[SCCC] Fw: ARRL Propagation Charts for 10m Test

[Leigh S. Jones, KR6X]

For anyone who took my advice and picked up the HFWIN32 package from Greg 
Hand (a.k.a. VOACAP) but is still learning to use it, I have attached a file 
named EXAMPLE.ICE that will aid you in quickly coming up to speed on using 
the ICEAREA area coverage software.  Because the SCCC mailing list does not 
forward attachments, I just placed the text between two short dashed lines 
below.  You'd cut and paste it into notepad.exe and save it as 
C:\itshfbc\areadata\default\EXAMPLE.ICE assuming a default installation of 
HFWIN32.  Then after starting up ICEAREA, do a 
"File|Open|default/EXAMPLE.ICE" and a "Run|Calculate|Save/Calculate/Screen". 
In the map that appears, select parameters to be displayed.  In this example 
the transmit and the receive yagi antenna always point in the same direction 
regardless of where on the map the receiver is, so the directivity of your 
antenna is misrepresented -- because off-heading stations are pointing their 
beams away from you. Of course, you can change where the receiving antenna 
is pointed or change to non-directional antenna on the receive end.
-----
Model    :ICEPAC
Colors   :Black    :Blue     :Ignore   :blue     :Red      :Black with 
shading
Cities   :Receive.def
Nparms   :    4
Parameter:ANGLE    7  7    2.00 14    4.00 10    6.00  3    8.00  9   10.00 
13   12.00 15   90.00
Parameter:TGAIN    7  7   -1.00 14    2.00 10    5.00  3    8.00  9   11.00 
13   14.00 15   99.00
Parameter:RGAIN    7  7   -4.00 14   -1.00 10    2.00  3    5.00  9    8.00 
13   11.00 15   99.00
Parameter:SNR      7  7   25.00 14   40.00 10   55.00  3   60.00  9   65.00 
13   70.00 15  120.00
Transmit : 34.18N   118.32W   BURBANK              Short
Pcenter  : 37.97N   100.88W   GARDEN CITY
Area     :   -2000.0    2700.0   -1400.0    2100.0
Gridsize :  181    0
Method   :   22
Coeffs   :CCIR
Months   :  11.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00
Ssns     :     24      0      0      0      0      0      0      0      0
Qindexs  :   7.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00
Hours    :     19      0      0      0      0      0      0      0      0
Freqs    : 28.040  0.000  0.000  0.000  0.000  0.000  0.000  0.000  0.000
System   :  150     0.100   50    3     0.000    99.990
Fprob    : 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.70
Rec Ants :[samples \yagi.7      ]  gain=  13.1 260.0
Tx Ants  :[samples \yagi.7      ]  0.000  70.0     1.5000
-----
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Leigh S. Jones, KR6X" <kr6x at kr6x.com>
To: <sccc at contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 2010 11:29 AM
Subject: [SCCC] ARRL Propagation Charts for 10m Test


> For those interested in a more useful propagation forecast, I suggest 
> learning to use the ICEPAC program from Greg Hand's free HFWIN32 package 
> at
> www.greg-hand.com/hfwin32.html
> It seems to have a somewhat steep learning curve at first, but with 
> familiarity comes the understanding that the interface is really only as 
> complex as the task at hand.
> Leigh S. Jones KR6X
> _______________________________________________
> SCCC mailing list
> SCCC at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/sccc
>