VOAProp

VOAProp was written to satisfy my need for a program that would show me what HF band propagation should be like on a particular day on a particular band. It was the successor to my popular propagation program HFProp, which used a fast, but not very accurate propagation modelling algorithm. VOAProp uses the well-regarded VOACAP forecasting software, and provides a simplified graphical interface for it so that you can get an overall idea of how propagation should be at a given time and date without getting bogged down in detail. VOAProp shows you typical propagation for a given hour of the day during a given month. The propagation is shown as expected signal strengths to be received from different parts of the world, plotted on a world map. VOAProp can also display daily point-to-point propagation charts showing the best frequency and time of day for communication with a particular location. VOAProp includes a table of smoothed sunspot number (SSN) data going back to the year 1900. This data is used by VOACAP to produce a plot of average expected propagation for the time of day. VOAProp can also obtain real-time solar data from WWV, which it uses to give a qualitative assessment of conditions. This can show whether conditions are likely to be better or worse than predicted. VOAProp can also be used as an IARU amateur bands beacon monitor. If your computer clock is accurate, the program displays icons on the map which show which beacon is currently transmitting, together with the expected received signal strength according to the predicted conditions. VOAProp includes a built-in updater which can download the WWV solar data, and update the SSN table and beacon status data, via an Internet connection.