Watch for VHF sporadic-E or auroral openings

The HF Propagation Dashboard includes a VHF Conditions section that shows whether aurora, North American E-skip, or European E-skip paths are currently open. Use this to decide whether to monitor VHF frequencies for weak-signal or FM DX opportunities.

Before you start

• AetherSDR does not need to be connected to a radio to use the propagation dashboard.
• An active internet connection is required for the dashboard to fetch current propagation data.

Steps

1. Click View > Propagation Conditions to open the HF Propagation Dashboard.
2. Scroll down to the VHF Conditions section.
3. Read the Aurora, E-Skip NA, and E-Skip EU indicators. Each shows either Open or Closed.
4. Read the What These Mean (VHF) notes below the indicators. These two plain-language notes explain what aurora and sporadic-E openings mean for VHF operating.
5. Check back periodically — conditions can change within minutes during active periods.

What each control does

Control	Behavior	States
Aurora	Shows whether auroral propagation is currently active.	Closed, Open
E-Skip NA	Shows whether sporadic-E skip is active over North America.	Closed, Open
E-Skip EU	Shows whether sporadic-E skip is active over Europe.	Closed, Open
What These Mean (VHF)	Two rotating plain-language notes explaining the difference between aurora and sporadic-E propagation.	—

Tips

• An Open state is shown in green; Closed is shown in muted gray. A quick color scan lets you check status without reading the labels.
• Aurora openings tend to correlate with elevated K-index readings. Check the K INDEX card in the Current Conditions section if the Aurora indicator shows Open.

Related

• HF Propagation Dashboard overview
• Check current solar flux, sunspot number and K-index
• See the 3-day Kp forecast and blackout risk