VE1ATM Propagation - Quick Start

Ready to Use!

Your personalized HF propagation prediction tool using DVOACAP-Python is ready.

✨ What You've Got

📊 Real-time Band Predictions
See current propagation quality for all your bands (40m-10m) to major regions worldwide

🎯 DXCC Integration
Your log shows: 122 entities worked, 94 confirmed via LoTW
Dashboard highlights which regions you still need for DXCC

⏰ 24-Hour Forecast
Plan your operating sessions with hour-by-hour predictions showing when bands open/close

🌍 Interactive Map
Visual display of propagation paths from your QTH (FN74ui) with color-coded signal strength

☀️ Solar Conditions
Live solar flux, sunspot numbers, and geomagnetic indices affect propagation

🚀 Quick Start

1. View Current Conditions (Now!)

Click the Open Dashboard button above to see your current band conditions.

2. Update Predictions

To get fresh predictions with latest solar data, run:

python3 generate_predictions.py

Or use the update script:

./update_predictions.sh

Then refresh the dashboard in your browser.

3. Schedule Automatic Updates

For continuous updates, set up a cron job to regenerate every 2 hours:

0 */2 * * * cd /path/to/Dashboard && python3 generate_predictions.py

📖 Understanding the Display

Band Quality Indicators:

GREEN (GOOD) - Reliability > 60%, excellent conditions
YELLOW (FAIR) - Reliability 30-60%, marginal conditions
RED (POOR) - Reliability < 30%, poor conditions
GRAY (CLOSED) - Above MUF, band closed

Solar Conditions (Higher is Generally Better):

SFI (Solar Flux) - Currently using 150 (typical mid-cycle)
SSN (Sunspot Number) - Currently using 100 (moderate activity)
Kp Index - Lower is better (< 3 is good)
A Index - Lower is better (< 20 is excellent)

Note: Current predictions use estimated solar values. When you run the script with internet access, it will fetch real-time NOAA data automatically.

🛠️ How It Works

Backend (Python):

Uses DVOACAP-Python full prediction engine (Phases 1-5)
Fetches current solar-terrestrial data from NOAA Space Weather
Calculates ionospheric parameters with CCIR/URSI coefficients
Performs ray tracing and MUF calculations
Computes signal strength, SNR, and reliability for each band/path
Generates 24-hour timeline predictions
Outputs JSON data file

Frontend (HTML/JavaScript):

Loads prediction JSON and renders beautiful dashboard
Interactive Leaflet.js world map with propagation paths
Responsive design works on desktop and mobile
No server required - pure static files

📁 Your Files

dashboard.html - The main dashboard interface
index.html - This quick start guide
generate_predictions.py - Prediction generator using DVOACAP
update_predictions.sh - Convenient update script
propagation_data.json - Current prediction data (auto-generated)
dxcc_summary.json - Your DXCC worked/needed list
README.md - Comprehensive documentation
archive/ - Old/deprecated files from development

🌟 Deployment Options

Option 1: Local Use (Easiest)

Just open the HTML files in your browser. Generate new predictions as needed.

Option 2: Static Website (Free Hosting)

Upload these files to:

GitHub Pages (free)
Netlify (free)
Cloudflare Pages (free)

Set up a GitHub Action or cron job to regenerate predictions hourly and auto-deploy.

Option 3: Local Web Server

python3 -m http.server 8000

Then visit: http://localhost:8000/dashboard.html

🔮 Future Enhancements

This system can be enhanced with:

Gray line visualization and solar terminator tracking
Alert notifications for rare DX openings to needed entities
Historical propagation analysis from your actual QSOs
Integration with DX cluster for real-time spots
Contest mode with optimized band recommendations
Multi-antenna pattern support and gain calculations

📡 VE1ATM HF Propagation Prediction System