How to make your shortwave propagation predictions ?

 VOACAP (Voice of America Coverage Analysis Program)^[1] is a radio propagation model that uses empirical data to predict the point-to-point path loss and coverage of a given transceiver if given as inputs: two antennas (configuration and position), solar weather, and time/date. Written in Fortran, it was originally designed for Voice of America.

https://www.voacap.com/

When i was on HamSphere i use VOACAP because i work remote from rare DXCC like Marquesas islands or French antactica.  I was important to know on which band propagation will be good to contact Europe or another place in the world. 

This programme is for amateur radios bands 10 to 80 meter

10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 30, 40, 60 and 80 meter

THS SW bands for SWL are:

So you can use a band for amateur radio like 40 meter to see if propagation will be good on 41 meter broadcasting.

I will show you how to do, its very simple

Go to this link

https://www.voacap.com/hf/index.html

You can see a blue and a red arrow

The blue is YOUR home

I will put on FRANCE in Paris my city !

I put the RED arrow on WRMI in Florida

To move the arrow just click left with you computer mouse and hold.

No go to propagation prédictions Paris Miami

Click on green band by band buton bottom left

And we have the propagation prédictions Paris Miami

On right side this is Long path propagation if you use a directive antenna like a YAGI.

https://johnsonfrancis.org/techworld/what-are-long-path-and-short-path-propagations-in-ham-radio/#:~:text=Long%20path%20and%20short%20path%20are%20terminologies%20used%20during%20long,two%20stations%20on%20the%20globe.

If you dont need to use long path go the left 

On the left side you have the amateur radio bands and from 01 to 24 is the time in UTC

 https://time.is/fr/UTC

If color is RED propagation betwen Paris and Miami will be very good.

Exemple 40 meter band is open from 01 UTC to 06 UTC

Look 20 meter band ( 14 MHz is open all the day ! 

You can see its very easy to understand

https://medxr.blogspot.com/

What are Long Path and Short Path Propagations ( Nice indian accent ! )

https://johnsonfrancis.org/techworld/what-are-long-path-and-short-path-propagations-in-ham-radio/#:~:text=Long%20path%20and%20short%20path%20are%20terminologies%20used%20during%20long,two%20stations%20on%20the%20globe.

Some of my remote QSL cards for HamSphere when sometimes i use long path