Propagation Report from Hans, ZS6AKV

10 January, 2010

Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, is away this week and Hans, ZS6AKV, is standing in.

He reports that geomagnetic conditions are at quiet levels. Local HF working frequencies are unstable to slightly elevated from predicted average monthly values.

The outlook is that there is one active area on the solar disk. Propagation conditions should be fair, with unstable to elevated values from predicted local monthly average HF active frequencies during mornings while becoming low during afternoons.

An interesting feature is the performance of the 20 m band. On the route between Johannesburg and Cape Town, good performance is predicted for most of the daylight hours.

The charts show an interesting dip around 15:00 CAT when
7 MHz seems to peak. If one looks at the 7 MHz chart, is almost like a sine wave repeating itself every few hours. It is expected to be performing well for the most of the day.

DX-wise, 20 m will yield some good DX at times with short openings to just about all corners of the earth. 10 and 15 metres will present some surprises with DX-stations from areas we have not heard from for some time.

Propagation is like the weather, the only sure way you know it is going to rain, is to look up to the clouds. If you do not call 'CQ DX' and listen on the various frequencies, you will miss out.

Please visit www.spaceweather.co.za for further information.

South African Radio League

• All propagation reports can be found at:
http://www.southgatearc.org/propagation