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Re: [RTTY] RBN access; RTTY Spots

To: rtty@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RTTY] RBN access; RTTY Spots
From: Pete Smith N4ZR <n4zr@contesting.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 16:27:53 -0400
List-post: <rtty@contesting.com">mailto:rtty@contesting.com>
Hi Phil - keep in mind that the RTTY Skimmer Server is currently in alpha test. We decided to put its spots on the RBN this weekend precisely because the Makrothen will generate lots of activity, helping us look for different types of errors, of which spotting callers as runners is and was one of the most common.

Alex currently has us alpha testers going through lists of busted spots that he got off the RBN server after the contest, and comparing with detailed logging that produces huge amounts of data at each location. I expect that performance in this and other respects will improve markedly as a result of this analytical effort.

In the meantime, one smart way to handle these mis-spots, I think, is to display them on a bandmap by frequency rather than in a list format such as N1MM+'s Available Mults and Qs window. On a bandmap you can readily see when callers are being spotted on a running frequency, particularly since the precision required for good RTTY copy makes it likely that spots will all be on the same frequency, at least to the nearest 100 Hz.

Bear with us.

73, Pete N4ZR
Check out the Reverse Beacon Network at
http://reversebeacon.net,
blog at reversebeacon.blogspot.com.
For spots, please go to your favorite
ARC V6 or VE7CC DX cluster node.

On 10/13/2014 1:25 PM, Phil Cooper wrote:
Pete and the group,

I have been watching the RBN cluster with interest for the past few weeks,
and have noticed some distinct issues.

The function of the RBN is to check for calls with CQ in them, and report
these calls.

If I call CQ, I hope to see my own callsign listed, and then be able to
judge where the best propagation is, and thus point my beam to that area.
What I have seen though is loads of calls being spotted that are calling ME.

This is also readily apparent when some juicy DX is on the band, as there
are spots for that call, but also spots for each and every caller to the DX
station.

I was connected to an RBN cluster during the Makrothen contest, and noticed
that my call kept showing up, even though I was calling someone, not calling
CQ.
This led to a bit of confusion for the poor chap I was calling, as some
seemed to think they were calling me.

I also have doubts about using an RBN cluster in a contest, simply because
it populates the bandmap with loads of spurious calls.

There is some argument that it does allow you to see where your call is
being heard, and at what sort of strengths, but this is not useful if your
call gets populated each time you call someone.

For me, the code needs to be tightened up so that it only detects proper CQ
calls, and then it may be of more use.

Having said that, it is a useful feature, and I do enjoy seeing where my
signals get to, so I hope the new venture addresses some of these points.

Thanks for all your efforts, along with those of Alex VE3NEA...

73 de Phil GU0SUP


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