Subj : Python RF conditions source code
To   : All
From : Sean Dennis
Date : Wed Aug 12 2026 06:09 pm

(I ran this on my Slackware box and it worksa great.)

#!/usr/bin/env python3
import urllib.request
import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET
import sys

# Change this path to your BBS bulletin directory (e.g., 
/home/bbs/text/prop.txt)
OUTPUT_FILE = "/home/bbs/files/hfprop.txt"
URL = "https://www.hamqsl.com/solarxml.php"

try:
    # Fetch the raw N0NBH solar XML data stream
    req = urllib.request.Request(URL, headers={'User-Agent': 'Mozilla/5.0'})
    with urllib.request.urlopen(req) as response:
        xml_data = response.read()
    
    root = ET.fromstring(xml_data)
    solardata = root.find('solardata')
    
    # Extract core solar metrics
    updated = solardata.find('updated').text.strip()
    sfi     = solardata.find('solarflux').text.strip()
    ssn     = solardata.find('sunspots').text.strip()
    aindex  = solardata.find('aindex').text.strip()
    kindex  = solardata.find('kindex').text.strip()
    
    # Process calculated HF band conditions (Day/Night maps)
    bands = {}
    for calc in solardata.findall('calculatedconditions/band'):
        name = calc.get('name')
        time = calc.get('time')
        status = calc.text.strip()
        if name not in bands:
            bands[name] = {}
        bands[name][time] = status

    # Construct clean, standard ASCII display text block
    lines = [
        "+-----------------------------------------------+",
        "|           CURRENT HF BAND PROPAGATION         |",
        f"| Updated: {updated:<36} |",
        "+-----------------------+--------------+--------+",
        "| Band / Frequency      | Daytime      | Night  |",
        "+-----------------------+--------------+--------+"
    ]
    
    # Output rows mimicking solar.w5mmw.net layout
    for b in ["80m-40m", "30m-20m", "17m-15m", "12m-10m"]:
        day = bands.get(b, {}).get('day', '---')
        night = bands.get(b, {}).get('night', '---')
        lines.append(f"| {b:<21} | {day:<12} | {night:<6} |")
        
    lines.extend([
        "+-----------------------+--------------+--------+",
        f"| Solar Flux Index: {sfi:<4}    Sunspot Number: {ssn:<4}  |",
        f"| Geomag A-Index:   {aindex:<4}    Geomag K-Index: {kindex:<4}  |",
        "+-----------------------------------------------+"
    ])
    
    # Flush output block seamlessly into your local BBS bulletin text file
    with open(OUTPUT_FILE, "w", encoding="ascii", errors="ignore") as f:
        f.write("\n".join(lines) + "\n")

except Exception as e:
    print(f"Execution Error: {e}", file=sys.stderr)
    sys.exit(1)

-- Sean KS4TD

.... "Bother," said Pooh as Caesar gasped "Et tu, Poohte?"

--- MultiMail/Win
 * Origin: Outpost BBS * Johnson City, TN (1:18/200)

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