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Propagation
Introduction
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Our Sun
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The Solar System's Engine
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Radio waves, like light waves and all other forms of electromagnetic radiation, normally travel in straight lines. Obviously this does not happen all the time, because long - distance communication depends on radio waves traveling beyond the horizon. How radio waves propagate in other than straight-line paths is a complicated subject, but one that need not be a mystery. This page provides basic understanding of the principles of electromagnetic radiation, the structure of the Earth's atmosphere and solar-terrestrial interactions necessary for a working knowledge of radio propagation. More detailed discussions and the underlying mathematics of radio propagation physics can be found in the references listed under additional resources.
The Sun, being the largest engine in our solar system, has a great effect on propagation as its "exhaust" interacts with our Earth's magnetic field. A rudimentary knowledge of sunspots, solar flares and mass ejections will help the amateur take advantage of these effects to enhance his pleasure, or understand his plight. A good basic understanding of this can be had by reading the article "The Sun, the Earth, the Ionosphere. See also the list of other articles on propagation.
Additional information on this subject and related topics can be found in back issues of QST and the following:
The ARRL Handbook for Radio Amateurs
The ARRL Antenna Book
The ARRL Operating Manual
ON4UN's Low-Band DXing
The ARRL has an extensive catalog of books and materials related to Amateur Radio.
Articles:
Note: Some of the following articles are in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files. To view and print these files, you'll need a copy of Adobe's Acrobat Reader program. (Version 4.0 or later required). More information here.
The Sun, the Earth, the Ionosphere:
What the Numbers Mean, and Propagation Predictions--a brief introduction to propagation and the major factors affecting it. By Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA
An Introduction to Gray-Line DXing (1,677,864 bytes, PDF file) 
QST November 1992, pp. 80-82
The transitions from darkness to daylight and daylight to darkness cause drastic changes in the ionosphere. Use this to your DX advantage.
Catch a Falling Star (157,059 bytes, PDF file)
QST October 1997, pp. 63-67
A Beginner's guide to meteor-scatter communication.
Sporadic E--A Mystery Solved? Part 1 (41,220 bytes, PDF file)
QST October 1997, pp. 39-41
One of the world's leading ionospheric scientists explains the physics of sporadic E.
Sporadic E--A Mystery Solved? Part 2 (158,602 bytes, PDF file)
QST November 1997, pp. 38-42
HF Propagation: The Basics (1,003,127 bytes, PDF file)
QST December 1983, pp. 11-15
Say it's 10 P.M. in Savannah, and you'd like to reach out and QSO someone in southern Europe. A solid knowledge of how signals travel will help you decide if you've got a fighting chance.
Radio Waves And Communications Distance (720,896 bytes, PDF file)
QST, January 1985, pp. 31-33
Here Comes the Sun
QST, Lab Notes, October 1996, pp. 74-75
Radio Waves and the Ionosphere (608,079 Bytes, PDF File)
QST, November 1999, pp. 62-64
Propagation Broadcasts and Forecasts Demystified (1,853,939 Bytes, PDF File)
QST November 1991, pp. 20-25
ARLP029: Propagation de K7VVV
W1AW broadcasts a weekly Propagation Bulletin. In this one the author gives a summary of what the numbers in a propagation forecast mean and how they are compiled.
The Brendan Trophies: Insights for the New Millennium (149,861 bytes, PDF file)
QST August 2002, pp. 36-39
Can amateurs cross the Atlantic on 144 MHz without satellites or moonbounce?
Understanding Solar Indices (538,797 bytes, PDF file)
QST September, 2002, pp. 38-40
When someone tells you that the flux is up to 200 and the K is 3, do you know what they are talking about? You will after you read this article!
What is VOACAP Trying to Tell Me? (494,890 bytes, PDF file)
A Presentation to The Yankee Clipper Contest Club Feb. 1, 2003, Milford, CT, by Dean Straw, N6BV, Senior Assistant Technical Editor, ARRL
Why We Stack ‘Em! Covering All the Angles (1,933,115 bytes, PDF file)
A Presentation to The Yankee Clipper Contest Club, Feb. 1, 2003, Milford, CT, by Dean Straw, N6BV, Senior Assistant Technical Editor, ARRL
Microwave Propagation in the Upper Troposphere (876,911 bytes, PDF file)
QEX July/August, 2003
Amateur microwave work need not be restricted to operation
Propagation Planning for DXpeditions (735,894 bytes, PDF file)
6 Steps for a More Successful Trip by Carl Luetzelschwab K9LA
Propagation Planning for Contests (89,000 bytes, PDF file)
Using Propagation Predictions to Develop a Band Plan by Carl Luetzelschwab K9LA
Note:
Contact information for suppliers mentioned in the above articles should first be confirmed using TIS Address Database Search.
Bibliography (Members Only)
ARRL Periodicals Index Search - This database contains the QST index from 1915 to the present and the QEX index from 1981 to the present. For QST issues from 1970 to the present, and some selected articles back to 1922 (when construction articles featuring tubes began in earnest), identifying keywords have been added to the technical articles. By entering keywords (ANTENNA) or combinations of keywords (CONSTRUCTION ANTENNA VERTICAL HF) into the Title words: field, you may create dynamic bibliographies.
Technical article KEYWORD list. Hints for more successful searching
Suggested keywords for more articles like the ones on this page are: PROPAGATION
Web Links:
Propagation Reports & Forecasts:
- Radio Signal Propagation
Many articles on how radio signals travel great distances at different frequencies. Topics include sporadic E, sunspots, troposcatter, meteor scatter, sudden ionospheric disturbances, and ground wave propagation.
- QST Propagation Charts
Propagation charts as they used to appear in QST. Conditions between your location and 12 regions of the world.
- Propagation Resources
A list of Web links concerning divers propagation topics
- hfradio.org propagation
This page is dynamically created from many sources using automation, and the information contained is as fresh as possible. This page will reload every 15 minutes, which will refresh any content that has changed since last viewing.
- Near-Real-Time MUF Map
This is a highly informative map that can be used by amateur and professional radio communicators to determine maximum usable frequencies for any world-wide path at the indicated UTC (Zulu) time. (This map is updated every 30 minutes.)
- W1AW Propagation Bulletins
- DX-Listeners' Club Solar Terrestrial Activity Report
The Solar Terrestrial Activity Report is generally updated once a day. The report contains a graphical view of the last 2 months' solar flux values, sunspot count and planetary A index. In addition there is information on recent solar events as well as predictions for the next days. Charts of all sunspot cycles from cycle 1 are available as well as comparisons of the most recent cycle with previous cycles
- Sunspot Numerology
NASA Space News
- D-Region Absorption Prediction
Presented by the NOAA/Space Environment Center
- SEC's List Server
NOAA List server for solar and space weather reports
- Welcome to The Aurora Page
Information, forecasts, links and images about the "Northern Lights".
- VHF / UHF Tropospheric Ducting Forecast
- Radio Communications Site Index
The Basics of Radio Wave Propagation. Ionospheric Physics of Radio Wave Propagation. Pactor-II: The Most Advanced Digital Mode for HF Communications Today. Ionospheric Propagation Research with the Help of Pactor-II.
- Wireless Network Link Analysis
A path-loss calculator
- Radio Line of Sight Plot Server
VHF/UHF: Allows you to make a request to a radio line of sight plot server. You receive a GIF picture of the elevation of each point on the earth between the starting point and ending point that you specify.
- VOACAP Quick Guide
High-Frequency Ionospheric Communications Analysis and Prediction
- HF propagation visualizer
G4ILO, Julian Moss, has a free program that provides a “big picture” view of propagation conditions
- Radio amateur activities of ON4SKY
ON4SKY, Thierry Lombry, provides several illustrated articles dealing with basics of propagation, ionosopheric perturbations, models of the ionosphere and more.
- Physics of the Aurora: Earth Systems
An interactive learning module about the physics of aurora.
Propagation Beacons:
Tutorials:
- An Introductory Tutorial to W6ELProp (96,641 bytes, PDF file)
A Guide to Running Your Own Propagation Predictions, by Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA
- An Introductory Tutorial to VOCAP (92,076 bytes, PDF file)
A Guide to Running Your Own Propagation Predictions, by Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA
- The Precursor Method of Predicting Solar Cycles (15,958 bytes, PDF file)
by Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA
- From NASA:
- VHF/UHF/Microwave Radio Propagation: A Primer for Digital Experimenters
This paper attempts to provide some insight into the nature of radio propagation in that part of the spectrum (upper VHF to microwave) used by experimenters for high-speed digital transmission
Software:
Article Reprints:
You can get a photocopy of any ARRL published article for $3 ($5 for nonmembers) for each article requested. Contact the ARRL Technical Department (reprints@arrl.org ), 1-860-594-0390) if you wish to get photocopies.
This information was prepared as a membership service by the American Radio Relay League, Inc., Technical Information Service, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111 (860) 594-0214. Email: tis@arrl.org (Internet). ARRL HQ is glad to provide this information on the Web free of charge as a service to League members and affiliated clubs.
If you have any questions concerning the reproduction or distribution of this material, please contact:
TIS Coordinator
American Radio Relay League
225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111
Tel: 860-594-0214 Fax: 860-594-0259
(email: tis@arrl.org)
Page last modified: 11:49 AM, 15 Aug 2007 ET
Page author: tis@arrl.org
Copyright © 2007, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
