Re: Announcing PREDICT Version 2.2.0

Re: Announcing PREDICT Version 2.2.0

[Jonathan Naylor]

Hi All

I've just downloaded and started using the latest Predict version, 
2.2.1. It is excellent, the addition of support for ALON/ALAT and 
transponder modes, amongst other things has made it a complete program 
for amateur satellite use.

The reason that I says this, is that I can see no further need to 
maintain the MTrack program that I originally wrote. Therefore I 
recommend that any users of MTrack (all two of them) change over to 
Predict and let MTrack die in peace. It will remain available from my 
web site for a while longer but is likely to disappear at any time.

Being GPL (like Predict), anyone is welcome to download the MTrack code 
and to maintain it or use bits of it for their own projects, but my 
development and maintenance of it is now at an end.

This does not affect my other software, Baken, LinWSJT, UKW Tools and 
my forthcoming Moon Tracking software.

Thank you and Goodnight

Jonathan  HB9DRD/G4KLX

Re: Announcing PREDICT Version 2.2.0

[John]

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On 12 Aug, John@man.ac.uk wrote:
> I updated my mods for the Linux version of Predict a wee bit ....

I've had a go at modifying the new 2.2.1 release of Predict as well.

> 	http://voyager.mcc.ac.uk/Predict/

Bye for now, John
- -- 
  John Heaton, G1YYH
  Manchester Computing, Kilburn Building.
  The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, England, M13-9PL
  pstn://+44-161-275-6011/Hello/Is.Dat-U?
  fax://+44-161-275-6040/screech/warble/ssshhh/beepbeep
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Announcing PREDICT Version 2.1.6

[John A. Magliacane]

Hello Everyone.

A new version of PREDICT, a satellite tracking/orbital prediction program
for Linux has been released.  The major changes in the new release include:

* Buffering added to I/O functions in the vocalizer utility
  for better efficiency and less CPU load.

* Fixed errors in main() (predict.c) that prevented the
  vocalizer utility from ever being invoked by PREDICT.

* Modified the earthtrack utility for compatibility with
  versions of xplanet more recent than 0.82.

* Serial port configuration for antenna rotator interface control
  is now automatically set within PREDICT to the EasyComm 2 protocol
  standard (9600 bps, 8N1, no handshaking) when the -a or -a1
  command-line options are invoked.

* -a1 command-line option added.  It works like the -a option, except
  it sends tracking data to the specified serial port at least once
  per second, whether the data has changed since the last transmission
  or not.  These "keepalives" are required for interfaces such as the
  ones by Suding Associates, Inc. that throttle back to manual mode if
  updates aren't received on a regular and frequent basis.
 
* "gsat" by Xavier Crehueras, EB3CZS, has been updated to version 1.0.0.
  The new version adds Doppler control for beacon frequencies, support
  for a satellite frequency database, and automatic frequency selection.
  In addition, an azimuth/elevation graphic window is now included,
  and automatic rotator control via plugins is now supported.

* The destination directory for PREDICT's executables may now be
  specified to something other than the regular default (/usr/local/bin)
  when ./configure is invoked.  See the README file for details.

* Main menu option [I] (Program Information) was changed to provide
  information about which files were loaded by PREDICT, if a soundcard
  is present, if network server mode is enabled, if rotator AutoTracking
  is enabled, and if so, what serial port is used, how often is data sent,
  etc.

* The documentation was updated, and several other small coding
  changes were made.

Further information on PREDICT is available at:

	http://www.qsl.net/kd2bd/predict.html


Enjoy the program.


73, de John, KD2BD


=====
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- John A. Magliacane, KD2BD -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
   Internet  : kd2bd@amsat.org  |  Video : 426.250 MHz/439.250 MHz
   Satellite : KITSAT-OSCAR-25  |  Morse : -.-  -..  ..---  -...  -..
   Voice     : +1.732.224.2948  |  WWW   : http://www.qsl.net/kd2bd/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Linux Doesn't Cost.  It Pays. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

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Announcing PREDICT Version 2.2.0

[John A. Magliacane]

Hello Everyone.

PREDICT version 2.2.0 has been released.  This version contains
significant internal changes including the adoption of SGP4/SDP4
orbital models, support for a satellite transponder database, and
a completely revised Single Satellite Tracking mode that provides
detailed uplink and downlink frequencies (properly compensated for
Doppler shift) that are required for successful communication via
OSCAR satellites.  (You can now "tune" across a transponder using
the keyboard to equate a particular downlink signal to the required
uplink frequency.)  Many of the other functions of the program
were allowed to successfully remain intact.

The CHANGES file provides more details, and reads as follows:

Release 2.2.0: (a.k.a. The Columbus Day Release)
By John A. Magliacane <kd2bd@amsat.org> (12-Oct-2002):

* PREDICT's satellite tracking algorithm was replaced by a more precise
  model based on a port of Dr. TS Kelso's SGP4/SDP4 Pascal routines to
  'C' by Neoklis Kyriazis, 5B4AZ.

* PREDICT now imports, exports, and permits editing of TLE element set
  numbers, International Designators, and Bstar and nddot/6 drag terms
  in addition to all the remaining orbital data found in a two-line
  element set.

* Earthtrack was modified so that when multi-tracking satellites,
  range circles are displayed 5 minutes prior to AOS through LOS.

* Maximum allowable callsign length was increased to 15 characters to
  permit groundstation names to be used in place of 6 character callsigns.

* Vocalizer will no longer send audio to the soundcard if the soundcard
  cannot be set to the proper sampling rate and word size.

* The Single Tracking mode was completely redesigned to allow interactive
  selection of satellite transponder, provide real-time Doppler-compensated
  uplink and downlink frequency information, and support for a transponder
  database.  Spacecraft antenna squint angle, propagation delay, echo,
  and satellite eclipse depth information are also now available.  See
  the NEWS file for additional information.

* Orbital predictions now report squint angles instead of orbit
  numbers if ALAT/ALON data is available in the transponder database.

* A Visual BASIC Windows-based client application has been contributed
  by Steve Fraser, VK5ASF.  Steve also contributed some small coding
  changes that allow PREDICT to be successfully invoked by rc.local
  upon startup.

* Bent Bagger, OZ6BL, contributed a small change to get_response() in
  the client demo.c program.  The modification recognizes the absence
  of a PREDICT server, and displays an appropriate error message.
  The previous method set an alarm and waited for a timeout to occur.

* A bug in the configure script was fixed.

* Lots of other small coding changes were made.


Further details are available at:

        http://www.qsl.net/kd2bd/predict.html


Enjoy the program!


73, de John, KD2BD


=====
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- John A. Magliacane, KD2BD -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
   Internet  : kd2bd@amsat.org  |  Video : 426.250 MHz/439.250 MHz
   Satellite : KITSAT-OSCAR-25  |  Morse : -.-  -..  ..---  -...  -..
   Voice     : +1.732.224.2948  |  WWW   : http://www.qsl.net/kd2bd/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Linux Doesn't Cost.  It Pays. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

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