MiniMuf 4.6 Amiga Version by John Gager K7KB--17 May 1988 Original source: QST December 1982 Pg. 38 Screen Dump routine by Carolyn Scheppner-Commodore Business Machines Now that we have the credits out of the way, lets get down to business. This is a version of MiniMuf 3.5 that was originally published by QST way back in 1982. I downloaded Dean Straw's version of the program and set out to convert it to the Amiga, using some of the special features that this fantastic computer supports. The program ended up being almost completely re-written in the process. Some of the new features include a graphics plot of the MUF curve to the screen, and better printer output in the form of a screen dump or a faster character dump. Most of us who have used MUF prediction programs in the past are aware that MiniMuf 3.5 has it's limitations. One of the major ones is that it does not take geomagnetic disturbances into consideration. Another one that Mr. Straw pointed out was that the program would predict that a certain band would open up an hour earlier than it actually did at his QTH. In his program, he shifted the times around by one hour to make this correction. Well I haven't had a chance to confirm his conclusions, so I left that feature out of this version. New Version of MiniMuf ---------------------- The new version of MiniMuf for the Amiga has been compiled using the Absoft Basic compiler, and also a few other enhancements from the previous version. You will notice that the compiled version is considerably faster than the regular Basic program. I know its not as fast as C, but give me a break, I'm still trying to make those programs in the ROM Kernel manuals to work! Anyway, another enhancement is twice as many selections in the Main Menu for a quick MUF plot. Also, when the program initially asks for the date and Solar Flux numbers, it will automatically display the same date and SF numbers the next time around. All you have to do to use them is hit the RETURN key, or if you want to enter new values, press the ESC key. One other note about the compiled version is that you DO NOT need to have AmigaBasic on one of your disks for this version to run. Must Rename 2 files!! --------------------- If you downloaded MiniMuf.arc from a BBS, after the file has been de-ARCed, you must rename 2 of the files. The file "graph.bmap" must be renamed to "graphics.bmap" and the file "MiniMuf.inf" must be renamed to "MiniMuf.run.info". A small file called "execute.me" will do this for you automatically. For instance, if your MiniMuf files are on a disk in drive DF1: you would type: cd df1: execute execute.me Installing and Running MiniMuf.run ---------------------------------- MiniMuf.run is the compiled version of the MiniMuf program. It is just like any other program that you may run with your system such as IconEd, since it is now a machine language program. In this respect, you DO NOT need to have AmigaBasic on one of your disks for MiniMuf.run to run. Along with this new version of MiniMuf are 3 files called exec.bmap, graphics.bmap, and bas.rl. These 3 files must be on the same disk that the MiniMuf program is on, or the MiniMuf program will not run. So to run the program from the Workbench all you have to do is click on the MiniMuf.run icon and the program should present the credits, and ask you the question: Give a label for your (Transmitter) location: If your are running the MiniMuf program from the CLI, and lets say your MiniMuf disk was in drive DF1: you would type: cd df1: minimuf.run If instead it gives you a error message like: ERROR 53--Click Mouse or Could not find bas.rl Then you did something wrong in installing the files. Using MiniMuf 4.6 ----------------- The first question the program asks you is: Give a Label for your (Transmitter) Location: In most cases, typing in the name of your city will suffice. Next it will ask for your location latitude and longitude. You must enter South latitude and East longitude as negative numbers. Also you have to convert minutes to decimal portions of degrees. For instance, if your latitude and longitude were 33 degrees 54 minutes South and 18 degrees 24 minutes East, then you would enter your latitude and longitude as: -33.9,-18.4 Since 54 minutes is 54/60 = .9 degrees, and 24 minutes is 24/60 = .40 degrees. Once you have answered these questions, then the program will take you to the main menu. Main Menu --------- The main menu gives you many choices for a MUF plot to almost every major area of your interest. Even if you are looking to work a station such as XU1SS in Kampuchea, you can get close to that location by choosing selection 7 for South Asia (Bangkok, Thailand) and get a MUF plot that would be accurate enough. But if XU1SS is the last country you need to make the honor roll, and you demand nothing less than perfection, then you can choose selection 16 which will give you a MUF plot from your QTH to a specified point. Or lets say you are talking to Vlad in Moscow and he would like you to plot the MUF between him and XU1SS and read back the figures. Then you could choose selection 17 which will allow you to plot the MUF between specified points. If for some reason you would like to change the Transmitter QTH, which is normally your location, then you would choose selection 18. And finally, when you are ready to quit the program, then select 19 or click the window close button in the top left hand corner. Menu Selections 1-25 -------------------- This will give a MUF plot for a distant QTH already in memory. It will then ask you for the Date. Enter it as Month,Day. For example, if the date is February 14 then you would enter: 2,14 Next it will ask if you want to enter in the source of solar activity, either by Sunspot number or Flux. The Solar Flux numbers are generally entered as the average of the last three day's worth of data (plus today's SF number, making 4 days of data) from the WWV transmissions at 18 minutes past the Hour. For some of you newcomer's or SWL's that might not be familier with WWV, it broadcast on frequencies of 3.5, 5.0, 10.0, and 15.0 mhz. Also you can call for a telephone recording of solar activity in Boulder, Co. at 303-497-3235. After you enter the Solar Flux or Sunspot numbers, it will ask if you would like the MUF program to inform you when the MUF reaches at or above the given frequency. For instance, if you wanted a MUF plot for Asuncion, Paraguay and you wanted to find out if and when the MUF reaches 24 mhz, at the prompt: Do you want flag on Muf above given Freq (Y/N):? y Specify Freq in Mhz: 24 After all those questions, then the program will plot a MUF graph for a 24 hour period, and then present a display window at the top of the screen giving information about the other stations latitude and longitude, distance from your location, and the great circle bearing so you can point a directional antenna right on the spot. It will also have a mini menu at the bottom of the window. Info window Mini Menu: ---------------------- Most of the options a self explanatory, but just to give you some idea of what the commands do: G-for Graph Remove the Info window and present the full graph. I-for Info Make the Info window pop back on the screen. P-for Print Will present another window asking if you would like a Screen dump or Fast Printout. Pressing the S key will give you an exact graphics dump of the MUF graph. Although this option gives a pretty nice printout, expect to wait awhile for it to finish! It takes approximately 2:45 minutes for a screen dump. But if looks are not that important, and you want your MUF plot in a hurry, then select F for a fast printout. Using this option, it only takes about 55 seconds for a MUF plot. M-for Main Menu This option will take you back to the Main Menu. Main Menu selection 16 (From your location to a specified point) ---------------------------------------------------------------- This option from the main menu is not too much different than the rest, except it will ask you for the latitude and longitude of the distant location. The same rules apply as for entering your lat and long. Use a - sign for South latitudes and East longitudes, and be sure to convert minutes to decimal degrees. So if you wanted a muf plot for Pitcairn Island at 25 degrees, 6 minutes South and 130 degrees, 6 minutes West you would type: Receiver Lat, Lon (Use "-" for East & South): -25.1,130.1 It then proceeds to ask you about the Date, Solar activity, etc. as with the other menu selections before it plots the graph. Menu Selection 17 ----------------- This plots a MUF graph between 2 points, and will ask for both the transmitter and receiver Latitude and Longitude. Same rules apply here also. Menu Selection 18 ----------------- This will let you change the QTH you entered at the start of the program. This might be kind of handy if you want to run a bunch of Muf plots for a different transmitter QTH, without having to type in your Lat and Lon each time as you would if you chose selection 17. Otherwise, I'm not really sure why I included this option! Printer Notes: Of course the graphics dump will not work if your printer does not support that capability. But if it does, and your still not able to get a graphics dump, make sure you have the proper printer driver set up in Preferences. I have a Star SG-10, and using a driver that I downloaded from Compuserve specifically for my printer. In the Graphic Select portion of the Printer settings in Preferences, I have the following settings: Threshold: 2 Aspect: Horizontal Image: Positive Shade: Black and White You might have to change some of these settings for your particular printer, but for the majority, the above settings should work just fine. Well that's about it DX'ers. I think I've included enough instructions in this document so that a novice can use it without too much problem. I hope you like the changes I made to make it more graphically appealing rather than a IBM clone. If you have any questions, gripes, or comments on the program, be sure to let me know. I'm always willing to learn from my mistakes and make the next program better. Oh, be sure to look for a C version of MiniMuf 4.6 in the near furture. John Gager K7KB 625 Wellington Apt. B-5 Walla Walla, Wa. 99362