As a ham radio operator, I’ve always been fascinated by how propagation conditions shape on-air performance. Knowing when a band is open or closed can make all the difference between silence and a great QSO.
I wanted a small web app that would automatically show current HF and VHF conditions based on my location. It needed to display key space weather indices—like the K-index and Solar Flux—and give a quick visual rating (good, fair, or poor) for each band.
And of course, it had to look great too.
The Prompt I Gave the AI
Here’s the exact prompt I sent to Claude.ai :
Create a real-time ham radio propagation conditions app that displays current band conditions (HF/VHF) based on the user’s location. Show key indices like K-index and Solar Flux, and include a visual “good/fair/poor” indicator for each band. Use a “night sky” theme with deep blues, purples, and bright orange accents for data highlights. Use only HTML and CSS.
Refining the Output
The first version was surprisingly close to what I wanted. With a few rounds of tweaking—mostly to adjust layout details and fix small CSS issues—the app came together beautifully.
The final version uses a “night sky” theme with deep gradients and glowing accent colors that make the data stand out. It feels calm, modern, and distinctly “radio-inspired.”
You can check it out here:
👉 /ham-band-propagation-conditions/
My First Try at “Vibe Coding” with AI
This was my first real attempt at what I’d call vibe coding—guiding AI to build something based on a creative concept and aesthetic direction rather than pure logic or structure.
I don’t have extensive experience interpreting propagation data, but even so, the app looks solid and gives a clear snapshot of current band conditions. Watching an AI transform a simple text description into a working, visually appealing tool felt both surreal and inspiring.
The Takeaway: A Promising Start
While this project isn’t perfect, it proves that AI-assisted web development can produce useful, beautiful results—even with limited coding input. For hams and hobbyists alike, this approach opens new doors for experimenting, learning, and sharing information in creative ways.
This was just the first step, but it won’t be the last.