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All     1999    News for NTIA/ITS HF Propagation Models (WINDOWS version)
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06 Jan  1999   1. In RECAREA, it was discovered that the coefficients were
                  being re-read for each grid point.  That has been taken
                  outside the loop, and the calculations now run 3 times faster.
                  There was no effect on the answers.
               2. Also, in REC533 and RECAREA a new parameter has been added.
                  SNxx is now the Signal-to-Noise ratio at the requested
                       reliability.
                  S/N  is now the MEDIAN Signal-to-Noise ratio (i.e. 50%).
                  SNxx will equal S/N if Required Reliability = 50%.
                  The parameter FS/N (Reliability) is now unaffected by the
                  Required Reliability.  It is always the reliability of the
                  MEDIAN Signal-to-Noise.
                  This can be quite confusing, but is more in line with how
                  the IONCAP (ICEPAC/VOACAP) models do it.
                  Otherwise FS/N makes no sense when you change Req. Rel.

08 Jan  1999   1. If you created a Lat/Lon area plot with the Longitude center
                  different from zero, using the cursor to read data values
                  when the map was displayed did not work properly.  
                  That has been fixed.

11 Jan  1999   1. If you installed the software other than in C:\ITSHFBC,
                  HFANT may not have worked.  I had left in a file OPEN
                  statement that was for debugging purposes, and it specifically
                  OPENed a file in the C:\ITSHFBC\RUN directory.

15 Jan  1999   1. One user did not like it when (in Point-to-Point graph),
                  you pick a point with the mouse and it interpolates the data,
                  but displays the time in decimal (e.g. UT=5.75).
                  That has now been changed to show both decimal and HR:Min,
                  (e.g. UT= 5.75(05:45)).
       
21 Jan  1999   1. In the AREA programs, there was a problem if you did BATCH
                  runs.  If you had a list of files to run in BATCH, and
                  wanted to delete one of them, if it was NOT the last item,
                  the previous file would also get deleted when RUN was
                  selected.  This has been corrected.
               2. I would recommend that you DO NOT install the software in
                  a directory that contains NON-DOS file names.  For example,
                  DO NOT install the software in the Program Files directory.
                  The blank in the directory name will cause the software to
                  not work.

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01 Feb  1999   1. All the graph outputs now have a new menu button:
                         to Clipboard
                  Picking this option will write the graphics buffer to the
                  Windows clipboard.  The advantage of this over Alt+Print Scrn
                  is that the menu buttons and border around the plot are not
                  copied.  This can make a cleaner image.
                  You can then Paste the image into any Windows program that
                  will accept it.  I have used Word, WordPerfect, WinGIF,
                  LView, and Paint.

11 Feb  1999   1. This is a beta version to test a new Salford FTN77 compiler.
                  I only have access to Windows-95/98 systems, so I am very
                  interested in any information on Windows-NT systems.
                  The preliminary results on Windows-95/98 are astounding.
                  A test set of calculations that took 75 seconds before, now
                  runs in 27 seconds!  And the answers are even the same!!
                  I believe it should no longer require a different installation
                  for Windows-NT systems.  
    
                  Access the file directly on the HF web page:
                     http://elbert.its.bldrdoc.gov/hf.html
                  with the link: HFWIN32-beta (99.0211W).

                  You should install it in the same directory as your previous
                  installation was done.  If you experience problems and want
                  to go back to the previous version, you can still download
                  that and install it.  Before re-installing the older version,
                  I would recommend deleting all the programs in the
                       ..\bin_win
                  directory to make sure you get the correct versions..
                  You should also delete the file:
                       C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SALFLIBC.DLL
                  That is the dll required by the Salford compiler.

                  If any problems occur, try and provide as much information
                  as possible.

23 Feb  1999   1. This is still a Beta version testing a new compiler. 
                  See the news file (99_02_11.txt) for discussion of using
                  the Beta version.
               2. This version has modified VOACAP, at the request of Falcon
                  Air Force Base, to be able to use the interpolated daily
                  URSI 88 foF2 ionospheric coefficients.  Normal users should
                  always specify the month as an integer.  The results will be
                  the same as they always were.  If you specify the month as
                  "6.12", you will get the results interpolated to June 12th.
                  VOACAP now contains the same ability as ICEPAC does.
                  This works for all 3 implementations of VOACAP.
                       VOACAP     - point-to-point model
                       VOAAREA    - area coverage model
                       S_I VOACAP - S/I point-to-point model
                  Remember, when you use the DAILY coefficients, you will be
                  forced to use the URSI 88 coefficients.  The CCIR coefficients
                  cannot be interpolated by day of the month.

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08 July 1999   1. There seems to be no problem with the new compiler, so this
                  is no longer considered to be a beta version.  Some minor
                  problems have been fixed (I can't remember what they were).

               2. VOACAP has been changed to include the ability to plot
                  the Point-to-Point model versus distance and time as was done
                  to the ICEPAC model some time ago.

               3. The USA state boundaries have been added to the area coverage
                  plotting. By default, this is turned off.  To turn this option
                  on, select the "BOUNDARIES" menu option when you have a map
                  displayed. Select (USA states or No USA states). This 
                  selection will remain in effect until changed.

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28 Sept 1999   1. There have been some internal changes to all the models to
                  perform some tasks funded by IBB (former VOA).  This will
                  allow them to perform Area Coverage calculations using
                  an ITU/HFCC schedule that they use for HF planning.
                  The first release of the IBB Area Planning software is 
                  available.  It is installed from a separate file:
                      ibbplan.exe

               2. As there is not a lot of funding for HF work, I hope it has
                  not affected other parts of the HF software.  As always,
                  "let the buyer beware".

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19 Oct  1999   1. There was a recent problem when using antenna type #90.
                  That should now be fixed in all of the models.

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10 Nov  1999   1. An error causing VOACAP Point-to-Point to ALWAYS use the
                  URSI coefficients was discovered.
                  This may have occurred beginning with the 99.0223 version.
                  The error has been fixed.
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------------------------------- End of 1998 ------------------------------------
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