Ever spend an hour calling CQ on a band that was closed the whole time? PropMap is built to stop that. It pulls live data from NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center and turns it into a plain-language read on which bands are worth trying right now.
The numbers that matter most
- Solar flux (SFI): a measure of the sun’s activity. Higher numbers mean the upper bands, like 15, 12 and 10 m, are more likely to open.
- Kp index: how disturbed the earth’s magnetic field is. 0 to 2 is quiet and good. 5 or more is a geomagnetic storm, which usually means poor HF conditions, especially on polar paths, but sometimes aurora on 6 m.
- X-ray flux: solar flares. A big flare can cause a sudden blackout on the daylight side of the earth for an hour or so.
What PropMap adds
- A live grey-line map showing where it’s day and night right now
- Band-by-band ratings for your location, time of day and goals
- A planner where you choose your mode, power, antenna and local noise to see your best bets
- Beginner, intermediate and advanced explanations, so you can learn what’s behind each number
Open PropMap before you sit down at the radio. Two minutes there can save an hour of calling into a dead band.
Related: PropMap: live propagation · Solar and Space Weather for Radio