Amateur Radio Station W4SM
Amateur Satellite and Related WEB sites:
W4SM's "Unofficial" AO-10 Web Page
W4SM'S 4.5 meter dish construction site
Download my free Windows software programs for amateur radio
These have been totally rewritten in Visual C++ as true "standalone" routines not requiring any DLL or OCX helper files. The files are in zip format to save time in downloading. The programs run best at 1024 x 768 screen resolution or higher in "hi-color" with small fonts, but they will run in other resolutions as well.
"New Improved" WinGrid Ver5.2 (wingrid.exe) This program calculates grid squares from latitudes and longitudes, the reverse, and calculates distances and headings from two sets of lat/long or grid squares. The program saves your home QTH information. Click on "DISTANCE" to convert from miles to kilometers. Version 5.2 calculates extended (8 character) grid squares. The software was extensively revised and cleaned up for this new version. Version 4.0 corrects for a minor error in heading calculation for opposite sides of the earth. Version 3.9 displays both forward and reverse headings. Version 3.8 corrects a minor error in the minutes value for the center of a grid square. Version 3.7 uses a much more accurate distance algorithm, accounting for the earth's polar flattening and equatorial bulge. Starting with Ver3.6 it is possible to switch between "DD MM SS" and "DD.ddddd" for latitude and longitude. L-click twice on the home or destination boxes to switch between "DD MM SS" and "DD.dddd" formats for each box. L-click twice on the main frame to change both home and destination windows at the same time. This version also saves the format and "miles" or "kilometers" for the range. On starting the program or "Recall Home" these will be reset. Starting with Ver3.5, the program begins with the cursor on the Destination Grid box. Enter a value and hit "ENTER". Distance and heading will be instantly calculated. The Ver3.4 upgrade corrects a minor problem with grid squares near 30 second "boundary lines" in Ver3.3.
RF Safety Calculator Ver1.0 (RFSafety.exe) This program calculates RF field strengths and compares them to FCC safety standards. This is a Windows modification of a recent DOS program. NOTE: These are not the current safety standards! The calculations are fine but the current limits may not be correct. Sorry, but this needs to be updated!!
Power Loss / dB Calculator Ver2.0 (dBcalc.exe) This is a new version of this program. It calculates transmission line power loss and input/output power by selecting a standard coax type and frequency, or by directly entering coax loss (dB/100 ft), coax length, and SWR.
Solar/Lunar Tracking Program Ver5.0 (Trak_SM.exe) This program locates the Sun and Moon in real time using a full set of ephemeris factors. Gives azimuth, elevation, right ascension, declination, and range to each. Also gives Lunar/Solar Rise/Set times for the current day. Enter your Latitude and Longitude the first time and these are saved for future use. Enter your clock's offset from UTC, and you're off and running. Program updates every minute. The new version includes an earth map, a celestial map, and a background radio noise map for the earth and moon. Earth shadows and moonlight can be adjusted as desired. The new version 5.0 includes serial and DDE output for tracking in Easycomm1 or Nova formats. In DDE mode the client can also control Track_SM. The new Setup window includes compensations for three offset dish feeds, etc.
P3T AO-40 Telemetry Program- UPDATED! P3T has now been updated to handle analog to digital (ADC) input and to decode forward error corrected (FEC) telemetry blocks! This is a comprehensive program for logging, interpreting, and replaying the telemetry from AO-40. Even if you don't have equipment to capture real-time telemetry, you can replay logged files from the AMSAT telemetry archive. To install P3T, unzip the file and follow the "readme" instructions. Although this program is provided as freeware it is STRONGLY suggested that a contribution of $20.00 US or more be made to your national AMSAT office, designated as a contribution for W4SM's P3T telemetry. In the US, you can contact AMSAT-NA at: martha@amsat.org.
IPS Emulator for Windows (IPS-Win) This is a Windows based, fully functional emulator for IPS (Interpreter for Processor Systems), the software system designed by Karl Meinzer and used on Phase3 amateur satellites. German and English versions of the program are available. This IPS "machine" is the perfect learning tool for IPS, when used with the text, "IPS" available from AMSAT-NA or James Miller.
WodGraph AO-40 Whole Orbit Data (WOD) Telemetry Decoding Program WodGraph will decode and convert AO-40 WOD blocks into graphs or tables. The program includes internal conversion equations identical to those in P3T. Even if you do not have P3T, WodGraph will allow you to specify the location of the WOD telemetry files. Alternately, you make drag/drop WOD block files onto the WodGraph main window. If telemetry addresses without conversion equations are logged, the raw values will be shown. WodGraph will only work with single (512 byte) AO-40 format WOD block files. It will not function with standard telemetry blocks or mixed blocks. The HELP instructions in P3T explain how to store a single WOD block, or they may obtained from the AMSAT telemetry archive. There is a setup window to allow for possible future changes in WOD block format, but the current default values are all that are needed.
