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.

Podcast: HF Propagation Report, March 2011

A look at the last 30 days' solar and geomagnetic conditions and how Solar Cycle 24 is really humming now. What you can work on HF with the right conditions.

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.

UK Propagation charts for March 2011

I said last month that conditions had been dire - and then the flux rose up to 125. Yippee! Unfortunately, there was flare activity as well, so the bands were up and down with good F2 layer openings, but then aurora as well. I expect conditions to be similar in March with big swings in the solar index as spots rotate into view and then disappear. This month's predictions are based on a smoothed sunspot number of 39. Expect to see openings up to 15m, perhaps even 12m/10m if conditions continue to improve. March is also good for North/South paths, such as Uk<>South Africa. So good DX. Anyway, here are the charts.

Ionospheric Sounding and Digisondes

I recently gave a talk to my local club on ionospheric sounders (Digisondes). I will probably give the talk at the RSGB Convention in October 2011 as it seemed well received. While quite a complex subject, I have added some notes to the presentation to try and make it standalone. The PDF explains what they are, what they show and how to use them. It also has links to free real-time digisonde plots from around the world and an historical database. You can download the 4.1Mb PDF here.

Podcast: HF Propagation Report, February 2011

A look at the last 30 days' solar and geomagnetic conditions, NASA's new prediction for Solar Cycle 24, a band-by-band breakdown and a short look at NASA's STEREO spacecraft.

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.