GeoMagnetic Stability
DATA Courtesy of United States Geological Survey (USGS)This program collects real-time geomagnetic data from global USGS observatories, calculates key metrics (H1, H2, DeltaH, D1, D2, DeltaD), and displays results in an HTML table, helping ham radio operators identify HF propagation disturbances and potential VHF auroral propagation opportunities, especially from high-latitude stations.
It takes a few seconds to retrieve the data from the 14 Worldwide USGS Observatories. After the initial table populates, click on the GET HF Recommendations button. Just remember, like that RARE DX station, this is real-time and changes very rapidly with overall solar activity. 10min from now, its different.
What should I do with this information?
This program collects and processes real-time geomagnetic activity data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) for various observatories across the globe. It retrieves high-resolution geomagnetic measurements, specifically the horizontal (H) and declination (D) components, over the past 10 minutes.
The program calculates key metrics such as the maximum (H1, D1), minimum (H2, D2), and delta (DeltaH, DeltaD) values, which quantify the variations in geomagnetic field intensity and declination. By computing standard deviations for the delta values, the program provides an indicator of overall geomagnetic stability.
For ham radio operators, these metrics can indicate disturbances in the Earth’s magnetic field that affect HF propagation, including sudden ionospheric changes caused by solar activity, which are critical for understanding signal quality and coverage. The results are displayed in a dynamically updated HTML table for quick analysis.
PICK an OBSERVATORY nearest your location. If your numbers look elevated from the rest, you could be experiencing a localized Geomagnetic disturbance. That will affect your HF propagation.
Data from a range of observatories strategically located in diverse geographic regions, including high-latitude stations such as Barrow (BRW) and College (CMO), can be indicators of auroral activity.
Observatories at higher latitudes are particularly sensitive to geomagnetic disturbances caused by solar wind-magnetosphere interactions, such as geomagnetic storms and auroral substorms.
High DeltaH or DeltaD values at these locations can indicate increased geomagnetic activity linked to phenomena like enhanced auroral currents or polar cap absorption events.
For ham radio operators, these spikes often signify degraded HF propagation at higher latitudes due to ionospheric disturbances but may also signal enhanced opportunities for auroral mode propagation on VHF bands, providing unique DX opportunities for operators positioned to take advantage of such events.