RBN S-Meter: Real-time HF Propagation from Your Vantage Point

The RBN S-Meter is a free web application that visualizes real-time HF propagation using data from the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN). It filters RBN spots to show signal levels from various DX regions as seen from a user-defined vantage point. Users can set their location using either "Region Mode" by selecting a broad geographic area (e.g., E. North America, Europe) or "Grid Square Mode" by entering a Maidenhead grid square and a radius (250-2000 miles). The app displays eight region panels (E. North America, C. North America, W. North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania), each with horizontal bars for bands 160m through 6m. Signal strength is indicated by a bar filling left to right with a color ramp from green to red, and a dimmer trail shows the peak hold value. This tool is for ham radio operators interested in real-time propagation conditions for CW, RTTY, and FT8 signals.