Period: 14.03.2026 – 20.03.2026 · Calendar Week: 11/2026 · SFI: 108 · SSN: 45 · A: 15 · K: 3 · X-Ray: B5.2
Dear fellow operators, CW 11 was a week of contrasts – a turbulent start, a calm middle, and a stormy finale. Anyone who checked the bands at the weekend first felt the aftermath of a G2 storm on 14 March: Kp values up to 6.0, unsettled bands and the typical auroral noise on the low bands. But then calm returned – and what calm! Mid-week we experienced near-paradisical conditions with Kp values close to zero. The Solar Flux held steady at a respectable 105–108, enough to reliably open the middle bands.
The start of the week was dominated by the geomagnetic storm. On 14 March, the Kp index climbed to 6.0 (G2) – a moderate storm that severely disrupted the low bands and polar paths. Connections to Scandinavia and North America via the polar route were barely possible at times. The F2 layer was thoroughly shaken, and even 20 metres showed unusual absorption losses. However, those listening on 40m towards the south could still find usable signals from the Mediterranean and Africa despite the storm.
From Tuesday 15 March, conditions settled rapidly. Kp dropped to 2–3, and from Wednesday we enjoyed Kp values below 2. Thursday and Friday were nothing short of dreamlike: Kp around 0.7 to 1.0, an almost completely quiet magnetic field. Combined with the solid Solar Flux of 105–108, this produced excellent conditions on the middle bands. 20 metres was open all day, 17 and 15 metres showed stable openings well into the evening hours. These were the days for relaxed CQ calls and unhurried QSOs.
The low bands showed their typical spring character after the storm subsided. 160 metres remained challenging – the increasing atmospheric noise that comes with March made itself felt. 80 and 40 metres, however, delivered solid results from Wednesday onwards: European roundtables on 80m in the evening hours, DX on 40m in the second half of the night. The nights from Thursday to Friday and Friday to Saturday were golden for low-band DXers.
The high bands of 12 and 10 metres showed the typical picture of a moderate Solar Flux: sporadic openings during the day, mainly towards the south and southwest. FT8 made the best of the weak signals as always, but CW and SSB also had brief windows to South America and South Africa on 10m. Those who carefully monitored the frequencies between 11:00 and 14:00 UTC could log some surprising stations.
Then came Friday evening, 20 March – and with it the next storm announced itself. From 18:00 UTC, the Kp index rose rapidly: from 3.3 through 5.7 (G2) to 6.7 (G3) by 21:00 UTC. A significantly stronger storm than at the beginning of the week, which continued into Saturday night and scrambled the bands once more. Anyone still on the bands on Friday evening witnessed the signals collapsing in real time.
In terms of solar events, there was little spectacular to report: X-ray activity remained in the B-class range, no significant flares, no sudden ionospheric disturbances. The disruptions came exclusively from the geomagnetic field – likely from coronal holes and fast solar wind streams that hit us at the beginning and end of the week.
What do we take away from CW 11? The quiet days mid-week were a gift that needed to be seized. With Kp near zero and solid SFI, these were conditions every DXer dreams of. The contrast with the stormy phases before and after demonstrates once again: flexibility is everything in amateur radio. Those who adapt their operating times to current conditions are rewarded. Those who stubbornly stick to weekend-only operating were out of luck this time.
Band Forecast (Weekly Average)
| Band | Day | Night |
|---|---|---|
| 160m | Poor | Fair |
| 80–40m | Fair | Fair |
| 30–20m | Fair–Good | Fair |
| 17–15m | Fair | Poor |
| 12–10m | Poor–Fair | Poor |
Kp History
| Time (UTC) | Kp | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| 14.03. 00:00 | 5.7 | Storm (G2) |
| 14.03. 03:00 | 6.0 | Storm (G2) |
| 14.03. 12:00 | 5.0 | Storm (G1) |
| 14.03. 18:00 | 2.7 | unsettled |
| 15.03. 03:00 | 2.0 | quiet |
| 16.03. 00:00 | 3.0 | unsettled |
| 16.03. 18:00 | 1.7 | quiet |
| 17.03. 06:00 | 1.0 | quiet |
| 17.03. 15:00 | 0.3 | very quiet |
| 18.03. 12:00 | 1.0 | quiet |
| 19.03. 18:00 | 0.0 | very quiet |
| 20.03. 21:00 | 6.7 | Storm (G3) |
Live Data
| Band | Tag ☀ | Nacht ☾ |
|---|---|---|
| 160m | Schlecht | Schlecht |
| 80–40m | Schlecht | Mäßig |
| 30–20m | Gut | Gut |
| 17–15m | Mäßig | Mäßig |
| 12–10m | Schlecht | Schlecht |
Links
- prop.kc2g.com – Real-time MUF maps
- NOAA Space Weather – Official space weather data
- HamQSL Solar – Amateur radio propagation data
- DXHeat DX-Cluster – Current DX spots
- SolarHam – Solar activity and space weather
73 de OERadio DX Weather Desk
This report was compiled using data from NOAA SWPC and HamQSL.com. The live data above updates automatically every 3 hours.
