DXLook Blog

For years, we've all relied on global space weather numbers — SFI, K-index, A-index — to guess whether the bands would be open. But here's the thing: a station in tropical Singapore experiences dramatically different conditions than one in Alaska.

The global numbers tell only part of the story. What really matters is: "What are MY band conditions, right now, at MY location?"

That's why we built Personalized Band Conditions.

The Problem with "Global"

When you look at traditional band conditions, you're seeing a worldwide average. But HF propagation is anything but average:

Global conditions are useful for a quick overview. But they don't answer the question you're really asking: "Should I get on 40m right now from MY station?"

What Makes It Personal?

The new Personalized mode in DXLook's Band Conditions widget uses your Maidenhead grid to calculate conditions specific to YOUR operating position. Here's what changes:

📍 Your Geographic Latitude

Atmospheric noise varies dramatically with latitude:

Real impact: If you're operating from Singapore, you'll see S4-S5 noise when global conditions show S2-S3. Because that's what you're actually experiencing.

🌗 Day vs Night at YOUR Location

The D-layer forms during daylight and absorbs signals on lower bands. We calculate solar position for YOUR grid to determine if it's day or night at YOUR QTH:

Real impact: When it's 2 AM local and personalized mode shows "Good" on 80m, you'll know it's YOUR nighttime making the difference — not just luck.

🧲 Your Geomagnetic Latitude

Where you sit relative to Earth's magnetic field determines how storms affect YOUR propagation. We convert your geographic coordinates to geomagnetic coordinates and adjust storm impacts accordingly:

Real impact: During a K=5 storm, a station in Tromsø sees degraded conditions while a station in Hawaii continues operating normally.

🌌 Aurora Activity and YOUR Station

This is where it gets really interesting. We fetch real-time aurora data from NOAA's OVATION (Oval Variation, Assessment, Tracking, Intensity, and Online Nowcasting) model. This tells us:

Then we check: Is YOUR station under or near the aurora right now?

If you are, you'll see:

Real impact: If you're in Alaska and the aurora expands to your latitude, you get a clear warning and realistic band conditions — not misleading "Good" ratings based on global data.

📅 Seasonal Effects at YOUR Location

Summer thunderstorms increase noise in mid-latitudes. We check the current month and your hemisphere:

Real impact: Operating from California in July shows slightly higher noise than the same station in January.

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Tropical DXpedition

You're running a DXpedition from Singapore (OJ11) at 2 PM local time.

Global view says:

Your personalized view shows:

Actionable insight: Focus on 20m and higher during the day. Wait for local sunset for better 40m conditions. The noise floor will be high regardless — plan your operations accordingly.

Example 2: High-Latitude Contest Station

You're running CQWW from Tromsø, Norway (JP99) at 11 PM local.

Global view says:

Your personalized view shows:

Actionable insight: Consider taking a break or working stations south of the aurora zone. Expect rapid QSB and flutter. The global "Fair" rating doesn't show that you're in a blackout zone.

Example 3: California Night Ops

You're running a contest from California (CM87) at 3 AM local in July.

Global view says:

Your personalized view shows:

Actionable insight: Perfect conditions for all bands. The slight noise increase from your mid-latitude location and summer season is still very manageable.

How to Use It

Step 1: Enter Your Grid

In any DXLook view, enter your Maidenhead grid locator (e.g., CM87, FN20, JO22).

Step 2: Toggle to Personalized

In the Band Conditions widget, you'll see a toggle switch:

Global  ⚪━━━  Personalized

Flip it to Personalized.

Step 3: Click "Go"

DXLook calculates YOUR conditions in real-time.

Step 4: See YOUR Conditions

The widget now shows:

Example noise display:

Noise: S3-S5  (Atmospheric: +1.5, Time: +0.5, Season: +0.5 S-units)

You can see exactly why your noise is what it is!

When to Use Each Mode

Use Global Mode When:

Use Personalized Mode When:

The Science Behind It

Personalized Band Conditions combines:

  1. Real-time NOAA space weather (SFI, K, A, solar wind, flares)
  2. Your Maidenhead grid converted to geographic coordinates
  3. AACGM-v2 geomagnetic model for coordinate conversion
  4. Solar position calculations for YOUR location (astral library)
  5. D-layer absorption modeling based on solar zenith angle
  6. NOAA OVATION aurora forecasts to check if YOU're in the impact zone
  7. Atmospheric noise models based on latitude and season

All calculations happen in real-time using locally-cached space weather data. Fast, accurate, and personalized for YOUR QTH.

Who Benefits Most?

🏆 Contest Operators

Know exactly when to switch bands based on YOUR local conditions. No more guessing if that 80m opening is real or wishful thinking.

🌴 DXpedition Teams

Plan operations around YOUR location's unique characteristics. Tropical DXpeditions get realistic noise predictions instead of misleading global averages.

❄️ High-Latitude Stations

Finally get aurora warnings specific to YOUR QTH. Know when to expect degraded conditions and when the aurora is elsewhere.

📡 Weak-Signal Operators

Accurate noise floor predictions help you decide if conditions are good enough for EME, WSPR, or FT8 on lower bands.

Data Sources

All NOAA space weather data is US Government public domain, free for everyone to use:

The data updates every 10 minutes for base space weather, and every 25-30 minutes for aurora forecasts (matching NOAA's update schedule).

Best of All: It's Free

Personalized Band Conditions is available to all DXLook users at no cost. No account required — just enter your grid and toggle to Personalized mode.

Try It Today

Next time you're planning to get on the air, toggle to Personalized and see the difference. You might be surprised how much conditions vary from the global average.

Sometimes your location makes things better. Sometimes it makes them worse. But either way, you'll know why — and you can plan your operations accordingly.

Because propagation isn't one-size-fits-all. It's personal.

73 de AK6FP
Rodrigo
https://dxlook.com

Have feedback on Personalized Band Conditions? Found it useful during a contest or DXpedition? Let us know! We're always looking to improve the experience for operators.