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Typical HF Propagation Tables

The document contains information about HF radio propagation including: - Tables showing typical maximum communication distances for different frequency bands during daytime and nighttime, with distances generally increasing at night. - Additional tables listing expected minimum and maximum propagation distances in miles for different frequency bands at various hours after sunset and sunrise, with distances typically greater in winter than summer. - Notes that optimal frequencies can change rapidly during sunrises/sunsets and solar disturbances, so it's advisable to program multiple frequencies for each station contacted. The tables provide guidance for pilots to select the best HF frequency bands and times of day for their desired communication ranges.

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331 views7 pages

Typical HF Propagation Tables

The document contains information about HF radio propagation including: - Tables showing typical maximum communication distances for different frequency bands during daytime and nighttime, with distances generally increasing at night. - Additional tables listing expected minimum and maximum propagation distances in miles for different frequency bands at various hours after sunset and sunrise, with distances typically greater in winter than summer. - Notes that optimal frequencies can change rapidly during sunrises/sunsets and solar disturbances, so it's advisable to program multiple frequencies for each station contacted. The tables provide guidance for pilots to select the best HF frequency bands and times of day for their desired communication ranges.

Uploaded by

hdfdsgd
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 7

KHF1050 PG R1

4/29/03

3:14 PM

Frequency Band (MHz)


2.8 & 3.0

Page 5

Daytime Distance (Miles) Nighttime Distance (Miles)


Up to 100; Often unusable Up to 400

3.4

Up to 150; Often unsable

Up to 800

4.4

Up to 200

Up to 1000

5.5

Up to 300

100 to 1200

6.5

100 to 600

200 to 1500

8.8

200 to 800

400 to 1500 or greater

10.0

300 to 1000

500 to 1800 or greater*

11.1

400 to 1200

600 to 1800 or greater*

13.3

600 to 1500 or greater

Often unusable

17.9

700 to 1800 or greater*

Often unusable

21.9

900 to 1800 or greater*

Often unusable

The transition between daytime and nighttime distances may occur gradually
over a several hour period. During this transition, communication distances
between the daytime and nighttime distances listed will generally be realized.
* At times,communication may not be possible on this band during this timeframe. However, during periods of good propagation, worldwide communications may be realized.

Table 1 - Typical HF Signal Propagation Distance for Common


Aviation Bands
In direct tune operation, the pilot may select directly any of 280,000 frequencies in the range of 2.0 to 29.999 or 29.9999 MHz. Installation configuration may limit the upper frequency to 22.999 or 22.9999 MHz.
There are two types of frequency operation. Simplex is tuning the
same frequency for receive and transmit. Semi-duplex (sometimes
called split) is tuning two different frequencies, one for receive and one
for transmit. It is important to know the requirements of the desired
ground station when tuning these frequencies. Virtually all aviation services operate
on simplex.
SIMPLEX DIRECT TUNING
1. Turn the left outer knob to FREQ. See
Figure 5. The frequency shown in the
upper row of the display is the receive frequency indicated by the RX on right of the
display.
2. Select the desired frequency using the
right inner and outer concentric knobs.
Figure 5
The outer knob changes the frequency in
.1 MHz increments. The inner knob changes the frequency in .001 MHz
(1 KHz) increments or .0001 MHz (100 Hz) increments, depending on
the configuration selected when the system was installed.
Revision 1 May/2003

KHF 1050/PS440 Pilots Guide

FREQUENCY LISTINGS

SSB PROPAGATION TABLES

TYPICAL FREQUENCY PROPAGATION: SPRING AND SUMMER

BAND

4 MHz

Propagation (Miles)
Min Max

8 MHz

12 MHz

16 MHz

22 MHz

Min

Max

Min

Max

Min

Max

Min

Max

200
250
250
250
250
400
500
750
750
750
500

1000
1500
2000
2500
2500
3000
3500
4000
4000
4000
2500

500
500
500

3500
3500
3500

750
750

6000
6000

1500

7000

400
400
250
250
250
250
250
250
250
250
150
150
150

2000
2000
1500
1500
1500
1500
2500
1500
1500
1500
500
500
750

500
500
500
500
500
500
500
500
500
500

1000
1500
2500
3500
3500
3500
3500
3500
3500
3500

750
750
750
750
750
750
750
750

4000
4000
4000
4000
4000
6000
6000
6000

1500
1500
1500
1500
1500
1500
1500

7000
7000
7000
7000
7000
7000
7000

Hours after sunset


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

50
100
100
100
100
100
100
250
250
250
100

250
600
600
800
1000
1500
1500
2000
2500
2500
1000

Hours after sunrise


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

100
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
50

500
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
200
250

93

FREQUENCY LISTINGS

SSB PROPAGATION TABLES

TYPICAL FREQUENCY PROPAGATION: FALL AND WINTER

BAND

4 MHz

Propagation (Miles)
Min Max

8 MHz

12 MHz

16 MHz

22 MHz

Min

Max

Min

Max

Min

Max

Min

Max

400
400
400
400
400
400
400
500
500
500
750
750
500

2000
2000
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4000
4000
4000
5000
5000
2500

500
500
500
500
500

3500
4000
4000
4000
4000

750
750

6000
6000

1500

7000

400
400
400
400
250
250
250
250
250
250
250

2000
2000
2000
2000
1500
1500
1500
1500
1500
1000
1500

500
500
500
500
500
500
500
500
500

3500
3500
3500
3500
4000
4000
4000
3500
3500

750
750
750
750
750
750
750
750
750

4000
4000
4000
4000
5000
5000
6000
6000
6000

1500
1500
1500
1500
1500
1500
1500
1500

3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
7000
7000
7000

Hours after sunset


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

100
100
100
100
100
100
250
250
500
500
500
250
250

600
800
1000
1000
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
4000
3000
2500
1500

Hours after sunrise


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

100
100
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

1000
500
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
250

94

KHF1050 PG R1

4/29/03

3:14 PM

Page 19

One feature that will be particularly useful when a trial and error method
is used to find an HF frequency which is working well. This is the systems capability to be programmed by the pilot with 100 channels using
the PS440 Control Display Unit. Rather than having to select the four to
six digits each time you want to try another frequency, you can preprogram the frequencies you need to contact a particular ground station.
Then if you call and fail to get through, you just change to another channel.
NOTE: It is advisable to program at least three frequencies for each station you plan to contact, in case one frequency suddenly becomes unusable. During times of solar disturbances, a useable frequency can fade
out in less than a minute. And the window of useable frequencies can
shift rapidly during solar disturbances or during sunset and sunrise when
the level of ionization in the ionosphere is changing rapidly.
Tables 1A and 2A show typical propagation distances due to reflection
from the ionosphere for various frequencies during different hours of the
day and for different seasons of the year. It may prove helpful in selecting the optimum HF frequency for the communications distance your
operation requires.
Frequency (kHz)
4000
Propagation (Miles)
Min
Max
Hours After Sunset
1
50
250
2
100
600
3
100
600
4
100
800
5
100
1000
6
100
1500
7
100
1500
8
250
2000
9
250
2500
10
250
2500
11
100
1000
Hours After Sunrise
1
100
500
2
0
100
3
0
100
4
0
100
5
0
100
6
0
100
7
0
100
8
0
100
9
0
100
10
0
100
11
0
100
12
0
200
13
50
250

8000

12000

16000

Min

Max

Min

Max

Min

Max

200
250
250
250
250
400
500
750
750
750
500

1000
1500
2000
2500
2500
3000
3500
4000
4000
4000
2500

500
500
500

3500
3500
3500

750
750

6000
6000

400
400
250
250
250
250
250
250
250
250
150
150
150

2000
2000
1500
1500
1500
1500
1500
1500
1500
1500
500
500
750

500
500
500
500
500
500
500
500
500
500

1000
1500
2500
3500
3500
3500
3500
3500
3500
3500

750
750
750
750
750
750
750
750

4000
4000
4000
4000
4000
6000
6000
6000

Table 1A - Typical Frequency Propagation Spring And Summer

Revision 1 May/2003

19

KHF 1050/PS440 Pilots Guide

KHF1050 PG R1

4/29/03

3:14 PM

Page 20

Frequency (kHz)
4000
Propagation (Miles)
Min
Max
Hours After Sunset
1
100
600
2
100
800
3
100
1000
4
100
1000
5
100
1000
6
100
1500
7
250
2000
8
250
2500
9
500
3000
10
500
4000
11
500
3000
12
250
2500
13
250
1500
Hours After Sunrise
1
100
1000
2
100
500
3
0
100
4
0
100
5
0
100
6
0
100
7
0
100
8
0
100
9
0
100
10
0
100
11
0
250

8000

12000

16000

Min

Max

Min

Max

Min

Max

400
400
400
400
400
400
400
500
500
500
750
750
500

2000
2000
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4000
4000
4000
5000
5000
2500

500
500
500
500
500

3500
4000
4000
4000
4000

750
750

6000
6000

400
400
400
400
250
250
250
250
250
250
250

2000
2000
2000
2000
1500
1500
1500
1500
1500
1000
1500

500
500
500
500
500
500
500
500

3500
3500
3500
3500
4000
4000
4000
3500
3500

750
750
750
750
750
750
750
750
750

4000
4000
4000
4000
5000
5000
6000
6000
6000

Table 2A - Typical Frequency Propagation For Fall And Winter

Revision 1 May/2003

20

KHF 1050/PS440 Pilots Guide

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