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Reviews For: 4NEC2 freeware antenna modeller and optimizer

Category: Ham Software/Apps - Other than logging

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Review Summary For : 4NEC2 freeware antenna modeller and optimizer
Reviews: 18MSRP: 0.01
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.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.qsl.net/4nec2/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00185
STAYVERTICAL Rating: 2010-03-11
Simply outstanding Time Owned: more than 12 months.
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
AB8XE Rating: 2009-05-18
Use it and learn Time Owned: more than 12 months.
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.
KA9DTZ Rating: 2009-02-09
Wow! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
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
AC0LP Rating: 2008-12-24
Fantastic Antenna Modeling - Windows and Linux with Wine Time Owned: more than 12 months.
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!
ON4AA Rating: 2007-07-23
Unique antenna synthesis capabilities + export to VOACAP Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
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
YU7EF Rating: 2007-03-21
The best Time Owned: more than 12 months.
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.

Pop
KB3LME Rating: 2006-06-08
Fantastic Product Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Great software package ... especially with the 3D display capability. I'm fairly new to modeling antennas, but with a little practice, I'm becoming quite proficient at using this excellent tool.

You cannot go wrong by using it. Like anything, it just takes a little practice at getting used to.

I've been comparing my results with modeling that was done by a friend using EZNEC for a 40m-loop antenna in my attic. Our results have come out quite similar. Initially I was going to purchase a commercial antenna-modeling tool, but when I came across 4nec2, I could not believe such a product was available for free.

I've had no need thus far reconsider buying a commercial antenna-modeling program.

I�m very surprised that there are not more comments here about this top-notch tool.

As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for ... well in this case, you pay nothing, and get everything!
NF7R Rating: 2005-11-18
very good/very technical Time Owned: more than 12 months.
A week to learn, a lifetime to master!
I rate it a 5 because it does everything I needed it to do, and has taught me to do more!
The ability to create and then export your own antennas into the ITHFS software (VOA, ICE, REC) as been very cool, and I've had fun making contacts on my homebrew wires, and then comparing real world to predictions, and vice versa.
In my case, it is very good at modelling my real world antennas. I have two acres of desert, and very little vertical supports...I use the ones I have. 4nec2 has modelled very well the exact dimensions of my assymetrical, lopsided and tilted horizontal loop...and find that it predicts very close to my on-air experience.It also tells me how I compare to a the textbook version. (quite well, I might add). I used it to model my converstion from a 33' vertical to an interted L. Predictions were very close to reality. It allowed me to model the antenna, the ground system, and the counterpoise...and each dimension added to the accuracy of the model.
There are more dimensions to this program than I have yet learned...but the deeper I dig into 4nec2's capabilities, the more I like it.
This has been my main modelling program, but I have tried some other "easier" nec programs, and this is definitely the most detailed and accurate that I have used.
Don
NF7R