Grid CQ18 Band Conditions
Localized HF conditions for Maidenhead locator CQ18. Coordinating at 78.50°, -137.00°. Updated with real-time telemetry from NOAA and DX cluster reports.
CQ18 conditions are FAIR. Best bands: 10m, 20m, 30m, 40m, 60m. SFI: 137.
From the CQ18 operating area, work the no sunrise — polar day and no sunset — polar day grayline windows: probe 20m, 30m, and 40m in the 15 minutes either side while the terminator crosses CQ18.
10m is the headline band right now, with 20m as the dependable fallback if conditions soften.
This square sits in a mixed-region footprint and is best used as a planning center for portable, field-day, and home-station band decisions.
- Latitude zone
- high-latitude
- Local phase
- Daylight
- Aurora exposure
- watch during geomagnetic storms
- Grayline
- no sunrise — polar day / no sunset — polar day
- Best high band
- 10m
- Nearest city
- the CQ18 operating area
● Local Band Quality Scorings
Use this local score for CQ18, then compare the global live ranking oncurrent ham band conditionsbefore changing bands.
● Best DX Windows from CQ18 — the CQ18 operating area
Great-circle distance, short-path beam heading, the bands most likely open right now from CQ18 to each DX region at SFI 137 / Kp 3, and a current verdict. "Open now" means a suitable band is scoring well on that path; "Try ~HH:MM" points at the next far-end grayline. Band picks and status are a planning heuristic, not a measurement.
| Target | Distance | Beam | Bands to try | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | 2,938 mi | 134° | 10m, 15m, 20m | Open now |
| Europe | 3,453 mi | 27° | 10m, 15m, 20m | Open now |
| East Asia / Japan | 3,720 mi | 273° | 10m, 15m, 20m | Open now |
| South Asia | 5,358 mi | 327° | 40m, 20m, 80m | Open now |
| South America | 7,084 mi | 104° | 10m, 15m, 20m | Open now |
| Oceania | 8,020 mi | 247° | 10m, 15m, 20m | Open now |
| Southern Africa | 8,771 mi | 19° | 10m, 15m, 20m | Open now |
● Band-by-Time Plan for CQ18
A planning heuristic for the local day at CQ18, built from sunrise no sunrise — polar day, sunset no sunset — polar day, SFI 137, and Kp 3. Not a measurement — a starting point for where to listen as the day turns.
Grayline enhancement — low bands reach long distances as the terminator passes.
High bands rising with the sun; check 10m for DX.
Peak high-band window — 10m and 15m open widest.
Second grayline peak — 20m holds, then hands off to 40m.
Low bands own the darkness — 40m for DX, 80m regional.
Recent local activity
Spots touching CQ18 and the adjacent squares
These are the newest 10m, 15m, and 20m reports where one side of the path sits in CQ18, CQ19, CQ17, CQ28, CQ08. This gives the page unique, local context instead of a generic solar snapshot.
Top DX targets
Where this grid is reaching right now
Contest preview
Next major contest outlook
No contest event is currently loaded. For planning from CQ18, start with 10m EXCELLENT, 15m EXCELLENT, 20m GOOD and keep 20m available as the safest all-around fallback.
Open contest calendarNearby grids
Four adjacent squares for internal path checking
Regional hub links