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.

The 40-meter band continues to demonstrate its reputation as a reliable midlatitude workhorse, particularly during the evening and early morning UTC hours when ionospheric conditions favor trans-continental and transoceanic propagation. With a solar flux index of 142 and quiet geomagnetic conditions (K-index 0, A-index 7), the band exhibits the stable characteristics typical of Fair daytime and Good nighttime propagation. KC2GYU and N2LQH both report peak activity at 01:00 UTC, suggesting optimal ionospheric refraction during the pre-dawn window when the terminator line positions favorably for long-path work across the Atlantic and toward antipodal regions. KC2GYU achieved the most impressive DX with VK6PVL at 11,648 miles, while N2LQH matched this nearly with the same station at 11,621 miles, demonstrating that the band is actively supporting antipodal propagation to the southwestern Pacific. W2MMD’s peak shifted to 00:00 UTC, indicating a slightly earlier ionospheric window or local site-specific behavior. Across the three stations, the 507 to 672 unique receivers logged substantial European participation, with N2LQH capturing 270 EU receivers despite lower raw spot counts, signaling robust transatlantic propagation throughout the observation window. The geographic reach spans from regional 600-mile paths to reliable intercontinental circuits exceeding 11,600 miles, underscoring 40m’s flexibility for both local and exotic DX work.

# WSPR Propagation Report: 30 Meters (10.1387 MHz)

The 30-meter band delivered excellent propagation conditions today under favorable space weather with SFI at 142 and a quiet K-index of zero. This band continues to offer reliable long-distance communication with consistent skip distances in the 500- to 2,500-mile range. Five stations from the Skunkworks team were active, collectively generating 46,647 spots and reaching 344 unique receivers across North America and Europe. The band exhibited particularly strong openings during the 22:00 to 01:00 UTC window, with peak activity clustering around 01:00 UTC when transatlantic and transpacific paths opened substantially. K2ZA established the earliest peak at 22:00 UTC, suggesting local afternoon skip angles that favored southeastern United States targets, while the remaining stations peaked during the nocturnal hours when great-circle paths extended toward Europe and the South Pacific. Best DX of the day was achieved by both N2LQH and KC2GYU, each reporting VK6PK near Perth, Australia at approximately 11,600 miles. W2MMD’s European contact with DL0PF at 4,187 miles demonstrated solid mid-Atlantic propagation, while WB2MNF’s VK5ARG contact at 10,542 miles confirmed strong southern hemisphere skip. Coverage statistics reveal average distances ranging from 554 miles for W2MMD’s primarily regional focus to 2,248 miles for N2LQH’s continental and transoceanic reach.

The 20-meter band delivered consistent propagation throughout the reporting period under favorable space weather conditions with SFI at 142 and A-index remaining low at 7. All three Skunkworks stations achieved remarkable transpacific penetration, with VK6QS in Western Australia appearing as the best DX for each transmitter—KC2GYU reaching 11,797 miles, N2LQH at 11,776 miles, and W2MMD at 11,756 miles. This clustering of DX achievements suggests robust F-layer propagation supporting long-path contacts. The band showed distinct UTC peak activity at 00:00 and 01:00 hours, with KC2GYU and W2MMD concentrating spots during the midnight window while N2LQH peaked one hour later, likely reflecting the progression of ionospheric skip zones across the Atlantic. Geographic coverage extended broadly across Europe, with 143 to 294 EU receivers logging signals from the New Jersey-based stations, indicating strong trans-Atlantic propagation during these favorable conditions. Average propagation distances ranged from 1,712 to 2,396 miles across the three stations, demonstrating that 20 meters maintained viable paths to both regional and continental targets throughout the day.

The 15-meter band at 21 MHz performed exceptionally well during the reporting period under favorable space weather conditions, with solar flux index at 142 and stable geomagnetic indices supporting robust worldwide propagation. All three stations in the Skunkworks team achieved significant DX contacts into the Southern Hemisphere, with KC2GYU reaching VK3ARW at 10,373 miles and N2LQH extending to VK5ARG at 10,568 miles, demonstrating the classic F2-layer skip characteristics expected during good daytime and evening ionospheric conditions. The band exhibited peak activity between 20:00 and 21:00 UTC, with KC2GYU and W2MMD showing their strongest performance at 20:00 while N2LQH peaked one hour later, suggesting a slight westward propagation emphasis through that evening window. Coverage was genuinely global, with European receivers accounting for 47 to 133 stations per transmitter, while the average propagation distance across the three stations held steady between 2,418 and 2,443 miles, confirming reliable mid-latitude skip patterns. W2MMD led the team in absolute spot count with 3,950 reports from 153 unique receivers, while KC2GYU achieved the second-highest count at 3,113 spots despite lower power, and N2LQH, running significantly more power at 5.0 watts, accumulated 2,396 spots from a notably larger receiver base of 322 stations.

The 10 meter band at 28 MHz demonstrated respectable propagation conditions throughout the reporting period despite fair daytime and poor nighttime space weather. The SFI index of 142 with a K-index of zero and A-index of seven indicated relatively stable ionospheric conditions favorable for F2 layer propagation, particularly during daytime hours when solar ionization peaks. All three active stations achieved meaningful DX, with best distances ranging from 8,261 to 8,966 miles, confirming that ten meters remains viable for serious distance work even under moderate solar flux. Peak activity shifted between 20:00 and 22:00 UTC, with the evening window dominating as ionospheric skip distances lengthened following sunset. Geographic reach extended across North America with confirmed reception in Europe, though EU receiver penetration remained limited to a single station. The band showed its characteristic daytime dominance, with activity tapering as local nighttime approached and propagation degraded according to forecast conditions.

KC2GYU achieved the highest transmission efficiency at 14,507 miles per watt, converting its modest 200 milliwatt signal into 338 documented spots with an average distance of 2,894 miles and a best DX to DP0GVN at 8,261 miles. The station demonstrated superior signal quality with an average SNR of negative 19.8 decibels, suggesting a well-optimized antenna system that maximizes effective radiated power. N2LQH operated at 5.0 watts, producing 454 total spots across 90 unique receivers with notably lower efficiency of 441 miles per watt, indicating that the increased power did not yield proportional propagation advantage and likely reflects antenna directivity or elevation angle issues. W2MMD, operating at 200 milliwatts like KC2GYU, generated the highest spot count of 564 but suffered the poorest average SNR at negative 22.9 decibels, suggesting either antenna mismatch or suboptimal matching network performance despite reasonable efficiency of 13,170 miles per watt. When normalized for power differences, KC2GYU’s receiver count per watt substantially exceeds N2LQH’s, indicating superior antenna performance on 10 meters.

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.

Higher P90 distance = farther reliable reach. Comparing bands here against your own catches gives a quick sense of whether your station is performing as expected for the conditions.

Solar activity remains moderate today with a Solar Flux Index of 142 and 122 visible sunspots, indicating a reasonably active sun that continues to support daytime propagation on the higher frequency bands. These solar metrics translate to adequate ionospheric density in the F2 layer, which is essential for long-distance skywave propagation above 14 MHz. The 20-meter band shows good conditions around the clock, while 15-meter propagation also rates good both day and night, suggesting the solar-driven ionization is sufficient to support reliable skip at these frequencies. However, the 10-meter band presents a more marginal picture with fair conditions during daylight hours dropping to poor at night, indicating that while the sun is providing some F2 ionization support, it may not be robust enough for consistent 10-meter performance, particularly after sunset.

Geomagnetic conditions are exceptionally quiet today with a K-index of 0 and an A-index of 7, representing some of the calmest space weather we see in routine conditions. The solar wind speed of 379.3 km/s is moderate and not contributing to any geomagnetic disturbance, while the geomagnetic field rating of INACTIVE confirms there is no particle bombardment degrading the lower ionospheric layers. This calm geomagnetic environment is highly favorable for lower-band propagation, which explains why both 80 and 40 meters show good nighttime conditions and fair daytime ratings respectively. Operators planning transatlantic or transpacific paths on the MF and low HF bands should find stable, predictable propagation, and the absence of D-layer absorption means there should be no polar path degradation to worry about.

For today’s operating strategy, the 20 and 30-meter bands emerge as the most reliable choices with good conditions extending through both day and night, offering consistent performance for a wide range of distances. Fifteen meters is similarly well-rated and should provide excellent opportunities during daylight hours and sustained performance into the evening, making it an ideal choice for DX work. The lower bands of 40 and 80 meters will respond well to nighttime operation with good ratings, though daytime operators should expect fair rather than excellent conditions. Ten meters presents the greatest uncertainty with poor nighttime conditions and only fair daytime performance, so while it may yield occasional openings, operators should not rely on it as a primary band today. Overall, this is a stable, quiet day with moderate solar activity—ideal for QSOs requiring predictable propagation but not particularly exceptional for chasing rare DX on the ultra-high-frequency end of the HF spectrum.