How To Point to Point Area Contest

How to Use this Program

This tool generates HF propagation predictions using the ITU-R-HF engine. There are three prediction modes: Point to Point (single path, full 24-hour frequency sweep), Area (one transmitter to a geographic grid at a chosen UTC hour), and Contest (multiple target regions, all bands, full 24-hour display). Each mode produces both a visual output and downloadable raw data.

Point to Point

Predicts propagation between a single transmitter and receiver location across all frequencies and all 24 UTC hours, displayed as a color-coded heatmap.

Input Location

Enter decimal-degree coordinates for both the transmit (TX) and receive (RX) stations. Alternatively, drag the red (TX) and blue (RX) markers directly on the map — the coordinate fields update automatically.

Input Frequency Mode

Input Other Parameters

Output Frequency–Time Chart

A heatmap canvas plots frequency (y-axis, 1–30 MHz) against UTC hour (x-axis, 0–23). Cell color represents the selected metric — BCR (circuit reliability %), SNR (dB), or PR (received power). An orange spline overlays the predicted MUF. Hover over any cell to see the exact frequency, hour, and value. Use the metric toggle buttons above the chart to switch between BCR, SNR, and PR without re-running. Use the MUF toggle to switch between MUF 50th percentile and Operational MUF 85th percentile.

Download CSV

Click Download CSV below the results text to save a timestamped CSV file containing the full numeric prediction table for all frequencies and hours.

Download Chart Image

Click Download Chart Image above the chart to export the current frequency–time heatmap as a PNG file.

Download Copy to Clipboard

Click Copy to Clipboard to copy the raw results text directly for pasting into a spreadsheet or other tool.

Area

Predicts propagation from a single transmitter to every point on a global geographic grid at a specific UTC hour, displayed as a color overlay on a world map.

Input TX Location

Enter the transmitter latitude and longitude in decimal degrees, or drag the red marker on the map. Only one station location is required — the prediction is computed to the entire grid.

Input Display Hour

Set the initial UTC hour to display after the prediction runs. After running, use the left/right arrow buttons to step through all 24 hours without re-running.

Input Resolution

Choose the geographic grid resolution: Low (15°), Medium (10°), High (5°), or Very High (2°). Higher resolution produces a finer heatmap but takes significantly longer to compute.

Input Other Parameters

Antenna gain, year, month, SSN, frequency, TX power, signal type, and noise environment — same meaning as Point to Point.

Output Heatmap Overlay

A color heatmap is overlaid on the world map showing the selected metric (BCR, SNR, or PR) at every grid point for the current hour. Use the metric toggle buttons to switch metrics without re-running. Use the opacity slider to adjust heatmap transparency (0 = invisible, 1 = fully opaque). A grayline (solar terminator with twilight gradient zones) is also overlaid automatically and updates every 60 seconds.

Output Hover Info

Move the cursor over the map to see the predicted metric value at that geographic location in the info box in the top-left corner of the map.

Download Map Image

Click Download Map Image to export the current map view as a PNG. A dialog lets you choose the export extent:

Download CSV

Click Download CSV to save a timestamped CSV of the full grid prediction data for all 24 hours and all grid points.

Download Copy to Clipboard

Click Copy to Clipboard to copy the raw results text.

Contest

Predicts propagation from your station to a configurable list of target regions across all contest bands and all 24 UTC hours, displayed as color-coded tables for both short and long path.

Input TX Grid Square

Enter your Maidenhead grid locator (4 or 6 characters, e.g. FN21 or FN21ab). This defines the transmitter location.

Input Band Selection

Toggle any combination of the six contest bands: 160 m, 80 m, 40 m, 20 m, 15 m, 10 m. Only selected bands appear in the output tables.

Input Target Regions

The table lists the receive locations (target regions) to compute paths to. Each row has a name, a Maidenhead grid square, and a checkbox to include or exclude it from the run. You can edit region names and grid squares in-place. Click Add Region to add a new row, or click the red X on any non-default row to remove it.

Input Other Parameters

TX Power, month, year, SSN, signal type, noise environment, and antenna gain — same meaning as Point to Point.

Output Contest Charts

After running, two color-coded tables appear — one for Short Path and one for Long Path. Rows represent target regions grouped by band; columns represent UTC hours 1–24. Each cell is colored by the predicted metric value using the same viridis scale as the other prediction tools (white = 0, yellow = maximum).

If there are more than six regions, the tables are split into chunks of six. UTC hour labels appear on both the left and right edges. Hover over any cell to see a tooltip showing the region, band, hour, and exact value.

Use the metric toggle buttons (BCR %, SNR dB, PR S-unit) to switch the color coding and legend without re-running the prediction.

Download PDF

Click Download PDF to open a print dialog with the contest charts rendered at high resolution in landscape A4 format, suitable for printing or saving as PDF.

Download Images (ZIP)

Click Download Images to export each chart chunk as a PNG file, packaged into a timestamped ZIP archive.