For those who may have missed it, ZL2HAM's ViewProp is now available
free in a public beta test. Before you yawn and dismiss ViewProp as just
another propagation program, hear me out. This thing is different!
All the propagation prediction programs we are used to - IONCAP, VOACAP
and their cousins - are based on historical understanding of
propagation. They make predictions based on solar parameters and their
authors quite honestly explain that their results are monthly averages,
rather than predictions that reflect what you can expect today or tomorrow.
ViewProp is something new. It bases its reporting on what is happening
today, on paths between your QTH and locations of interest around the
world. It does this by drawing on the Reverse Beacon Network's array of
hundreds of Skimmers worldwideto keep track of what is being spotted by
Skimmers in your vicinity, as well as what stations in your vicinity are
being spotted anywhere else. The result is a dynamic portrait of
propagation from your QTH to and from wherever in the world, which bands
are open and how well.
In addition to showing you a map display of the paths being reported,
and on what bands, ViewProp also charts the level of activity on
different bands over the course of each day in a readily-understandable
format. There's much more to it, too, as you can learn by reading the
Wiki with more details and a few screenshots: http://zl2ham.wikispaces.com/
I believe this is the first truly revolutionary use of the capabilities
of the RBN to promote understanding of *your* HF propagation. Try it,
and tell us if you agree. The only thing that Rick asks is that you
join the Viewprop Yahoo group at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/viewprop/, and then you can download the
beta version from the group's Files section.
Try it, and tell him what you like, what you don't, and what you think
should be added. I promise you, he is listening.
--
73, Pete N4ZR
Check out the Reverse Beacon Network at
http://reversebeacon.net,
blog at reversebeacon.blogspot.com.
For spots, please go to your favorite
ARC V6 or VE7CC DX cluster node.
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