FAQ - Why Does Your Map Show My QTH Incorrectly?
Every week I get a couple of e-mails asking "How come you map my QTH in Missouri (or Ontario, or central instead of eastern Russia). Here's the answer - IWhen we go to plot a dot on the map for a...
View ArticleCan't See The Map?
Recently we have had several complaints from users whose map display was either entirely absent or just terribly slow. We may have a problem with our new server setup, but two, using Firefox and...
View ArticleHow to Avoid Self-spotting on RTTY
Both CW Skimmer and Skimmer Server have built-in protection against self-spotting, so long as you enter your callsign on the Operator tab in either GUI. Because of the change in the design of RTTY...
View ArticleRBN Entering the Science Mainstream - Who Woulda Thought It?
Almost without anyone's noticing, The RBN has begun participating in real honest-to-goodness SCIENCE! It's not just for spotting any more, or antenna testing, or site selection for WRTC 2014. Instead,...
View ArticleN6TV 2015 CQWWRTTY stats
Once again Bob, N6TV has provided a wonderful rundown of spot statistics from the RBN. In light of comments on the RTTY Contesting reflector, I found the analysis of frequencies covered on each band by...
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2015 CQWW CW Stats and Trivia
Well, the 2015 running of CQWW CW is history. It seems almost anticlimactic to report RBN statistics, particularly since this year the system appears to have performed without a hitch for the entire...
View ArticleThe RBN and the Solar Eclipse - Coming August 21
On August 21, 2017, from 1400 to 2200Z, operators of RBN nodes will have a unique opportunity to contribute to scientific understanding of the ionosphere. That time-frame straddles the period when the...
View ArticleBeacons Revisited - a checklist
The recent initiative by the beacon folks at the NCDXF to spur competition among RBN nodes to copy all of the NCDXF beacons has prompted me to review our documentation of how to spot these beacons....
View ArticleRBN Developments October 2017
Recently a friend suggested that FT8 was probably making a dent inactivity on the RBN and taking away from CW in general. Out ofcuriosity, I compared last week on the RBN (weekdays only, to...
View ArticleCQWW CW scores and Stats 2016-18
The following are thanks to Bob, N6TV, who provided all the detailed spot numbers to supplement my summary figures.I thought you'd be interested in summary statistics from the last 3 CQWW CW...
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What It Takes by Wes Cosand, WZ7I
The following article was contributed by Wes, WZ7I, one of the longest-running RBN node-ops at 10 years and counting. As you know if you follow such things, Wes is one of the most prolific spotters as...
View ArticleW3LPL's Solution by Frank Donovan, W3LPL
Somewhat in the same vein as my last post, about WZ7I's RBN node, here is W3LPL's setup, in his own words (warning, this post may trigger severe aluminum-envy):I use an extremely complex system of...
View ArticleK3PA Reporting from Kansas
Here's another variation on the equipment used by some of the most prolific RBN nodes, from Drew, K3PA:"As the tradeoff between low band overload and high band sensitivity is so often noted, here is...
View ArticleSetting up the Red Pitaya as an RBN Receiver
Skip to main contentToolbar itemsThis explanation of the process for setting up a Red Pitaya STEMLab 122.8-16 (the latest variant) as an RBN receiver was written by RBN co-founder and server programmer...
View ArticleSkimmer (RBN node) Callsigns Explained by N6TV
There seems to be a lot of confusion about Skimmer callsigns, so let me try to clarify. There are at least FIVE (5) different places where you can enter a callsign, and they are used for different...
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A New Tutorial on Using the RBN
It has been over three years since I last wrote a tutorial for users of RBN spots, and I was amazed when I read the old one to discover how much things had changed. Here's the current word.There are...
View ArticleAntenna Testing with a Two-Receiver Red Pitaya 122.8-16
Once I had the second receiver running on my 122.8-16 Red Pitaya, I decided to explore methodology for comparing antennas. I hope this may be of interest, and would welcome any critiques of my...
View ArticleUsing the Red Pitaya Stemlab 122.88-16 on the Reverse Beacon Network – Part 1
Using the Red Pitaya Stemlab 122.88-16 on the Reverse Beacon Network – Part 1IntroductionThe Red Pitaya STEMlab 122.88-16 (which I will call the RP-16 from here on out) reflects the company’s...
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Part 2 - Using the Two Receivers in Your Red Pitaya
The RP-16 has a hidden, bonus capability – it can run a second, 8 bands x 192 KHz receiver alongside but independent of the first. This capability has a lot of potential uses – I often use it for...
View ArticleEthernet/Internet requirements for 2-receiver Red Pitaya
Ash KF5EYY/3V8 just reminded me of an additional requirement for running both receivers on an RP-16, to cover 8 bands each. Each receiver requires about 75 Mbps of Ethernet bandwidth between the...
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