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write your own review of the W6ELProp.
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OLLIEOXEN27
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Rating: 3/5
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Mar 15, 2010 11:17
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nice learning tool
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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W6EL Prop is a good learning to for appreciating the vagaries and patterns of radio propagation. The problem is that the MUFs for any set of radio indices are way too high. One local morning with a flux of 76 and a K index of two showed an MUF to Europe of 21.3Mhz. At the time signals were just barely coming in from Europe on 14.200. So basically to use this software just chop about 6-8 megahertz off any predicted frequency and the software will get you in the right ballpark.
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N1KSN
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 14, 2009 08:15
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Works well for me
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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This program is fast and gives me answers I can understand. Enough tutorials are available on-line to get up and running quickly. Installation was a snap.
I did a parallel manual analysis of a single-hop path using methods in Chapter 3 of Griffiths' "Radio Wave Propagation and Antennas" and got results within 4 dB of W6ELProp, quite good given the long chain of calculations and approximations used. This also showed me how tedious the manual analysis is!
The output formats are just fine with me. I particularly like that of the Advanced menu selection.
I did a seasonal analysis of statewide (NVIS) propagation on 80/75 meters for daytime traffic nets here in Wisconsin and found that the results corresponded well to my experience.
Two big Thumbs Up.
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G8JNJ
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Rating: 2/5
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Oct 14, 2009 02:20
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Badly needs updating
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Thought I’d try this software after spotting it in the reviews section.
Took a few minutes to configure, the user interface is not particularly intuitive as it doesn’t follow many Windows conventions in terms of look and feel.
I found navigating between screens annoying as you seem to have to hit a ‘close’ button every time. Some of the data entry screens were confusing, and the functionality is a bit strange in some areas.
For example, I think it would have been useful to be able to scroll the time line on some of the charts rather than having to enter times and dates. This would facilitate animation of changes in MUF. It would also be nice to be able to customise the colour schemes.
I wasn’t able to enter a QRA locator and when looking for help found this.
‘It is recommended that you not enter a prefix having the format of an IARU Locator (two letters followed by two numeric digits and an optional two additional letters). If you do, you will not be able to use this entry as a Locator’
Unfortunately I don’t know what this means ? I also suspect that the labelling used on the locator field doesn’t help clarify the situation either.
It also took a bit of digging around to find out what the Signal level and S/N ratios were referenced against turns out its 100 Watt TX power and dipoles at each end.
I spent about ½ hour in total making a few predictions and compared them against some of my recent WSPR spots. The results were reasonably encouraging, but by the end of the ½ hour period I was becoming increasing frustrated and fatigued by the user interface.
I found myself saying ‘if only it would’ or ‘why is it being done that way’ many times whilst trying to get sensible answers from the programme.
The programme produces valid data but I found it a painful process, and although I’ll give it a bit more time to adjust to its quirks I suspect it will be uninstalled in a few weeks time.
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KE5LDO
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 13, 2009 15:26
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Great!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Great Product! It is better than the old handheld DX Edge, which I still use, which was good for its time. It has worked on DOS, VISTA, XP, LINUX, etc. in Home and Pro versions.
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G4AON
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Rating: 4/5
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Oct 13, 2009 14:40
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Worked fine for years for me
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The interface is a bit dated, but the program has worked out great for me over the years and is accurate provided you set realistic prediction parameters and signal level constants to be close to your own antenna. It's helped me pick the optimum times to work DX on countless occasions.
Works without a hitch under Windows XP Pro sp 3 here, mine doesn't crash.
Best of all is the price (free)
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M0MCX
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Rating: 2/5
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Oct 13, 2009 14:01
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Junkware
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Managed to crash it inside 45 seconds then couldn't close it. I hammer software on both xp and Vista platlforms and eve if it hadn't crashed, it certainly needs extrem user interface help to pull it out of the dark ages into the modern times.
Want to know how to crash it? do this:
Fire up program
Enter coordinates of 0 and 0 (lon g and lat)
Go to Map, Great Circle
Right hand menu type IO92CI
Then hit manual
Then try and close window
It breaks.
(I only tried this once so I may have steps slightly wrong).
In conclusion, it's old, flaky and has an nasty weird user interface.
Callum.
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N3HKN
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Rating: 4/5
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May 16, 2005 03:33
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Works Very Well
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have tried other programs, some commercial$$, and W6EL Prop is the best. I am not interested in the future but what is happening now. It offers that perspective. The user interface could use some changes.
N3HKN
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VK5SN
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Rating: 5/5
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May 14, 2005 22:05
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Must have
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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It is a must have for any serious DX'er. It is a superbly written software with a very friendly user inferphase. I use it very often. Great work!
73
Sasi
VK5SN / 9V1SM (ex)/VU3SNM
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W9RPE
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 21, 2005 08:42
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A Must Have!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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This software is the most useful program, other than N3FJP's logging program, that I own. It's been on the mark with propagation every time I've used it, which is turning into every day!!! I am surprised it's still free.
Thanks!!
Ron
W9RPE
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WO8USA
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 1, 2002 08:28
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A Must Have for HF Propagation Prediction
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Anyone who enjoys forecasting the HF conditions and pays attention to SSN, A index, etc, needs this program! Its easy, fun, and free! Lots of features to enhance operating.
The greatest feature, besides its graphics, is the ability to put in multiple locations and print out a forecast in batch mode.
If you have a PC by your rig this program is a must---upon start up, I automatically boot up my logger, callbook, and W6ELProp.
Chris wo8usa
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