Hi all..
I wonder how many look at the VOACAP online Point to Point HF prediction..
If you use it at all...how does it go...any good....I mean it just gives a guide but is it in the Ball Park...
John
VOACAP
Re: VOACAP
I find it wildly optimistic, particularly in estimating the highest usable band. I've gone back to my old W6ELprop.
73
John VK4TJ
73
John VK4TJ
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VK2FAK
Re: VOACAP
Hi All...
I am trying the software you mention W6ELProp......but have a issue or a fault...not sure...
When entering manually the location of another Ham...or Country...I am not sure if the program is doing it right..
As a check..I looked up Japan in a Atlas Book.....and get 35 N Lat and 137 E Long ie +35 +137
BUT when I look into the Atlas in the Program I get 35 lat and - 137 Long
The problem is that the ( - ) indicates a Long of West.......Not east as is should be for Japan....
This being the case it gives me concerns if it is working out the details for the right location..
By the way.....I enter the numbers in with the Letters...not Plus or Minus...that gives the right N,S,E or W.
But does the program calculate the data properly..
John
I am trying the software you mention W6ELProp......but have a issue or a fault...not sure...
When entering manually the location of another Ham...or Country...I am not sure if the program is doing it right..
As a check..I looked up Japan in a Atlas Book.....and get 35 N Lat and 137 E Long ie +35 +137
BUT when I look into the Atlas in the Program I get 35 lat and - 137 Long
The problem is that the ( - ) indicates a Long of West.......Not east as is should be for Japan....
This being the case it gives me concerns if it is working out the details for the right location..
By the way.....I enter the numbers in with the Letters...not Plus or Minus...that gives the right N,S,E or W.
But does the program calculate the data properly..
John
Re: VOACAP
I think it is right. I usually enter grid squares, so I entered "PM95", a popular square in JA. It came up with a path length of just over 7,000 km, and a heading of 348 degrees, which is about right.
Next I simply entered "JA" in lieu of a lat & long, and got about the same answers.
When you go to the on-screen predictions, the lat & long are prettied up - do they say east?
73
John
Next I simply entered "JA" in lieu of a lat & long, and got about the same answers.
When you go to the on-screen predictions, the lat & long are prettied up - do they say east?
73
John
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VK2FAK
Re: VOACAP
Hi all....
Good point ....I will check the direction and distance of a few locations if nothing else but to give me confidence that its doing the right thing....
I know the part of the program you are talking about....probably if I put in the ( - ) it would show east....
I remember having that problem when entering my own location.....to get EAST I needed to enter ( -150 )...But when I just entered in 150 E it worked out fine... But this is against the convention as far as I know...thats why I was having doubts..
As you say I will just check with direction and distance....then I should be happy if all is well..I will just continue to use the Letters...
I ran it while looking at WSPR last evening....I was using a VK1 as a guide to see when he would be able to copy a specific station, The program was about 30 mins off the mark....pretty good if that keeps up.....also when not able to get a signal into the west coast of the US....( all this on 20m ) the program was saying there was a MUF around 14Mhz give or take..so that accounted for those...no contacts.
Curious....do you use the Sunspot number or Solar flux....I have read 2 documents on this program and each uses a different number.........last night I was using a SSN of 44.5 ( from the website they suggest ) might try the solar flux tonight..
John
Good point ....I will check the direction and distance of a few locations if nothing else but to give me confidence that its doing the right thing....
I know the part of the program you are talking about....probably if I put in the ( - ) it would show east....
I remember having that problem when entering my own location.....to get EAST I needed to enter ( -150 )...But when I just entered in 150 E it worked out fine... But this is against the convention as far as I know...thats why I was having doubts..
As you say I will just check with direction and distance....then I should be happy if all is well..I will just continue to use the Letters...
I ran it while looking at WSPR last evening....I was using a VK1 as a guide to see when he would be able to copy a specific station, The program was about 30 mins off the mark....pretty good if that keeps up.....also when not able to get a signal into the west coast of the US....( all this on 20m ) the program was saying there was a MUF around 14Mhz give or take..so that accounted for those...no contacts.
Curious....do you use the Sunspot number or Solar flux....I have read 2 documents on this program and each uses a different number.........last night I was using a SSN of 44.5 ( from the website they suggest ) might try the solar flux tonight..
John
Re: VOACAP
I use solar flux, mostly because I am lazy and have this site bookmarked:
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ftpdir/latest/wwv.txt
All it gives is solar flux, so decision made!
73
John
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ftpdir/latest/wwv.txt
All it gives is solar flux, so decision made!
73
John
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VK2FAK
Re: VOACAP
Hi all...
Ok ....the site I use has both but no other confusing numbers...
one thing I would like to see to make checking the path a little easier....would be to be able to switch location to see what it looks like coming from the DX station....with the click of a button...but it can be done manually so...
If you have used these programs for while.....how close can the wanted Operating Freq. get to the MUF before its an issue...as its all a bit of guess work, I would think if its within a few Mhz its to close. ?
P.S The optimum Working Frequency is approx. 85% of the MUF....but could be higher or lower....again...its all a little guess work....
John
Ok ....the site I use has both but no other confusing numbers...
one thing I would like to see to make checking the path a little easier....would be to be able to switch location to see what it looks like coming from the DX station....with the click of a button...but it can be done manually so...
If you have used these programs for while.....how close can the wanted Operating Freq. get to the MUF before its an issue...as its all a bit of guess work, I would think if its within a few Mhz its to close. ?
P.S The optimum Working Frequency is approx. 85% of the MUF....but could be higher or lower....again...its all a little guess work....
John