Excellent HF to eastern Europe

 Conditions to Eastern Europe seem good at the moment.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

What propagation mode?

On 8m FT8 today, my 2.5W to a low dipole has been spotted by 2 stations in Eire. This is too far (I think) for usual tropo and there seems to be a blackout on F2. I suppose it could be aircraft scatter.

European openings (Wednesday)

The impression I have is that things are not as good as yesterday on 10m and 6m as far as propagation in Europe is concerned. Unless things get better, I think I shall give 8m FT8 a miss today.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

Fewer EU openings today?

 It looks like there are fewer European openings today, which may account for just English reports so far (1039z) on 6m FT8.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

Promising HF conditions today

It looks like the MUF today could be the highest this sunspot cycle according to the charts I have seen. It is always worth checking these.

See https://prop.kc2g.com/

Propagation mode?

Both yesterday and the day before, I had over 70 reports of my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon. Today I have had just a few reports and these could be by F2. Es can be very localised with strong signals somewhere and nothing a few kilometres away.

On 8m I am frequently spotted by EI9KP (649km). This happens so often that I suspect some other form of propagation other than F2 or Es is involved such as random meteors or aircraft scatter. 

The period of FT8 makes me think random meteors or aircraft unlikely. It is far too far to EI9KP for tropo. 

Am I missing something? 

Propagation predictions

When I operate I tend to take pot luck. Others make use of propagation predictions, in which case this site may be of use. There are others.

See https://www.propquest.co.uk/map.php. 

Realtime HF predictions

Southgate News reports on a website that gives near realtime HF predictions.

See http://www.bandconditions.com/

New webpage about HF conditions

Yesterday, I added a new page to my main website. This is about HF conditions.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/hfcondx .

All the pages on my main website may be accessed at http://www.g3xbm.co.uk.  Here, if you drill down, you will find a wealth of data and projects.

Propagation Prediction Tool

Thanks again to Southgate News for pointing me to this resource for propagation prediction. I have  yet to try it, but it assumes 100W and a dipole, so JT65 should work with much lower powers, as long as the path is "open".

See http://www.predtest.uk/ .

See also: http://www.itu.int/oth/R0A0400006F/en

No early Es on 10m today

Unlike yesterday, I was spotted by no-one early on 10m Es today. Es is sporadic so it is entirely possible 10m and 6m could open to somewhere later. F2 openings are unlikely although not impossible on N-S paths, especially if we see Es and F2 propagation combined.

UPDATE 1625z:  Just local G4KPX (14km) spotting me on 10m today. No sign of Es on either 10m or 6m WSPR here.

Useful propagation charts

This series of charts (change months and bands as required) is a useful guide to HF propagation. Like all such forecasts, caveat emptor as they said in Rome. I think this comes from G0KYA.  See http://www.infotechcomms.net/propcharts/february/ .

Another source for solar data was http://www.solan.info/solar , but when I last checked this page had gone. I am not sure what happened. All I get now is a link for hotels!

Another source (which works) is http://www.solarham.net/ .

As you know, I try to add current data on my blog most days. This comes from http://www.hamqsl.com/solar.html .

Somewhere in this lot you should find the data you need.

Sunspots,10m and 6m

Sunspot count is 102 today (higher than of late) and 20-30MHz propagation is forecast to be "good", so better than of late. 10m could be better for F-layer propagation today.

So far, it has been quiet on 6m again with just locals spotting me on WSPR  - G4IKZ (18km)  and G4KPX (14km). No sign of Es yet at 1040z.

6m GDX and Es on WSPR today

Several examples of 6m GDX today so far: G8JNJ/A (184km) spotted my 1W ERP at -25dB S/N with no Doppler evident at 0850z and G3WKW (134km) was spotted with 4Hz Doppler at 1006z, presumably with the aid of aircraft reflection.  At 1032z G4VXE (136km) spotted me at -23dB S/N without apparent Doppler. So far, no Es noticed here, but it is early yet.

Sunspot count is "only" 55 ( this will be considered marvelous in 1 years' time!) and 20-30MHz propagation "normal", so F-layer DX is questionable on 10m.  Of course, on 6m and 10m Es does not really get impacted by sunspots (I think) so both 10m and 6m could open Europe-wide later, possibly much further by multi-hop Es.

UPDATE 1256z:   6m spots also received from G4BRK (134km) and M0ZRQ (102km) around 1200-1248z. Still no Es yet today here. It has been a significant day for 6m GDX today with 5 different stations in the range 100-184km either spotting my 1W ERP or being spotted by me. Wonderful stuff this WSPR!

UPDATE 1725z:   CN8LI (2113km) just spotted my 1W ERP for first 6m Es here today at 1722z.

UPDATE 1935z:   A spot of CN8LI at 1748z and M0EMM (192km) for the best GDX spot of the day at 1908z. Today has been excellent for GDX. Doppler on M0EMM was 2Hz so probably helped by aircraft reflection.

UPDATE 2100z:   A late Es opening to France  at 2048z. F6HTL(831km) spotted me at -22dB S/N.

6m uniques today on WSPR

Realtime Propagation Charts

G0KYA has a most useful page offering realtime propagation predictions in the form of maps showing exactly where signals should reach on a given band at a given time of day. It uses the latest available solar data so should be a very good guide. The maps assume 100W and a dipole at medium height, so for a QRP station the results to be expected will be less good.