I have now updated my propagation maps with the latest predicted smoothed sunspot numbers for the period up until the end of June 2018.
You can access them using this link.
The sunspot numbers continue to fall as we head towards sunspot minimum sometime around 2019.
If you use the charts look for about 60-70% reliability for SSB (yellow or hotter) and perhaps 40-50% for CW or PSK (green). For FT8 you may be able to work stations where the reliability is down to 20-30% (blue).
Of course, these are a guide and if you want to try making charts for your own station I recommend the online software at either voacap.com or www.predtest.uk/
You can access them using this link.
The sunspot numbers continue to fall as we head towards sunspot minimum sometime around 2019.
If you use the charts look for about 60-70% reliability for SSB (yellow or hotter) and perhaps 40-50% for CW or PSK (green). For FT8 you may be able to work stations where the reliability is down to 20-30% (blue).
Of course, these are a guide and if you want to try making charts for your own station I recommend the online software at either voacap.com or www.predtest.uk/
Thanks!
ReplyDeleteFor information, I worked VK on FT8 this morning at 24MHz, where the predicted reliability (ITURHFProp)at the moment of QSO was showing as only 15%.