[TowerTalk] HFTA disc....

[Jim Brown]

On Fri,7/15/2016 4:15 AM, Rudy Bakalov via TowerTalk wrote:
> Second, the thought behind the proposal is to further development of otherwise stale software.
-- 
> By the way, the statement about paying for the right to use the software is a slippery slope too. The issue is lack of support. In the past I did have problems with the software and there was nobody to provide support.

I don't think I would describe HFTA as "stale" -- the issues with using 
it are largely related to obtaining the data for it, which are the 
result of how agencies of governments, including the US, provide the 
data online. That has required support, and N6BV and ARRL have provided 
it in the form of updates to the procedures that are posted on the ARRL 
website. Also, N6BV has done at least one online tutorial on use of the 
software. It was hosted by PVRC, a major contest club roughly centered 
around DC.

Yes, it could be a bit more automated, perhaps in the manner that AC6LA 
has done for W7EL's EZNEC.

What I'd really like to see is a program like HFTA for vertically 
polarized antennas. When I suggested it to Dean several years ago, he 
told me that Parkinson's had begun some deterioration, so that he no 
longer felt able to work at the needed level of detail. I've suggested 
that project to another engineer with the math and antenna chops to do 
it. We'll see.

73, Jim K9YC