Sunday, December 1, 2013

HF Testing Continues from North Amreica - D-Star News

  Kent Hufford, KQ4KK, reports that the International D-STAR HF Testing Net is continuing in North America with its just issued winter schedule. Net sponsors say that they routinely have two way communications coast to coast, north to south, and have had two way contacts to Europe and Japan.
The net is on each band only for 5 minutes and will spend less time if a given band is dead. The net also may need to move early or if the frequency is busy. It’s also wise for D-STAR operators to monitor reflector REF030C to coordinate.
Also, please keep an eye on hf.dstar- relay.net for the latest information. A video demonstration of how all this comes together is on YouTube at tinyurl.com/DSTAR- ON-HF. (KQ4KK, VHF Reflector)
HAM HAPPENINGS: CALL FOR PAPERS AT THE 2014 SOUTH AFRICA RTA SYMPOSIUM
The South African Radio League has put out a call for papers to be presented at the Radio Technology in Action symposium or to be included in the symposium CD. The event is slated for July of 2014 and if you have a subject that you would like to present at the Radio Technology in Action please visit no later than December 15th to http://www.amateurradio.org.za/rta.htm 
 (SARL)

My Stamp Collecting Blog

Counter Added January 1, 2011

free counters

HOW TO READ PROPAGATION NUMBERS

The A index [ LOW is GOOD ]

  • 1 to 6 is BEST
  • 7 to 9 is OK
  • 11 or more is BAD

Represents the overall geomagnetic condition of the ionosphere ("Ap" if averaged from the Kp-Index) (an average of the eight 3-hour K-Indices) ('A' referring to amplitude) over a given 24 hour period, ranging (linearly) typically from 1-100 but theoretically up to 400.

A lower A-Index generally suggests better propagation on the 10, 12, 15, 17, & 20 Meter Bands; a low & steady Ap-Index generally suggest good propagation on the 30, 40, 60, 80, & 160 Meter Bands.

SFI index [ HIGH is GOOD ]

  • 70 NOT GOOD
  • 80 GOOD
  • 90 BETTER
  • 100+ BEST

The measure of total radio emissions from the sun at 10.7cm (2800 MHz), on a scale of 60 (no sunspots) to 300, generally corresponding to the sunspot level, but being too low in energy to cause ionization, not related to the ionization level of the Ionosphere.

Higher Solar Flux generally suggests better propagation on the 10, 12, 15, 17, & 20 Meter Bands; Solar Flux rarely affects the 30, 40, 60, 80, & 160 Meter Bands.

K index [ LOW is GOOD ]

  • 0 or 1 is BEST
  • 2 is OK
  • 3 or more is BAD
  • 5 is VERY VERY BAD

The overall geomagnetic condition of the ionosphere ("Kp" if averaged over the planet) over the past 3 hours, measured by 13 magnetometers between 46 & 63 degrees of latitude, and ranging quasi-logarithmically from 0-9. Designed to detect solar particle radiation by its magnetic effect. A higher K-index generally means worse HF conditions.

A lower K-Index generally suggests better propagation on the 10, 12, 15, 17, & 20 Meter Bands; a low & steady Kp-Index generally suggest good propagation on the 30, 40, 60, 80, & 160 Meter Bands.

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