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Do Your Own Needs Analysis Dennis Egan W1UE

Do Your Own Needs Analysis Dennis Egan W1UE. Thanks. A big thanks to Dean Straw N6BV for his work in this area over the past 25 years. There are frequent changes to the procedure I'm about to describe, as software changes.

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Do Your Own Needs Analysis Dennis Egan W1UE

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  1. Do Your Own Needs Analysis Dennis Egan W1UE

  2. Thanks • A big thanks to Dean Straw N6BV for his work in this area over the past 25 years. • There are frequent changes to the procedure I'm about to describe, as software changes. • Current instructions for downloading and using terrain files, MicroDem, and HFTA are available, latest revision dated Feb 22, 2013:

  3. Required Software • MicroDem • HFTA • MakeVOA • VOACap

  4. Preliminary Steps • Get the Latitude/Longitude of your tower location in decimal degrees (example: 42.353269N, -71.508921W) • Tower Height: decide on your tower height(s) • Antenna: # of elements • Target area • Any parameter can be changed as we proceed, but you need an idea of your direction

  5. Today's Choices • Use the Lat/Long of W1UE location 42.353269N, 71.508921W • Tower heights: 35 feet, 70 feet • Antenna: 4 element 20M beam • Target Area: Japan

  6. Step-by-Step Procedure 1. Get your Terrain File

  7. Step by Step Procedure • Get your Terrain File • Get the file into MicroDem • Plot your radials

  8. Step by Step Procedure • Get your Terrain File • Get the file into MicroDem • Plot your radials • Look at your PRO Files

  9. Step by Step Procedure • Get your Terrain File • Get the file into MicroDem • Plot your radials • Look at your PRO Files • Get your data into HFTA

  10. Step by Step Procedure • Get your Terrain File • Get the file into MicroDem • Plot your radials • Look at your PRO Files • Get your data into HFTA • Produce your terrain/antenna files

  11. Step by Step Procedure • Get your Terrain File • Get the file into MicroDem • Plot your radials • Look at your PRO Files • Get your data into HFTA • Produce your terrain/antenna files • Use MakeVOA to convert your terrain/antenna file to a VOACAP antenna file

  12. Step by Step Procedure 4. Look at your PRO Files 5. Get your data into HFTA 6. Produce your terrain/antenna files 7. Use MakeVOA to convert your terrain/antenna file to a VOACAP antenna file 8. Start up VOAAREA and set your parameters

  13. Step by Step Procedure 4. Look at your PRO Files 5. Get your data into HFTA 6. Produce your terrain/antenna files 7. Use MakeVOA to convert your terrain/antenna file to a VOACAP antenna file 8. Start up VOAAREA and set your parameters 9. Now Run the Projections for the first antenna

  14. Step by Step Procedure 4. Look at your PRO Files 5. Get your data into HFTA 6. Produce your terrain/antenna files 7. Use MakeVOA to convert your terrain/antenna file to a VOACAP antenna file 8. Start up VOAAREA and set your parameters 9. Now Run the Projections for the first antenna 10. Now run the projections for the second antenna, changing ONLY the antenna

  15. NEW TOPICVHF/UHF Coverage Analysis • Software needed: MicroDem, and the same USGS file you used for the HF Needs Analysis

  16. Procedure Overview 1. Open MicroDem and load your terrain file

  17. Procedure Overview 1. Open MicroDem and load your terrain file 2. In MicroDem, setup the screen for a “Horizon Blocking,” and input the first antenna height in meters (35 ft = 10.7 m)

  18. Procedure Overview • Open MicroDem and load your terrain file • In MicroDem, setup the screen for a “Horizon Blocking,” and input the first antenna height in m (35 ft = 10.7 m) • Using MicroDem “Area” calculation, you must manually trace the outline of the polygon you have on the map.

  19. Procedure Overview • Open MicroDem and load your terrain file • In MicroDem, setup the screen for a “Horizon Blocking” and input the first antenna height in m (35 ft = 10.7 m) • Using MicroDem “Area” calculation, you must manually trace the outline of the polygon you have on the map. • Repeat the procedure, using the other tower height (70 ft = 21.4 m)

  20. Do the Math • Coverage from 35 ft tower = 59.9 sq mi • Coverage from 70 ft tower = 158.1 sq mi • Increase in coverage: (158.1 – 59.9) / 59.9 = 163.9% increase Over perfectly flat ground or the ocean, a circle with a 15.5 mile radius would encompass an area of 754 sq miles, so even a 70 ft tower can “see” only 21% of the possible area

  21. Credits & URL • Email: W1UE@arrl.net • Thanks to Pete Smith N4ZR for his work with this over the years. • Many thanks to Dean Straw N6BV for everything he's done in this area for the past 20 years • Thanks also to Jim Nitzberg, WX3B, for putting together one of the first Needs Analysis papers • A more complete version of this PPT available at www.antennazoning.com, “Amateur Radio,” “Presentations & Articles”

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