Reverse Beacon Network strange event

During the 2023 Canada Winter contest I had an odd thing happen twice with the Reverse Beacon Network website. But before I go into that let's talk about what I use the Reverse Beacon Network for in contests. This site has a huge amount of stations that just listen for stations calling CQ. If you are heard then you are shown on a world map along with your signal strength to that location. This is a great tool during a contest for me as it shows where and how strong my signal is. I have used this site for years but in the last contest, something happened that never has and it happened twice.




I was calling for some time on 40m CQ contest and I was getting Reverse Beacon Network feedback from my signal. The reporting station MM0ZBH reported me but on 20m? Informing me my signal was 6dB and on 14036 and not 7.030 where I was calling CQ contest this was at 2337UTC.

 Earlier at 2212UTC the same station had reported me again on 20m this time at 14030 when I was calling CQ on 7030 and my signal strength this time was 28dB. This was odd and even more so when it happened twice in the contest. Any ideas out there and has anyone had the same issue happen to them?

MM0ZBH is the 6th station down on the list


Mike Weir, VE9KK, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Brunswick, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

6 Responses to “Reverse Beacon Network strange event”

  • K9LJB:

    You have a second harmonic emission that needs to be checked out right away.

  • Charles, AD7UF:

    14.03 is 30kHz from where a harmonic should be. I think it more likely that the radio belonging to the reporting party isn’t tuned to the band that their computer thinks it is!

  • Mike VE9KK:

    Good evening Roger (K9LJB) this was the path I was heading down but the 2nd harmonic is not 14030. Also the only station reporting me is MM0ZBH and no other station. Considering one signal check from him was at 28dB I would think other stations would had heard me on 20m as well. Also U.S. stations reporting me at 40 plus dB on 40m had nothing for a 2nd harmonic.
    Have a great week Roger
    73,
    Mike
    VE9KK

  • Mike VE9KK:

    Good evening Charles and thanks for stopping by, I was thinking the same regarding the signal not being a harmonic. I am thinking it was some one off with it only being MM0ZBH reporting me on 20m. I am going to keep an eye on it as I do a lot of CW contest and am calling “CQ test” most of the time. This was the only issue that came up regards a strange signal. Now if I have multi stations reporting back the same well I could see an issue.
    73,
    Mike
    VE9KK

  • I have had similar with FT8 with stations reporting and or logging me on 40mx when I was working on 20 and have nothing up presently fo 40mx.

    73

    Peter

    Zl1PWD

  • Mike VE9KK:

    Good morning Peter and nice to hear from you, this is the first time it has ever happened to me and since then it has not happened. The same station is spotting me and no issues. I guess it was a one off.
    73,
    Mike
    VE9KK

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