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Reviews For: TrackSat/CE

Category: Ham Software/Apps - Other than logging

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Review Summary For : TrackSat/CE
Reviews: 2MSRP:
Description:
Satellite tracking program, runs under Windows CE v3.0 on Pocket PC, and Handheld PC.
Demo version doesn't allow transferring of Pass predictions to Calendar, or saving of user QTH info, otherwise is fully functional !!!
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.qsl.net/zl3tpl
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0024
NV7E Rating: 2005-08-11
Great, but let us register the program! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I recently got three new Pocket PC's, the HP iPaq 3715, iPaq 6315 and the Garmin iQue M5. I think PPCs are the way to go for portable ham logging and satellite tracking.

The TrackSat program works fine once it's installed. Windows Mobile 2003 being run on PPCs such as mine requires placing the "Embedded Visual Basic Runtime file for Pocket PC 2003" into the Program Files directory of the PPC before TrackSat will work. It is referred to on the TrackSat web site but there is a direct link to it at NØHR's MobileLog web site at http://www.n0hr.com/MobileLog_2003.htm.

I have PocketSat+ which is a great program too. I think the difference between the two is that PocketSat+ is made more for people who want to go outside and view satellites with binoculars while TrackSat is made for use with satellite communications equipment. TrackSat+ gives you AZ/EL information while PocketSat does not, as such. For use with Arrow portable satellite antennas the PocketSat+ maps would work fine since they give you a good visual idea of where to aim.

Updating Keplar data in TrackSat is easier than in PocketSat+. The link is already set up by TrackSat in the PPC. Yesterday I was able to download new Keplar data that way from AMSAT. It automatically added the new VO-52 satellite which went up since I got the program. This seemed remarkable to me since I haven't figured out yet how to access the internet any other way with my PPCs.

The big negative for TrackSat right now is that the program's author ZL3AD has cut off registration of TrackSat until further notice. All that is available is a demo version which can't hold the user's QTH or clock info. Every time you turn the program on you have to set it up again from scratch. I do note, however, that once you get the clock right and the Keplar info loaded it gives the same locations for amateur satellites as PocketSat+ and Nova. I will leave TrackSat on my PPCs in the hope that ZL3AD will start supporting the program again. I look forward to using on upcoming DXpeditions in Africa.
N7WSB Rating: 2002-04-14
Not a bad little program - not without its faults though Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I registered it - why not - it was cheap. The plusses are this is one of the few satellite tracking programs availble on Pocket PC (for reference I installed it on my ipaq 36xx). Supports two line keplarian info and it has a mode that can help you adjust for doppler. The downside to the program is it lacks a bit of automation for calculating utc offset (which is a pain in general to do on your own) and its pretty slow sometimes - in general - it take take several seconds to just switch satellites you are observing.