file: propprgm.txt updated April 30, 1993 Subject: Propagation programs Date: 22 Apr 92 14:04:58 EDT Organization: American Radio Relay League COMPUTER PROPAGATION PREDICTION PROGRAMS (Draft of generic information to be offered as a handout) Several propagation prediction programs are available for the IBM PC/XT/AT and compatible computers. But like predicting the weather, predicting propagation -- even with the very best computer software available -- is not an exact science. Experience and a knowledge of propagation conditions as related to solar activity will aid in separating reasonable from unreasonable information that may result from computer calculations. Keep in mind, too, that the programs are written to calculate propagation only for great-circle paths via the E and F ionospheric regions. Scatter, skew-path, auroral and other such propagation modes may provide contacts when the calculations indicate no contacts are possible. Brief information about programs that have been evaluated at ARRL HQ follows, listed alphabetically by program name. Most programs do not require a math coprocessor, but will make use of one if available in the system with increased speed of calculations resulting. Some programs offer two program files, one to be run with a math coprocessor and the other to be run if a math coprocessor is not present. The program that may be best for you depends on your computer system, your needs, your desires, and to some degree your experience with and knowledge of propagation. The ARRL makes no recommendation of any particular program, and in no way warrants the software described below. ASAPS ASAPS is an abbreviation for Advanced Stand-Alone Prediction System. The program was developed by IPS Radio and Space Services of the Australian Dept of Admin Svcs. Written for the IBM XT/AT, it offers true graphic displays (in systems with graphics capability), and provides color displays on color monitors. It rivals IONCAP (see below) in its analysis capability but performs calculations in significantly less time. The program is menu driven, and is interactive with the user. For example, the selection of an antenna, the transmitter power level, etc may be changed after the initial calculations have been completed, and the results of the change are instantly available.) Calculates MUF, LUF, wave angles, bearings, distances, field strengths, propagation modes, S/N ratio etc, short or long path. Requires a hard disk; compatible with Hercules, CGA, VGA and other graphics systems. Software is copyrighted. Available from IPS Radio and Space Services, PO Box 1548, Chatswood NSW 2057, Australia, $350 Australian (approx $280 US, depending on the exchange rate), for nine 5-1/4 inch diskettes and 48-page documentation. IONCAP IONCAP, an acronym for IONospheric Communications Analysis and Prediction, was originally written in FORTRAN for a mainframe computer by an agency of the US government. This program is considered by experienced amateurs and professionals alike to be the most comprehensive and best HF prediction program available for serious work with propagation probabilities. Most amateurs consider it user unfriendly, however. The program offers no menu; rather, an input file containing instructions and data must be prepared for program execution. A knowledge of the input-file structure for FORTRAN programs is helpful in preparing this file. Permits selection of antenna, antenna height and ground characteristics, transmitter power level. Limited graphics capability using ASCII characters (xxxx, ...., etc). Calculates MUF, LUF, wave angles, bearings, distances, field strengths, propagation modes, reliability, S/N ratio, multipath effects and more for short or long path. This is public domain software. (CAUTION: Under federal law, this software cannot be given to non-US citizens without export approval.) Requires a hard disk. Available from National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Rd, Springfield, VA 22161. The 87130993 is not available any more, the 89106777 is 250 $, a new ? version is 92501642 at 280 $. (The mainframe version is 960 $ on magnetic tape !!) (For IBM XT/AT: NTIS order no. PB87130993 is no longer available); for IBM AT: NTIS order no. PB89106777. The fee is $250 plus $3 handling, for three 5-1/4 inch diskettes and 226-page documentation manual. (The manual is written exclusively for the mainframe version. The PC version does not support some of the routines/procedures described in the manual.) The NTIS is very hard to ask questions about technical data on the software. They only serve as ordering desk for the information and software. IONSOUND This program was written for the IBM PC and compatibles. It provides true graphics and supports color monitors (text mode only). IONSOUND is menu driven, and provides tabular and graphic displays. Very similar in IONCAP as to capability, it calculates MUF, LUF, wave angles, bearings, distances, field strengths, propagation modes, reliability, S/N ratio, multipath effects and more for short or long path. Permits selection of transmitter power level and limited selection of antennas. Graphs present mode chirp plots (delay time versus frequency versus intensity), a display that is unfamiliar to many amateurs. These displays simulate the results of oblique ionospheric sounding. (Provisions for time-of-day graphs versus other propagation parameters are not included.) When executed, IONSOUND requires that approximately a dozen screens of questions be answered before calculations begins. These questions involve considerations that may be new to some amateurs wanting propagation predictions, such as noise environment at the transmitter and receiver, receiver bandwidth, required S/N ratio, layer height adjustment, and mode order. The topics are discussed in the documentation, however, and default values are provided for most answers as suggestions to the user. May be run from floppy disk. Copyrighted software. Supports Hercules and CGA (including EGA and VGA). Available from Jacob Handwerker, W1FM, 17 Pine Knoll Rd, Lexington, MA 02173 on 5-1/4 (limited edition) or 3-1/2 inch disks. Price class $30. Equivalent of 42-page user manual provided as a disk file. MINIMUF Written in BASIC, this was the first prediction program to become available for general use by radio amateurs. The program was published in December 1982 QST (R. B. Rose, "MINIMUF: A Simplified MUF-Prediction Program for Microcomputers," pp 36-38). It is reliable for the trans-american paths used for its development, but has been found unrealistic for many paths outside of North America, especially those traversing latitudes near the poles. Calculates MUF only, short path only. This is public domain software, and can be run from a 360K floppy disk. The program may be keyboarded from the listing provided in the QST article. This article is the only documentation available. MINIPROP MINIPROP was written expressly for the radio amateur with an IBM PC or compatible computer. The program is driven with simple, straighforward menus, and is interactive with the user. Calculates MUF, wave angles, bearings, distances, field strengths, propagation modes, reliability, approx S/N ratio for short or long path, as well as sunrise- sunset and gray-line information. The program produces graphs (with ASCII and extended-ASCII characters), and produces a DX compass showing the MUF for 12 compass directions for a given time. MINIPROP is available from Sheldon C. Shallon, W6EL, 11058 Queensland St, Los Angeles, CA. Price class $50. May be run from floppy disk. Available on a single 5-1/4 or 3-1/2 inch disk with 56-page manual. The members and HQ staff would like to thank the following people for their contributions to this information file: K1TD, SM7OUB Send any additional information or changes to mtracy@arrl.org. 73 from ARRL HQ.