Live readout of where GCARC’s participating stations are hearing receivers right now (last 60 minutes). If you’re thinking about firing up the rig, this tells you what propagation looks like this minute. Updates every 5 minutes from wspr.wb2mnfai.org.

# WSPR Propagation Report: Forty Meters (7 MHz) ## Gloucester County Amateur Radio Club Skunkworks

The 40-meter band delivered excellent propagation conditions across the 24-hour reporting period, with fair daytime conditions transitioning to good nighttime ionospheric support. This band’s robust mid-latitude coverage and consistent skip characteristics made it the reliable workhorse of the HF spectrum yesterday. All six active stations successfully penetrated to the VK region, with best DX reports clustering around the 11,600-kilometer mark to Australia. European receivers were well represented in the aggregate data, particularly during favorable UTC windows when Trans-Atlantic skip opened reliably. Peak activity across the network concentrated during the 01:00 through 03:00 UTC window, corresponding to the pre-dawn enhancement period when E-layer ionization supports maximum distance while F-layer conditions remain favorable. The Fair daytime conditions (SFI=122, K-index=0) did not significantly degrade daytime performance, suggesting stable, predictable propagation rather than dramatic day-night swings. Total network spotting exceeded 235,000 individual reports, indicating widespread band utility.

KD2EIB emerged as the dominant performer, generating 149,256 spots with 542 unique receivers despite running the lowest power at 100 milliwatts. This station’s exceptional efficiency of 8,541 miles per watt reflects either superior antenna gain, favorable local ground characteristics, or an optimized radiation pattern that maximizes skip distance over short-skip clutter. The station maintained consistent continental and intercontinental reach, reaching 157 European receivers while sustaining a 01:00 UTC peak that aligns with standard early-morning enhancement. KC2GYU, operating at 200 milliwatts, generated 23,735 spots with the second-highest efficiency at 4,443 mi/W, though the lower unique receiver count (460) suggests slightly less directional diversity than KD2EIB. W2MMD, also at 200 milliwatts, produced 46,448 spots with 3,595 mi/W efficiency—the highest absolute spot count at that power level—indicating a more omnidirectional antenna system that compensates for slightly lower per-watt efficiency through broader geographic coverage. N2LQH, operating at 5.0 watts, achieved respectable 1,332-mile average distance and 198 European receivers but delivered only 266 mi/W efficiency, suggesting that raw power does not guarantee propagational advantage when antenna systems are suboptimal. The efficiency differential between KD2EIB’s 8,541 and N2LQH’s 266 mi/W—a 32-fold advantage—clearly favors antenna engineering and placement over transmitter power for consistent skip propagation on 40 meters.

# WSPR Propagation Report: 30 Meters (10 MHz) ## Gloucester County Amateur Radio Club Skunkworks

The 30-meter band delivered exceptional propagation during the reporting period, with stable ionospheric conditions supporting robust transoceanic circuits. With a solar flux index of 122 and quiescent geomagnetic activity (K-index 0, A-index 5), the band exhibited textbook behavior for this solar cycle phase. All seven active stations achieved intercontinental contacts, with five stations successfully working Australian stations. WB2MNF led the field with 27,579 total spots distributed across 313 unique receivers, while KC2GYU produced 14,433 spots despite running only 200 milliwatts. K2ZA’s best DX to VK5ARG at 10,551 miles and N2LQH’s contact with VK6XT at 11,636 miles underscore the band’s DX capability. Peak propagation to Europe occurred during the 01:00–03:00 UTC window, when K2ZA, KC2GYU, and N2LQH logged 180, 91, and 166 European receivers respectively. The morning band opening (23:00–01:00 UTC) favored the low-power eastern stations, particularly KE2DST, W2MMD, and WA2JRZ, each achieving reliable regional coverage to 4,000+ mile distances.

WB2MNF’s dominant spot production reveals an optimized antenna system and favorable take-off angle from its New Jersey QTH; its 17,510 miles-per-watt efficiency metric is exceptional and suggests elevated antenna placement or a well-tuned array. KC2GYU’s efficiency of 8,920 mi/W, achieved with minimal power, indicates technical sophistication despite lower absolute spot counts. K2ZA’s 6,552 spots and 1,591 mi/W efficiency show balanced performance across the reporting period, with superior SNR averaging −16.7 dB, the second-best in the group. The three 100-milliwatt stations (KE2DST, W2MMD, and WA2JRZ) cluster between 5,490 and 7,574 mi/W, indicating comparable antenna quality and ground systems despite different geographic positions. N2LQH, running 5 watts, achieved the sharpest average SNR of −14.0 dB but recorded only 321 mi/W efficiency, suggesting that transmit power alone does not optimize for spot density or receiver diversity at this QTH.

The twenty meter band continues to deliver solid propagation performance across the Atlantic and into the Pacific, with excellent conditions supporting both daytime and nighttime paths. The five active Skunkworks stations collectively logged 30,250 spots across 1,423 unique receivers, demonstrating the band’s current utility for medium to long-distance communication. The daytime window shows particularly strong activity centered around 13:00 UTC, while the nocturnal window peaks between 23:00 and 00:00 UTC, corresponding to the optimal skip zones for trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific circuits respectively. K2ZA achieved the remarkable distance of 10,588 miles to VK5I in South Australia at peak power efficiency, while both KC2GYU and W2MMD independently reached beyond 11,700 miles to separate Australian stations, confirming the presence of reliable long-haul propagation. The European receiver network remains active with 251 stations copied by K2ZA alone, though the percentage of EU reception drops progressively with lower-power stations, indicating that European paths are most reliably closed by higher effective radiated power. Geographic reach extends consistently across North America with strong midwestern and western penetration, while the Atlantic corridor shows reliable transatlantic penetration throughout the reporting period.

# WSPR Propagation Report: Fifteen Meters (21 MHz)

The fifteen-meter band demonstrated solid propagation performance during the reporting period under fair conditions throughout day and night cycles, supported by a solar flux index of 122 and benign geomagnetic indices. The band exhibited strong trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific capability, with multiple stations achieving significant DX penetration into the Southern Hemisphere. K2ZA produced 1,021 spots with an impressive best DX of 10,551 miles to VK5ARG in Australia, while N2LQH matched this geographic reach at 10,568 miles to the same station, indicating consistent skip patterns toward the Pacific rim during the reporting window. KC2GYU and W2MMD both achieved 8,900+ mile DX to New Zealand, confirming that Oceania remained accessible throughout the period. Peak activity windows shifted by UTC hour depending on station configuration: K2ZA and N2LQH peaked at 17:00 UTC during favorable afternoon-to-evening ionospheric conditions, while KC2GYU’s lower power station peaked later at 21:00 UTC and W2MMD at 20:00 UTC, suggesting that lower-power stations benefited from enhanced evening propagation windows. European receiver density varied dramatically by station, with N2LQH dominating continental coverage at 140 EU receivers, while KC2GYU’s 58 EU receivers represented the lowest European reach despite solid overall spot counts. Average distance performance ranged from 2,427 miles for W2MMD to 2,925 miles for N2LQH, indicating consistent mid-to-long-range skip characteristics typical of F-layer propagation on fifteen meters.

The 10-meter band at 28 MHz demonstrated mixed but encouraging propagation during the reporting period, with activity concentrated during evening hours as expected during fair daytime conditions. Four active stations achieved significant geographic reach despite modest power levels, with combined spot activity totaling 1,363 detections across 94 unique receivers. The band showed robust trans-continental performance with reliable coverage throughout North America, though European penetration remained limited with only three EU receiver connections across all stations. Peak activity clustered around 21:00 UTC with secondary peaks at 15:00 and 00:00 UTC, suggesting multiple propagation modes were active. Most impressive were the long-haul DX events, including KC2GYU’s extraordinary contact with VK6KCH in Western Australia at 11,740 miles and N2LQH’s European skip to DP0GVN at 8,302 miles, both achieved with single-digit wattage. Average distances ranged from 1,583 to 2,674 miles, indicating consistent F-layer propagation suitable for daylight skip. Signal-to-noise ratios averaged between -19.3 and -22.0 dB, respectable for weak-signal digital work, with W2MMD showing the weakest average SNR likely due to higher spot volume capturing more marginal propagation events.

WW0WWV is the NIST WWV/WWVH time-station beacon at Fort Collins, Colorado, transmitting WSPR continuously on multiple HF bands. Because its power, antenna and location are constant, it’s a steady benchmark for raw band openness — if WW0WWV is being heard widely on a band, that band is propagating. If it’s missing, the band is probably closed. P90 distance below is the same metric used in the per-band station tables on the live dashboard.

WWV P90 reach by band — 30-day window. Higher bars = farther reliable propagation.

WWV activity by band — total spots over 30 days. A noisy band = high spot count.

P90 distance per UTC hour by band — shows when each band is open. Bands rise during their propagation windows; flat-low = closed.

Spots per UTC hour by band — receivers actively hearing WWV. Activity tracks when receivers tune in plus when the band is open.

P90 = 90th-percentile receiver distance — what you can reliably reach, ignoring the rare lucky DX. Best-DX callsign is the receiver that heard WW0WWV from the greatest distance over the last 30 days. Hourly charts cover the most recent 24-hour window.

Solar activity remains modest today with a Solar Flux Index of 122 and 81 identified sunspots, indicating a moderately active sun that continues to support reasonable ionospheric density. These values are well below the threshold needed to significantly enhance upper-band propagation, but they are sufficient to keep the F2 layer at useful heights throughout daylight hours. The impact on twenty, fifteen, and ten meters is predictable and reflected in the NOAA ratings: daytime conditions on these bands remain fair to good, with twenty meters showing the most promise at good levels, while fifteen and ten meters are constrained to fair conditions. Ten meters in particular will remain marginal during daylight hours and should be essentially closed at night, making this an unlikely band for evening operations. Operators chasing DX on the higher frequencies today should focus their efforts during daylight hours when the F2 layer is most densely ionized, though expectations should remain realistic given the moderate solar flux values.

Geomagnetic conditions are exceptionally quiet, with the K-index at zero and A-index at five, indicating a completely stable magnetosphere that will not degrade propagation through particle precipitation or absorption. The solar wind velocity of 432.4 kilometers per second is slightly elevated but not sufficient to trigger any geomagnetic disturbance, and the X-ray flux at B8.6 confirms background-level solar activity with no flare potential. These benign geomagnetic conditions are excellent news for lower-band operators, as there will be no high-latitude absorption to suppress forty and eighty meter signals, and the documented good nighttime conditions on these bands should extend well into polar regions and support reliable transatlantic paths after local sunset. The lack of geomagnetic activity also means that multipath and flutter should remain minimal, allowing for clean, readable signals across the Atlantic and toward high-latitude destinations. Operators planning evening skeds on forty meters can expect particularly steady conditions with minimal fading.

Today presents a straightforward propagation picture: daytime operators should concentrate on thirty and twenty meters, which both show good NOAA ratings and are most likely to reward DX efforts during daylight hours. The shift to evening operations brings a notable improvement on the lower bands, with eighty and forty meters transitioning to good conditions after sunset and becoming the primary hunting grounds for nighttime DX, particularly for transatlantic and polar-region contacts where the quiet geomagnetic field will eliminate absorption losses. Ten and twelve meters should be avoided during evening hours given their poor to fair night ratings, while fifteen meters offers consistent fair conditions around the clock but no particular advantage over the mid-range bands. Signal-to-noise ratio is excellent at S0 to S1, meaning that conditions are clean and weak signals should be readable, allowing operators to exploit the stable geomagnetic environment to work the edges of propagation zones. Overall, this is a day well-suited for systematic band-by-band exploration rather than high-intensity DX pouncing, with success dependent on working the right band at the right time of day.