Resources for Predicting HF Band Conditions for Ham Radio

These are my go-to resources for checking how HF band conditions are before operating ham radio in the hf bands. #hamradio #portablehamradio #radiopropagation
Links to sites mentioned in the video:
solarham.com/index.htm
prop.kc2g.com

[@spaceflight1019]

I've been doing radio for 60 years, and here's what I have seen from Cycle 25 thus far: The 10 meter band has opened up after the fall equinox and closed down after the spring equinox. So far, there has been no sporadic E propagation and the MUF has stayed relatively low despite some stellar solar flux index numbers. Winter time noise levels on 160-40 have been low, but for some reason the 3790-3800 kHz DX window has been silent. 40 has been the prime nighttime DX band, with propagation sometimes rivaling what 10 meters is doing in the daytime. The last two weeks of October and the first two weeks of November were the best, with daily bursts of California Highway Patrol on 42 MHz. I fondly remember solar cycles where propagation was East-west in the fall and winter and north-south in the spring and summer. A decent receiver and antenna could easily hear the DX from the old 46-49 MHz cordless phones and walkie talkies. I'm not hearing any of that yet, but the thing about radio is that it's a dynamic hobby. I've worked the big DX when the band was supposed to be closed and listened to nothing but static when the band was supposed to be open. You just never know, and that's part of the challenge, and the fun.

[@Radio.Norbair]

Mr Walt, it would be fantastic if you actually walked us through what some of the graphs and data mean. As always, watching your content. 73s

[@SuperCapsfan101]

Hi, Walt. Good info! Also, kudos on your QRZ article - your membership should get an upturn from readers previously unfamiliar with your work. Keep ‘em coming! 73, Mike K3CXG who dat!

[@DM7XK]

Great info, Walt. Always nice to see you in front of that Berlin map. 73 from Germany

[@F4LDT-Alain]

Thanks for the useful tips, Walt. These two sites duly bookmarked. I'm getting to the end of my 5-day vacation by the sea here in Brittany. I had high hopes for portable operation, especially looking forward to your famous salt water boost! I came with a full car of gear, poles, wires and antennas. Well, my hopes have been dashed by the current round of solar flares that have pretty much killed the bands. My legendary luck at work again 😆 Still had one good day on the beach with the G90 and a 7.6m random wire vertical+radials, working QSOs from all over Europe, from Sweden to Gibraltar. Better than nothing.

[@topgunner16]

Just a tech here...for now. I'm still blown away I made it to Easter island from Florida on a 30 watt radio 10 meter band. The conditions were great that day. Thank walt for all you do . Your information is vary intuitive.

[@vicmiller7191]

Congrats on the Easter Island contact.

[@spaceflight1019]

Let me tell you a secret: 10 meters is the REAL Magic Band! You will get the most bang for the buck here and will see great results from old CB gear.

[@franciscolopez3229]

​@@spaceflight1019Couldn't agree more. For poor ham like me, I'm just using a President HR2510 and been making lots of great contacts with it barefoot 15 to 20 watts P.E.P.. If there's no body on 10, I go 11 meter freeband. Worked most of Europe and the farthest I've made contact was with Brazil which more than 18,000 km from my station here in the Philippines with just a rotary dipole at 22 feet. '73 everyone, DW1QEW / 79AC035.

[@OnlyTheEd]

So glad they opened up 10 meters for "no-code" technician class licensees......Too bad us "Advanced" class licensees aren't grandfathered in to all of the bands' privileges.....makes it so hard to remember where I cannot operate.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

@OnlyTheEd I’m an Extra but if would have ever been an Advanced I would never upgrade. What a cool and exclusive club to be in.

[@mobiltec]

Yep. Conditions haven't been very good lately. Especially for us Techs stuck on a small sliver of 10m. More motivation to upgrade so I can play on that 20 meter band. Thanks for the links Walt. Great help to all of us.

[@travisbakeriii3053]

I can relate. I'm in the same boat, as well as the thinking to upgrade and for the same reasons. 73 KD9ZMK

[@daveengstrom9250]

@@travisbakeriii3053 Go for it. My Extra test took me about 10 minutes. Because I live in a remote area, I took the test on line. If you study, go all the way. Then you will be DONE for life. Here is a hint for you: There are only 2 math questions on the test. You can afford to lose those. The math stops too many people. Just forget about it. You got this.

[@spaceflight1019]

20 isn't much better.

[@franciscolopez3229]

Yup, same here. It is quiet on 10 since this is the only hf radio I have. Hope it gets better. DW1QEW.

[@CQRagchew]

Walt, thank you so much for the great information! You're the "New Ham Sherpa." As a new HF Ham I have run into days that are terrible with the exact same setup that has been beautiful before. I bookmarked these websites you provided! :)

[@cWatts-zv3oo]

Just what the doctor ordered! Great information Walt, thanks!

[@brianfields4479]

thanks for sharing, great info for all. I must admit, I have never checked anywhere for anything before I go on the air, 20m is always open here, even when people were saying the bands are dead, I still worked vp8 with qrp ssb hi hi, you never quite know until the cq goes out, thats the exciting part of the hobby I like. The only thing i need is to hit the greyline exactly when it peaks over me. 73.

[@codymaly652]

Just picked up an Inovato Ham Clock and a 24" monitor for a grand total investment of $100. Great investment. Just learning what all it can do but it's an amazing all-in-one tool for the HF operator. Loving your informative videos, Walt! 73 de KT5CCM

[@vcl608]

Thanks!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you so very much for supporting the channel! 73, Walt

[@vcl608]

Hey Walt, thank you for this video. I second some of the comments below about asking you to do a more detailed vid walking us through how to interpolate this information. Always enjoy your content so I made a contribution to help support your channel. Thank you!

[@rjy8960]

Thanks Walt - really useful! I'm in the UK and have the Chilton Ionosonde about 50 miles from my QTH. It's a goldmine on my doorstep :) It was down for a lot of 2023 but had a new transmitter fitted and seems to be reliable again.

[@BigJohnsHamShack]

Appreciate you Walt!

[@chuckrann9784]

I was just going to do some investigation but you provided the answers. Thanks Walt. Got the ham shack cleaned out, radio up and running (lithium b/up battery is very low), and a 40 meter loop up in the back yard (low so far). What do I find? A radio blackout due to X class solar flares. I was hoping for a more successful startup since I’ve been off since 1996. Hope to run into you some early early morning. 73 - N4SHO

[@garygill7960]

Thank you Walt. We always appreciate your videos.

[@JamesHindsW5ATJ]

Great information. Thanks Walt.

[@allanbell1675]

Thanks for the info. I check Reverse beacon look up. Send out call sign in CW and check where it's been seen.

[@brucecash3939]

Good information Walt. I look at those just before I get on the air. Propagation has been weird the last week or so. Good sun spot and flux#’s but low MUR. I enjoy your videos and the insight you provide. Thank you. Keep em coming.

[@bob-N4REE]

Perfect! Thanks Walt.

[@jstrunck]

Thanks for the links Walt! I had not seen the first link. Looks like a great resource! John

[@ryank5tar]

Thanks for the info, Walt

[@stevesoar9373]

Very helpful, thanks!

[@MyHamRadioJourney]

Thanks Walt! These are some useful sites I will consult before my next POTA trip. 73s

[@NickelodeonTuber]

Thank you for sharing the useful links, Walt. 73 my friend!

[@WECB640]

Great suggestions Walt. 73

[@pasjeihobby]

Thanks for links 👍

[@petermichaelcapani7253]

Thanks, Walt. Great information. --Pete AC5MF

[@ChrisKD9YSW]

Thanks for this Walt! 73

[@VE3DAL]

Hey Walt thanks for sharing! Very useful info 73's my friend.

[@zer0cool63]

just wanted to say I love your videos .. i live in san diego ca and i really want to go down to the bay any try your pool noodle for a counter pose ... i really wish i had went with the g90 after watching your videos .. but i went with the ft891 for the 6m oooo that was only active once since but keep the videos coming i love them.. i almost thought my ft891 lost 2 bands the past few weeks 10m and 12m i could not get out on at all psk reporter said i was not getting to anyone i almost bought a new radio but then 2 days agaio they started working again i guess it was bad conditions.. thanks for the info

[@georgebradshaw474]

Hi Walt, agree the M.U.F. gives information, which is useful when planning an outdoor activation. Thanks for both websites - I’ll use them for my next outing. Also: Two packages are going to be delivered to your QTH on Saturday - USPS & Amazon. Explanation within each. Enjoy & have a safe trek to Ohio next week. AC3EA

[@CamilleCullen-ow6qj]

Thanks Walt, great info as always!! Robert K5TPC

[@OnlyTheEd]

Right now that site is showing for Iowa area: 18 to 21 mHz openings.....no wonder 24 is 'dead'

[@joewallace3920]

I tried some pota while on a road trip last week. Tried in Tennessee, Alabama and Florida and struck out.

[@davidgardiner3439]

Should have checked those before doing SOTA today,barely made my 4 contacts. On holidays in Outer Banks in July & looking forward to some beach operating.

[@truckinguy92]

The sad thing is I know someone that just goes digital FT8/4. I’m like you Walt if I can’t make voice contacts I might as well not go out. MUF has been missing from the QRZ page and another one I follow.

[@agoraphobicadam1171]

Thanks Walt. KO4HPC 73 :)

[@andrewagner2035]

Hi Walt. Greetings from Cape Town. Do you ever use the beacons of the IARU beacon project?

[@Tommyr]

Also check the reverse beacon network.

[@seanfoley7097]

I'm actually dxing across the pond on 20 M at 3:00 a.m. eastern standard time

[@johnorrells3797]

Walt, thank you for the information. Can you explain why of late the solar date has been saying 30-20m day poor 17-15m day good 12-10m day good. Seems to me to be the wrong way around with 20m poor and 15m good in day time. My experience of late has been 20m day fair higher bands dead.

[@daveengstrom9250]

Man, this stuff is dynamite (modern sorcery). I know you like the saltwater stuff, but a bit of a hint for you: If you exchange the salt for baking powder you might also do well. Let me explain. Try setting up in front of a doughnut shop. On days when you can't make DX contacts, you wont be far from a hot cup of coffee and a few doughnuts. WIN WIN!! Just kidding. You really put out some quality stuff. I love it.

[@d3w4yn3]

Good reminder, I can spend days studying some antenna or tuner or choke or rig and miss the fact that the bands were bad, not the gear.

[@MrStanwyck]

Thanks Walt…. The bands have definitely been subpar lately…

[@KrypticPatriot]

Do a CQ on FT8 before you leave, then go to PSK reporter... that is the most accurate way to see what is going on before you go IMO !!!

[@haxwithaxe]

Voacap is good for offline HF forecasts.

[@jstoltenburg]

I was trying to practice my copy skills today just listening to CW on 17m, and then everybody disappeared. I thought my radio had died. The pan adapter just went blue.

[@aj2isotadxing]

See if you hear yourself on a web sdr is another helpful tool

[@wildbill1]

VOACAP

[@KeystoneInvestigations]

MUF....Maximum Usable Frequency. Huh, here all this time I thought MUF stood for Maximum Undesirable FT8! 😃

[@tpcdude]

I still can't read these charts .. maybe it's because i am color-blind. I need to know 40M conditions as 12noon est M-F .. conditions were great and fell out around 3 weeks ago.

[@MadGoat]

... So, does this mean that I'm entering Amateur radio at the wrong time, if the max will be in 2025-2026, it's going to be getting progressively more difficult for the next little while?

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

No, right now is the absolute best time

[@spaceflight1019]

There's no such thing as the wrong time! Just turn it on and tune around. Call CQ, because if everyone is listening then the band seems dead when it's not. Have fun!

[@Jazzclub101]

do these websites have widgets

[@unclemikeyplays]

Solar Maximum is turning out to be really bumpy, isn't it?

[@spaceflight1019]

So far, it hasn't been like anything I've seen in the past 60 years.

[@markkoehler5110]

Always check the muf 😂

[@johnnorth9355]

I just turn the radio on. Quick sweep and I know all I need to know. If all I can hear is the Kilowatt/Yagi club then I find something else to do. 73 M7BLC.

[@jomckarth4836]

correct, dont need all that fancy stuff either.... turn the radio on ...... - no need to boot up the comp

[@christophermarshall5765]

Conditions here in Australia haven't been good in recent weeks for this reason.