Period: 11.04.2026 – 17.04.2026 · Calendar Week: 15/2026 · SFI: 94 · SSN: 48 · A: 18 · K: 4 · X-Ray: B3.5
Summary
The week starts on an unsettled note: the A-index sits at 18, the K-index at 4 – we are at the tail end of a minor geomagnetic storm that peaked overnight. The geomagnetic field is currently active, and solar wind is streaming past at 550 km/s, generating significantly elevated noise on the lower bands (S3-S4).
The Solar Flux Index has dropped to 94 with a sunspot number of just 48 – a sharp decline from last week (SFI 136). These are the lowest values in weeks and reflect a flat phase in the current solar cycle. This morning at 04:15 UTC there was a small B5.4 flare – so the Sun is not completely inactive, just much quieter than usual.
The good news for DXers: from Tuesday onward, geomagnetic conditions calm down significantly. The forecast Ap values drop from today’s 18 to 4-7 mid-week – opening an attractive window for DX work, especially on the middle and higher bands. However, the low SFI noticeably dampens openings on 12m and 10m.
The DX Window of the Week: April 14-17
If you want to go DX hunting, mark the second half of the week: from Tuesday to Friday, the Ap-index drops to 4-7, and the geomagnetic field will be quiet to very quiet. This is the best DX window of the month – at least until solar activity picks up again from April 20.
Watch out on Saturday (April 18): the NOAA forecast warns of a strong geomagnetic storm (Ap 48, G2-G3). This will likely be the month’s most significant disturbance. If you have QSOs planned, wrap them up by Friday – from Saturday onward, the lower bands will likely be unusable for several days.
Band Forecast
| Band | Day | Night | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 160m | Poor | Poor | Solar wind and storm aftermath make 160m unusable |
| 80m | Poor | Fair | High noise (S3-S4), improvement from Wednesday |
| 40m | Poor | Fair | Short evening windows toward NA, usable from Thu |
| 30m | Fair | Fair | Most reliable band of the week, robust |
| 20m | Fair | Fair | The bread-and-butter band, worldwide open from mid-week |
| 17m | Fair | Fair | Solid daytime DX paths |
| 15m | Fair | Poor | Short midday windows toward AS/AF |
| 12m | Poor | Poor | SFI 94 rarely enough for stable openings |
| 10m | Poor | Poor | Only sporadic brief openings possible |
27-Day Outlook
The medium-term outlook shows a clear pattern: after this week’s DX window, stormy days follow, then significant recovery.
- April 14-17: Quiet DX window (Ap 4-7) – the best time of the week for worldwide contacts.
- April 18: Strong geomagnetic storm expected (Ap 48, G2-G3). Low bands disrupted for several days.
- April 19-21: Recovery phase (Ap 12-22), conditions slowly normalize.
- April 22-24: SFI climbs to 150-160, Ap below 10 – top conditions on all bands, higher bands reopen regularly.
- April 29-30: Renewed unrest at month’s end (Ap 18-20).
VHF Conditions
Not much happening on VHF: aurora propagation is closed, as is E-skip on 6m and 4m. Despite the active geomagnetic field, K=4 apparently isn’t enough to trigger an aurora over Europe. Should the April 18 storm materialize, a brief aurora opening may become possible – worth keeping an ear out.
Live Data
| Band | Tag ☀ | Nacht ☾ |
|---|---|---|
| 160m | Schlecht | Mäßig |
| 80–40m | Mäßig | Gut |
| 30–20m | Gut | Gut |
| 17–15m | Gut | Gut |
| 12–10m | Mäßig | Schlecht |
Links
- prop.kc2g.com – Real-time MUF maps
- NOAA Space Weather – Official space weather data
- HamQSL Solar – Ham radio propagation data
- DXHeat DX-Cluster – Current DX spots
- SolarHam – Solar activity and space weather
73 de OERadio DX Weather Desk
This report was AI-assisted, based on current data from NOAA SWPC and HamQSL.com. The live data above refreshes automatically every 3 hours.
