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| Reviews Summary for 4nec2 freeware antenna modeller and optimizer |
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Reviews: 12
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Average rating: 5.0/5
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MSRP: $0.01
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Description: 4nec2 is a freeware Nec-2/4 based antenna modeller and (genetic) optimizer capable of running up to 11000 segments. It also includes state-of-the-art 3D visualization and a drawing style structure editor.
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Product is in production.
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More info: http://home.ict.nl/~arivoors/
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write your own review of the 4nec2 freeware antenna modeller and optimizer.
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VE3PBE
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 5, 2012 17:30
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Tough Job made Easy!
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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Designing an antenna system with tough geomertrical and environmental constraints is tough. Even if y ou know what you are doing.
Arie Voors has done a superb job in providing different ways to approach the incremental design process. Any modelling software has some learning curve. By following the instructions and examples provided it took only a few days.
My problem was to get a reasonable, low-cost 40-10m attic antenna in a crowded urban setting with metal surfaces everywhere. 4NEC2 enabled me to find the key elements impacting the overall performance from the 3D display of elements and current and phase. I was able to just fit a beam into a 32'x 33' attic with a pyramidal roof and truss members everywhere.
With the optimization functions I could find the best SWR and launch angles for the geometries.
I ran hundreds of combinations of antenna designs, shapes, feed points, etc.
Finally, one design came through as the best compromise.
I built it, installed it and using the AIM 4170C analyzer was able to verify the design. The SWR spectral response was very close to the 4NEC2 theoretical plots. By getting the ratio between threory and real, I could compensate for things like roof attenuation, velocity propogartion of insulated wire, complex surronding objects, etc.
But thanks to this product I now have a very good antenna that took me less time and money than any other antenna project to build, install and tune.
The power of computers and great sofware indeed saves time and money!
Thanks Arie Voors!
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W9AC
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 11, 2011 05:28
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Impressive
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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At first, antenna modeling software is difficult to understand, primarily because of the Cartesian coordinate method used.
Two recommendations: (1) read the 4-part QST series on antenna modeling by L.B. Cebik; and (2) start with the pre-configured "Back Yard Dipole" example included in the 4Nec2 package -- and carefully study the input page that shows wires in X, Y, and Z coordinates, segments, and source. You can read a thousand pages about segmenting and just one input chart speaks a thousand words. Once you start with just a basic dipole, moving on to base-fed verticals, Yagis, quads and other geometrically complex antennas becomes much easier to model.
4Nec2 offers an unbelievable suite of modeling tools and features: Super-high segment count, built-in detailed Smith Chart, Geometry designer, and ability to view many complex output formats is on the short list.
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IZ3ATV
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 2, 2010 11:11
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Great, and for free. Hats off to Arie Voors!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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4nec2 had quickly become one of my favourite software.
It's a valuable tool for most antenna's facts understanding. Its 3D feature really make you see how an antenna works.
Most of its precious features have already been said by the preceeding reviewers, what I can truly say is that 4nec2 had turned out particularly useful to me when I needed to evaluate the near-field value in my shack as produced by a quite close end-fed inverted-L antenna running right over my head.
All the words in the world don't suffice to say: thank You so much Arie Voors for your wonderful work.
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K8RWH
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 14, 2010 16:54
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Superb + Cebik, ARRL
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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Arie Voors deserves a zillion THANKS from all of us. This free software does everything and more the commercial versions do! I got LB Cebik's Antenna Modeling book and have begun to learn this software in an incredibly exciting voyage thru these dreary winter months! My spring antenna building plans are pretty well set, thanks to Arie and LB(sk). Every ham now has the opportunity to understand antennas like never before!!
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STAYVERTICAL
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 11, 2010 14:46
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Simply outstanding
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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When I first ran this program I almost put it in the too hard basket. It looked complicated, but when I played with it for a while, it is actually pretty simple. This program is just awesome for experimenting with antennas in software. It shows you 3 dimensional views if you want and gives great graphs. The trick is when you start using it, to realize that there are a number of editors. But first use the open button on the main menu to select one of the pre-defined antennas and then press the calculator button on the main menu. If you get an option box asking what type of graph you want, check the "far field option". This displays the antenna and models its output. Press the space bar to toggle between side and top view. Press J I G to show the gain, f/b etc. If you want to edit the antenna, press the open book icon to get into the editor. If you want to change editors you can do that from the main menu options as well. Stick to the stock editor to begin. If you want to see the 3D view of antenna/pattern press the 3D button. The program has an optimiser, but you will have to have symbols in your antenna definition, for example length=5.0 meters. You need symbols so you can give them to the optimiser to vary. When first starting, after pressing the calculator button, select the far field option in the box which appears. The program supports about 500 segments out of the box I think, but download the engine files from the same 4nec2 website and you can use up to 11000 segments! Now that would be an antenna! The program has two parts. The 4nec2 base part works fine for 2D, but if you want the 3D modeling, get the 4nec2X download as well. Just install them both. I normally always just run the 4nec2X (3d) version.
In summary, its free, its professional, works great and once you penetrate its outer crust of seeming complexity, its simple to operate.
Then start modeling your antenna ideas!
73s
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AB8XE
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Rating: 5/5
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May 18, 2009 08:51
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Use it and learn
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Excellent freeware front end for the NEC package. Imports files from the bigger names, gives the same results. 3D output makes it easy to visualize your pattern. No excuse not to pick this one up and use it, the education it gives you is priceless.
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KA9DTZ
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 9, 2009 23:41
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Wow!
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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This is a wonderful piece of software. Arie has made this package a pleasure to use. There are many good features but the "new style" editor really stands out for it's ease of use. Learning to adjust and use the optimiser take a little time but it works well. For the beginning user, I think this offers a much less cryptic entry into learning to create models without sacrificing functionality. Is the learning curve worth the effort? A definite yes. This is not a demo package... it's full featured, very capable and it's free. What more could you ask? Thanks Arie.....
Greg
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AC0LP
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 24, 2008 19:40
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Fantastic Antenna Modeling - Windows and Linux with Wine
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have been using this software for over a year to model antennas and look at interactions as I lay out my very limited antenna garden (not enough real estate to call it an antenna farm). Prior to this review I had only run it in a Windows XP environment (SP2). Now however, I have migrated the software to Linux using the latest version of Wine on my dual boot laptop (SUSE 10.2 with Wine 1.1.11). In the Linux/Wine environment, it runs perfectly and seems to execute faster.
The product deserves a 5 Plus!
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ON4AA
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 23, 2007 05:37
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Unique antenna synthesis capabilities + export to VOACAP
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Simply the best and for free! 4nec2 is a freeware program, written by Arie Voors, offering antenna analysis through the NEC2 (or 4) engine and enabling antenna synthesis with variable substitution for the complete NEC command-set, model by equation, variable sweeper line-chart output, 3D search-space graphs, (AO-style) gradient/hill-climbing and genetic algorithms optimisers.
4nec2 is especially unique in the sense that it is the only freely available amateur antenna modelling software that allows you to optimise whatever variable through its a built-in optimiser.
Both 4nec2 and EZNEC are truly unique in employing the best professional code available, NEC, for the modelling of wire or aluminium tubing antennas above «real» ground in both the near- and far-field of the antenna. Apart from antenna synthesis capabilities, 4nec2 adds to this some extras like surface patches, support for inclusion of the surface-wave component in the far-field results and last but not least, antenna pattern export to VOACAP, the best propagation prediction engine on the face of this planet.
Other non-NEC2(4)-based codes like MININEC etc. model the ground only as a perfect conductor right underneath the antenna, in the near-field. This simplification leads to only very approximative values for feed point impedance and resonant length.
Read more about antenna computer modelling here:
http://HAMwaves.com/antennas/modelling.html
73 de Serge, ON4AA
http://HAMwaves.com
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YU7EF
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 21, 2007 00:19
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The best
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I am very experienced user of this kind of software and "playing" with those ever since 1991 when started with Mininec 1. Using this software since 2000 and I can say it outperforms most antenna simulation and optimization software available, including very expensive professional packages, by huge margin and it is free. What else one can ask.
It takes some time to get used to NEC-2 cards and logic but once you get familiar with it it's very easy. With experience, particularly about segmentation density, models are very accurate and calculated specifications can be expected in a real life - assuming you did not make any entry errors and real life measurements of built antennas confirmed almost perfect values.
However, do not expect software will design perfect antenna for you alone. Once software is done, user has to spend more time and tweak parameters manually in order to get what his goals and expectations are. No machine can read your mind and think as you can so every design has to be finished with personal touch of the designer.
Take a look to my web pages at http://www.yu1arc.com/yu7ef/
All that has been done using this software
Again, Arie thank you for great program as well for very good support to users.
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