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World of Ham Radio 1997
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setup.doc
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INITIAL STSPLUS SETUP
---------------------
This section gives quick instructions for setting up STSORBIT PLUS in
a standard configuration. Other methods are possible but this is
recommended for the first time or novice user.
STSORBIT PLUS is a DOS-based program. For use with Windows 95, click on
the "Start" button, then select "Programs" and click on "MS-DOS Prompt".
This will display a DOS prompt like "C:\WINDOWS" and the installation
instructions which follow may be used. DOS programs run under Windows 95
do not always perform properly when multitasking is active; if problems
are encountered, do not run any other programs or tasks while STSPLUS is
active. The DOS prompt may also be obtained by clicking on the "Start"
button, then clicking on "Shut Down", and finally clicking on "Restart
the computer in MS-DOS mode"; this may prove more reliable for some
systems and disables multitasking.
Copying Files for STSORBIT PLUS
-------------------------------
STSPLUS is intended to be used on systems with a hard disk. If all
files are present, up to 3MB may be required. While it is possible to
operate the program from a high density floppy disk (with some files
omitted), map drawing times are painfully and unacceptably slow.
I recommend that a separate directory called STSPLUS be created for
all of the required and optional files. If you do not have such a
directory, you may create one with the following DOS commands:
C:
CD \
MD STSPLUS
where the hard disk is assumed to be Drive C:. Change the hard disk letter
as appropriate for your configuration.
If you received the program in compressed, self-extracting .EXE format
(with filenames like SOP9650A.EXE and/or SOP9650B.EXE), create the STSPLUS
directory as above then log into the STSPLUS directory and unpack the files
with the following DOS commands:
.cp 3
C:
CD \STSPLUS
A:SOP9650A
where the floppy drive is assumed to be A:, the hard disk is assumed to be
C:, and the subdirectory STSPLUS must already exist. Make any changes
appropriate for your configuration, then repeat the last command for each
file with filetype .EXE received, changing the command as necessary to
reflect the correct filename.
If you received the program in compressed format (.ZIP), copy the .ZIP
file(s) to the STSPLUS directory and then enter the DOS command:
PKUNZIP <filename>
where <filename> is the name of the .ZIP file to unpack. After all files
have been unpacked, you may delete the .ZIP files (but keep a backup copy
just in case!). You MUST use PKUNZIP Version 2.04G or later to successfully
unpack .ZIP files received from my BBS or from NASA SpaceLink BBS!
********************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
********************
If you are upgraing from a prior version of STSPLUS and
experience problems, delete the file STSPLUS.INI to force the
program to recreate its initialization parameters! This will
resolve most path and filename problems. Use the "/NEW" command
line option or press Function Keys F7 and F10+F3 from the Main
Menu to set all program paths, filenames, options, and display
features.
Executing Program STSORBIT PLUS
-------------------------------
STSPLUS is normally distributed on disk and via my RPV Astronomy BBS
with a special version of file STSPLUS.INI, the initialization file, which
forces certain setup features to be selected. The setup feature may also be
enabled by including the "/NEW" command line option when the program is
executed from the DOS prompt:
STSPLUS /NEW
STSPLUS will display its title screen for a few seconds and then notify the
user that the new setup features are being processed:
Program STSPLUS, Version 9650
STSPLUS has determined that this is a new setup. You will be asked to
select your location, enter your UTC Offset and other time information,
and to check the files and paths for program operation.
Press any key to continue ...
Press ENTER (or any key except non-typing keys like SHIFT and CTRL) to
continue the setup process.
Because many calculations require the user's location, STSPLUS next
requests the user to verify and change, if necessary, the current location.
The default location is Palos Verdes, California:
Current PRIMARY Location: Palos Verdes, CA
Latitude: 33.7632 degrees
Longitude: -118.4057 degrees
Elevation: 186 meters
Current active CITYFILE: STSPLUS.CTY
F1 Search CITYFILE for PRIMARY location
F2 Search CITYFILE for SECONDARY location
F3 Enter coordinates for PRIMARY location
F4 Enter coordinates for SECONDARY location
F6 Select TRACKING STN for PRIMARY location
ENTER Continue Setup
Enter desired selection:
If this is a new setup, press F1 and enter the name of a city
close to your location. If the city is not found, try another
or press F3 and enter the city name and coordinates. When the
information is correct, press ENTER to continue.
If the "/NEW" command line option has been entered and this is a
reconfiguration of an existing setup, the primary location which was
previously entered will be displayed. Press F1 to search the CITYFILE (a
file of some 2000+ cities worldwide) to locate your city or one near you.
If your city is not found, try another. If no nearby city can be found,
press F3 and enter the city name, latitude (positive is North, negative is
South), longitude (positive is East [Europe, Africa, Australia, etc.],
negative is West [North and South America, etc.]), and elevation (in
meters, or add "F" for feet). Enter "0" for your elevation if it is not
known. When the information is correct, press ENTER to continue the setup
process.
STSPLUS next requests time zone information. STSPLUS must know your
"UTC Offset", the difference in hours between your local time zone and UTC
or Coordinated Universal Time (formerly known as GMT or Greenwich Mean
Time). Using the primary location entered above, STSPLUS will calculate an
estimated UTC Offset based upon your longitude; each 15 degrees of
longitude represents one hour offset from UTC. Do NOT include the hour for
Daylight or Summer time! However, political "adjustments" have cause the
time zones to not coincide exactly with the 15 degree model, so the
estimate could be off by one hour in either direction in some cases. For
most users the estimate should be correct. Users whose UTC Offset is not an
exact hour difference must always enter the UTC Offset manually. STSPLUS
next requests whether you are on Daylight or Summer time; enter "0" if you
are on Standard Time and "1" if you are on Daylight or Summer Time.
Finally, STSPLUS allows you to select either local time or UTC as the time
to which your computer's clock is set; enter "0" for local time and "1" for
UTC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Set UTC TIME ZONE OFFSET and DAYLIGHT FLAG
STSPLUS must know the difference between your local time zone and Universal
Coordinated Time (UTC), also sometimes known as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
With this information, STSPLUS can automatically adjust launch times and
dates for your local time zone. In addition, STSORBIT must know if you are
now on STANDARD or DAYLIGHT (SUMMER) time and if the DOS clock is set to UTC.
First, enter the difference between your STANDARD time zone and UTC in hours.
Do NOT include the hour for DAYLIGHT time; it will be entered separately.
STSPLUS will estimate your time zone based upon your local longitude.
For the United States and Canada, use the following:
Eastern Standard Time EST -5.00
Central Standard Time CST -6.00
Mountain Standard Time MST -7.00
Pacific Standard Time PST -8.00
Enter UTC Offset (hours) [ -8.00]:
Enter Daylight Flag (0=OFF, 1=ON) [1]:
Enter DOS time zone (0=LOCAL, 1=UTC) [0]:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The prompts and responses shown above are for Southern California during
Daylight Savings Time (April through October).
Because installations can vary considerably as to the names and
locations of various required files, STSPLUS next displays the current
filename and path settings. For a fresh installation from the standard
distribution files, these should be correct; if this is a reconfiguration
of a previously configured setup using the "/NEW" command line option, the
current information should be correct.
Select path or filename to set, press ENTER when done:
F1 Set 2-LINE ELEMENTS path: [D:\STSPLUS\]
F2 Set TRACKING STATION filename: [STSPLUS.TRK]
F3 Set MAP DATABASE FILES path: [D:\STSPLUS\]
F4 Set FEATURES LABEL filename: [STSPLUS.LOC]
F5 Set TRAKSTAR path: [D:\STSPLUS\]
F6 Set CITYFILE filename: [STSPLUS.CTY]
Enter selection or ENTER:
The sample above shows STSPLUS installed in a directory STSPLUS on Drive
D:. Verify each of the items in the list and press the indicated Function
Key to make changes. When all information is correct, press ENTER to
complete the setup process and go to the STSPLUS Main Menu.
The following sequence of operations is recommended when STSPLUS is
run for the first time:
1. Make sure all required STSPLUS files are in subdirectory \STSPLUS (or
whatever you named it). In addition to the program files, check that
2-line elements are also available; the file TLEnnn.TXT (where "nnn"
is a number like "679" is usually supplied with STSPLUS) and similar
files are available via BBS or the Internet.
2. Start STSPLUS with the following command to force configuration:
STSPLUS /NEW
STSPLUS will request that the user set the primary location, UTC
Offset, and check all filenames and paths. Enter the appropriate
responses. Examples are shown on the screen and are described above.
3. Once the Main Menu is displayed, press Function Key F2 to select the
primary satellite you wish to track with STSPLUS. You will be asked to
select a filename (the available files whose filetype is ".TXT" or
".TLE" are displayed and may be selected using the arrow keys). Type
the filename or press ENTER after selecting a filename. You will then
be asked to select a satellite by name or NORAD number. If you do not
know a specific satellite name, enter "HST" for the Hubble Space
Telescope. (Caution: some TLE files also include "HST Array"; press
the SPACE BAR to continue searching for HST.) The data for the
satellite is displayed; press ENTER to accept the data. STSPLUS will
immediately begin drawing the map.
4. While the map is displayed you may press ENTER to return to the Main
Menu. Press ESC at the Main Menu to return to the DOS prompt.
5. STSPLUS is a complex program. Only the most basic and essential
features have been covered in this brief startup list. Please take
time to read the manual with your favorite editor or print the text as
reference material.
Using Mission Elappsed Time (MET)
---------------------------------
The standard NASA/NORAD 2-line orbital element format does NOT include
the launch time or launch date. However, this information is obviously
required if Mission Elapsed Time (MET) is to be displayed. That information
must therefore be obtained independently and manually entered into STSPLUS.
The following steps are required:
1. Start program STSPLUS (see above).
2. Load the 2-line elements for the desired satellite using Function Key
F2 on the Main Menu. Press ENTER to return from the ground track
display to the Main Menu.
3. Press Function Key F5 to enter Launch Time and Launch Date. Enter the
appropriate information. Note that if you enter UTC or GMT Launch Time
(by adding the letter "U" or "G" at the end of the time, upper or
lower case), STSPLUS assumes that the date you enter will also be the
UTC/GMT Launch Date.
4. The information will be displayed for approval. Press ENTER to accept
the data, or press SPACE BAR to repeat the process.
5. Once the data have been accepted, press Function Key F5 while the map
is on screen to display Mission Elapsed Time. Press F5 again to return
to Time Elapsed Since Epoch. (Press Function Key F1 for help when the
map is displayed with rectangular projection.) If a launch time and
date have not been entered, the F5 command will have no effect and
Time Since Epoch will always be displayed.
6. The launch time and launch date will be saved in file STSPLUS.LTD and
need only be entered once unless it must be changed for some reason.
NOTE: Estimated Pre-Launch 2-Line Elements for the Space Shuttle
always use a "dummy" NORAD Number (such as "00051" for STS-51). Once
US Space Command has assigned the actual NORAD Number, the launch time
and date must be re-entered using the correct NORAD number.