[Skimmertalk] beacons.csv and beacon spotting

[John Ackermann N8UR]

Thanks for that info, Bob.  S0, the purpose of the file is to tag as 
beacons stations that are not signing with "/B"?  I'm not sure whether 
all the VHF/UHF beacons in our range do that or not.

Anyway, when I get a chance I'll compare BEACONS.CSV with the latest 
beacon listing I have to see if they (sort of) match.

Thanks,
John
----

On 1/19/2018 5:33 PM, Bob Wilson, N6TV wrote:
> The BEACONS.CSV file is used only by the RBN Aggregator; it's not part of
> the VE3NEA skimmer software.  This file is automatically and periodically
> downloaded from the Internet to the Aggregator installation directory fromThanks for
> a server, but I don't know where the server copy is located, or who
> maintains it.  A number of VHF / UHF beacon callsigns are already listed
> there, but* many VHF/UHF beacon callsigns above 146 Mhz were deleted
> between my November 2017 copy and my January 2018 copy*.  Perhaps W3OA can
> explain.
>
> The format is just frequency (in whole kHz, no decimals) and callsign,
> comma-separated.
>
> 1810,YR2TOP
> 1853,OK0EV
> 1875,DL3KR
> ...
> 145415,R3MAV
>
> I don't see W6REK/B 28214.3 listed in the BEACONS.CSV file, yet this beacon is
> being spotted <http://reversebeacon.net/dxsd1/dxsd1.php?f=0&c=w6rek/b&t=dx>
> OK as
> a Beacon (BCN) by the RBN, perhaps because the Aggregator treats anything
> signing /B as a beacon even if it is not listed in BEACONS.CSV.
>
> 73,
> Bob, N6TV
>
> On Fri, Jan 19, 2018 at 4:55 AM, John Ackermann N8UR <jra at febo.com> wrote:
>
>> Our VHF/UHF Skimmer is going to mainly hear beacons, and that's the main
>> value of the project -- to use them as a sign of propagation enhancement.
>>
>> I found Pete's blog articles about optimizing for NCDXF beacons (
>> http://reversebeacon.blogspot.com/2014/02/ncdxf-beacon-spotting-redux.html
>> and http://reversebeacon.blogspot.com/2017/09/beacons-revisited-
>> checklist.html).  From that, I'm guessing that the Watch.lst file might
>> be helpful, though most of our beacons do send their call more than once.
>>
>> I also notice that there is a beacons.csv file, but I can't find any
>> documentation about it.  The only reference seems to be in a list posting
>> by W3OA (http://dayton.contesting.com/pipermail/skimmertalk/2013-Aug
>> ust/001214.html) but that doesn't indicate what the contents of the file
>> should be.
>>
>> Can anyone provide a pointer on how to populate and use that file?
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> 73,
>> John
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