Podcast: HF Propagation Report, April 2011

A look at the last 30 days' solar and geomagnetic conditions and how Solar Cycle 24 is humming . What you can work on each HF band and how to get a free ebook.

Click on the headline to listen to the programme online or if you prefer to listen to it on your iPod search for G0KYA on iTunes.

Propagation predictions for International Marconi Day

Right: Peter (M0RYB) hard at work on the key at GB0CMS last year. International Marconi Day will be held on Saturday 30 April 2011 this year. I help to run GB0CMS at Caister Lifeboat in Norfolk and thought it would be a good idea to have some idea of propagation conditions to the other IMD stations around the world. I have therefore created some charts that show the reliability of paths to Italy, East Coast of USA, West Coast USA, Iceland, Newfoundland and Uruguay - the locations of the majority of the IMD stations. These should help you get your award. See http://www.infotechcomms.net/IMD/ For info, they were created using HamCap (a VOACAP-based program) using a smoothed sunspot number of 41 and based on 100W CW to a dipole at 35ft. Scale your results accordingly.

UK Propagation charts for April 2011

This month's predictions are based on a smoothed sunspot number of 41. Expect to see good openings up to 15m, with 12m/10m making a good showing if the flux remains high. April is also good for North/South paths, such as UK<>South Africa/South America. I would expect to see the Sporadic E season starting around 1st May too. So good DX. Anyway, here are the charts.