HF Digital Propagation Tools - A MUST Know

What propagation tools are available today? How and when do you use them? This is a must know for anyone working the Ham Radio Digital Bands. Especially if you are trying to do "Digital Directed Calls." I break it down in simple to understand concepts to improve your outcomes.
Links
hf.dxview.org/perspective/
www.pskreporter.info/pskmap.html
www.wsprnet.org/drupal/
gridtracker.org/
EMCOMM2 Duel Wire Setup: • EFHW EMCOMM 2 Using Tw...
Top 4 HF Digital Modes For Preppers: • Top 4 HF Digital Data ...

[@dougbas3980]

I am very old 76yo and do not have a local SHTF group. Your videos have me thinking about if I can create a group. Thank you.😀

[@hamradiomadesimple]

You can do it! I am working on building out an EMCOMM plan now. Hard to do since there are so many variables. Ping me in 2 weeks and see how much progress I have made. I will share it with you!

[@Jeff-ml4uj]

Keep it up, please! I've had my General license and talked on HF for a year and learn something new with every one of your videos

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Full disclosure Jeff, as I seek to learn "Best Practice Techniques", I really dig deep and work on the next episode at the same time. I don't want other to NOT know about this stuff or take a long time to learn this. I am sharing what I am learning as I go!! Glad to know others are looking for this type of info. Also, I am presenting this in such a different way (pure educational) that I am surprised that many will watch it in this format. This channel is not focused on me (personality) but the content. Always will be this way. I actually don't like to have my picture out there. I have shied away from anyone taking pictures. NO social media presence what's so ever BUT I am passionate to help others shorten the learning curve and become the best they can with all this. I still have so much to learn and am grateful for others who are smarter than me to point me in the right direction. Thanks for taking the time to post this my friend!!

[@alandigiovanni5282]

Thank you for the very comprehensive video. Very well done!

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Glad it was helpful!

[@gary6212]

This is great content - I don't know of anything comparable - exactly what I needed as I get my rig and antennas setup and try to figure out what I can actually hit.

[@hamradiomadesimple]

As usual, thanks Gary for the kind words!!!!!!!!!! Pass this info on to others. Stuff I wish I had access to when FIRST setting up my gear. Let's share and shorten the learning curve for the guys behind us. Have a great day.

[@MrJakeXXL]

Great content as always MJ. So glad you’re feeling better.

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Thanks so much for thinking about my health. Finally able to move around without the pain. Long recovery but well worth all the surgeries! Hope you are having fun with the digital side of ham radio. Working next on using the sound card setting PER digital app. Never knew this stuff until I dig into the manual.

[@jimcoon]

Awesome, informative video, MJ!

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Appreciate it Jim, can't wait to get online with you soon!

[@HALEdigitalARTS]

Nice. Thanks!

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Thanks Jim and I hope it helps you make more contacts and less frustrating :-)

[@bradfordwilliams9760]

Thanks!

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Here you go again my friend. We need to catch up soon when time permits on your end. Thanks once again.

[@Emanemoston]

Thanks for the video.

[@hamradiomadesimple]

You bet and I hope they are helping!!

[@TheHellfiremissile]

Many Tnx

[@hamradiomadesimple]

So glad it is helping you. Thanks for taking the time to post this.

[@AlvinMcManus]

I cannot get anywhere near 30 feet without spending $$$ so I just got a DX Commander Classic and my EFHW 10-40.

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Great choice for an antenna. Let me know how it works for you!!

[@stuarthall3874]

MJ, thanks for your video series! I am a little confused by your mention of Smith Charts in regard to radiation patterns. The Smith Chart I'm aware of refers to measurement of antenna impedance.

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Your absolutely correct! I did cause some confusion on this one. When I use my antenna analyzer and set it for Smith Chart, I also get the radiation patterns too. I did not make that clear so I really thank you for pointing this out.

[@stuarthall3874]

@hamradiomadesimple Thanks for the clarification. I'm new to Smith Charts and thought I was missing something.

[@antonioaprado]

For Winlink email without internet, what about the RF-only-capable gateways? I can’t deduce from all the literature out there on this whether that makes non-internet asynchronous messaging possible.

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Winlink Vara HF has two option. With the use of Gateways - internet connection - at a designated station & P2P without the use of a Gateway - no internet. When in the P2P mode, both operators must be on the same frequency at the same time. Only one needs to connect to work. I.E. Phil and I are on the same frequency at that same time and I have a message in my outbox to Phil, when he connects to me, he picks up his email I am sending him from my outbox. He then leaves me his message in my inbox. Session ends. I have his email for me and he has my email for him. You both have to be in the P2P mode with all the settings correct. Pure HF email with no internet involved.

[@antonioaprado]

@@hamradiomadesimple Thanks. That makes sense. I noticed that the channel selection pop up window in Winlink has a pull-down menu on the top right that includes an option for “RF-only capable” gateways. When I log in, the gateway has a message that says it sends by RF if there is no internet connection. How would my email then get to my recipient (in this case, a fellow ham)? Does the gateway store the message and then he would have to log into the same gateway? I haven’t seen anything that does a good job explaining the role of these RF-only, supposedly off grid, gateways.

[@hamradiomadesimple]

The Winlink Gateways operate like a typical email server, holding and forwarding emails. Not so with P2P Some helpful info from the manual: When operating with the normal Winlink system, you can connect to any RMS to send and receive messages. Because messages are stored in the "backbone" Amazon cloud system, a message sent through any RMS can be received through any RMS. Winlink also can be operated as in a radio-only mode of operation called the "HyBrid Network" where messages are stored on RMS themselves without being transferred to a CMS. The radio-only system is designed primarily for use by agencies during an Internet outage, but it could be used at other times. Here is a diagram illustrating the topology of the Hybrid Network when operating with radio-only message transfers. Both Pactor and now Vara HF can be used to move messages. More info here: winlink.org/HybridNetwork

[@Thinks-First]

Constructive criticism. If the title of your video is a specific subject please don't make the viewer wait until 6:45 to get right to it. The information is great, but it's a bit out of order. Start at how you did at 6:45 then go into the other things like your antennas and how you personally do things. That would be a better flow and keep the viewer locked in. But waiting almost 7 minutes to get to what was indicated in the title is a bit trying. Please take as helpful comment.

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Ok, thanks for posting this.

[@ChaplainDaveSparks]

_"Probing potential propagation paths"?_ Say that 10 times fast ...

[@hamradiomadesimple]

No way with my Neuro issues LOL....

[@CC-hk6vy]

A lot of noise upfront, saying really nothing. i'd advise getting to the point a little faster to save us all from turning off. .

[@hamradiomadesimple]

LOL......

[@bradfordwilliams9760]

Thanks!

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Thanks Brad for your generosity. Great tools to us to improve outcomes! I use them all the time.