KJ4FUE ON AIR

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Propagation & conditions

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Solar Flux (SFI)

Higher = better HF propagation. Above 120 is great, below 80 is rough. It measures how much the sun is ionizing the atmosphere.

K-Index & A-Index

Measure geomagnetic disturbance. Low K (0-2) = stable, good for HF. High K (5+) = storm, polar paths disrupted. A-Index is the daily average.

Solar Wind / Bz

Bz negative = Earth's magnetic shield is open, storms incoming. Wind >500 km/s = energetic particles hitting the ionosphere. Both cause HF fadeouts and polar absorption.

24-Hour Heatmap

Shows activity by band over the last 24 hours (UTC). Each cell is one hour. Blue = barely open. Teal/Green = some activity. Orange = solid opening. Pink/Red (pulsing) = band is on fire. Use it to figure out when to get on the air.

Space weather & sky

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Aurora Forecast (OVATION)

Northern Hemisphere

Southern Hemisphere

Solar Disc (NASA SDO, Live)

193Å Corona

171Å Loops

304Å Chromo

Intensitygram

Magnetogram

Imagery: NOAA SWPC & NASA SDO

▶ How to read this

Why do I care about aurora?

Aurora = geomagnetic storm. Great for VHF scatter and 6m openings, but it trashes HF propagation. High Kp (5+) means skip is disrupted, especially on 20m and above.

What are these sun pictures?

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captures the sun in different wavelengths. Bright spots = active regions that boost ionization and improve HF propagation. Dark spots on the magnetogram show sunspots.

What's the Kp index?

Measures geomagnetic disturbance on a 0-9 scale. 0-2 = quiet (good HF). 3-4 = unsettled. 5+ = storm (HF disrupted, VHF enhanced).

Ham satellites

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Loading satellite positions...

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What are these satellites?

Amateur radio satellites with transponders you can actually talk through using a handheld or small yagi. The ISS even has a repeater onboard.

What does "above horizon" mean?

If a satellite's elevation is above 0° from the station's location, it's potentially workable. Higher elevation = stronger signal. Passes last about 10-15 minutes.

What are the ground tracks?

The dotted lines on the map show where each satellite will travel over the next 90 minutes. Positions update in real-time so you can watch them move.

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