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General Category => General Radio Discussion => Topic started by: bandarr3000 on August 05, 2017, 0200 UTC

Title: Ionograms for Newbies
Post by: bandarr3000 on August 05, 2017, 0200 UTC

Can I use a single ionogram to determine propagation conditions between two points?  If so, would I use the one nearest me, or the one nearest the source?  

EDIT: In other words, what does a single ionogram tell me about propagation conditions?  I live in Michigan, so I look at the ionograms out of the Alpena station.

Title: Re: Ionograms for Newbies
Post by: redhat on August 05, 2017, 0247 UTC

A single Ionogram from a site near you will only tell you about NVIS propagation, or propagation from your location, straight (or nearly so) up, and to a point a few hundred miles around you.  Propagation varies widely, and tools such as voacap can give you an idea of what to expect between two points, or the probability of reception from your point to the rest of the globe verses time and frequency.

+-RH

Title: Re: Ionograms for Newbies
Post by: bandarr3000 on August 05, 2017, 0420 UTC

Good to know.  Thank you.