Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Video: Using the Reverse Beacon Network to compare your antennas, and to discern band propagation

This is a short video I made today demonstrating how to use the Reverse Beacon Network to compare your signal on different antennas. The RBN is a very handy tool for the CW enthusiast and for hams interested in testing their antennas and also finding out about propagation on various bands. In this video, I use both an inverted v dipole and a Butternut vertical to transmit a CQ call on 10 Mhz (30 metre band). I then compare the signal reports spotted automatically by skimmer stations. However, on the second CQ call with the vertical antenna, I get an unexpected DX call . . . I will let you watch the video!

2 comments:

  1. Wow, interesting. I knew that about RBN of course. But the Japanese station that came back to your CQ, I can hardly hear it. But you seem to have no problem to decode. Truly a super HAMradio operator. Tnx for the nice video. 73, Bas

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    Replies
    1. Bas,

      The Japanese station is more difficult to hear in the video than he was in real life. Although he wasn't strong and there was lots of flutter on him, hence the reason I picked up IRV initially instead of IRW. It was a pleasant surprise to have him come back to me though, and makes the video more interesting I think. That's live TV eh? !!!!!

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