgements

Overview of this presentation- continued

Background

• RBN was created by Pete Smith, N4ZR

• RBN is hosted by dxwatch.com (PY1NB)

• CW Skimmer was developed by

Alex Shovkoplyas, VE3NEA

• Aggregator developed by Dick Williams, W3OA

• Software developed by VE3NEA

• Works with many SDRs

• Decodes multiple CW signals in real time

• Can monitor an entire CW band

• Waterfall Display

• Uses MASTER.DTA

• Telnet Server (emulates a DX Cluster)

What is CW Skimmer

• Only supports QS1R SDR

• Decodes multiple CW signals in real time

• Monitors multiple bands with single SDR

• No Waterfall Display

• No MASTER.DTA

• Telnet Server

Skimmer Server by VE3NEA

• Antenna• Radio Receiver• Personal Computer• “CW Skimmer”

CW Skimmer Requirements

• Originated and operated by PY1NB

• Uses any decoded CW signal as a beacon

• Multiple Skimmers world-wide decode your callsign, sending speed and S/N ratio

• An “Aggregator” program forwards Skimmer spots to a central server

• Central server distributes spots via www.reversebeacon.net, and public telnet servers

What is the Reverse Beacon Network?

How does the RBN work?

• A station, NE5S, receives and decodes all CW

signals in a band(s)

• Signals are filtered, parsed and forwarded to RBN

• Only stations calling CQ or TEST or VHF stations

are forwarded

• At any time there are approximately 70 skimmer

stations reporting to the RBN

RBN Feed Requirements

• Antenna• Radio receiver• Personal Computer• “CW Skimmer”• “Aggregator”• Internet access

• Perseus SDR owned by Darell Brehm – WA3OPY• CW Skimmer licensed to Darell Brehm – WA3OPY• Various antennas: SteppIR, low band loop,

80M Dipole, 160M sloper

NE5S RBN Feed

What NE5S Sees:

Aggregator “Status” Window

What the BROWN Text Means• The brown text tells how Aggregator decided to handle the spot and what it sent. • The first brown entry is the frequency sent to the RBN. This may be different from the

spot frequency if an offset frequency was specified.• Aggregator determines if the spot is a "CQ" spot. Normally only “CQ” spots are

forwarded. If it had been a VHF spot, Aggregator would have sent it on anyway • NVHF means it was Not VHF. • NExcl means that the spot's frequency is not within the excluded frequencies

controlled by the server• NBcn means it is not a regular listed beacon. Either VHF or Bcn would have over-

ridden an NCQ determination• Excl would have blocked a spot that otherwise seemed to qualify for forwarding• NInMaster doesn't matter, because I had not selected the option to spot only those

stations in the master database • NInBadCall means that it had not identified this call as a "badcall“

NE5S TELNET Output

• Go to C:\Windows\System• Click on telnet.exe or create

a shortcut

Window XP TELNET Setup

• Click on START• Click on CONTROL PANEL• Click on PROGRAMS AND FEATURES• Click on TURN WINDOWS FEATURES ON OR

OFF (left column in fine print)• A window will open• Check the box for TELNET CLIENT• Click OK

Windows 7 TELNET Setup

• Click on START• Click on SEARCH PROGRAMS AND FILES (should be the bottom box)• Type TELNET in the box and hit return <ENTER>• You should now be in telnet• Type “o dragon.ham-radio-op.net 7550”• That should log you on to my RBN computer• You will be asked to enter your callsign

TELNET Log-on

NE5S TELNET Output

Reverse Beacon NetworkAccess

http://www.reversebeacon.net

To see NE5S spots reported to the RBN:

http://www.reversebeacon.net/dxsd1/dxsd1.php?f=0&c=ne5s&t=de

To see everything that NE5S sees:

TELNET to: dragon.ham-radio-op.net 7550

• telnet.reversebeacon.net port 7000accept/spots by_zone 1,3,4,6,7,31 and notby WZ7I or call NE5Shttp://www.dxcluster.org/main/filtering_en.html#toc1

• arcluster.reversebeacon.net port 7000set dx filter call=NE5S or (unique>2 and(spotterstate=OK or spotterstate=NV))

http://www.ab5k.net/ArcDocsVer6/UserManual/ArcDx.htm

Use as Main DX ClusterBut Filter The Spots

• Send everything at the same consistent speed– Do not use +++/--- or >/< to speed up/slow down

• Call CQ or TEST and send your call twice– CQ DE NE5S NE5S

• Use proper spacing (let computer send)– Don’t send by hand and rusheverythingtogether

• Change freq. slightly to get spotted again

How to be spotted by a CW Skimmer

• To test performance, just call CQ on CW, checkRBN web site (turn beam, repeat)

• Use RBN web site’s “Spots Analysis Tool” tocompare your signal to the competition

• Download raw data files for deeper analysis– Every RBN spot posted since February, 2009 is archived on the site

How do I use the RBN to Check My Antennas?

• Total World-Wide RBN spots, CQ WW:3,268,434 (18.9 spots per second)

• 2012 ARRL DX CW:2,451,276 (51,068 spots per hour)

1,242,715 by DX Skimmers, outside USA

Gee Whiz Facts

• Frequency accuracy is very good, so – Call a bit off frequency!• For an individual skimmer, >99% of calls are copied correctly (proper spacing helps)

• But 500 spots/hour = 5 “busted spots” per hour, per skimmer

• The more skimmers you monitor, the higher the total number of busted spots

Skimmer Accuracy

• Make sure Skimmers copy you

• Call spots off frequency

• Limit monitored skimmers to those within your geographical area, plus any spots of yourself

• Use new unique>n filter to eliminate most busted spots

Recommendations

• Use as main spotting network for CW contests (far more spots, with fewer pileups)

• Fill-in band spots

• Shows where you are being heard (spotted by)

• Compare your signals to the competition (post contest)

What Can The RBN Do For You

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

• Perseus SDR - Darell Brehm, WA3OPY

• CW Skimmer – Darell Brehm, WA3OPY

• Computer setup – Steve Duskin, NE5SD

• CW Skimmer & Briefing Support – Bob Wilson , N6TV

• http://www.reversebeacon.net

• http://www.pvrc.org/n4zr/rbn.pdf

• http://reversebeacon.blogspot.com

• http://www.bcdxc.org/ve7cc/default.htm#download

• http://www.dxatlas.com/CwSkimmer

• http://www.qrz.com/db/n6tv

FOR MORE INFORMATION

A BETA version of Skimmer for PSK32 and RTTY has been

operating since the last week of August 2012.

Late Breaking News

This concludes my presentation

Are there any questions?