Ham Radio 2000 #2

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Ham Radio 2000 #2 / Ham Radio 2000 - Volume 2.iso / HAMV2 / VHF / MSSOFT50 / README50.TXT < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1997-11-21 | 40.5 KB | 903 lines

The Compact MS-Soft V5.0 Documentation [Parameter Set-up Software] [Menu] [Peak Calc + ZHR] [Geometry setting menu] [Geometry w. graphics] [Geometry w. table] [CW operating screen] [Sked editor] Author: I.Yrj÷lΣ Rev. 19-11-1997 The documentation of the Compact MS-Soft V5.0 is found in three parts: * User Manual (This file). * Meteors&Communication (MOREON50.TXT) * Other supplied files. Contents of this document: * 1. DISTRIBUTING & COPYRIGHTS * 2. COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS * 3. INSTALLING * 4. GETTING STARTED * 5. KEYING INTERFACE * 6. PEAK CALCULATOR * 7. GEOMETRY * 8. HIGH SPEED MS-CW * 9. SKED EDITOR * 10. UNITS, FORMATS AND ABBREVIATIONS * 11. CREDITS * 12. REFERENCES * 13. DISCLAIMER Major differences to V4.3 The math inside the software is almost the same as before. The user interfaces have been re-arranged and partially redesigned to use only the 640*480 VGA screen format. The parameter file names and their contents have been altered. Some small, but useful new features are added. Date format is according to ISO 8601 standard! The software goes now beyond year 2000. The prior versions had several full-screen sub-displays and menus, which made their use a bit clumsy. Now there is only a handful displays and all functions from the sub-menus are included within data displays. Month reports are replaced by something far better. Old month reports are not disseminated any more. To my own opinion, nothing crucial was lost in the process. 1. DISTRIBUTING & COPYRIGHTS This software can be copied for ones own use and used freely for Amateur Radio Meteor Scatter (MS) contacts, or astronomical aid. If publishing or re-printing data produced by, or delivered with, this software in media (publications, Internet etc.), the source must be acknowledged! This also includes MSDATA files! Re-distributing of MSDATA is not encouraged. Anyone needing the data can join the MSDATA mailing list. In fact, in case of (semi-)scientific papers, refereed or not, I would appreciate seeing the text before it is submitted. Selling this program package for profit by any means is strictly prohibited. You may only charge copying costs & postage. Distributing this software is NOT allowed by Packet Radio! This file must also be retained with the other related files. GETTING A COPY OF THE SOFTWARE: If you have access to Internet, you can download the software from my homepage: http://www.sci.fi/~oh5iy Post release data available: * by E-mail at request, see below. * by Packet Radio, see below, * by getting the whole .ZIP file package from my homepage. The latest software version is available via mail from me. Send: * Self Addressed Envelope + * formatted 3.5" HD (1.4 MB) diskette + * 4 IRCs for return postage to Europe, * 6 IRCs for postage outside Europe, or adequate amount of US dollars. To receive MSDATA, update files and other information: Send a request to join the: * PACKET RADIO MAILING LIST to OH5IY @ OH5RBG.#KVL.FIN.EU * E-MAIL MAILING LIST to oh5iy@sci.fi and update ASCII text files will be sent to you, as they become available. If your e-mail bounces repeatedly, you will be thrown off the list, unless you inform on changes on your e-mail address. MSDATA on a major shower is usually available 3...5 days after the shower peak! I would like to thank all those operators who have financially supported my work in this field. TNX! Having now my own homepage on the Internet, the amount of money consumed to this project has increased, but the service has also improved. Together with the new programming tool the fixed cost for this version were minimum $600 and time spent over 60 hours. I considered the possibility to make it shareware with a $10 registering fee, but since the market is so small, it would have been difficult trying to cover up the costs that way either. Nothing in life is free, or is it? Depends on you. 2. COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS IBM AT Personal Computer (286,386,486,Pentium), or compatible computer with MS-DOS, >=640K RAM, HD, or a floppy disk, VGA display adapter, one unused serial port (COM1 or 2). Without the math processor the calculation of geometry may take more time than desired on a slow CPU and extremely high CW speeds can not be achieved. In case of motherboards with 286, 386 or 486 processors, a co-processor is recommended for comfortable use. LCD displays may cause some minor "visibility" problems. Set background colour to "Black" in PAR50.EXE and see the PC's manual how to modify the display settings. The PC's internal clock should not drift more than +-5 seconds/hour. Software anomalies The same clock related graphics and speed related CW problems still occur and can not be cured. If you have detected a certain software bug, let me know. If you have problems occurring only in one particular PC, or the software does not work (CW) under some other than DOS operating system, I am NOT interested on your problem, since there is nothing I can do for it. MS-Soft has been tried under OS-2, WIN95, WIN3.1 and NT4.5 and found it did work on full screen mode, but did not produce useful keying output from Com 1. If you wish to fight to make it work on those systems, it is all up to you. 3. INSTALLING If you have downloaded the software via the Internet, first unzip the file with -d option. Type INSTALL to run INSTALL.EXE program. After files are copied, PAR50.EXE is executed. Please set parameters to suit your computer & station. Use HELP (F1) for more information on set-up parameters. The software runs also from the diskette drive, but don't forget to run the PAR50.EXE. [Parameter Set-up Software] 4. GETTING STARTED STARTING THE SOFTWARE Type MS to start the software. Start CMSI.EXE if you don't wish to run the TSR screen clock. You may also run CK.COM then CMSI.EXE (using a batch file you make!) and this should work OK, except the clock will not go away until you boot the PC. The main menu gives you four choices. Select with a mouse, or with a key ("P","G","S","M","L"). Alt+X will abort the program anywhere, except in sked editor! [New more informative Menu] Using keyboard and mouse You can control the software by using keys & buttons that have Red text, or with mouse by pointing text, or icon and clicking left mouse button. The QUICK data input procedure is used when setting something in the software. This input procedure has a pre-set input feed line length. If you type in data and reach the end of the line for that column, data input is terminated without Enter key. If the input has fewer characters, then you must hit Enter. This same procedure is used through the whole software! 5. KEYING INTERFACE The computer can be connected to the radio's key connector, with an interface, suitable for high speed keying. Also, if possible, to isolate radio from PC and to protect transmitter from a down stuck keying. Sorry, a PTT output (+ when xmit) is still un-available. Interfaces made for K1EA's CT software, are fully compatible, providing they can handle the high speed. A keying interface for transmitters with low (less than 20V key up) and positive keying voltage, is shown below. [De-Luxe keying interface] RS 232 pin markings are for the 25 pin DB connector. On a 9 pin DB connector RTS is 7, DTR is 4 and ground is 5. You can determine the keying output com port with the PAR50.EXE file, as COM 1, or COM 2. FOR SALE: Limited number of assembled keying interface PCBs (no connectors or cables included) at $10 USD (ú6 GBP) incl. P&P. 6. PEAK CALCULATOR Peak calculator is a useful tool in finding out the time of the highest meteor density during a meteor shower and plan the schedules (together with proper geometry) accordingly. Showers included here do not all produce significant activity annually, so learning more on meteor outburst is useful in many cases. It is often less productive to make schedules for short duration showers and outbursts, since the peak may appear a couple hours off from the predicted moment and conditions are often inferior some hours off from the outburst. By operating on random, you will not miss the peak and will make more QSO's. [Peak Calc + act. curve] Select the shower with arrow up and down keys or mouse. Change the year with "+" and "-" keys. Text window shows shower information with predicted peak date and time. You can view existing raw data reflection curve files on the lower screen by selecting "Activity". If you step back to 1990 with "-" key and then move forward in time with "+" key, the old traces will not become erased now, but the curves are plotted as overlaid. [Peak Calc + daily counts] An unique three year average of daily raw counts for each month can be viewed by selecting "Counts". Each of the 12 showers represents a month (Jan. to Dec.). < src="peakz.gif" width="640" height="480" alt="Peak Calc + ZHRs"> A comprehensive collection on history of maximum observed ZHRs for each 12 showers can be seen by selecting "ZHR history". Unfortunately moonlight, sunlight, or bad weather have made visual observations impossible in some cases. 7. GEOMETRY Propagation geometry is one of the ways to better success on meteor scatter communications, specially in optimising temporary communications. It is not the only issue of importance, as the results in the end rely heavily on (the knowledge of) existing meteor shower activity. Geometry plays a significant role in MS, since the radio signal reflection from meteor trails is aspect sensitive, you should try to find the best available geometry (time of day) for your test. Optimising for best geometry does not work well in case of meteor outbursts with lots of overdense trails from bright meteors. The path-radiant co-alignment, or even high radiant elevation does not cause significant reduction in propagation because the trails have long duration (>10 seconds> and distorted trail sections will provide unpredictable geometry. Presently the data files supplied with the software include some 12 major and 36 minor showers. The auto-selection data file may contain up to 65 lines (about 50 showers, depending on the desired accuracy of the shower model). Using it [Geometry setting menu] Select the calculation for: * today, or * manual RA/DE, or * some other date, or * select a shower from the list (listed by solar longitudes). After a date selection is somehow completed, select the Locator (Grid) where you wish to calculate. You may either type it, or click the site on the map with the mouse. European and North American maps are selected automatically by station location. Other maps are not available. The centre of the square is used (XX##MM), if the locator is given only with four characters (like KP30), or clicked with the mouse. Handy, when "accurate" results are not desired, or the exact LOC is unknown. Change of Home Locator is done in the main menu. This changed Home Locator will be used until you exit Geometry section. Used when calculating data for other stations and locations. If you selected a date, the software automatically selects the most active shower. Major shower names are printed with UPPERCASE and minor showers with lowercase. Many minor and fringes of major showers are overlapping. The criteria when to change over to an other more active shower, is the calculated ZHR. These points are pre-set in the EURO.DAT (or FLORIDA.DAT or AUSTRAL.DAT) file by the solar longitude start values for each shower branch segment. Generally, the idea is to select the most active shower for the hour and to show the geometry it produces. When option "Manual RA/DE" is used, the daily radiant drift correction is NOT applied! Values are calculated for every 30 minutes. This computation is for TRAILS and forward scatter only, not for 144 MHz back scatter where meteor head reflections are dominant! The head reflection becomes an important mode of (back)scattering on higher frequencies. [Geometry w. graphics] z-plane image: This end view display shows (one of) the best point of reflection. In fact, reflections occur all along the so called "locus band", but only a single spot is shown here. When it is out of range, the path loss can not be shown. Red colour is used on the efficiency curve and values to alert on this condition on graphic and table displays. In those cases the sporadic meteor hot spots are used to provide reflection parameters. x,y-plane image: The x,y-plane map shows a top view with the meteor layer radio horizons and reflection points from shower, or from sporadic hot spots. A list of side scatter antenna offsets is shown on the table display when "T" (table) is selected. The indicated efficiency is not valid on side scatter paths! When looking at the numbers, remember the antennas do not produce a laser like beam! Even the shower radiant diameter is 5 to 10 degrees. If your eyesight would be equal to your antenna's resolving power, you could not read, or even see if there is any text on THIS screen, or not. There is not much need to point a single yagi antenna with a 30 degree beamwidth away from the great circle bearing, since it covers most of the area where potential reflections may take place. "+" and "-" keys, or clicking them on the top of the screen changes the date. If you have selected manual RA&DE co-ordinates, you can change them in 1 degree steps to simulate different values of RA and DE and see the effects. This can be done only with the mouse, by pointing "RA" or "DE" and clicking left (minus 1 deg), or right (plus 1 deg) mouse button! Numeric window in the middle shows the values for the hour your mouse is, or was, last pointing at the graph. Clicking left mouse button clears the reflection point markers on the lower graphics (x- and z-plane) windows. [Geometry w. table] On the table display the lower screen shows radiant azimuth, elevation, path loss and ZHR. For more information of ZHR and HR, see MOREON50.TXT file. The hourly rate (HR) for Sporadic meteors and shower's ZHR is displayed on the upper graph. Minor error in HR curve is caused by a simplified mathematical model on sporadic meteor rates. In fact, if the helion and antihelion components are excluded from sporadic meteor rates (considered as shower induced), the model is fairly good. Yellow line shows the shower's ZHR and dotted yellow line the sporadic HR. It is up to you to use your own expertise to select a proper time using the efficiency, path loss, T-wait, ZHR and HR curves! Pick the best compromise! You should elevate your antenna, depending on your antenna's vertical beam width, when distance is shorter than 1500 km. Ideal angle is shown on the screen with azimuth. Medium sized antennas may be set for a fixed 5 degree elevation. 8. HIGH SPEED MS-CW SOFTWARE PERFORMANCE (tested with Region 1 mode): * Speed range (upper limit depends on the computer performance): * Region 1 & 3: 40...9999 LPM with auto sequencing. * Region 2 (America): 8... 2000 WPM with auto sequencing. * Long term speed accuracy: * 25 MHz 386SX: Single R test, error 3% @ 1000 LPM, 16% @ 2000 LPM. * 33 MHz 486DX: Single R test, error 2% @ 1000 LPM, 4% @ 2000 LPM. [CW speed with different PCs] [CW output at 5000 LPM w. 486DX33] [CW output at 5000 LPM w. 486DX33] Faster CPUs with co-processor and fast I/O and other chips work well at 5000 LPM. Attempts to use higher speed than the PC can produce does not increase speed, but may cause severe character distortion! Short term speed accuracy: Fair to Poor. Minor random delays extend mark or space. Extent of this is computer dependant. * Available period lengths: 1/4, 1, 2, 2╜, or 5 minutes and manual sequencing. * Maximum single sked runtime with auto stop: 24 hours. * Two procedures available: the Region 2 US and the European IARU 1 procedure. CONSIDERATION OF REQUIRED BANDWIDTH ON CW The carrier ON-OFF KEYING often called CW, requires bandwidth of Bn= B * K where Bn= necessary bandwidth in Hz B = speed in bauds K = keying sharpness factor (5 in fading circuits like MS) B is calculated from speed LPM (Letters Per Minute) (WPM=LPM/5) B = LPM / 6 With 5000 LPM the baud speed is 833 Bauds and the required bandwidth is 4.2 kHz. Raising the speed to 10000 LPM will increase the bandwidth to 8.2 kHz. Maximum allowable bandwidth is (in Finland) 18 kHz (18K0A1A) and limits the maximum allowable CW speed to 21600 LPM, the absolute legal limit on 50 MHz and on 144 MHz. OPERATING: The transmission stops at end of the period to the first word space with " K", if the speed is less than 301 LPM. At speeds over 300 LPM: The transmission loop is stopped at then end of the message. Region 1 or 2 message formats are used as set in the PAR50.EXE file by the user. [CW operating screen] Operating: * Select the sked from lower sked window, autostart will initiate the transmission. * Select some other message. Start manually. The first one is easiest and gives you more path data on the screen. Slashes (/) are removed from the call sign, a normal procedure on MS in Region 1. I hope it is OK for Region 2 operators too. The sked data file has now a Y/N marking on whether I start, or not, so the software knows automatically who starts. When starting without sked file data, the software goes from STBY to RX and then TX (unless you hit F8 immediately to make it go to TX). With 1 minute periods a CW beeper notifies the operator on the beginning (T), or the end (K) of xmit period. The slow CW ID can be switched off ("-"). The Automatic Period Sequencer can be set OFF (manual T/R operating). QRT time can be set, if user wishes the software to stop automatically at certain time (to the first RX period after stop time). If you started using sked file data, speed, call sign, start time and date, has been automatically set according to sked data. Also locator is set, if it is found from the info column, resulting correct path data on the screen. Expected signal levels and ERPs are also displayed, if information on antenna and power was found from info text. In case of SSB schedule, 1 minute period is set and text "SSB" replaces the CW speed to alert the operator. After start time is reached, the system goes from standby to receive, or to transmit mode sending call signs, depending on who starts the schedule. The two text input messages F6 and F7, are blank. If you store text in F6, it will remain stored there and can not be re-programmed as long, as you do not restart, or exit software. If you select F7, you can, and have to, re-program the text every time. F6 suits for a single pre-programmed message, while F7's message content can be re-programmed at any time. Four different colours are used to make the screen more informative: * Green colour indicates receiving. * Red colour indicates transmitting. * Light cyan indicates edit status. * Yellow is used for all variable data. ON-LINE DISPLAY On-Line path and shower data display helps the operator to point his (or hers) antenna and see the shower efficiency and radiant, while operating. It consist of two windows: * ACTIVE SHOWER * PATH INFO Data is updated once in every minute, except during transmit period. * XXXXXXXXds (Active shower's name). * #### ## (Active shower's: ZHR, sporadic: Hourly Rate). * ###░ ##░ (Active shower's radiant's azimuth and elevation (Note 1)). * * XX##XX #### km (Great circle distance to Locator) * ###░ ##░(Great circle heading, antenna elevation (Note 2). * ###░ ##░ (Antenna Az/El using sporadic meteors, or shower if available). * ##% (Shower trail efficiency in percents (Note 3)). * ### min (T-wait in minutes). * ###.#dB (Path loss in dB (Note 4)). * ###.##kW ###.#dBm (My Effective Radiated Power->RX signal at his end (Note 5)). * ###.#dBm ###.##kW (RX signal at my end<-His Effective Radiated Power). If the locator is not set, or was not found from the sked editors info column, the stations approximate locator is extracted from the call sign. If this is not successful, the path and shower data is calculated to 4 km distance. This procedure is used only for European callsigns. US calls can not be used this way, as they do not show the true location. Some call areas, or countries, are wide. This is why you should set the exact locator with F10, to get accurate path and gradient data. If the call area is unknown, zeroes will be shown as path data. Please set the locator, to get path data on the screen. (1): Shower radiant azimuth ( 0deg=north ) and elevation. Present ZHR (Zenithal Hourly Rate) for the shower. The radiant elevation is radio refraction corrected, when the shower is higher than about -2 degrees. If lower, no correction is done. Because of this, when the radiant rises, or sets, it jumps a couple of degrees, when the correction is taken into use. (2): Great circle bearing & elevation (of the meteor layer), distance. (2a): Direction of the better "hot-spot" for sporadic meteors and present Hourly Rate of sporadic meteors. Diurnal, seasonal and latitude induced rate variations exist. Direction varies diurnally and depends on path orientation and latitude. If your antenna beam width (-3 dB) can cover both hot spots, aim your antenna to direction shown at (1). It will increase the number of reflections. Required beam width is: 2 * ABS(((1a)-(1)) degrees. (2b): Direction and elevation of best reflections from the shower meteor trails. If the direction deviates a lot from bearing (1), it likely is not advisable to point antenna to this direction. In this situation reflections are more or less degraded. (3): Reflection efficiency for the shower and shower name. To learn more about reflection efficiency, see MOREON50.TXT file. (4): The path loss for marginally overdense trail is calculated, if the reflection point is within range. If not, sporadic "hot-spot" is used to calculate path loss. See MOREON50.TXT file. T-wait in minutes for your receiving periods, if pwr & ant is found on sked info line. If not, it shows T-wait for your transmissions using your ERP. (5): Expected signal levels for overdense trail reflection. Calculated, if sked was selected from sked list and information on antenna and power were found in the info column. Otherwise second line shows no values. See MOREON50.TXT file. AUTOMATIC LOG The log on received messages can be done with the computer during sked. If the log is activated, it makes entries of transmitted messages by itself to an ASCII text file. It can be set ON, or OFF. Received messages must (or can) be typed in by the operator. The software makes a log entry containing period number, sent message and received message, if any typed in. The MS-LOG.TXT file includes following data: year-month-date time period## T transmitted message period## R received message ...... QSO: , ##B ##P S# #.# seconds The received text can be entered during QSO at any time, by hitting "L" key and then typing in the received characters in that reflection and terminated by hitting Enter. If you wish to enter a comment that is not included in the refection counters, hit "C" and type the comment. Filling the log should be completed before the end of the next/ongoing transmitting period. As long as entering of received message is uncompleted, all the function key commands, Insert and Page Up, are being suspended except F8 (T/R), Alt+X,CTRL+R. Alt+X [exit to DOS], CTRL+R [restart], B ["burst" start], and P [Pause] can not be activated with a mouse, because of their harmful effects for a contact in progress. The scrolling log window shows latest lines of received text as typed. The QSO summary line printed at the end of a sked holds space for QSO complete/not-complete/nil, strength markings and shows calculated number of bursts, pings and duration of the longest reflection. The software calculates number of bursts and pings and the length of the longest reflection and shows them on screen, as numbers and bar graphs. This data is generated from the typed received reflection text. Simple averaging of letter length divided by the (XMIT) speed, enables the computer to know roughly what was a ping (shorter than 0.24 sec on 144 MHz) and what was a burst and how long it was. This method is not exact, but often more accurate than post filled data based on "Hmm...I think it was..." kind of data. Duration and B/P division is not performed correctly, if the RX speed differs a great deal from the TX speed. Underdense trails are here referred as pings. Overdense as bursts. See MOREON50.TXT for more information. MS-LOG backups: Moving the log to a diskette for archive use, is a practical way to use it. You should RENAME the file before copying it, to prevent data loss owing to same file names! The sked editor's backup command copies also the MS-LOG.TXT file to disk. FORGET LOCAL TIME! The time (UT) displayed on screen and used for auto start/stop functions, is the SAME TIME YOU HAVE SET YOUR CMOS CLOCK IN YOUR PC. Running the cmos clock in UT will cause less confusion and the real time shower data will be correct! Clock must be accurate enough to prevent period drifting. See PROBLEMS.TXT file. Time can be set with "Page Up" key, or stepped with "+" and "-" keys on CW screen. SECRET KEYS IN CW At the end of a sked (if you use CW ID), you can SK out by hitting "E" key while ID is being sent. It will also terminate the program. Pushing B, while receiving, starts HI CW immediately without CW ID and omits next change over. Handy when a long burst starts near the end of RX-period. This feature is available for the last 25 sec of RX-period. Using it earlier does not omit period change over (will SWAP periods!). It doesn't work in "STBY" state. It is not a single message burst response function. "P"(ause) takes you back to the STBY state and halts further transmissions. You may resume transmission only by hitting F8 key, but make sure you are transmitting on correct period then! Setting time is NOT possible during transmission, but can be completed even if transmission has started. IF THE SENT MESSAGE REMAINS THE SAME, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO RESELECT IT! CAUTION! Sequencing is based to "narrow r/t and t/r transit time windows" rather, than a pre-determined fixed transmit/receive time slots. This flexible approach enables the swapping of transmit and receive periods at any time. The disadvantage is the periods can be accidentally swapped, if F8 is hit by mistake. Maximum message recycle time at speeds over 300 LPM must be less than 5 seconds. At speeds under 301 LPM maximum time between character spaces in the message must be less than 5 seconds. You should not have any reason to use the F8 key during QSO (if Automatic Period Sequencing is ON)! CORRECT PROCEDURE ON CW MS IN REGION 1. T= Message sent, R= Message received * T PA3DZL OH5IY PA3DZL OH5IY PA3D..... (I call Jack) * R OH5IY PA3DZL 262626 OH5IY PA3DZL 2626.. (Jack responds w. report) * T PA3DZL OH5IY R37R37R37 PA3DZL OH5IY R3..(I acknowledge w. report) * R RRRRRRRRDZLRRRRRRRRDZLRRRRRRR..... (Jack has rcvd calls+ r+rprt) * T RRRRRRRRIYRRRRRRRRIYRRRRRRRR..... (I have received call+r+rprt) This QSO is clearly complete as Jack receives my final R's. Also the QSO is considered as complete, although Jack would not receive my final Rs, as he has received the Rs with the R37 and I have received his final Rs. This is according to the current IARU rules. If the contact is nearly complete and you are not causing QRM to the next sked, it is wise to run a little overtime, like 2 to 3 periods to make it a complete QSO rather, than abort sked at the end of the hour and ending up to the same situation when trying it again later! Some special messages: (Use with caution, newcomers may not know these, old timers may have forgotten them!) * S= send to me the report only * M= send to me my call sign only * Y= send to me your call sign only * B= send to me both call signs only These can be used only after you have received an R-REPORT MESSAGE! An example: * T SSSSSSS..... * R .........6262626262626262626262626 .... INCORRECT PROCEDURES ARE (excluding the one letter msg requests): * TO SEND ONLY THE OTHER STATION'S CALL SIGN WITH THE REPORT. * TO SEND ONLY MY CALL SIGN WITH THE REPORT. * TO SEND ONLY THE REPORT. * TO CHANGE REPORT WHEN SWITCHING FROM CALLS+RPRT TO CALLS+ R RPRT. * TO SEND R OR R+REPORT BEFORE RECEIVING ALL CHARACTERS OF BOTH CALL SIGNS AND THE REPORT. * TO SEND FINAL RRRs WHEN SKED PARTNER IS STILL SENDING ONLY THE REPORT. * TO USE A LOT HIGHER SPEED THAN AGREED! Five out of seven of these mistakes are being avoided by using this software. PROCEDURE ON CW MS IN REGION 2. Unfortunately there is no official agreement on the CW procedure in USA. While all procedures are considered valid, the situation does not give a good basis for writing software. User may select in the PAR50.EXE set-up file whether he wishes to use the Region 1, or Region 2 message format. This is the unofficial Region 2 format (and what the MS-Soft uses): * T W8WN KO0U W8WN KO0U W8WN.... (KO0U calls W8WN) * R KO0U S2 W8WN S2 KO0U S2 W8WN .. (W8WN responds w. report) * T W8WN RS2 KO0U RS2 W8WN.....(KO0U acknowledges w. report) * R RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR..... (W8WN has received calls+ r+rprt) * T RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR..... (KO0U has received call+r+rprt) 9. SKED EDITOR [Sked editor] The sked editor is very useful in keeping an up to date record of you MS schedules. Maximum number of skeds is limited to 400. Information stored for each sked: MONTH-DATE.TIME CALLSIGN FREQUENCY TXSPEED RCVSPEED I-START INFORMATION 12-14.1400 PA0ABC 234 1000 1000 Y ssb Dick 4*17el 1KW JO22MH 15sec breaks. There is a menu of the function keys at the bottom of the screen. IMPORTANT! Use correct format when typing in sked data. The DATE format is ISO 8601 (the time format is not). MM-DD.TIME 08-12.1900 =12. of August at 1900 (UT) If you type invalid characters, they will be rejected and you must retype the data. The line on TOP marked with > , is the EDITING LINE where you do the changes and deletions. Arrow up and down keys scroll the file line by line. Page Up and Page Down scrolls the next, or previous skeds. Arrow right and left scrolls the info column horizontally. With mouse: Click the arrow signs on the upper, or lower left corner. All menu bar functions work also with the mouse. If you wish to get a sked placed on top line and you see it further down on the screen, just point it with the mouse and click. To make a backups, or print the skeds, hit "B" key to get into the backup menu. Use FIND function to find sked(s) with specific data without scrolling the file manually. If you find items date&time, or call, only the characters you type, will be matched starting from the beginning of the column to be searched. This enables you to find a call, or date&time, by typing only the beginning of a call sign, or a date. The search stops at the first match found. Resume search by FIND with same item. Use CHANGE function to change sked data of the TOP LINE sked. This editor works only in the over type mode. "TAB" (shift+TAB) lets you jump from one column to an other. A counter shows the space used in info column. When the 90 character limit is reached, the entry is terminated. A character checking function is done to reject invalid characters! Automatic sorting to chronological order, saving and keeping the sked on top is always performed after changing sked data. Use DELETE to delete the sked on the TOP LINE! Auto sorting, saving and positioning the previous sked on top, is done after deletion. Use ADD to add a new schedule. If you hit F5 accidentally, you may cancel it while in date&time feed by "Esc" key. Use "TAB" (shift+TAB) to jump between columns. You should type the call as it is used on MS, i.e. LATBY/P (LA0BY/P). The slash is later removed by the software, but the 0 is not changed to T. CW default speed is used here. You set the starting station by marking on the "I strt" (I start?) column Y(es) or N(o). No other characters are accepted. No default here. Information line is there for locator, antenna, power, etc. In the middle of the text, please separate locator and antenna and power with spaces (JO22AB 4*16el 900W Joe joe@aol.com). In case of SSB sked, type at the beginning of the line "ssb" to infos: "SSB LOC ant name etc." The info column is 90 characters long and has a position counter. -If you type invalid data (or too many, or too few characters) to inputs, the software rejects it and asks again. Auto sorting in time order, saving and positioning the new sked on the top line of the screen is done after completing ADD. Use SORT to sort the skeds. The arrow left/right keys change the sorting criteria. The computer beeps R in Morse code when sorting is completed. Use CALCULATE i.e. to count how many skeds you have for one day in the file. Again the arrow keys changes the item. The info column matching is case selective. If you calculate items date & time, call, or info, only the characters you type, will be calculated and matched from the start of the column. This enables you to find the number of skeds for a certain date, or to a call area. End key will take you out of the editor. Behind the B key, there is a sub menu for printing and backing up sked file: Insert back to edit skeds 2 to print skeds 3 to make a backup copy of the skeds and log to A: diskette 4 to make a backup copy of the skeds and log to B: diskette End exit backup menu From here, End key will take you back to where ever you were. Once you left the editor, the old sked file was copied to ms-skeds.bak and the present data was saved on ms-skeds.txt file. This method assures the survival of either the ms-sked.txt, or the ms_sked.bak file. If MS-SKED S.TXT vanishes, rename the ms-skeds.bak file to ms-skeds.txt. It is always wise to TAKE MEASURES AGAINST THE LOSS OF SKED DATA. YOU HAVE TOO MANY SKEDS IN THE FILE, IF THE AMOUNT OF FREE MEMORY (Bytes free) SHOWN AT THE LEFT SIDE ON THE TOP OF SCREEN, GOES BELOW, SAY...2000 Bytes AFTER SORTING, or it shows 400 SKEDS IN FILE. A "mem lo" warning message in Morse code is sounded from the speaker. In that case please move some old skeds to archives. The idea is to remove all skeds from last year, as the year figure is not used by the sked editor. You can copy the old skeds on diskette for archive purposes. Rename the files there to SKEDS.97 SKEDS.98 etc. The amount of stack space is shown for diagnostic purposes. 10. UNITS, FORMATS AND ABBREVIATIONS SI units are generally used in the software. To clarify the use of other units, which generally have several controversial definitions, I have made a list of definitions, formats and abbreviations used. Angle Degrees in decimal format. Right ascension Degrees in decimal format (alpha)(RA). Declination Degrees in decimal format (delta)(DE). Longitude Degrees in decimal format, where degrees E is negative. Latitude Degrees in decimal format, where degrees S is negative. Distance Kilometres (km). Azimuth Target horizontal bearing clockwise, 0 degs=NORTH! (az, azi). Elevation Target vertical angle from the horizon (el, ele, elev). Velocity Kilometres/second (km/s). Date YYYY-MM-DD or MM-DD as in ISO 8601, EN 28601, BS EN 28601, ANSI X3.30-1985 (R1991), DIN 5008 standards. Time HH:MM:SS in Universal Time (UTC), or sometimes expressed as HH or HHMM UT meaning HH:00:00 UTC. Frequency Megahertz, MHz (QRG, freq). Morse speed Letters/minute, LPM (1 WPM is equal to LPM*5). RF power Watts or kilowatts, (W)(kW). ERP Effective Radiated Power in kilowatts, RF-power * antenna gain (referred to a dipole). Other more specialised units are used, as in the "Meteor Observers Guide" by N. Bone and most of them are explained elsewhere in the documentation. 11. CREDITS The following hams and friends have written related articles, or software, or have helped me to find information and articles, or solve problems: W4WD, DL5MCG, DJ5TD, WA1JXN, OH5FP, PA3BIY. Ko0U,WA4HEI, T. HankamΣki, former Finnish Meteor section leader at URSA. J.v.Wassenhove, former IMO Radio Commission section leader. K.A. Kuure, a free lance science editor. OH6DD, Finnish (SRAL) Beacon Coordinator&VHF Manager for sharing his views and acting as MSDATA e-mail relay from 1993 to 1997. OH5KB, my good friend for writing the CK_FIX.EXE in C-language resolving the TSR clock problem. 12. REFERENCES * A.C.B Lovell: Meteor Astronomy, 1954. * Meeks & James: On the Influence..., Proceedings of the IRE, Dec. 1957. * Eshleman & co.: Directional Characteri..., Proc. of the IRE, Dec. 1957. * Villard, Eshleman&co.: The Role of Meteors..., Proc. of the IRE, Oct. 1955. * T. Damboldt: Meteorscatter, VHF Communications, 4/1974. * P. Taskinen: Meteorisirontayhteyden tutkiminen, 1982.HUT grad.study. * VAISALA: Documents R 0418 and SR0552. * H. Nes: M.B. Polarisation Trials, Electronics Newsl.,Nov 1985. * M.R. Owen: VHF M.S.- An Astronomical Perspective, QST, June 1986. * M. Rich & co: Experimental Investigation of Meteor Burst Footprints, SRI Intl. * J.E. Bickel: Meteor Burst Comm. Buoy Relay Test Summary, NOSC,1987. * P.S. Cannon: The Evolution of M.B. Com. Systems, J.IERE, Vol 57 1987. * Bailey, Collins & co.: Communication by Meteor..., CCIR documents, Rep. 251-5. * P. Roggemans: Visual Meteor Observations Handbook, 1987. * P.S. Cannon, A.P.C Reed:The evolution of M.B.C comm. systems, J.IERE, May 1987. * G.W. Kronk: Meteor Showers A Descriptive Catalog, 1988. * T. Hogan: the Programmer's PC Sourcebook, 1988. * Jones, McIntosh, Simek:Journal of Atmospheric & Terr.Physics, 52, 1990. * BMS: Meteor Observers Handbook. Volume V. * N. Bone: Observers Guide METEORS, 1993. * URSA: Tähdet, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995. * IMO: Meteor Calendar, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996. * IMO: WGN (WorkGroupNews), various editions, 1986...1997. * IMO: IMO Meteor Circulars, Apr. 1995 onwards. * P. Jenniskens: Meteor Stream Activity I, Astronomy & Astroph., Oct 1994. * A. McBeath: Meteors (in Astronomical Calendar 1995 by Ottewell). 13. DISCLAIMER I disclaim all the warranties of any kind, concerning the use of this software, or results and the author takes no responsibility of losses or damages, direct or consequential. User assumes responsibilities of the suitability of the software for his, or hers purposes. The results are not accurate for scientific work and highly dependant on the data in the parameter data files. Though the software is made to be foolproof against most user mistakes, there usually are some bugs in it. This software is not foolproof against irrational operating, and might not work in rational manner under such conditions. ____________________________________________________________________________ E-mail: oh5iy@sci.fi Homepage: http://www.sci.fi/~oh5iy/ Mail: Ilkka Yrj÷lΣ Jukolantie 16 FIN-45740 KUUSANKOSKI FINLAND ____________________________________________________________________________ (C) Ilkka Yrj÷lΣ