Topband: Topband Takeoff Angles & ICEPAC

[R. Dean Straw]

Pete:

Thank you for the kind words concerning my elevation angle statistics from
The ARRL Antenna Book.

I am indeed skeptical of the computations for Topband. The 1.8 MHz frequency
is too close to the electron gyrofrequency. And as K9LA has pointed out in
an earlier posting, the effects of the geomagnetic field are not explicitly
taken into account in IONCAP/VOACAP/ICECAP. This doesn't affect computations
on 80 meters and above.

And yes, all versions of IONCAP have a very steep learning curve!

73, Dean, N6BV

> -----Original Message-----
> From: topband-admin@contesting.com
> [mailto:topband-admin@contesting.com]On Behalf Of Pete Smith
> Sent: Thursday, March 07, 2002 5:25 AM
> To: topband@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: Topband: Topband Takeoff Angles & ICEPAC
>
>
> At 09:20 PM 3/6/02 -0800, k6se@juno.com wrote:
> >Don, W7DD didn't mention where to download ICEPAC from.
> >
> >The latest version of ICEPAC (5 Mb, including VOACAP & REC533), user
> >manual (730 kb in PDF format) and technical manual (400 kb in PDF format)
> >are available for download from:
> >
> >http://elbert.its.bldrdoc.gov/pc_hf/hfwin32.html .
>
> But don't expect to download them, crank 'em up, and immediately get
> meaningful data.  There is a huge learning curve, as befits a very complex
> subject.  Even when you understand all the output modes (does anyone?)
> there's some careful sanity testing that needs to be applied.
>
> Just a f'rinstance -- hypothetical propagation modes involving ultra-low
> take-off angles are of little practical use if the antennas on either end
> are not capable of radiating much at those angles.
>
> Probably the best arrival angle stats available out there are
> N6BV's tables
> supplied with YT, and these only go down to 80 meters, which may say
> something about his skepticism about the quality of results produced by
> these programs at Topband.
>
>
>
> 73, Pete N4ZR
>
> Check out the World HF
> Contest Station Database at
> www.pvrc.org
>
>
>
>
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