Collecting Spots from the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN)
de W4TV, SM7IUN, VE7CC, N4ZR, KM8V, and AA6YQ
The Remote Beacon Network (RBN) collects spots from a network of automated stations around the world running applications that can simultaneously decode multiple signals in
CW - typically using the CW Skimmer Server application
RTTY - typically using the RTTY Skimmer Server application
FT8 - typically using the WSJT-X application
FT4 - typically using the WSJT-X application
Collectively, unattended applications such as these are referred to as Skimmers.
Many Telnet DXClusters provide the option to convey RBN spots. The commands used to enable, select, and disable the conveyance of RBN spots by a particular DXCluster depend on which Cluster Management Application that DXCluster is running - typically displayed when you first log in to a DXCluster. Commands for controlling RBN spots with the most common Cluster Management Applications are described below. When RBN spots are enabled, the the callsigns of spotting stations are extended with -#. To prevent SpotCollector from discarding these spots, uncheck the Discard spots from spotting station callsigns ending in -# box on the Pre-filtering window.
Because Skimmers are not perfect in the face of QRM and QRN, the RBN should be expected to convey spots of busted callsigns. Cluster Management Applications employ multiple strategies for tagging spots whose quality is likely low:
AR Cluster version 6 inserts quality tags into spot notes
- CC Cluster employs advanced filtering
DX Spider inserts Skimmer count tags into spot notes
Because it aggregates spots from many automated stations, the rate of spots conveyed by the RBN is high - especially during contests. Thus if you configure SpotCollector to connect to a DXCluster that you've configured to convey RBN spots, be sure to optimize SpotCollector's performance.
DXCluster Commands
AR-Cluster v6
Action
Command
enable all spots including RBN spots
SET DX FILTER
enable all spots but disable RBN spot
SET DX FILTER NOT SKIMMER
ignore busted RBN spots
SET DX FILTER NOT SKIMBUSTED
ignore QSY RBN spots
SET DX FILTER NOT SKIMQSY
Ignore unreliable RBN spots
SET DX FILTER NOT SKIMUNKNOWN
only convey verified RBN spots
SET DX FILTER SKIMVALID
disable non-RBN spots
SET DX FILTER SKIMMER
CC Cluster
Action
Command
enable RBN CW, RTTY, and PSK spots
SET/SKIMMER
enable RBN FT4 spots
SET/FT4
enable RBN FT8 spots
SET/FT8
disable RBN spots
SET/NOSKIMMER
disable RBN CW spots
SET/NOCW
disable RBN RTTY spots
SET/NORTTY
disable RBN PSK spots
SET/NOPSK
disable RBN FT4 spots
SET/NOFT4
disable RBN FT8 spots
SET/NOFT8
DX Spider
Action
Command
enable RBN spots
SET/SKIMMER
enable RBN CW spots
SET/SKIMMER CW
enable RBN CW and RTTY spots
SET/SKIMMER CW RTTY
enable RBN FT8 spots
SET/SKIMMER FT8
enable RBN FT4 and FT8 spots
SET/SKIMMER FT8 FT4
disable RBN spots
UNSET/SKIMMER
DXClusters Known to Convey RBN Spots
DX Cluster
Host Address
Port
Cluster Management Application
CW and RTTY
FT4
FT8
AE5E
dxspots.com
23
CC Cluster
X
X
X
GB7DXG
gb7dxg.lebs.org.uk
7373
CC Cluster
GB7DXG-1
gb7dxg-1.lebs.org.uk
7300
DX Spider
K2CAN
k2can.us
7373
CC Cluster
X
X
X
K4MD
k4md.no-ip.com
7373
AR Cluster
X
K9LC
K9lc.ddns.net
7300
CC Cluster
X
X
X
KM8V
dxc.km8v.com
7373
DX Spider
X
X
X
N4ZKF
dxc.n4zkf.com
23
CC Cluster
X
N4ZKF-1
24.227.38.202
7373
CC Cluster
X
X
X
N6WS
n6ws.ddns.net
7300
DX Spider
X
X
X
OE9XFP
cluster.oe9.at
7373
CC Cluster
X
X
X
S50CLX
s50clx.infrax.si
41112
DX Spider
X
X
X
S50DXS
s50dxs.s53m.com
8000
DX Spider
X
X
X
VE7CC
ve7cc.net
23
CC Cluster
X
X
X
W3GQ
w3gq.no-ip.com
7373
CC Cluster
X
X
X
W3LPL
dxc.w3lpl.net
7373
AR Cluster
X
W4MYA
dxc.w4mya.us
7373
CC Cluster
X
X
X
W9DP
w9dp.dxcluster.net
7373
CC Cluster
X
X
X
W9PA
dxc.w9pa.net
7374
AR Cluster 6.1
X
X
WD4IXD
dxc.wd4ixd.net
7373
CC Cluster
X
X
X
For a complete list of of available DXCluster nodes, see this table; note that it uses the word RBN to mean can convey RBN spots.
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