Reverse Beacon Network Made Easy with the Icom IC-7300 (

Bruce Bittenbender, K3BBB, suggested I look at how easy it is to use the Reverse Beacon Network (www.reversebeacon.net) with the Icom 7300. You can use this worldwide network to see how well your signal is heard, test antennas, and so forth. Fun!
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[@ralphnunn3]

I had to laugh about your comment about taping on 'BKIN'. I don't own an IC-7300, but was using someone else's at Field Day last year. I got everything all setup - the paddle, my Winkeyer, N3FJP all configured, and talking to the computer. I kept trying to send a 'V' out to test. I could hear it activating on the side tone of the Winkeyer, but NOTHING was going out on the radio. I looked around for several minutes (losing precious time), but FINALLY found the fact that BKIN wasn't enabled. Once I tapped on that - VOILA! All was working then. So, your warning reminded me of that fun little moment. Thanks for the video. I have used RBN quite a bit, and really enjoy seeing where my signal is getting to. I did not know that you could send 'TEST', so I learned something new today. Keep up the good work - I've learned a TON from you over the last 4 years that I've been a ham. DE K7RLN.

[@brian.7966]

Thank you, David, I always look forward to your programs. regards from the UK.

[@VK5CQ]

Nice follow-up to your earlier intro to Reverse Beacon N/W, Dave. Two hedges, though: 1. Since our call signs aren't accurate indicators of QTH, the RBN's website needs to lookup each callsign in a callbook database, & [in a column beside receiver callsign] show the last-known location, eg, from the Ham's last address-change to FCC (or local regulator). 2. I see no need for replications of ONE flag for each instance of DX's call sign. Better, IMO, if flags are prefixed to last-known location of each DE, obtained from callsign database(s). Thanks for doing all this, Dave. You're helping to keep some Hams ALIVE, by being a Contact-Free place to go (rather than an AR Club meeting) for well-preserved Ham Radio tips, explanations & innovations. PS Have you explored "Ham Radio Workshop" (podcast for those who might like to try their hands at really complex projects, fr parachuting with Ham gear (pretty short QSOs, for all the systems they take up...) to (just about anything else a Ham can imagine)? (If your fav podcast fetcher can't find it, TuneIn Radio can.) It seems to draw professional engineers, & could give youth & others a look into the many jobs that knowing Electronics & other Ham skills may open to 'em, after completing further education or training, etc. Thanks, again & 73, Dave

[@JarlSeamus]

This is a great tip! I have just started doing CW with a keying program on my 7300. So far no contacts, but I think that's my antenna. This will be a fabulous way for me to validate I'm getting out even if nobody replies to my CQ. Thanks again Dave! You are certainly the virtual Elmer to thousands of scrubs like me (KD2SML). 7-3

[@JTThumpington]

Y'know, Dave, every time I hear your intro music, it makes me smile. Such a happy little riff. Thanks for doing what you do. 73 de M0DIT :-)

[@richanderson5178]

Thanks for the ideas Dave. I have a Yaseu FT-450D and was able to figure out how to use its keyer. You gave me the idea, and I was able to set up my transceiver get a confirmation from a a receiver in California ( I am in Michigan). Really thrilled with my Inverted V 20 meter dipole, all this from a new ham, got my General last December. Your help on the antenna construction too. 73, Rich KE8TBN

[@w4mkh]

Thanks Dave. Very useful video that will open up the reverse beacon to those of us that don’t know code.

[@K3BBB]

Great job Dave and you, as always, did a wonderful job explaining the Reverse Beason and how to use the 7300. I found it helpful to determine how an antenna is working. Thanks.

[@MegaChiliMac]

If you look at your IC 7300 Menu screen and wonder why you don't see the Keyer button....you need to be in CW mode first....guess that's what I get for skipping the coffee today. Also, thanks for the mention about ionospheric sounders. I would see those and was never sure what that was. Great stuff, Dave!

[@rollandmason5596]

I've heard of the network before. Today I tried it and it worked fantastic. Thanks for something new to use Dave.

[@kevinhedgepeth-NB7O]

I found the reference to the Yaquina Head Lighthouse in this video interesting. Prior to the invention of GPS most lighthouses had radio beacons installed in them too. The radio beacon sent a coded signal that was received by mariners who could home in on the beacon using a rotating antenna. The lighthouse in the video - When I was in the Coast Guard I maintained the electronics in the lighthouse for a few years. There were electronic clocks that controlled the light and there was a marine radio beacon in it; also controlled by the electronic clocks. The radio beacon had a wire antenna that ran from a through-wall insulator that passed through the top of the light structure; just below the actual light housing. The wire then went to a Rohn Tower that was mounted about 100 feet from the light structure. One winter, during a 100 plus knot storm the wire broke at the insulator at the tower end. I was called out of bed to make the normal 2 hour drive (with the wind it took me over 3 hours to get there) in the heavy wind to climb the tower and reconnect the wire. I got about 6 feet off the ground and the tower was swaying in an almost 45 degree arc (well it probably was only 5 degrees or so but it was really swaying) and I tied off the wire with a piece of poly rope to the lower limb of the tower. That got the radio beacon back on the air and, more importantly, me off the tower. Now with GPS all of those radio beacons that I used to maintain are all gone. 73 de Kevin/NB7O

[@JamesOrcutt]

Had great fun with the reverse beacon this morning. Thank you Sir .makes me want to learn CW

[@jeffdyer2393]

Great info Dave. I have a 7300 and im going to give it a try.

[@msmolly3082]

Very good. I have 3 antennas I want to compare. This should do the job.

[@denislacroix654]

Thank you, Dave, again, just in time!

[@twovictorhamradio]

Awesome video!! Never new this function existed but works great. Thank you!

[@hamradioactive193]

Thanks Dave

[@crazyham]

Excellent Video. I will try this out. ⚡🙏⚡

[@johndrees830]

When I press menu I don’t get keyer I get voice what setting do I need to change to get keyer?

[@kevinkissinger7788]

Hi Dave. Thank you for your videos. I have had an interest in Ham radio for decades and finally decided to get my license. I am learning CW and was curious to know if my transmitter had a clear signal without key clicks. The Reverse Beacon Network revealed that my signal consistently reached the northeast USA. However, I had no way to discern the signal's quality. My solution was to go to the websdr.org website. On the Pennsylvania receiver, I entered my frequency and started a recording (the recording is built into the website). I then sent my test signal out on the same frequency and could actually hear my station as it was received in Pennsylvania. btw -- my signal was clear! Anyway, this is a "twist" on the reverse beacon idea. I am sure this would work with phone signals though I have not tried it with SSB. Anyway, thought you'd find this an interesting approach. 73 KF0ELS

[@ka2ynttodd674]

How much power do you run to start out?

[@robj1646]

4:20 Hi Dave, you seem to be using 'reverse morse code' because your example decodes to K(dah-di-dah)A4... and not R(di-dah-di)A4... At 11:41 'DE' means 'from' in morse code, as you probably know. So it is the station that the report is FROM. Not too complicated I think. I appreciate your videos, keep going! 73 de HA7RJA

[@theislandboy8]

At min 6:39 you talk about somthing going up on the waterfall display, what is that?

[@caseyschesky3708]

Wow! Really cool stuff. I will be trying this out on my 7300. Thanks Dave, 73 Casey KE8PFA

[@gregrandolph2845]

Does the Yaesu FT991A have the memory feature also?

[@scottb.2022]

Yes, I have set it up and tried it out similarly to what Dave did here and it works well.

[@P47Harry]

Dave, my 7300 Menu does not show “KEYER.” In that position it has “VOICE.” What am I doing wrong? Many thanks for your continuous efforts for ham radio! 73 de W3DNQ

[@jboard146]

Change from lsb/usb to cw mode then it will show

[@P47Harry]

Got it! Thank you!!!

[@graeme9184]

You ask this after 16 years as a licensed amateur.

[@P47Harry]

@@graeme9184 Thanks for the nice reply!

[@VK5CQ]

Context-Sensitive menus (in this case, Mode-sensitive, as other commenters will show you).

[@shaunruscoe5599]

Yes bkin did indeed drive me nuts, make bk or bkin is on

[@mikedevita5558]

Thanks. How do you hear, in real time, your cw signal at the reverse beacon site?

[@graeme9184]

You don't hear anything, You will just see your callsign & reports. If you want to hear your code go to an online sdr receiver site where propagation is receiving your signal.

[@jamesoberg8912]

WSPR is good too.

[@billlamb8944]

Thanks for another great show. KD9HWH.

[@marcelbeck5059]

WTF Blud....Fuck You are the Best and forgeth the Rest.... The Biggest Thank YOU from Switzerland Marcel HB3XGF.....Thanks so mutch.... You're the GREATEST :-) Thank You Thank You Thank You!!!!! You're allways Heartly Welcome by me in Switzerland my Friend!!! Marcel Neuenhof 27.11.1970 IT WORKS 🙂

[@Ei2iP]

No brainer, i use reverse beacon network regularly for propagation test, and antenna tests.

[@louandpaulanickles7172]

But now that Dave shared that information, I can too. Thanks Dave!

[@greglawrencemusic]

Thumbs Up!

[@elmoreglidingclub3030]

Sounds nice. But doesn’t work for me. And damn I’ve tried. I shouldn’t have to buy a freakin’ ICOM 7300 just to be able to use the RBN. A solid send with a keyer should be enough-especially since software these days have auto-correct as standard. So, the RBN, as useful as it could be, is useless to most of us. But what does work is WebSDR and KiwiSDR. Listening to yourself is great!

[@ProperLogicalDebate]

My MFJ QRP 9200 has a red button which can transmit what I program it. I didn't know what I could use it for. 73 AG7MW

[@JayN4GO]

Use a sk until you surpass 15wpm. :)

[@daveN2MXX]

Great video...I will give this a try; my cw is now up to 15 wpm. 73 de N2MXX _ _ . . . . . . _ _ _ . . . _ . . . _ _ _ _ _ _ . . _ _ . . _