Solar Index and Propagation Made Easy - HF Ham Radio
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- Опубліковано 10 лип 2024
- Solar Index and Propagation Made Easy - HF Ham Radio
In this video, we take a simplistic approach to discussing; Solar Indices, Sunspots, propagation, and the grayline. Please post any questions, comments, recommendations, or suggestions below.
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Thanks,
TheSmokinApe
That was possibly one of the most concise & easy to understand explanations of radio propagation I've ever see. Thanks for putting it together.
73
AE0YH
Thanks Tom, glad it was helpful 👍
Wow! Finally someone explains it in simple form to help grasp the report without the rabbit holes. Thanks!!!
Glad it was helpful, thanks for watching 👍
after studying heliophysics for 10 years, best thing i learned was to turn on the radio, listen, and get on the key. that'll tell you all you need to know. every speck of data becomes more relevant when skip isn't working. good video
Thanks for watching GS 👍
@TheSmokinApe also, i believe this can be highly variable depending on location. we had kp8 on a g4 storm, s6 noise level, and conditions were dead flat in ohio. people in texas said it was steady s9+ solid modulation. seems the southern hemisphere has been getting the bulk of the conditions lately, on 11m anyhow. thoughts?
Yes, you are correct. It can vary based off location.
I've been a ham for decades but I really never paid enough attention to propagation to have a solid grasp of the basics. This video is exactly what I needed - thanks!
Glad it was helpful Flapjack, thanks for watching 👍
I'm a newly licensed (last spring-2020) ham. I've studied all the material and passed all the levels of Amateur licenses during the Pandemic. I must tell you I have never seen a youtube video that explains the propagation of RF more clearly. You are doing a great job helping new hams get a handle on how the theory relates to the real world. Nice work! 73 de KC3PBY
Thanks John, I'm glad the video was helpful. Congrats on taking the plunge into Ham Radio!
Very good job without being too complicated.
Thank Mike 👍
Superb job of making a Complex Topic ... Easily Understandable! KUDOS!
Glad you liked it!
Thank you!
This excellent video taught me a lot about HF Propagation as impacted by the Solar Indices.
As a result, I shared my knowledge of this fascinating subject on my QRZ and QSL websites.
4X4XM Doron Tal (Tirkel)
Thanks Doron, glad you liked it 👍
Super informative. It helped me better understand propagation, AND the graphic that I put on our club website but had no idea what it meant. 😅 Thank you!
Glad it was helpful, thanks for checking it out 👍
I am so thankful for you. I have been out of radio for 30 years and watching your videos have encouraged me to get back in. I think of you as my instructor, and I have learned a great deal. You are an excellent teacher and a blessing to me. N4KBM.
That’s awesome you are getting back into it, thanks for the kind words about the channel 👍
@@TheSmokinApe Were it not for you I would not have gotten back in. Pride yourself on helping someone that you do not even know. I suspect there are others like me who have been influenced by your work. God bless...
That's why I do it, good luck moving forward and don't hesitate to reach out with questions.
Great video. It confirms what I see when looking at my FT8 waterfall, and the K values etc.
Thanks Lion, I appreciate you checking it out 👍
Good video! I forgot how much I forgot! Thanks for clarifying it up again.
Thanks for checking it out Ron 👍
Outstanding video. Thanks Ape, nice work ! I've always been interested in the atmosphere and meteorology and now that I have my license, I have a whole new "angle" of curiosity -
Thanks PT, glad you liked it 👍
Awesome explanation! Now I know how to read those charts!
Thanks Charles, glad it was helpful 👍
Ape this was very very good. Now i know what my Geochron is telling me each day. That first chart you showed is what my Geochron puts up every date. Thanks, maybe we can meet at Hamcation this year.
Thanks man, I haven't decided if I am going on not. Either way hope you have a good time 👍
Everyone should have a NANOMagnetometer in their kit. LOL Great video! Thanks for the info.
Hahaha, Thanks for watching KM4ACK!
Wow, I’m subscribing, just enough to move me along in getting to know just a bit more about this baffling subject!
Awesome, thanks for the sub Max!
Thank You for the information!
Thanks for watching Donald 👍
Excellent!!!
Glad you liked it 👍
Highly consumable, thanks!
Thanks, glad you liked it 👍
Perfect timing! I was just reading up on the topic this week.
Awesome, hope you like it!
Excellent job. Thanks
Thanks Fred, glad you liked it 👍
Excellent presentation of a complex subject. Thanks, 73 F5VJC
Thanks Denis 👍
This is great. Thanks man.
Thanks for watching JJ
Thanks for the explanations Ape!
Thanks for checking out the video!
Great presentation, well done! Thank you!
Thanks HD, glad you liked it!
Very helpful, great explanation of propagation. 73
Thanks!
Very nice job with this subject, Ape! A tough one to condense with clarity. Once again the scholar (and gentleman) "nails" it. Thank you!
Thanks for the feedback N3JW 👍
Very well done vid!
Excellent presentation......
Thanks RJ, glad you liked it 👍
Thanks for this Ape - clear as mud now ;) lol Just kidding, this helps a LOT! I am sure I'll watch this multiple times.
Haha, thanks for checking it out Shawn 👍
Good on your explanations.Thank you for taking time to research this topic.
Thanks for watching it Ron
Best explanation I have ever heard. Well done.
Thanks for the feedback Art, glad you liked the video 👍
We really need to hear this stuff, thanks Ape! (I clicked all the buttons btw, and it made me happy. I also got +3db gain on all my antennas.)
Haha, thanks for the feedback Dennis 👍
Well done video Ape, one of the best shortened explanation I have heard.👍
Awesome, thanks Mike 👍
It’s very useful video for new hams. I love the way it’s presented. Subscribed!!!!
Glad you liked it 👍
Outstanding overview Ape! No weeds... just pure Grass!
Nice point on the grayline discussion and the D layer.
Much appreciated, thanks for watching Phil!
Great video, thanks!
Thanks Eric, glad you liked it 👍
Hello Ape, I was looking through through some UA-cam channels for Amateur Radio information and found this one. I know that you put this out months ago, but I wanted to let you know that I found it very interesting and informative. This kind of information never gets old or becomes obsolete. Thanks again!
Thanks for the feedback William, I am glad you found the video useful 👍
Well done !
Thank you 🙏
#ThNHR
#TeamReplay for the win!
Man, you did a wonderful job explaining this.
Thank you.
Thanks No Code, glad you liked it 👍
You have a wonderful UA-cam personality, helpful content and the best logo! Good job Ape.
Thanks Myall, glad you like the videos 👍
Congratulations , this is the best video on propagation that I could find. It was a great refresher to relearned this topic. I am coming back to ham radio after a long absence . Thank you.
Awesome, glad it was helpful 👍
This was great!! Well done Video and great presentation. I may use this in class.
Thanks for the feedback Bill, glad you liked it 👍
Machinist by trade, however knowledge is a side hobby. Have been learning the sun, it’s cycles and fields. Stumbled upon this gem researching the F2 layer, and was not disappointed.
Whilst my quest for F2 knowledge has not been satiated fully, I have unlocked a side quest! Radio is a full digest itself, while tying perfectly with the main solar quest.
Thank you for a great video. Well done and explained. If I can learn, you can teach anyone!
Holy crap that was helpful!
Glad you liked it Matt 👍
I have been reading about propagation for quite a long time. This gave me a much better understanding of propagation. The graphics were superb. I didn't know the grey-line were best used for low frequencies. Thanks!
Thanks for the feedback, glad it was helpful Rick!
Great video keep up the good work. By the way Penticton is pronounced Pen-tic-ton
Thanks Mark, glad you liked it 👍
Brilliant presented video and great information 73 Phil G0BVD UK
Thanks for the comment Phil 👍
Hey this explained a lot very clearly and a great refresher. I have been away from amateur radio for 30 years and decided to get back into it recently. Looks like a perfect time with the great new equipment out now and the uptick in the solar cycle. Anyway, thanks again for your videos. New subscriber. Have a good day.
Thanks for the checking out the video and for the sub 👍
This was super helpful and I feel I've picked up a lot of good info. Now..to actually use and retain that info while only having 2m and 70cm radios!
Glad you liked it Levy, and thanks for watching!
Great Video. Now let’s talk about the ongoing Geoengineering and weaponization of the ionosphere.
Haha, you know they are working on it 👍
You now can go deper with the ARRL 2023 book: "Here to There: Radio Wave Propagation."
Thanks Jose
I am currently studying for my general test and this video helped make some of the topics I’m studying make a little more sense. It makes it easier to remember when you actually understand it instead of memorizing the material.
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback 👍
I'm just learning about HAM, finding this professional grade presentation on Propagation was timely. Your slides and presentation were top notch, I'll be referring to them again. Being from Calgary, I had a good chuckle on your pronunciation of Pen tict on. Keep up the great work and thank you so much!
Glad you liked it, thanks for watching Claude!
Pen-tic-ton, great video very informative.
Thanks Jesse, glad you liked it 👍
Hello my friend. I just wanted to tip my hat to you here on a very good presentation.
It seems like we both have the same goal in mind. Try not to make it too technical so people can understand it better. You did a great job here and I watched the entire video!
I normally don’t do that but this was very very good and I thoroughly enjoyed it my friend.
Thanks for taking the time to make it and especially make it in layman‘s terms for hams who’d like to come in to the hobby.
Keep up the TERRIFIC WORK!!!
Larry
Thanks for the comment Larry, glad you liked the video. Take care... Ape.
Thanks for your vid. I found it helpful. Your pronunciation of Penticton made me laugh. 😆 Been there many times. It is "pen·tik·tn". All good though, it's not a well-known place 🙂
Thanks Dustin, glad you liked it 👍
Interesting!! 73
excellent summary...Thanks! WA7JB
Thanks Jeff 👍
I think you forgot the part about geomagnetic storms influencing laughably bad movie plots. In all seriousness, though, this is a great summary and series concept. Thanks!
Lol, thanks for the feedback Jim 👍
After watching your video and the discussion of the gray line and the diminishing D layer. I had a thought, and maybe it is b.s. because I really know very little about it.
I was thinking there is perhaps a magic region where the D layer is insufficiently dense and acts as a (mostly) refractive medium rather than a fully absorbing medium.
So what I'm thinking here is, in this "magic" region of D density, signals that would normally be too vertically polarized to bounce off the F layer get slightly refracted by the (depleted) D layer, bending them slightly and carry on up to the F layers. But now they are at angle suitable for full reflection off the F layer.
The result would be a net increase in the amount of electromagnetic propagation.
Well it's an idea. Just throwing it out there.
Great job. Just enough detail for most of your audience. One suggestion- I wish your audio was just a bit louder. On my phone, it is marginal for my old ears. I’m not talking about your voice; it is pleasant but just turn it up a bit. Thanks and God bless you.
Glad you liked it Hal and thanks for the feedback on the audio 👍
I was around for cycle 21 and you could hear 10m late into the evening sometime never closing. It would come from different parts of the world depending on what time it was.
That's awesome, thanks for watching!
Useful, clear presentation. Thanks! 73 de G0TVJ
Thanks for the feedback Neil, and for watching 👍
Like dominoes ,the molecules even in the basement transfer the energy to the ones next to it,at the frequency in a pattern like a hand wrapped around a ball 🏀
Exactly, I think 👍
VERY NICE EXPLANATION :;GREAT JOB ,, IS THERE SESSIONAL VARIATION IN HF PROPOGATION , PLZ COMMENT ON RECENT FEW WEEKS BACK HF PROPOGATION CONDITIONS !
There is seasonal variation as well as with the solar cycle.
the best way to check propagation is turn on the radio and tune up and down the bands!
Is it? You really don't think that tools like VOACAP or SFI or K Index help you out?
@@TheSmokinApe not in the least . if i want to know what the bands are like I turn on the radio. i have had multiple contacts when the systems said propagation is poor. been doing this for 25 years . and it works better than some charts ,so i encourage everyone to get on the air
Nobody is discouraging folks from getting on the air. We are encouraging folks to educate themselves and use all information available to them versus poke and hope "up and down the bands."
@@TheSmokinApe the challenge is the best part of the hobby if it was like shooting fish in a barrel where is the fun in that? to each their own way of doing things, there's no right or wrong way. i personally do not use the charts. but that's me
Would you consider a qso on 10 meters vertical to vertical around 60 miles line of sight, or ground wave? I hear people saying ground wave, yet I don't think it meets that criteria.
I might be wrong but I’d say line of sight. According to this ARRL article you would be luck to get 20 miles on 10 meters www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/tis/info/pdf/8501031.pdf
@@TheSmokinApe I saw the chart, so my understanding of that is ground wave is good for about 20 miles, so if I talk every day at 60 miles then it must be line of sight. I talk many days a week to a group with some as far away as 50 to 60 miles.
That would be my guess
I would say that line of sight involves the two antennas being able to 'see' eachother - as in visually. That being said, the horizon is your biggest party pooper...
I'm here because there is a solar storm in progress, and I'm trying to find out its possible affect on 40m. We have a network, boats, marine net, we work between vancouver and baja. Any help as to what to expect tomorrow and for the next week ? The net happens in the early morning on 40m from 14:30Z for about an hour.
You can use this site to get up to date conditions: www.hamqsl.com/solar2.html#usingdata
Good job of explaining a complicated subject
73
Lee G0ULN
Thanks for checking out the video Lee!
Is there a site or maybe an api that has just the solar flux and sunspot number. Just that? Something simple?
I am sure but I don't know off the top of my head, thanks for watching Mike
Can you explain why joining the ARRL is controversial? I'm a new ham and have found their resources fantastic.
There are some hams that find controversy in everything and they don't feel the league supports their interpretation of what the hobby / service should be...
The thing that I've always found confusing is "Increased solar activity. good or bad?" Why sometimes more is good and other times bad? I take it from this that if the solar activity is high, but not TOO high, propagation will be good. You want it to be high enough to energize the ionosphere, but not so much as to cause geomagnetic disruption. Right or wrong?
Also, what causes the condition of great skywave propagatiion 24 hours a day such as I remember back in the 80's? Sunspots were all over the face of the sun. Why does not this cause geomagnetic disturbances and drive the K index sky high and ruin communications?
So I suppose I"m still confused.
I look at it like bourbon, a little bit is great and a little more is fantastic but too much can be terrible. We do have solar cycles that change propagation over time, we are heading into a strong cycle right now.
unfortantuly my sound card driver software just fatally crashed and I will have to restart my computer, so I can't listen again... but it sounded like you mentioned that grey-line is NW/SE ..... this is somewhat misleading... around 3/21 and 9/21 it is near north-south ... otherwise... from the equater it can be around 22 degrees from north to the east or west depening on sunrise or sunset, and spring or fall (conceptually for the northern hemisphere) going up the article circle where it can range from due north-south to due east-west through the year. NW/SW in the northern hemisphere below article circle would be sunset in winter or sunrise in summer.
Great point, thanks for sharing!
Thanks👍
Welcome 👍
Good Ye Got it RIGHT Man HI,,, a simply understood example GM4NNC
Thanks for watching Trig.