NTIA/ITS 13 April 2004 1

ITS HF Propagation Software

Greg Hand

US Department of Commerce

NTIA/ITS

http://elbert.its.bldrdoc.gov

NTIA/ITS 13 April 2004 2

Outline

Models – ICEPAC, VOACAP, REC533 History Users/Applications Examples Free

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Disclaimer

The software contained within was developed by an agency of the U.S.

Government. NTIA/ITS has no objection to the use of this software for

any purpose since it is not subject to copyright protection in the U.S.

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HF Propagation Models

ICEPAC - Ionospheric Communications Enhanced Profile Analysis & Circuit prediction program

VOACAP - Voice Of America Coverage Analysis

Program

REC533 - Recommendation ITU-R P.533-6

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ICEPAC

IONCAP – IONospheric Communications Analysis and Prediction program (1983)

ICED - Ionospheric Conductivity and Electron Density profile model -Tascione (1987) sub-auroral trough auroral zone polar cap

Use Kp to model solar storms

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VOACAP

1985 - VOA adopts IONCAP as model to be used for broadcast station design

NRL - modifies IONCAP into VOACAP 1993 - VOACAP released 1993 - NTIA/ITS add DOS GUI interface 1996 - Windows 3.x 16-bit version 1997 - Windows-NT 32-bit version Present - 04.0324W - Windows-XP/2000/NT/95/98

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REC533

Recommendation ITU-R P.533-6 First released - July 1993 International HF Coordination

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Users of the Software

HF Broadcasters (VOA, BBC, ITU, HFCC) Military Defense contractors Airline communications HAMs HF Email – Sailmail / Airmail BPL

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Other useful links: Join the VOACAP Mailing List. User's Guide - Signal-to-Noise Predictions Using VOACAP

by George Lane ($65) VOACAP Quick Guide - by Jari Perkiomaki (Finland). Space Environment Center for real-time monitoring/forecasting of

solar & geophysical events. Ionosphere Home Page from the National Geophysical Data Center. Ionospheric indices information. ITU HF web page contains Rec 705 antenna and other ITU related info. The HFCC ( High Frequency Co-ordination Conference ) informally

coordinates short wave broadcasting. IBB - International Broadcasting Bureau (VOA, RFE,...) ARRL - National Association for Amateur Radio – QST. NEC Antenna programs (4nec2 by Arie interfaces to ITS HF).

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Other useful links: Join the VOACAP Mailing List. User's Guide - Signal-to-Noise Predictions Using VOACAP

by George Lane ($65) VOACAP Quick Guide - by Jari Perkiomaki (Finland). Space Environment Center for real-time monitoring/forecasting of

solar & geophysical events. Ionosphere Home Page from the National Geophysical Data Center. Ionospheric indices information. ITU HF web page contains Rec 705 antenna and other ITU related info. The HFCC ( High Frequency Co-ordination Conference ) informally

coordinates short wave broadcasting. IBB - International Broadcasting Bureau (VOA, RFE,...) ARRL - National Association for Amateur Radio – QST. NEC Antenna programs (4nec2 by Arie interfaces to ITS HF).

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Other useful links: Join the VOACAP Mailing List. User's Guide - Signal-to-Noise Predictions Using VOACAP

by George Lane ($65) VOACAP Quick Guide - by Jari Perkiomaki (Finland). Space Environment Center for real-time monitoring/forecasting of

solar & geophysical events. Ionosphere Home Page from the National Geophysical Data Center. Ionospheric indices information. ITU HF web page contains Rec 705 antenna and other ITU related info. The HFCC ( High Frequency Co-ordination Conference ) informally

coordinates short wave broadcasting. IBB - International Broadcasting Bureau (VOA, RFE,...) ARRL - National Association for Amateur Radio – QST. NEC Antenna programs (4nec2 by Arie interfaces to ITS HF).

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What SunSpot Number indices should be used.

NOAA has changed how they put out the Ionospheric indices that are used in the NTIA/ITS HF Propagation Models. This will try to explain what indices to use.

•The SunSpot Number (SSN) used by these HF prediction programs should be what is called R12 - the Smoothed SunSpot Number. •NGDC used to have it linked in this table. •That was last updated May 15, 1999. •George Lane says to use: ftp://ftp.ngdc.noaa.gov/STP/SOLAR_DATA/SUNSPOT_NUMBERS/sunspot.predict for compatibility with VOACAP. •SEC also maintains SunSpot data with slightly different numbers under Solar Cycle Progression.

•For past values, you must use the Recent Solar Indices table. •The proper column in this table is Smoothed RI

•For predicted values, you must use the Predicted Indices table. •The proper column in this table is SunSpot Number Predicted

•You will notice that the Predicted table is about 6 months behind the current date. That is because it takes that long for the smoothed SunSpot Number to become permanent.

•I questioned someone at SEC as to what was the difference between SEC's and NGDC's sunspot predictions, and here is his response. •Note: We cannot control the content nor accessibility of the NOAA web pages.

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Other useful links: Join the VOACAP Mailing List. User's Guide - Signal-to-Noise Predictions Using VOACAP

by George Lane ($65) VOACAP Quick Guide - by Jari Perkiomaki (Finland). Space Environment Center for real-time monitoring/forecasting of

solar & geophysical events. Ionosphere Home Page from the National Geophysical Data Center. Ionospheric indices information. ITU HF web page contains Rec 705 antenna and other ITU related info. The HFCC ( High Frequency Co-ordination Conference ) informally

coordinates short wave broadcasting. IBB - International Broadcasting Bureau (VOA, RFE,...) ARRL - National Association for Amateur Radio – QST. NEC Antenna programs (4nec2 by Arie interfaces to ITS HF).

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Point-to-Point Data Input

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Ionospheric Coefficients

CCIR/Oslo URSI88/Australian Daily foF2 – interpolated URSI88

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ICEPAC - Effective SSN

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Point-to-Point Output

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Point-to-Point Graph

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Point-to-Point by Distance

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Point-to-Point by Time

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Point-to-Point by Time

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Area Coverage Data Input

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Area Coverage Map

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Combine Multiple Coverages

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Overlay Multiple Coverages

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Conclusion

Free – http://elbert.its.bldrdoc.gov Current funding Modifications via CRADA Future?