Track HF Band Conditions with HAM Radio Propagation Integration for Home Assistant
If you’re an Amateur radio operator who loves automation, there’s great news for you. The HAM Radio Propagation integration brings real-time solar and HF propagation data directly into your Home Assistant dashboard, helping you monitor conditions before jumping on the air.
Built and maintained by the open-source developer @emics, this project connects Home Assistant to the APIs from hamqsl.com and kc2g.com, pulling in solar flux index, K-index, MUF, signal noise levels, and much more.
🔧 What It Does
This integration acts like your personal space-weather assistant. With it, you can:
- Monitor solar flare activity (X-ray, flux, and geomagnetic data)
- Track day/night HF band conditions (80m to 10m)
- Get MUF data (Maximum Usable Frequency) from global ionosonde stations
- View propagation-friendly or unfavorable times, all on your dashboard
- Integrate alerts and automations when solar data reaches thresholds (like flare warnings or K-index spikes)
It’s especially useful if you:
- Schedule HF contacts (SSTV, FT8, CW, or SSB)
- Operate in contests or DXpeditions
- Want to automate shack behavior (e.g., antenna switching or radio power control)
🛠️ Easy Installation with HACS
The recommended way to install is through HACS (Home Assistant Community Store):
- Open HACS in Home Assistant.
- Go to Integrations > “+ Explore & Download Repositories”
- Search for HAM Radio Propagation and install.
- Restart Home Assistant.
Alternatively, advanced users can install it manually by copying the files into custom_components/ham_radio_propagation/.
📊 Add to Your Dashboard
After installation, add it to your dashboard using either:
- Home Assistant’s UI (Settings > Devices & Services)
- Manual
entitiescard with sensor values - A stylish CSS card by Mikko for a more attractive layout
Here’s a sample entities card setup:
type: entities
entities:
- entity: sensor.ham_radio_propagation_solar_hf_12_10_day
name: HF Conditions 12m-10m Day
- entity: sensor.ham_radio_propagation_solar_k_index
name: Solar K-Index
- entity: sensor.ham_radio_propagation_solar_flux_index
name: Solar Flux Index
- entity: sensor.ham_radio_propagation_solar_xray
name: Solar X-Ray
- entity: sensor.ham_radio_propagation_solar_geomag_field
name: Geomagnetic Field
title: Solar Data
Add as many bands or propagation metrics as you like.
💬 Why It Matters for HAMs
Understanding solar activity and ionospheric behavior is key for HF communications. This integration brings propagation awareness right into your home dashboard, no more checking websites or external apps.
Combine this with automations, like turning on your shack when solar flux rises, and you’ve got a smart, efficient radio station.
🔗 Get Started Now
You can install or contribute to the project via GitHub here:
👉 HAM Radio Propagation on GitHub
It’s licensed under MIT, actively maintained, and open to collaboration. If you appreciate the work, consider supporting the developer via BuyMeACoffee.
📡 A Must-Have for Every Ham Using Home Assistant
Whether you’re a weekend HF enthusiast or a daily DX hunter, this integration gives you an edge. Simple to install, easy to read, and entirely free, it’s one of the most practical additions for any smart shack.
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