Reverse Beacon Network

The Reverse Beacon Network listens for stations that are already on the air. Volunteer receiving sites run skimmer software that identifies callsigns and reports frequency, mode, signal-to-noise ratio, speed and time. Call CQ in CW or another supported mode, then the live display can show which skimmers copied the call. Historical searches and the comparison tool add a second use: measuring an antenna change or contest signal against earlier transmissions and nearby competitors instead of relying only on subjective reports.

Coverage follows the volunteers. Europe and North America have many ears, while a blank region may say more about receiver placement than the ionosphere. Skimmer SNR values are most meaningful when comparisons use the same node, band and time window; they are not calibrated field-strength measurements across every station. Voice operators will also find the network less directly useful than CW and machine-readable modes. For an operator who wants repeatable feedback from a brief test transmission, however, RBN turns the receiving side of a radio path into a searchable instrument.