[TowerTalk] Microwave path study

[KY1K]

Bill and others....

You can do MUCH better than that. I started out using n2ckh software, but 
he suspended further development years ago.

Today, it's Radio Mobile, which is free for non-commercial use and has an 
awesome email support group. You have to download your own digital terrain 
data, and store it. But, the 30 meter database files are 10 Megabytes each, 
or 2 mb if you zip them and cover a degree square. You can also use the 100 
meter database too, the files are much smaller to cover much larger areas.

The neat thing about it is that you can do your graphical analysis and 
display the digital terrain map any way you want. After the digital terrain 
map display is finalized, you can call up a detailed street map or an 
aerial photograph from the internet, all automatic and no hassle. I learned 
alot of stuff about my local geography from it. For a few extra dollars, 
you can use any commercial image source via the internet, but 1 and 2 meter 
resolution aerial photos are free for non commercial use.

You can use any type of overlay, provided you know the longitude and 
latitude of each corner of the image, which has alot of potential to do 
some pretty awesome work.

It is designed primarily to predict signal strength between 2 fixed points 
where you define radios, frequency of operation, feedline loss, antennas 
and tower heights and press go. It gives signal strength is microvolts!

I also use it for predicting optical line of sight for laser work-you 
display 4 grids, define the transmitter location and then press go. It 
illuminates all the surrounding area that has line of sight coverage to 
that peak. After it's done with the display of the terrain data, you press 
'get internet map' and it downloads and overlays a map showing roads and 
cities (scaled to the same dimensions as the digital terrain map is).

I don't want to start a ruckus, but, for me, the software confirmed that 
there is no line of sight coverage between Pack Manadonock and Mount 
Washington...despite some adamant claims that the los path exists from some 
very prominent microwave types. Ditto the alleged line of sight path 
between Mount Washington and Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park. The 
Maine Forest Ranger at Mount Katahdan (Baxter State Park) was very 
interested to learn that there is no line of sight path to Mount 
Washington-I showed him the actual peak he was seeing. He had been telling 
people for quite a few years that Mount Washington could be seen on a clear 
day:>: The software confirms the 109 mile line of sight path between Mount 
Washington and Mount Marcey in NY.

It even has a mode to display the peaks visible from a given hilltop 
(panoramic view), so you can compare the screen to the actual view and tell 
which little bump is which as you look off in a given direction.

http://www.qsl.net/ve2dbe/

Have fun, great email group. I've learned alot.

Art




At 08:23 PM 5/17/2005, you wrote:
>OOPS...  Hate it when I do that. Here's the correct URL:
>http://gbppr.dyndns.org:8080/path.main.cgi
>
>Sorry...
>
>----------------
>
>Too cool! This is a great utility. The URL is:
>http://gbppr.dyndns.org:8080/path.cgi
>
>I've been looking for this kind of online utility for a long time. Thanks,
>Pat.
>
>Bill / W5WVO
>
>
>Pat Barthelow wrote:
> > Blake:
> >
> > Dont know the exact URL, but put "Green Bay Packet Radio" Into Google
> > and
> > you will get there...
> > An extremely good, useful site-resource
> >
> > 73, DX, de Pat Barthelow  aae6g at hotmail.com
> >
> >> From: "Blake Bowers" <bbowers at mozarks.com>
> >> To: <TOWERTALK at contesting.com>
> >> Subject: [TowerTalk] Microwave path study
> >> Date: Tue, 17 May 2005 11:11:49 -0500
> >>
> >> A while back, I believe on this list, there was some
> >> discusson of an ONLINE page, where you could
> >> enter the lat lons of two points for a path study.
> >>
> >> Anyone have that ONLINE webpage?
> >>
> >> Thanks
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> > See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers",
> > "Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free,
> > 1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > TowerTalk mailing list
> > TowerTalk at contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>_______________________________________________
>
>See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless 
>Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with 
>any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
>_______________________________________________
>TowerTalk mailing list
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