[TowerTalk] Microwave path study

[Michael Tope]

I would like to add that it is fairly easy to export terrain profiles from 
Radio
Mobile and the import them into HFTA. I tried using MicroDem the other
night to get terrain data and it just gave me a headache. IMO, RadioMobile
is a much more user friendly program.

73 de Mike, W4EF.....................

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "KY1K" <ky1k at pivot.net>
To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 6:55 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Microwave path study


> 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
>