Pages: [1] 2   Go Down

Author Topic: Anything special required to be spotted by the Reverse Beacon Network?  (Read 859 times)

KB3USG

  • Member
  • Posts: 3

Hi everyone,

I'm pretty much a newbie, so telling me the "obvious" is probably better than assuming I already know something "obvious".

I'm trying to find myself on the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN) and I have had ZERO luck.  I'm not sure whether there's a standard format that it needs to see to be able to list your callsign. 

The message I'm sending is "CQ CQ CQ DE KB3USG KB3USG KB3USG TESTING K"

Is there a specific number of repetitions of CQ or callsign that I should be using?  Is there a different pattern I should be using?  Other advice?

I'm using a (KX-2 or QCX) with the AX-1 antenna with the 40m extender.

Thanks,
Paul
KB3USG
Logged

G8FXC

  • Member
  • Posts: 533
Re: Anything special required to be spotted by the Reverse Beacon Network?
« Reply #1 on: December 13, 2022, 01:03:24 PM »

That should work fine - I've been registered with a similar call. The code does need to be clearly and well sent at a moderate speed - very fast or very poorly formed code may not be decoded correctly.

Martin (G8FXC)
Logged

W9IQ

  • Member
  • Posts: 8866
Re: Anything special required to be spotted by the Reverse Beacon Network?
« Reply #2 on: December 13, 2022, 01:05:12 PM »

Your format looks good. Some tips:

1.) Try repeating it a couple of times on the same frequency within a 10 minute window
2.) Make sure you are in the first 91 kHz of the CW band
3.) Have someone check the quality of your CW sending to make sure it is acceptable

- Glenn W9IQ
Logged
- Glenn W9IQ

God runs electromagnetics on Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the wave theory and the devil runs it on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by the Quantum theory.

K6SDW

  • Posts: 527
    • HomeURL
Re: Anything special required to be spotted by the Reverse Beacon Network?
« Reply #3 on: December 13, 2022, 01:05:46 PM »

I use RBN all the time: CQ CQ CQ K6SDW .... it's that easy.  The new version of RBN you can check the box which shows the location of the "listeners" currently online, and most are going to be hundreds and thousands of miles from your station, so it takes RF and a "decent" antenna to reach them. And propagation as well, the band you chose, the time of day...etc. I have a vertical and the popular EFHW dipole and per RBN the End Fed beats my vertical almost every time.

KE0OG, the ARRL and QST's new technical editor has an excellent YouTube video on using RBN you might find it helpful.

So, bottom line here: More signal in the air, or move closer to a RBN monitoring station...HI HI

GL/73
Logged

K6LP

  • Member
  • Posts: 16
    • HomeURL
Re: Anything special required to be spotted by the Reverse Beacon Network?
« Reply #4 on: December 13, 2022, 01:11:18 PM »

As a new CW op, I was having the same problem on my KX2. I was having trouble manually programming the KX2 message feature, too (that should have been a clue!). Finally I used the cable and software to program the KX2 CW message, and played that. RBN picked me up right away.
Logged

W9KY

  • Member
  • Posts: 26
Re: Anything special required to be spotted by the Reverse Beacon Network?
« Reply #5 on: December 13, 2022, 01:14:21 PM »

Hi Paul,

I'm about one step above being a rookie so this will help you get started then your on your own !  Bring up the site and looking at the screen just above the "green box", you will see the words, "skip and go directly to the main page".  Click on the words "main page". The next page will show a world map as a "gray line" along with the "bands of operation" .  Say for example you want to be spotted on 40 mtrs then click on the 40 mtr box . Then look a little lower and to the right and you will see the words "spotted call sign" .  Type your call sign on this line.  Then start sending your CQ or CQ Test with your call sign like you were actually trying to make a contact. Sit back and wait for a few minutes and if anyone has spotted you, the new info will be displayed where originally was blank. Keep in mind if you try it again on the same band it won't work for about 10 minutes, guess it does a reset !  This afternoon I tried both 40 and 20 mtrs with NO replies but after running the "reverse beacon", plenty of stations replied with good S/N reports .  So guess at that time, NO one was close enough to hear my 25 watts of power Hi Hi   Hope this will be helpful for you,  Mike W9KY         
Logged

KE6SLS

  • Member
  • Posts: 104
Re: Anything special required to be spotted by the Reverse Beacon Network?
« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2022, 02:40:13 PM »


and when in doubt, QLF.  :)

73
Jaye
Logged

AE0Q

  • Member
  • Posts: 414
    • AE0Q Amateur Radio
Re: Anything special required to be spotted by the Reverse Beacon Network?
« Reply #7 on: December 13, 2022, 04:30:24 PM »

Is there a specific number of repetitions of CQ or callsign that I should be using?  Is there a different pattern I should be using?
From one of the RBN programmers:

If you send a CQ, sign your call once, listen, and send another CQ, with your call, that is sufficient to get you spotted.  The CW Skimmer software listens to a 50-Hz decoder channel in a 255-character FIFO-style buffer, and if the software "hears" two repetitions in that span, together with the keywords CQ or TEST (there are some others, more appropriate for DXing, like UP 1), then it will spot you.  It's good down to 10 wpm.

Glenn AE0Q
Logged
NSGA Edzell 1974-77  CTM2  GM5BKC : NSGA Rota 1972-74   ZB2WZ, SV0WY
https://radioandtravels.blogspot.com/
http://www.qsl.net/ae0q/

W9RAC

  • Member
  • Posts: 63
Re: Anything special required to be spotted by the Reverse Beacon Network?
« Reply #8 on: December 17, 2022, 05:16:30 AM »

Hi everyone,

I'm pretty much a newbie, so telling me the "obvious" is probably better than assuming I already know something "obvious".

I'm trying to find myself on the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN) and I have had ZERO luck.  I'm not sure whether there's a standard format that it needs to see to be able to list your callsign. 

The message I'm sending is "CQ CQ CQ DE KB3USG KB3USG KB3USG TESTING K"

Is there a specific number of repetitions of CQ or callsign that I should be using?  Is there a different pattern I should be using?  Other advice?

I'm using a (KX-2 or QCX) with the AX-1 antenna with the 40m extender.

Thanks,
Paul
KB3USG

Paul code must be legible for skimmer to copy. Try paddle and check, they should list you on CQ list. 73 Rich
Logged

N2SR

  • Member
  • Posts: 1794
Re: Anything special required to be spotted by the Reverse Beacon Network?
« Reply #9 on: December 17, 2022, 06:15:38 AM »

Paul code must be legible for skimmer to copy. Try paddle and check, they should list you on CQ list. 73 Rich

Code must be legible for even humans to copy.   ;)
Logged
Elect a clown.  Expect a circus.

NI0C

  • Member
  • Posts: 3625
Re: Anything special required to be spotted by the Reverse Beacon Network?
« Reply #10 on: December 17, 2022, 01:16:16 PM »

Using QRP with such a compromise antenna, your signal may be too weak to be copied by whatever skimmers that may be listening at the time.
Logged

NB3R

  • Member
  • Posts: 68
    • www.nb3r.com
Re: Anything special required to be spotted by the Reverse Beacon Network?
« Reply #11 on: December 19, 2022, 04:02:47 AM »

Your format looks good. Some tips:

1.) Try repeating it a couple of times on the same frequency within a 10 minute window
2.) Make sure you are in the first 91 kHz of the CW band
3.) Have someone check the quality of your CW sending to make sure it is acceptable

- Glenn W9IQ

Glenn's Tip #2 is very important.  All the skimmers listen to the low part of a band.  Not so many higher in the band.
Logged
Dave
NB3R
www.nb3r.com

KB3USG

  • Member
  • Posts: 3
Re: Anything special required to be spotted by the Reverse Beacon Network?
« Reply #12 on: December 21, 2022, 07:23:57 AM »

Just wanted to thank everyone for their advice.

I think that the issues are:
  • Transmitting where no skimmers may be listening (I'm too high in the band)
  • I'm too quiet (with my compromise antenna and QRP rig)

I had the rigs send my message to remove my newbie fist out of the equation :)

I'll make some adjustments here and see whether I can get spotted (and possibly report back).

Thank you, again, for all the replies!
Paul
KB3USG
Logged

WX7Q

  • Member
  • Posts: 150
Re: Anything special required to be spotted by the Reverse Beacon Network?
« Reply #13 on: March 27, 2023, 10:38:09 AM »

I have used the Reverse Beacon Network on several occasions and checked my results on 15 meters. It showed that the signal was getting out. I did a screen shot. (CW, first 91 kHz of the CW band) 10 meters was open the other day, tried it, with no results. Is it just that the skimmers, sometimes, are not listening on a particular band?

TIA

WX7Q
Jim
Logged

AE0Q

  • Member
  • Posts: 414
    • AE0Q Amateur Radio
Re: Anything special required to be spotted by the Reverse Beacon Network?
« Reply #14 on: March 27, 2023, 11:10:52 AM »

I have used the Reverse Beacon Network on several occasions and checked my results on 15 meters. It showed that the signal was getting out. I did a screen shot. (CW, first 91 kHz of the CW band) 10 meters was open the other day, tried it, with no results. Is it just that the skimmers, sometimes, are not listening on a particular band?

The RBN shows that when you were spotted in the last few weeks you were sending 11 or 12 wpm.  That's pretty close to the low end of where the skimmers detect CW (about 10 wpm).  Maybe faster would work better...

Since 10m wasn't open much until recently, maybe a lot of the skimmers aren't on SDRs with 10m yet?

Glenn AE0Q
Logged
NSGA Edzell 1974-77  CTM2  GM5BKC : NSGA Rota 1972-74   ZB2WZ, SV0WY
https://radioandtravels.blogspot.com/
http://www.qsl.net/ae0q/
Pages: [1] 2   Go Up