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Ham Radio 2000 #2
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Ham Radio 2000 - Volume 2.iso
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SATELLIT
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TRAK405
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TRAKSAT.HLP
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1996-12-04
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@@TRAKSAT
^FfTRAKSAT^n
Satellite Tracking Program for DOS
Copyright (C) 1989-1996
By Paul E. Traufler
All Rights Reserved
E-Mail: wintrak@traveller.com
Home Page: http://www.hsv.tis.net/~wintrak
*******************************************************
TRAKSAT makes no warranty of any kind either express or
implied including but not limited to implied warranties of
merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose with
respect to this software and accompanying documentation.
Paul E. Traufler author of TRAKSAT SHALL NOT BE LIABLE
FOR ANY DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF BUSINESS
PROFITS BUSINESS INTERRUPTION LOSS OF BUSINESS
INFORMATION OR OTHER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE
TRAKSAT OR FOR ANY CLAIM BY ANY OTHER PARTY. This
agreement is governed by the laws of the state of
Alabama.
*********************************************************
@@OPEN TLE
This option will ask for a TLE filename and then try to open it
and load the elements.
@@EDIT TRAKSAT.INI
This option will allow you to edit the INI file inside the program.
^FaUse this option only if you understand the INI file format.^n
@@SHELL TO DOS
This option allows you to enter into DOS and run a program or some
other DOS task. Type EXIT to return to TRAKSAT.
@@SYSTEM INFO
This option will display some system parameters such as free memory.
@@EXIT
This option will quit the program.
@@HOT KEYS
TRAKSAT uses these hot keys to jump to several program selections.
(Press the Alt and the listed key at the same time)
Alt+C = View/Edit current tracking station data
Alt+D = Switch to Delta-Time mode
Alt+E = Open a TLE file
Alt+G = Ground Track
Alt+N = Find a satellite from the list
Alt+P = View/Change program defaults
Alt+R = Switch to Real-Time mode
Alt+X = Exit the program
Alt+3 = Rendered 3D view at the satellite
F1 = Online help
During ANY graphics display pressing ^FaP^n will cause the current
screen to be saved to a PCX file.
@@PUSH BUTTON
Push buttons behave much like a push button
on a TV or VCR. Pressing the button causes
some action to take place. If the return key
is pressed on this button or if the button
is selected with the mouse, the associated
commanded will be done.
@@DATA ENTRY CANCEL BUTTON
The current object is a push button. If
the return key is pressed on this button
or if the button is selected with the
mouse, the current data entered in this
form will be ^hlost^n.
@@DATA ENTRY DONE BUTTON
The current object is a push button. If
the return key is pressed on this button
or if the button is selected with the
mouse, the current data entered in this
form will be ^hsaved^n.
@@FIELDS
Entry fields are a flexible method for you
to enter data into the program. Most fields
are error checked and simple to use. Please
enter the required data.
@@RADIO BUTTONS AND CHECK BOXES
Radio buttons and check boxes allow the
user to select predefined options.
Radio buttons restrict users to selecting
only one selection from a group. While
check boxes allow multiple selections to
be made.
@@LIST BOXES
List boxes provide the user with a
scrolling list of items to choose from.
@@FORMAT OF NORAD 2-LINE DATA
NORAD maintains general perturbation element sets on
all resident space objects. These element sets are
periodically refined so as to maintain a reasonable
prediction capability on all space objects. In turn
these element sets are provided to users.
The element data will be maintained in ASCII format
in a file. Data for each satellite will consist of
three lines in the following format:
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
1 NNNNNU NNNNNAAA NNNNN.NNNNNNNN +.NNNNNNNN +NNNNN-N +NNNNN-N N NNNNN
2 NNNNN NNN.NNNN NNN.NNNN NNNNNNN NNN.NNNN NNN.NNNN NN.NNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Line 1 is a 20-character name. Lines 2 and 3 are the
standard Two-Line Orbital Element Set Format identical
to that used by NASA and NORAD. The format description
is:
Line 2
Column Description
01-01 Line Number of Element Data
03-07 Satellite Number
10-11 Internat. Designator (Last 2 digits of launch year)
12-14 Internat. Designator (Launch number of the year)
15-17 Internat. Designator (Piece of launch)
19-20 Epoch Year (Last two digits of year)
21-32 Epoch (Julian Day and fractional portion of the day)
34-43 First Time Derivative of the Mean Motion (rev/day^2)
or Ballistic Coefficient (Depending of ephemeris type)
45-52 Second Time Derivative of Mean Motion (Blank if N/A)
54-61 BSTAR drag term if GP4 perturbation theory was used.
Otherwise radiation pressure coefficient.
63-63 Ephemeris type
65-68 Element number
69-69 Check Sum (Modulo 10)
(Letters blanks periods=0; minus sign=1; plus sign=2)
Line 3
Column Description
01-01 Line Number of Element Data
03-07 Satellite Number
09-16 Inclination [Degrees]
18-25 Right Ascension of the Ascending Node [Degrees]
27-33 Eccentricity (decimal point assumed)
35-42 Argument of Perigee [Degrees]
44-51 Mean Anomaly [Degrees]
53-63 Mean Motion [Revs per day]
64-68 Revolution number at epoch [Revs]
69-69 Check Sum (Modulo 10)
All other columns are blank or fixed.
Example:
AO-13
1 19216U 88051B 94221.17750886 -.00000167 00000-0 10000-4 0 9430
2 19216 57.7592 237.5053 7223597 347.6665 1.4454 2.09725165 15622
@@OBTAINING TLES
The following BBS's have the current satellite data files;
RPV BBS
Rancho Palos Verdes Ca.
SYSOP: Dave Ransom Jr.
310-541-7299 (Primary) or 310-544-8977
24 hours 28800/14400/9600/2400 baud
8 bit NO parity 1 stop.
Datalink RBBS System
Dallas Texas
SYSOP: Dr. Jeff Wallach
214-394-7438
24 hours 28800/14400/9600/2400/1200 baud
8 bit NO parity 1 stop.
Clear Skies
Madison WI
SYSOP: David Mullenix
608-249-7130
24 hours 14400/9600/2400/1200 baud
8 bit NO parity 1 stop.
INTERNET SITES:
http://www.hsv.tis.net/~wintrak
(anonymous FTP)
address 129.92.1.66 then go to the pub/space directory
@@WHY REGISTER
Why should I register ?
Well first off it is the right thing to do. If you use TRAKSAT
for more than 30 days it is time to register. What do I get by
registering TRAKSAT ?
1. Support for Shareware so you can keep getting low-cost
software in the future.
2. You will be E-mailed a notice when new versions become available.
*** E-Mail Notice ONLY ***
3. Support will be provided to registered users only.
4. The option of getting your name placed on the About screen so
everyone will know you registered your program.
5. The warm feeling that you are supporting me in this pursuit.
6. The latest version of the program and new satellite
elements also.
7. Support for the Auto Tracker to provide automatic antenna control
and Doppler shift radio tuning also. The Auto Tracker is manufactured
by Endeavour Electronics (508) 851-5661.
Your registration helps support me and my family also. I have
spent a great deal of time and effort in this program and would
hope that you will be honest and register. I have kept the cost
of this program within the reach of almost anyone just try to
find another satellite tracking program with all the features of
TRAKSAT for less money. Please see the file ORDER.FRM for ordering
and pricing information.
@@QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
I have retained any and all commercial rights to TRAKSAT and as
such can only control its use by controlling the source code.
Therefore the source code can only be licensed for use by the
author, Paul E. Traufler.
The time, money, and energy spent on the development of TRAKSAT
has been both informative and interesting, however as with all
shareware developers my resources are limited. Support for
TRAKSAT, by registering, will be required to continue the
improvements and new features. REMEMBER THAT IF YOU USE TRAKSAT
ON A REGULAR BASIS YOU ARE REQUIRED TO REGISTER THE PROGRAM.
TRAKSAT is still growing and improvements WILL BE MADE IF users
provide feedback, report errors and REGISTER. The only way this
can happen is if you, the user, takes the time to leave me
messages or mail on problems or suggestions. I will try to answer
your messages in a timely manner.
One of the major goals of this project was to make the finest,
easiest to use, satellite tracking program available. A PROGRAM
THE AVERAGE PERSON CAN USE AND SUCCESSFULLY TRACK SATELLITES!
I would suggest the user to OBTAIN A COPROCESSOR if they do not
have one already. A coprocessor speeds up math intensive
programs, such as TRAKSAT, to a level that was only dreamed about
a few years ago. Besides the cost of coprocessors has fallen to a
level that most people can afford one with little struggle. As of
December 1995, 387's cost $20-$30.
@@SPECIAL THANKS
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many people
who helped me either directly or indirectly on this program.
First of all my wife, Anita, who understands why I have a hobbie
like computers and enjoy working with them. She has not
complained about the many hours, in excess of 3000 hours, I have
spent working on TRAKSAT. My children have learned to "share" my
free time also.
Dave Ransom Jr., of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. has kept me going
when my interest in the program was slipping away. I did use the
city data from his excellent program STSPLUS. I also used several
of the references Dave listed in his program. I would highly
recommend his program. My thanks to Dave and his wife Vicki.
John Williams and Dr. Jeff Wallach, from the Dallas DataLink BBS,
have been very helpful in this project also. They have offered
data and a helping hand with TRAKSAT. The DataLink BBS has a
vast amount of satellite information along with other interests.
I would recommend it to others interested in satellite tracking.
The DataLink BBS is THE place to learn about obtaining satellite
images. My thanks to John and Jeff and their families.
I would also like to thank Dr. T.S. Kelso, SYSOP of the Celestial
BBS where current satellite data can be downloaded. Several
satellite tracking programs are also available on his BBS along
with a vast amount of satellite information. Its people like T.S.
that make satellite tracking possible by providing the means to
obtain current satellite data sets. Good work!
Alan Bose has done a wonderful job sparking interest in the
Chicago area with his radio "talk shows". He has made satellite
watching a simple task even for the beginner. Tune in to WGN AM
720 radio sometime and hear for yourself.
To the many other people who have helped with a steady stream of
ideas and improvements, THANKS, and keep them coming!
@@Getting Started
Did you get a complete copy of the program? The following files
SHOULD have been included in the archive file.
TRAKSAT.EXE The program.
TRAKSAT.INI The default data for TRAKSAT.
TRAKSAT.CTY The city file for tracking stations.
TRAKSAT.DOC TRAKSAT program documentation.
TRAKSAT.HLP TRAKSAT help file.
TRAKSAT.NDX TRAKSAT help file index.
EARTH.DAT World map data file.
EARTH.BIN World map data file.
TLE.TXT This is the latest NORAD satellite data set,
READ.ME Latest notes about the program.
TRAK.NEW New features for this version.
MODERN.FON This is a font file used for the graphics.
FONT.VGA This is a font file used for the menus.
ORDER.FRM This file contains TRAKSAT order forms.
STAR6A.BIN This is a star data base that is NOT required
to run TRAKSAT, it is optional. This data file
can be used in the external star data
option. It has all stars to magnitude 6.0
in it.
What do I need to run the program? In order to run the program
the user will need the following hardware/software;
IBM or 100% compatible AT,PS/2,286,386,486, 2MB
Ram (250K free ram is required), Floppy or Hard
Disk (approximately 1Meg free), Text mode display
(25x80), CGA, EGA, VGA, or SVGA graphics, HIMEM or
some other memory manager installed.
Math coprocessor is NOT required BUT RECOMMENDED,
(IF A COPROCESSOR IS PRESENT IT WILL BE USED *),
PC DOS or MS DOS VERSION 5.0 or above. This version of
TRAKSAT WILL NOT RUN ON XT (8088) COMPUTERS, if you
are still using a XT computer for satellite tracking
you will need to use Version 3.03 or UPDATE the
computer.
* It should be noted that a coprocessor will be 3 to 4 times
faster than the emulator version. If the user plans on using the
real-time tracking mode, a coprocessor will "smooth out" the time
steps to such a small delta as to appear instantaneously. At any
rate the real-time mode runs as fast as the host computer can
calculate the data and update the screen.
******************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
******************
This version of TRAKSAT will NOT run on XT (8088) computers, a
286 AT class computer is the minimum hardware supported.
@@Running The Program
To start TRAKSAT you type "TRAKSAT", without the quotation marks,
at the DOS prompt. Several command-line options are available to
modify the start-up of the program. See Chapter 2 for details.
After the opening screen is displayed the Main Menu will be
displayed next. From the Main Menu the user can control the
program. The Main Menu is the core of the program, i.e. from this
menu the user can setup satellite data, tracking station data,
and output selections.
What's the Next Step?
With the program up and running you will notice a tabular type
output screen. The satellite will be AO-13 with Harvest, AL as
the tracking station. (These are the factory set defaults.) Press
the Esc (escape) key to stop the output. Select Station/Find from
the Main Menu a menu box will appear while the city data is being
loaded. If you want to cancel the reading of data press Esc.
Scroll through the list of stations and find your city. (Relax if
you do not find it as you can add to the TRAKSAT.CTY file or edit
the changes later.) Be sure to set the UTC Offset for this
station. Select Replace Station #1 and then Save. This will make
your city the new station number 1. You can add other stations
later if you wish. If you want another satellite or tracking mode
at program startup select Options/Default from the Main Menu
next. You can enter several defaults used by the program or make
changes on the fly in some cases. Set the defaults as you
requirements may need and select Save. Now TRAKSAT is configured
for your needs! Please read Chapter 2, User Options for more
details.
@@User Options
Command-Line options
TRAKSAT has several command-line options available that may prove
useful. To use any of these commands type "traksat /?", without
the quotes. (Replace the ? with one or more of the following
commands.) Valid options are;
/a = Run Analytical Solution Mode at start up,
/m = Use Monochrome mode,
/x = Do NOT try to load element data at start-up.
/nofont = Do NOT use the VGA font on the menus.
(Use this if NOT on a VGA display)
/at = Use the Auto Tracker for antenna control.
(This is optional support)
These commands are not upper/lower case specific.
@@TRAKSAT.INI File
TRAKSAT has many options available to suit your particular needs.
The program stores your options in a file called TRAKSAT.INI.
This file is an ASCII text file that can be edited by any word
processor that can save as ASCII text. (DOS utility program EDIT
works fine.) The program will look for this file in the same
place as the program EXE is located. ONE WILL NOT BE CREATED IF
IT IS MISSING, however the program will use some defaults to get
you started at least. Several options allow you to save your new
defaults to the INI file, however the program will first make a
backup of the current INI settings to a file called TRAKSAT.BAK.
From the File/Edit INI file menu option you can edit the INI file
from inside the program.
An example of the INI file is included below;
;
; TRAKSAT Version 4.00 INI, Copyright (C) 1996 By Paul E. Traufler
;
; *** A semi-colon in the FIRST column means a comment field ***
; ALL DATA MUST FOLLOW THE = SIGN, ** NO SPACES ** 79 columns MAX
; The section titles i.e., [Program Info] MUST start in column ONE
;
; Program Info, Automatic, and Groups can NOT be set inside the
; program, you must edit the TRAKSAT.INI file and make the desired
; changes.
;
[Program Info]
Element Filename=tle.txt
; DO NOT END THE OUTPUT PATH WITH A "\" CHARACTER
; Adding an output path is strongly recommended
Output Path=
;
; *** CONSULT DOCUMENTATION FOR DETAILS *BEFORE* SETTING VIDEO MODES ***
; -4=EGA 640x350x16, -3=Herc, -2=CGA Mono, -1=VGA Mono, 0=Auto, 1=VGA
;
; If running in Win95 and you have more than 256 color video it is
; best to set the output to 16 color modes as they are faster, or at
; least set to VGA (-1) as this is the fastest display mode.
;
; *** THE MODES LISTED BELOW REQUIRE A SVGA CARD AND MONITOR ***
; *** DAMAGE MAY RESULT IF YOUR HARDWARE DOES NOT SUPPORT THESE MODES ***
; 2=800x600x16, 3=800x600x256, 4=1024x768x16, 5=1024x768x256
; 6=1280x1024x16, 7=1280x1024x256, 8=640x400x256
Video Mode=1
; Land fill color for Ground Tracks, 0 none,2=green,6=red,8=gray
Color Land=2
; 0 = no refresh of Ground Track
Rev Update Interval=6
; *** CONSULT DOCUMENTATION FOR DETAILS *BEFORE* SETTING VIDEO MODES ***
;Render Output Video Mode, ** This REQUIRES a 256 color mode **
;1=640x400x256, 2=640x480x256, 3=800x600x256, 4=1024x768x256, 5=1280x1024x256
Render Video Mode=2
[Defaults]
Satellite Name=Mir
Run Mode=0
Freq Up=145.750000
Freq Down=440.150000
[Automatic]
; ALL IN LOCAL TIMES I WILL USE STATION #1 UTC OFFSET
Start Time=18.0
Length Hours=24.0
; 0 = ALL, 1 = Group One, etc.
Group=0
[Options]
Sensor=1
Sun Terminator=1
Grids=1
Visible Only=0
Star Direction=3
Star Names=1
Internal Stars=1
External Stars=1
Star Time Tags=1
Star Update Interval=18.0000
Star Mag Limit=5.0000
Ra Dec Output=0
UTC Output=0
[Auto Tracker]
; ONLY WITH THE REGISTERED VERSION, optional
Comm Port=2
Home Azimuth=0
Home Elevation=0
Limit Azimuth=5
Limit Elevation=3
Max Elevation=90
Mic Step=100
[Station 1]
Station 1 Name=Harvest,AL
Station 1 Lat=34.7900
Station 1 Lon=-86.6790
Station 1 Alt=220.00
Station 1 UTC Offset=-5.0
Station 1 Min Elevation=0.0
Station 1 Max Range=2000.0
Station 1 Visibility=1
Station 1 Twilight=-10.0
[Station 2]
[Station 3]
[Group 1]
;25 Satellites Max. Per Group
Group1 Satellite01=Mir
Group1 Satellite02=HST
Group1 Satellite03=HST Array
Group1 Satellite04=ARSENE
[Group 2]
;25 Satellites Max. Per Group
Group2 Satellite01=NOAA 9
Group2 Satellite02=NOAA 10
Group2 Satellite03=NOAA 12
Group2 Satellite04=Meteor 3-4
Group2 Satellite05=Meteor 3-5
Group2 Satellite06=Meteor 3-6
[Group 3]
;25 Satellites Max. Per Group
Group3 Satellite01=AO-13
Group3 Satellite02=Mir
Group3 Satellite03=OSCAR 10
[Attitude]
;Six Satellites Max.
Attitude Satellite1=AO-13
;NORAD ID Number
Attitude ID1=19216
;Bahn lat/lon in Degrees
Attitude BLAT1=0.0
Attitude BLON1=180.0
[Multi Satellites]
;Max. of SIX satellites
Multi 1=ARSENE
Multi 2=Mir
Multi 3=NOAA 12
Multi 4=AO-13
Multi 5=
Multi 6=
;Colors 0=black, 1=blue, 2=green, 3=cyan, 4=red, 5=magenta, 6=brown
;7=white, 8=dk gray, 9=lt blue, 10=lt green, 11=lt cyan, 12=lt red
;13=lt magenta, 14=yellow, 15=bright white
Multi Color 1=14
Multi Color 2=5
Multi Color 3=4
Multi Color 4=15
Multi Color 5=13
Multi Color 6=11
The user can choose a color from the palette of;
1 = BLUE 0 = BLACK
2 = GREEN 9 = LIGHT BLUE
3 = CYAN 10 = LIGHT GREEN
4 = RED 11 = LIGHT CYAN
5 = MAGENTA 12 = LIGHT RED
6 = BROWN 13 = LIGHT MAGENTA
7 = WHITE 14 = LIGHT YELLOW
8 = GRAY 15 = BRIGHT WHITE
It is important that you follow the this format or unexpected
results may occur. Please note that any data after the = sign
must be without any spaces. Most of the options have comments by
them so you will not get into trouble and error checking is done
on the data also.
Some areas of the INI file can only be changed by editing the
file and making the changes. The areas include Program Info,
Automatic, and Groups can NOT be set inside the program, you must
edit the TRAKSAT.INI file and make the desired changes. USE ONLY
AN ASCII SAVING EDITOR, one such as the DOS EDIT program. Under
the File Options is a option to Edit the TRAKSAT.INI file from
inside the program also.
@@SVGA - VESA Modes
******************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
******************
Some of the higher resolution modes require special hardware to
run. You may damage your hardware if you exceed its capabilities.
do not attempt to set any graphic modes above 640x480 (VGA) or
Video Modes over 1 without ensuring that you monitor can safely
handle that resolution. Otherwise, you may risk damaging your
display monitor. Consult your owner's manual for details.
An example of the standard graphics modes would be;
VGA mode 640x480 pixels,
EGA mode 640x350 pixels,
CGA mode 640x200 pixels,
If the hardware does NOT support graphics an error message will
be displayed and the program will return to the Main Menu. All of
the text modes will still be available however.
VESA Modes Supported (pixels x,y and total colors)
640x400x256 VESA Mode 100
640x480x256 VESA Mode 101
800x600x16 VESA Mode 102
800x600x256 VESA Mode 103
1024x768x16 VESA Mode 104
1024x768x256 VESA Mode 105
1280x1024x16 VESA Mode 106
1280x1024x256 VESA Mode 107
All require VESA version 1.2
The Rendered 3D views REQUIRE a 256 color mode for output.
@@Main Menu Station Options
The first Station option, Find will display the tracking stations
listed in the file TRAKSAT.CTY. The city data file has ~1970 of
the larger U.S. cities latitude, longitudes, and altitudes in it.
(Some world-wide cities also.) You will be asked to replace what
tracking station number, 1, 2, or 3 with the new data first. The
first time you run the program and you want to set your station
you should select the number 1 option, from then on either number
2 or 3 would be recommended. The program can have up to 3
tracking stations. The current station will have a check mark
before its name. Once you have the desired tracking stations
loaded and saved you can select one of them by just selecting the
station name from the Main Menu.
******************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
******************
The latitudes used in TRAKSAT are ALL considered to be GEODETIC
latitudes NOT GEOCENTRIC. It will be left up to the user to
determine the conversion from geocentric to geodetic latitude.
(For the most part this conversion should not be required as MOST
maps and atlas coordinates are listed as geodetic.) The altitude
measurement is the altitude above mean sea-level and is in
meters.
If you can not find a match to the city data then you will need
to use a text editor to add the city data in the file TRAKSAT.CTY
or use the closest city in the file.
Below is an example from the TRAKSAT.CTY file. The format of the
tracking station file is;
City Name Long. Lat. Alt.
(deg) (deg) (m)
Harvest,AL,-86.6792,34.7972,220.
The city name can be up to 20 characters long while the
longitude, latitude, and altitude can be up to 10 characters
long. Commas MUST separate the data fields and the program
expects 4 commas per line of data.
The TRAKSAT.CTY file can hold a MAXIMUM of 2100 tracking stations
in it. The user can enter city data into the TRAKSAT.CTY file in
any order but it would be wise to include the data in an
alphabetical order.
Once you have setup your tracking stations you can change its
settings by first selecting it as the current station. Next
select the Station/Current option and may any changes you require
"on-the-fly". If you select Ok the changes are not made to the
INI settings but rather used only while the program is in
operation. If your location is NOT in the included file you may
select any close by city and use this option to make the required
changes. Save this new data and you will be all set now.
@@Time Modes
TRAKSAT can operate in two different time modes, Real-time and
Delta-time. (The delta-time mode is starting at some particular
date and time using a user defined time increment until a ending
time is reached.)
To change time modes in TRAKSAT the user can select Time from the
Main Menu. The two time mode options will be displayed with a
check mark before the current mode name.
The Real-time mode will update the screen at 1 second intervals
if the hardware will allow. For an AT class machine with no
coprocessor, the update time may be 5 to 10 seconds. An AT class
computer with a coprocessor can do the 1 second per update with
no trouble.
If you would like to track a satellite from say today's date to
some future date, the Delta-time mode is the choice to use. The
basic idea is track from some starting date to some stopping
date. If the user selects the Delta-time mode some additional
information will be required. The starting date and time along
with the length of the simulation. The time step will also need
to be entered. The program will display "defaults" that can be
accepted or edited to suit your needs.
It is noted that the maximum length, that is from the starting
date to some future time, of the simulation is 99 days 99 hours
99 minutes 99 seconds. The step size can be 1 second to a maximum
of 2 days. (1 Minute is the default.)
******************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
******************
The time is read from the system clock, and as such is only as
accurate as the setting of this clock. The date and time should
be set before running TRAKSAT.
@@Plotting Options
The plotting options include settings for all of the graphic
screens used in the program. Grids will turn on/off any grids or
either lat/long or azimuth/elevation. The Sensor will plot the
satellite footprint. You can adjust the size of the footprint by
setting the minimum sensor angle setting under the Station
options. You can use the internal stars or the external user
stars as required also. The last plotting option Ra&Dec Output
will only display the right ascension/declination of the
satellite in the Tabular modes ONLY. (The Star background option
will ALWAYS have it.)
Star Update Interval will set the desired interval between star
background updates. The recommended setting is 15 minutes. The
INI file has the default value. You can set the magnitude limit
for the Star Background plotting output from here also.
@@Output Descriptions
The Lat and Long are the satellite latitude and longitude. The
Azim and Elev are azimuth and elevation as seen from the tracking
station, while the Range is the distance from the satellite to
the tracking station. Alt is the satellite altitude above the
earth.
The azimuth is always between 0 and 360 degrees with north being
0, east 90 south 180 and so on. The elevation will be always be
between -90 and +90 degrees. If the elevation is less than zero
the satellite is below the horizon as seen from the tracking
station.
The doppler shift comes about from the simple fact that both the
satellite and the ground station are in motion. The relative
motion between the station and the satellite causes either a
compression or expansion of a radio signal, this is called the
doppler shift. TRAKSAT will calculate a doppler shift for two
frequencies, uplink/downlink. The base frequency is listed in the
INI file under the section labeled [Defaults]. The output units
are in Hertz while the inputs are in MHz.
The phase angle, Phz is used for the amateur radio satellites.
The phase angle is based on the mean-anomaly, (the position in
the orbital plane from the perigee). The mean-anomaly is normally
measured from 0 to 360 degrees, however the phase angle is from 0
to 256ths of a circle. The conversion of degrees mean-anomaly to
phase angle is;
Phase = (mean anomaly (deg))/(360/256).
(256ths of circle)
It has become common practice with radio amateur satellites to
use Mean Anomaly to schedule satellite operations. Satellites
commonly change modes or turn on or off at specific places in
their orbits, specified by Mean Anomaly. Unfortunately, when
used this way, it is common to specify the mean anomaly in units
of 256ths of a circle instead of degrees. The phase angle is
therefore displayed in units of 256ths of a circle.
The Sqt is the squint angle, this is a measure of the angle from
the satellite antenna to your tracking station. The smaller the
angle means the antenna is pointing directly at you. A -1 output
means that no attitude information for that satellite is
available.
The last item displayed is based on if the satellite is visible
from the tracking station. See Chapter 13 for a complete
description of the methods used by TRAKSAT to test for
visibility.
@@Freeze The Display
******************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
******************
To stop the display the user can press the space bar and the
screen will "freeze". The user will need to press any key again
to continue the simulation. If the user presses Esc, escape key,
the simulation will stop and the user will be returned to the
Main Menu.
@@Analytical Solution
TRAKSAT version 2.00 and above has included a very powerful
option, Analytical Rise & Set. Many people have asked "why use
this analytical approach ?". Three reasons come to mind speed,
speed, and speed! The analytical approach used is a closed form
solution to the problem of determining when a satellite can be
seen (either LOS or Optical) by a ground tracking station. In
effect, this problem usually involves the calculation of the
rise-and-set time (UTC) of a given satellite from a specific
ground tracking station.
In the past, it has been the custom to solve the problem by
letting the satellite run through its ephemeris, and checking at
each instant to see whether the elevation angle of the satellite
was greater than some minimum value. However, by attacking the
problem from a different point of view, that is, with the
eccentric anomaly taken to be the independent variable, it is
possible to obtain a closed-form solution to the satellite
visibility problem. Specifically, the closed-form solution is a
single transcendental equation in the eccentric anomalies
corresponding to a rise-and-set time for a given orbital pass of
a satellite. It is more difficult to solve the controlling
equation than the standard Keplerian equation. However, the
method offers the advantage that the controlling equation is
solved only ONCE PER ORBIT PERIOD as contrasted with the hundreds
of times the Keplerian equation must be solved with the standard
step-by-step technique.
"How much faster is the analytical solution ?" Several
"benchmarks" were run using the same satellite data sets and
starting times to determine the speed of each method. If the user
selects the Delta Time Mode and then the Analytical Solution the
speed difference will be obvious.
On the machine used for testing (coprocessor installed) the
analytical solution runs about 4 seconds per satellite per 24
hours of simulation time vs. the 120 seconds per 24 hours in the
delta time mode. (This was on a 386/16 with a 287/8 coprocessor
and still produced a 3000% DECREASE in the time required.) (A
486/33 computer can crank out 20 satellites per second!) This
mode can really be boosted by a coprocessor, 3-6 times faster!
Use the analytical solution for "rough" estimates and the delta
time mode for the detailed analysis. The term "rough" implies
that the analytical solution is not as accurate as the Delta Time
mode, and in fact that is true. The error (Delta Time mode vs.
Analytical Solution) is usually LESS then 1 minute for predicted
rise or set times. The error is the price to pay for the speed
advantage.
******************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
******************
The analytical solution DOES INCLUDE THE DRAG EFFECTS in the
calculations, (as of TRAKSAT version 2.30). By including the drag
effects in the solution a long term prediction can be done
without a great loss of accuracy.
It has proved helpful for several TRAKSAT users to predict
several weeks into the future any visible passes and make a note
of the dates. As the date approaches and newer elements become
available the user can "improve" the viewing times to finally
obtain an accurate prediction of the satellites. Using this
approach the user can mark "special" days when a particular
satellite should be seen. The analytical solution will save the
user from "looking" for satellites that will not be seen, or
unfavorable passes.
******************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
******************
If the user selects the analytical solution AND any OPTICAL
visibility tests then only satellites with a mean motion of
greater than 2.5 revs per day will be calculated. That is any
satellite that is "near geosync." will not be calculated. This
should NOT be of to great importance to most users as seeing ANY
near geosync. satellites is VERY DIFFICULT. The line of sight
(LOS) method will still work for the near geosync. satellites. If
the user needs to "see" a near geosync. satellite then the single
satellite delta time mode OR Batch Mode will be required.
******************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
******************
The analytical solution works by revs NOT so much time, by that I
mean that the program calculates at rev to rev time steps and
does NOT use the time step. This will also mean that if the user
were to set a one hour simulation length the program will find
some satellites outside this time interval because there are not
any satellites that can have a period of 60 minutes. (Don't be
alarmed by the longer than requested times in the output it is
normal operation.)
******************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
******************
The user can NOT stop/start the screen as in the other modes,
i.e., pressing Esc will STOP the display and terminate the
analytical solution. This method was chosen to avoid
inadvertently waiting for the screen to update while in a pause
mode. The screen update can be slow on an Optical visibility test
and a NON-coprocessor equipped machine. (There may not be any
satellites optically visible at all!)
******************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
******************
The default is to write output to the file TRAKSAT.000. If this
file name exists the program will try TRAKSAT.001, TRAKSAT.002...
and so on until a new file name is found. If the limit of 999 is
reached then the program will use 000 as the extension AND OVER
WRITE THE FILE. (All options will use this file naming method.)
@@All/Group Satellites
You have the choice with the analytical solution and Batch
options to select all of the satellites in the data file or
some user defined groups of satellites. The default will be
to read ALL of the satellites for these options. You can
define your "favorite" satellites, up to 25 satellites per
group can be included. You will need to use a word processor
to edit the TRAKSAT.INI file and add the satellites names to
it. The word processor used will need to save the file in
PLAIN ASCII format, i.e., NO SPECIAL CONTROL CHARACTERS EXCEPT
THE END OF FILE MARKER. The DOS EDIT word processor will do the
job nicely for the user.
@@Batch Mode Output
TRAKSAT version 2.55 and above has included a new option, called
Batch Mode. This option is similar to the Tabular Output mode but
can be used on all or a group of satellites. The method used in
this option is; enter into the delta time mode and select the
starting date/time and length of the simulation. The next step is
to select Batch Mode from the Output options. The program will
prompt the user for some additional information and then run each
satellite through the delta tabular mode one at a time.
The output from this option can go to the screen, file, or both.
Below is an example of the file output created with this option.
The starting date/time was 12-26-94 00:00:00 UTC to 00:04:00 UTC
by one minute steps.
The output parameters are same as the tabular output but without
the rev. number. If no passes are visible just the satellite name
will be printed.
@@Ground Track Output
If the ground track option is entered the program proceeds to
draw a Mercator projection map of the world. The upper left
corner is at latitude 90 degrees and longitude -180 degrees,
while the lower right corner is latitude -90 degrees and
longitude 180 degrees. The grid spacing is 10 degrees for
latitude and longitude. A box will be plotted for the current
tracking station.
The plotting process may take a minute or two on a slow AT type
computer, something under 1/3 second on the particular computer I
use. (486-33 MHz.)
You have the option of redrawing the ground track after "X"
number of revs have been completed. The default is 0 = NONE,
however the user can chose between 0 and 99 revs for the screen
refresh rate. If the user picks 2 rev refresh rate then after two
revs are completed the screen will be redrawn. This option will
prove useful for those users who like to leave the ground track
running for long periods of time and do not like all the screen
clutter. The setting is in the INI file under the section
[Program Defaults] and is called Rev Update Interval. Several
plotting options are used with this output selection see Chapter
2 for a listing of the options.
The sun terminator is not dependent on the satellite but rather
the tracking station. The terminator is plotted based on a zero
sun elevation angle. (That is to say the terminator is the line
where the top edge of the sun is "just" below the local horizon.)
The terminator is accurate to about 5-10 minutes of actual. The
effects of the local horizon and atmospheric refraction can
"shift" the terminator a few minutes anyway so great accuracy may
not be achieved. The sun is plotted as an box in the center of
the terminator. This will tell the user on what side of the
terminator the tracking station is on. (Daylight or darkness.)
The sun terminator will be refreshed every 4 minutes in either
the real or delta time modes. The refresh may take several
seconds on the slower machines.
As of TRAKSAT version 2.70 and above an antenna/sensor coverage
plot option is included with the ground track. The user can
include the antenna/sensor coverage if desired along with a
minimum elevation angle to be used in determining the coverage
area.
@@Star Background Output
The star background is a view looking from the tracking site
towards the stars. This plot will be useful for producing a "star
map" to take outside with you to compare the night sky with the
satellite path.
Several Star Background plotting options are available such as,
display the visible star names, what direction to look, i.e.,
North, East, South, or West, or the star background screen
refresh rate. (Only the internal star data names will be
displayed, not the external star data.) The field of view of the
star background is 180 degrees in azimuth and 0 through 90
degrees in elevation. If you select North the visible range of
the azimuth will be 270 degrees (west) to 90 degrees (east). If
you select East the visible range of the azimuth will be 0
degrees (north) to 180 degrees (south) with 90 degrees being the
center of the screen (due east). The option South will display
from 90 degrees (east) to 270 degrees (west). The option for West
will display from 180 degrees to 360 degrees with 270 degrees
(west) being the center of the screen (due west).
An example could be to see a satellite rise out of the west the
user would select W, that will display from due south through
west to the north.
The star background option will display visible stars from a
database of 58 navigational stars, the Sun, the planets, and the
moon. (Not including any external star data.)
TRAKSAT has the data for 58 stars in memory at all times however
you can read a external star data file (STAR6A.BIN). This file
has all the stars up to magnitude 6.0, some 5100 stars in all. In
order to use the external stars the file STAR6A.BIN MUST be in
the same directory as the EXE file. You must also select the
option to use the external stars. If you do NOT have a co-
processor using the external stars will slow down the screen
update.
******************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
******************
The program can save the screen display to a PCX file by pressing
the "P" key. The program will save to a new file the screen
image. The PCX file can be used in other programs or printed with
some paint-type programs.
******************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
******************
It is noted that the star background will be refreshed (USER
DEFINED) minutes, in either delta or real time modes. It is
therefore wise to select a starting time about 1 minute PRIOR to
the time of interest and run the program in the delta mode until
PAST the time of interest. An example of this would be;
@@Output Orthographic Views
If the user selects the Orthographic View Main Menu a 3-D
orthographic projection of the earth and the satellite will be
drawn. The perspective will be centered on the satellite. A small
"X" will mark the tracking station coordinates. The grid lines
are drawn 10 degrees apart with the orthographic projections. The
screen will be updated based on the satellite altitude and how
much it has moved from the last update. The Sun terminator can be
plotted on this view also.
****************************************************************
THE 3-D PROJECTION WILL BE SLOW ON AT TYPE COMPUTERS WITHOUT A
COPROCESSOR SO IF THE USER DOES NOT WANT TO WAIT FOR THE COMPLETE
EARTH TO PLOT OUT PRESS ANY KEY AND THE EARTH LAND MASS PLOT WILL
STOP AND THE SATELLITE VIEW WILL START. (Only the grid lines will
be displayed.)
****************************************************************
The screen can be stopped and started the same way as any other
graphic modes, i.e., space bar to freeze and Esc to stop.
3D View
New with this version is a 3D view. The output mode will center
the screen over the current tracking station and hold the earth
still while the satellite will pass around the earth. This view
is the best output for the Delta-Time modes.
@@Rendered 3D Views
GREAT views!
The rendered 3D views are fully shadowed by the Sun and are perhaps
the best display for any satellite tracking program. There are two
different views, one centered on the satellite and the other centered
on the tracking station. On slower computers this display will take a
few seconds to display. The program is generating a PCX file that can be
displayed by any other program that reads PCX files.
@@Multi Modes
TRAKSAT has several multi-modes of operation besides the single
satellite modes. The mode are Multi-Satellite Tabular or Ground
Tracks, and Multi-Station modes. The program reads the INI file
for the names of the satellites to look for or you can select the
Load Multi-Sat option to make changes to the satellites. Below is
an example of this screen.
@@Multi-Satellite Tabular Output
As of TRAKSAT version 2.30 and above a tabular multi-tracking
mode has been included. The output is in text rather than a
graphic display mode. Below is an example of the multi-tracking
tabular output mode. The different satellites will be displayed
in different colors also, the colors are the same as the ground
track options.
@@Multi-Satellite Ground Track Output
If the ground track option is chosen the program will proceed to
plot the tracks on the world map. The plots are very similar to
the single satellite plots, except that for every satellite a
different colored line is drawn. The user can select a satellite
to display the current data bye pressing the up/down arrows. The
colors will change as will the satellite name on the bottom of
the screen.
@@Multi-Station Text Mode
You may select a Multi-Station mode also. This mode will display
the current tracking data for up to three different stations.
This mode is useful for setting-up satellite communications for
two different stations. The date/time are based on the first
station, number 1, UTC Offset.
@@Registration/Updates
TRAKSAT is Shareware and your support is required. You would be
amazed at the reasons people give for not registering the
program. Some of the more funny ones are; (THESE ARE ACTUAL
QUOTES FROM LETTERS OR TELEPHONE CALLS AND EVEN FACE-TO-FACE
MEETINGS. The names have been removed to protect their identity.)
"Your fee ($25.00) is too low and I think it is worth much more
so until the price goes up I'm not going to register."
"Your fee is too high, I can not afford to register and buy that
new computer also."
"I do not know how to register the program as I'm new to
computers."
"I only use TRAKSAT once or twice a week so I don't use it enough
to register."
"I have been using TRAKSAT for many years and think it is the
best program I have used for satellite tracking but I don't get
anything EXTRA for the registration fee."
"I lost the registration form."
"I'll send you a check soon."
"The check is in the mail."
"My brother/wife/son/friend registered so I'm using their copy."
"I think the program will not do what I want but I use it because
it is free."
"The program has too many features that I do not need so I will
send $5.00 to register."
"Send me the registered copy and I'll see if it suit my needs
then I'll register the program."
The user can obtain the latest version (NON-registered) of
TRAKSAT from several BBSs around the country. The BBSs listed in
Chapter 11 list several places to obtain the current version.
Compuserve has TRAKSAT and many other related files also. (Try
the HAM or the ASTRONOMY file areas.) You may even register
TRAKSAT on Compuserve. The Internet is the best place to get your
copy from.
TRAKSAT will be updated 1-2 times a year with update notices
going out to registered users only. Order forms are in this
help file and in the file ORDER.FRM also.
@@Satellite Magnitudes
Below is a list of some satellites that are "good hunting" for
the optical users. (First timers should look for the smallest
magnitude satellites, i.e., Mir, Kvant-1, HST.)
Norad Vis Satellite Name
ID# Mag*
00694 3.0 Atlas Centaur 2
01001 3.3 Transtage 3
01359 3.3 Transtage 4
03598 3.0 OAO 2 R/B
04597 3.3 Cosmos 374 R/B
04622 3.3 Cosmos 375 R/B
04786 1.9 Cosmos 382
04966 2.3 Cosmos 398
05994 .9 Pageos
06155 3.0 OAO 3 R/B (Copernicus R/B)
06212 2.7 1972-076A Radcat
06779 3.0 IntelSat 4 F-3 R/B
08074 1.6 Pageos 1 DEB (Pageos H)
10967 3.0 SeaSat 1
12054 2.4 Cosmos 1220
12069 3.0 FltSatCom 4 R/B
12363 3.0 Comstar 4 R/B
12445 3.0 IntelSat 5-2 R/B
12465 -1.6 Cosmos 1271 R/B
12497 3.0 IntelSat 5-1 R/B
13007 3.0 IntelSat 5-3 R/B
15423 2.5 KH 11-6
15772 2.9 Cosmos 1656 R/B(4)
16182 2.5 Cosmos 1697 R/B
16609 -.4 Mir Space Station
16615 3.2 Spot 1 R/B
16910 2.8 EGP/JAS-1 R/B
17358 2.9 Cosmos 1603 R/B(4)
17369 3.3 Cosmos 1818
17528 3.1 MOS-1 R/B
17590 2.5 Cosmos 1833 R/B
17845 -.4 Kvant-1 (part of Mir)
17974 2.5 Cosmos 1844 R/B
18187 3.3 Cosmos 1867
18441 2.5 KH 11-7
19120 2.5 Cosmos 1943 R/B
19274 3.3 Okean 1
19460 3.3 USA 32
19461 3.3 USA 32 R/B
19625 2.5 KH 11-8
19650 .7 Cosmos 1980 R/B
19671 1.8 Lacrosse
19911 2.7 Delta Star
20147 2.4 Cosmos 2033
20261 3.3 In-Cosmos 24
20322 1.8 Cosmic Background Explorer
20335 -.4 Kvant-2 (part of Mir)
20443 3.1 Spot 2 R/B
20491 3.1 MOS-1B R/B
20516 2.0 USA 53
20523 3.0 IntelSat 6-3
20525 2.4 Cosmos 2060
20580 -.8 Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
20625 2.5 Cosmos 2082 R/B
20635 -.4 Kristall Module (part of Mir)
20638 3.2 ROSAT
20683 3.2 Gamma
20765 2.4 Cosmos 2096
20963 2.0 USA 67 (STS-38 Payload)
20985 2.4 Cosmos 2107
21015 2.5 Cosmos 2112 R/B
21065 2.4 Cosmos 2122
21147 1.8 Lacrosse 2
21148 2.9 Lacrosse 2 R/B
21213 2.2 Almaz 1 radar spacecraft
21225 2.8 Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO)
21311 -.4 Soyuz TM-12 (part of Mir)
21610 3.1 ERS-1 R/B
21638 -1.1 STS-43 (landed)
21653 3.0 Intelsat-6
21662 -.4 Progress M9 (part of Mir)
21700 -1.1 STS-48 (landed)
* This magnitude is an approximation, it assumes 75%
illumination of the satellite and 900 Km slant range.
@@Frequencies
Below are some frequencies used by satellites for different
reasons.
Freq. (MHz) Satellite Type Mode
29.357 RS-10 Amateur CW
29.360-400 RS-10 " SSB/CW
29.407 RS-11 " CW
29.410-450 RS-11 " SSB/CW
29.454 RS-12 " CW
29.458 RS-13 " CW
136.380 GOES 1/2/3 Weather APT
136.770 NOAA 11 " APT
137.050 Meteosat 1 " APT
137.500 NOAA 10/12 " APT
137.626 NOAA 9/11 " APT
143.625 Mir Manned FM/Voice
145.550 Shuttle " FM/Voice
145.825 OSCAR 13 Amateur CW
145.825-975 RS-14 " FM/PACSAT
435.651 OSCAR 13 " CW/PACKET
435.715-999 OSCAR 13 " CW/SSB
1227.6 GPS DOD Data
1614 GEOS Weather TLM
@@J2000
The Ra & Dec are based on the J2000 epoch, 1,1.5,2000 UTC date,
and are NOT user selectable, perhaps in the next version of
TRAKSAT. The J2000 epoch is the "current" epoch on most star
charts.
@@Visibility Options Used in TRAKSAT
There are three different methods used by TRAKSAT to determine
visibility. The first method is simply when the elevation is
greater than the tracking station minimum elevation angle. This
method is called line of sight (LOS) in the program. This method
would be suitable for monitoring satellite radio transmissions,
interesting RF signals no doubt. It should be noted that at most
tracking sites zero degrees elevation is not visible due to
ground based obstructions, i.e. trees buildings, and other such
objects. A rule of thumb is if you hold out your arm straight and
stick out your thumb horizontal to the ground so it appears to
touch the horizon the upper edge of your thumb is about two
degrees elevation, while your closed fist is about ten degrees
elevation.
The second method, optical visibility, requires the satellite to
be above the minimum elevation setting also, however the
satellite must be sun-lit while the tracking station is in
darkness. This method would be used for viewing satellites with
the aid of say binoculars.
Remember that three conditions must be meet for the satellite to
be optically visible.
1. The elevation angle to the satellite must be above
the minimum as seen from the tracking station.
2. The sun must be BELOW the twilight setting.
The recommended twilight setting is -12°.
3. The satellite must "see" the sun or the satellite must
be in the sun light not the earth shadow.
The third method uses the same conditions as the second option
(Optical) but adds a range test also. You can set the maximum
range for each station and filter out un-wanted passes based on
range.
It is of interest to note that some satellites are NOT visible
even if the elevation angle is above the horizon, because they
are in the earth's shadow. It is difficult to observe a satellite
"coming out" of the earth's shadow, it is easier to see the
entrance into the shadow.
If the lighting conditions are favorable a "bright" satellite can
be seen with the naked eye also. The best time for these
favorable lighting conditions usually occur an hour before sun
rise or an hour after sun set, as seen at the tracking site. The
best type of satellite is low, about 250 - 500 kilometer
altitude, ones for naked eye observations. (Mir, Hubble, Shuttle
are a good examples.)
******************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
******************
The recommended twilight setting is -12°, i.e., the sun is
greater than or equal to -12 degrees BELOW the local horizon, to
determine the lighting conditions. The user CAN change the type
of twilight used in TRAKSAT, i.e., civil, nautical, or
astrodynamic, when using the optical visibility options.
The type of visibility can be set from the Station/Current
option, the default is to use the LOS method.
******************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
******************
With either method the visual magnitude is NOT calculated. Such a
calculation would require knowledge about the emissivity of the
satellite, and atmospheric conditions, neither of which is
readily available to the user.
@@Program Limitations and Assumptions
The ephemeris equations DO include the zonal harmonics, through
2nd order, of the gravitational potential. This implies a
gravitational field produced by an oblate spheroidal earth
unsymmetrical with respect to the equator, pear-shaped. In other
words, the ephemeris equations contain J2, J3, and J4 terms. The
currently accepted values of J2, J3, and J4, which are used in
TRAKSAT, are;
-3
J2 = 1.082616 X 10
-6
J3 = -2.53881 X 10
-6
J4 = -1.65597 X 10.
The earth equatorial radius used by TRAKSAT is; 6378.135 Km,
while the flattening factor used is 1/298.257 (both are from the
1972 WGS models).
The program TRAKSAT models only ELLIPTICAL orbital motion about
the earth. That is, the orbital eccentricity MUST BE LESS THAN
ONE and GREATER THAN ZERO. Very small eccentricities are
acceptable, i.e., such as 0.0000001.
TRAKSAT will propagate NORAD/NASA 2-line elements until the MEAN
altitude above the earth reaches 160 Km. This is due to the fact
that at 160 Km altitude the satellite will decay from orbit very
soon. The prediction process is not as accurate for such a low
satellite. (The remaining lifetime of a low satellite could be on
the order of a day or less.) The mean altitude is based on the
semi-major axis of both the earth and the satellite.
@@Accuracy of TRAKSAT
Several people have asked the question; " How accurate is TRAKSAT
?". To answer such a question one must define a set of limits.
The real "acid test" is to have a prediction from TRAKSAT and
then go outside and observe that satellite, taking note of the
time and position of the satellite. A comparison between actual
observed data and predicted can then be determined.
Another approach is to compare the output from TRAKSAT against
several other satellite tracking programs. Both the public domain
and the commercial markets have several good tracking programs
that the user could compare with.
The later approach, that is the comparison between tracking
programs, has been carried out by several people including
myself. The output from TRAKSAT compares very well with many of
the "current" tracking programs (both commercial and public
domain). It could be concluded from a simple test of TRAKSAT that
it agrees with several other tracking programs.
The next step is one of comparing predicted output and observed
data. The most popular use for TRAKSAT has been in the optical
sighting options. The optical sighting of a satellite will be the
"acid test" used for this accuracy test.
First a note about NASA 2-line elements, low earth satellites
(about 15 rev per day satellites) have larger disturbances from
the atmosphere than higher satellites. The drag on a satellite
can cause purtubations greater than the J2 terms therefore the
drag term is of great importance. The very latest elements for
the low earth satellite can greatly improve the prediction
process, while the higher satellites do not require as current of
elements. (The term low will be in the range of 250 - 375
kilometers altitude.)
Reports about TRAKSAT (and its predictions) have been made on the
MIR satellite along with several other low earth satellites. The
bottom line being LESS THAN 30 SECONDS ERROR (prediction vs.
actual) for 10 day old satellite element sets. If the satellite
elements are 20 days old the error is about 60 seconds. If the
elements a only a day or two old, errors of less than 10 seconds
are possible (several reports have been made about 2-10 seconds
of error).
The position data is on the money, it is the time at that
position that usually drives the accuracy of the observation.
The higher earth satellites generally have less than 30 seconds
of error for 20 day old elements.
A NOTE MUST BE MADE ABOUT THE ERROR ANALYSIS, THE ASSUMPTION IS
MADE THAT NO ORBITAL MANEUVERING WAS DONE TO THE SATELLITE DURING
THE "TEST" PERIOD.
In general it can be said that the most current elements are the
best ones for planning the evenings viewing. (Elements over 30
days old can have a very large error to them). Element sets 7 -14
days old will be acceptable for most users.
NORAD/NASA updates the satellite elements for this very reason,
to keep the prediction process accurate.
The Hubble Telescope is a good example of a "high" satellite that
is fairly easy to see because it is bright. Myself and others
have reported actual vs. predicted times of shadow entry to
within 10 SECONDS with 13 day old elements! That is less than one
second per day error!
@@Problems
TRAKSAT has been fully tested on MANY different types of
computers, however due to the very nature of personal computers
and different user configurations it is not possible to test the
program with all possible configurations. It may be possible that
some versions of DOS or some computers will not be 100%
compatible and cause the program to stop. THE FIRST STEP TO SOLVE
THE PROBLEM IS TO READ THE DOCUMENTATION INCLUDED WITH TRAKSAT.
******************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
******************
A few users have reported TRAKSAT not running on one of their
computers after installing Windows 3.x. A possible solution would
be that some installations place the DOS command "STACKS 0,0" in
the CONFIG.SYS file. This command should be changed to "STACKS
9,256", this MAY solve the problem. It is not all-together clear
why some computers require this command but at least it is an
easy fix!
*** PROTECTED MODE AS OF VERSION 4.00 ***
TRAKSAT is a large program and uses protected mode to run, this
requires a 286 processor or better and at least 2 Meg of memory.
You are also REQUIRED to have some memory manager also such as
HIMEM (DOS 5.0 and up) or QEMM, MAX386, under Windows 3.1 as
a enhanced DOS window, or Win95.
******************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
******************
TRAKSAT version 4.00 will NOT run on XT (8088) computers. The XT
type computer is not really suited to satellite tracking and if
you are serious about satellite tracking you will use better
hardware.
TRAKSAT makes use of the VESA extended video modes also, in fact
the Rendered options REQUIRE a 256 color mode in order to operate.
If you have the hardware it is best to use the higher resolution
video modes. Please consult your computer manual for more
information.
******************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
******************
TRAKSAT will use the latest VESA standard (1.2) for all SVGA
modes. Some older video cards may NOT work with the 256 color
output.
@@Order Form
TRAKSAT
Satellite Tracking Program
TRAKSAT Order Form
--------------------------------------------------------------
Make checks payable to:
Paul E. Traufler
111 Emerald Drive
Harvest, AL 35749
---------------------------------------------------------------
Qty
____ TRAKSAT NON-REGISTERED Version at $7.00 Each $_________
____ TRAKSAT REGISTERED Version at $25.00 Each $_________
____ WinTrak Windows Satellite Tracking Program $_________
(* NOT A SHAREWARE PROGRAM *) $49.95 Each
____ WinTrak Pro Win95 Satellite Tracking Program $_________
(* NOT A SHAREWARE PROGRAM *) $69.95 Each
====> Shipping and Handling (USA $4.00 Per Unit) $_________
(Outside USA $6.00 Per Unit)
(UPS 2nd Day Shipping Charge (USA only) $10.00)
-----------------------------------------------------
(THESE ITEMS ARE OPTIONAL FOR TRAKSAT)
____ Auto Tracker Control Option $30.00 Each $_________
____ Place your name in the program $5.00 $_________
____ TRAKSAT Printed Manual $15.00 Each $_________
Total $_________
All Are Supplied On 1.44 MB Disks
Payment: (check or circle one): [ ] Check [ ] Money Order [ ]
Cash [ ] Other
Checks and Money Orders must be drawn on U.S. banks in U.S. funds
** PLEASE PRINT **
Name _______________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Phone _____________________ E-Mail _________________________
Comments ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
E-Mail: wintrak@traveller.com
Home Page: http://www.hsv.tis.net/~wintrak
4.00
@