Works good using 20 watts into the East Coast and Ohio this morning

I use #18 for 100 watts and and a #22 for QRP

 

Field Operations Radio Checklist

Get outside and operate from a park, a picnic table, your backyard, or rest stop mobile.

Choose QRO or QRP operations

QRO – Get a 100W portable transceiver like a Yaesu FT-891/857D/897D, Kenwood 480SAT, or Icom 7000/7300. Get a 100W antenna like a SuperAntenna vertical, Chameleon Antenna, Buddipole, Dipole, or Hyend end fed. Get a 12V 30/20Ah Lipo battery like a Bioenno or a 12v car battery.

QRP – Get an Elecraft KX2/KX3 or a Yaesu FT-817/818ND. Get an Alex Loop, LNR Precision end fed or a dipole. Get a Zippy Flightmax 5000 mah 3S1P 20C battery or a Bioenno battery.

Thanks to Bonnie for clearly explaining what all this solar index stuff means

40m has been opening up in the evening and even cases of 20m opening up in the evening. 20m has become a daytime DX band lately and when conditions are right 40m is showing VK and European stations. The following explains why

How To Read HF Propagation Numbers

The A index = LOW is GOOD.
1 to 6 is BEST
7 to 9 is OK
11 or more is BAD

SFI index: HIGH is GOOD.
70 NOT GOOD
80 GOOD
90 BETTER
100+ BEST

K index: LOW is GOOD.
0 or 1 is BEST
2 is OK
3 or more is BAD
5 is VERY VERY BAD

A low “A index” is most important!
For Low Power Portable DX openings at 10MHz to 30MHz, look for an A index LESS THAN 6.

73—Bonnie KQ6XA

Right NOW the conditions are: A-SFI-K=OK, Not Good, Best

Data provided by N0NBH

SFI=75 / SN=27 / A=3 / K=0.

A-SFI-K=Best, Not Good, Best …………means bands are open for DX (usually)