Difference between revisions of "Coverage planning"

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m (grammar fixed)
m (Update of the website URLs, CRC Covweb removed (no longer available), antenna pattern editor added)
 
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Coverage planning usually require complex and expensive tools to predict wave propagation using terrain models.
 
Coverage planning usually require complex and expensive tools to predict wave propagation using terrain models.
  
However since many years, Roger Coudé has developed a planning software for amateur radio, implementing the Longley-Rice model and using public terrain height maps. This software can also be used to make prediction of broadcast coverage.
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However since many years, Roger Coudé has developed a planning software for amateur radio, implementing the Longley-Rice model and using public terrain height maps. This software can also be used to make a prediction of broadcast coverage, including the use of directional antenna systems and VHF band III. It requires some time to get used to the way of working, but is definitely worth the effort.
  
*[http://www.cplus.org/rmw/english1.html Radio Mobile website]
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*[https://www.ve2dbe.com/english1.html Radio Mobile website]
  
 
Example for FM broadcast coverage prediction:
 
Example for FM broadcast coverage prediction:
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Transmitter maker Nautel has on their website a coverage prediction tool that can be used after registration:
 
Transmitter maker Nautel has on their website a coverage prediction tool that can be used after registration:
*[http://www.nautel.com/support/technical-resources/rf-toolkit/ Nautel RF toolkit coverage prediction]
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*[https://support.nautel.com/rf-toolkit/ Nautel RF toolkit coverage prediction]
It appears to be based on the [http://www.ve2dbe.com/english1.html Radio Mobile website by Roger Coudé]. The limitation is that the antenna directivity diagram cannot be included, but for omni-directional transmissions this is quite handy. And it allowes estimations at the actual band III frequencies, which the Radio Mobile website doesn't.
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It appears to be based on the [http://www.ve2dbe.com/english1.html Radio Mobile website by Roger Coudé]. The limitation is that the antenna directivity diagram cannot be included, but for omni-directional transmissions this is quite handy.  
  
The directivity diagram can be included in the model available on the Canadian Communications Research Center's website:
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To generate the antenna pattern model from specification documentation one can use the antenna pattern editor from
*[http://lrcov.crc.ca/main/ CRC CovWeb]
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*[https://www.wireless-planning.com/ Center of Telecommunication Technologies in Novosibirsk, Russia]
This requires registration as well, and is not as detailed as the Nautel results, but very useful with directional transmissions.
 

Latest revision as of 09:59, 27 September 2020

Coverage planning usually require complex and expensive tools to predict wave propagation using terrain models.

However since many years, Roger Coudé has developed a planning software for amateur radio, implementing the Longley-Rice model and using public terrain height maps. This software can also be used to make a prediction of broadcast coverage, including the use of directional antenna systems and VHF band III. It requires some time to get used to the way of working, but is definitely worth the effort.

Example for FM broadcast coverage prediction:

Transmitter maker Nautel has on their website a coverage prediction tool that can be used after registration:

It appears to be based on the Radio Mobile website by Roger Coudé. The limitation is that the antenna directivity diagram cannot be included, but for omni-directional transmissions this is quite handy.

To generate the antenna pattern model from specification documentation one can use the antenna pattern editor from