The HF amateur bands run from 1.8 MHz to 29.7 MHz and carry signals worldwide by refracting off the ionosphere, with no infrastructure between stations.
Each band has its own character. 160 and 80 metres favour regional work and night-time NVIS coverage, 40 metres delivers dependable evening DX, and 20 metres stays open through most daylight hours as the reliable long-haul band. 15 and 10 metres depend heavily on solar activity and come alive near the peak of a solar cycle. In the UK the 5 MHz allocation is granted as discrete segments rather than one continuous band.
Two numbers predict most of it. A solar flux index above roughly 150 lifts the higher bands, while a K index above 4 signals geomagnetic disturbance that degrades paths, polar routes first. Current figures are on the Propagation Score page. Propagation decides far more than transmitter power.
This is the full guide behind the DXpedition Calendar tool on this site. Open the tool for the live list; read on for how a DXpedition works and how to get into the log. Some places on earth only appear on the amateur bands for a fortnight every few years. Working a DXpedition is how … Read more
The 18 NCDXF/IARU beacons, the three-minute cycle, the frequencies and power steps, and how to use them to check a path or an antenna in a minute.
What solar flux, sunspot number, K and A indices, MUF and the grey line really mean for HF, and how the G7RDX Propagation Score turns them into one number per band.
How a DX cluster works, how to read a spot, why you cannot hear a spotted station, busted spots, PSK Reporter and how to judge band conditions from the live feed.
Sending beacons on 40m and 20m on VarAC digital mode Spotted on the 3rd March 2023 GMT 09:51:33 at 14.105 MHz on 20 meter band. G7RDX setup for VarAC Antenna: Homebrew EFHW Radio: Icom IC-7610 Power: 100w Software: VarAC https://www.varac-hamradio.com/ Vara HF https://rosmodem.wordpress.com/2017/09/03/vara-hf-modem/ FLrig http://www.w1hkj.com/ Map: PSKReporter https://pskreporter.info/pskmap.html?preset&callsign=G7RDX&txrx=rx&timerange=86400&hideunrec=1&blankifnone=1&showsnr=1&hidestats=1&showlines=1&mapCenter=29.66485128954379,-9.085382466115602,2.6910473918435622 You can follow Michael KH6ML at https://www.winlink.org/blogs/kh6ml
28.074 has been very active in the last weeks here in IO91. Many Japanese stations on 10m this morning. G7RDX using JTDX for FT8 on 10m
Band Plan 60m This 5Mhz Band Plan has been updated on 4 May 2022. 5258.5 kHz – 5264.0 kHz CW 5.262MHz – CW QRP Only 5.278.50MHz – USB frequency 5.290MHz – BEACONS 5.298.50MHz – USB Frequency 5.301MHz – USB Frequency 5.304MHz – USB Frequency 5.317MHz – AM Frequency (Do not exceed 6 kHz bandwidth) 5.320MHz … Read more
RSGB 80m CC DATA RTTY and PSK31 contest RSGB 80m CC DATA contests are the busiest events of the RSGB weekly calendar. If you like contesting on 80m don’t miss this series. NON-UK stations welcome. Look at my waterfall with a full size dipole at 12m above the ground level. RSGB 3.5MHz Club Championship Contests … Read more