[TowerTalk] Antenna software

[N7mal]

Scott MacKenzie wrote:
""Simple to use and reasonably accurate""
"Reasonably" is the key word for all the modeling programs available. They 
are a very useful as a guide but they are not the 'end-all-be-all' for 
defining an antenna. The modeling software gives you a fairly good starting 
point but as has already been said the final result requires getting your 
hands dirty: lengthening and shortening etc etc etc.
73

MAL
N7MAL
BULLHEAD CITY, AZ
http://www.n7mal.com
Everyone in the world is
entitled to be burdened
by my opinion

----- Original Message ----- 
From: jimlux
To: Scott MacKenzie
Cc: towertalk at contesting.com ; 'W4PV'
Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2008 15:33
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Antenna software


jimlux wrote:
> Scott MacKenzie wrote:
>> Simple to use and reasonably accurate - and free is MMANA
>>
> I'd stay away from any of the MiniNec based tools. They were great in
> their day with limited computational resources, etc., but today, there's
> no reason not to run something with the full code.
>

I would add, though, that probably the most important part of a modeling
tool is the user interface. You need to be comfortable entering YOUR
antennas and looking at the data.  Teri's interface is fairly facile,
and they've modified MiniNec to overcome some of the more egregious
limitations. OTOH, some of the features they tout (current sources) are
also available in just about every other tool as well (except working
with bare NEC decks).

In reality, the accuracy issues between flavors of modeling codes are
unlikely to be the determining characteristic at first.  By the time you
can appreciate the errors, you'll know enough to make a choice based on
your own preferences and modeling style.

Warning, modeling is addictive.  There is a tendency to sit inside on a
fine day running models, when more might be accomplished by climbing
ladders and stringing wires.

Jim
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