Things to Watch Out For - Got-You

It seems appropriate to begin a list of things that might happen to cause your predictions to not be what you expect.

The area that seems most prone to surprises is the prediction batch "prediction set". Each prediction batch "circuit" consists of two locations together with a "system" group, a "transmit" antenna/s group and a "receive system" group. These three types of groups are maintained using the "Circuit-Configuration Manager".

Got-you #1 and #2: For some other purpose, using the Circuit-Configuration Manager, you "modified" the "Receive System" and/or "Xmtr Antennas" groups that one or all of the circuits in a specific prediction batch were/are relying on - then did an "analyze" on the batch. No problem, you will get the prediction set but they may not be what you wanted. The point is, just be aware, we have a lot of flexibility available and it can result in unexpected input parameters for predictions.

Got-you #3: Your prediction is for wrong month or is of the "daily type". You changed something on the "Month" tab/page of the Circuit-Configuration Manager and neglected to change it back. The settings on the month page are used for all three types of predictions.

Got-you #4: Somewhat related to those above. You selected, or made current, a different system, receive system and/or xmtr antennas group with the Circuit-Configuration Manager and expected to change the circuits in your prediction batch. The Circuit-Configuration Manager pages - groups - common to "all" prediction types are: Station, Month, SSN and Frequencies.

Each circuit in a prediction batch uses a specific system; receive system and xmtr antennas group. If a circuit in a prediction batch is edited, modified or deleted, this "will" have an effect - but changing the "current group" shown in the Circuit-Configuration Manager - for these three pages - doesn't affect the prediction batch.

Got-you: The displayed time and even date is incorrect. When switching the "current" display window, the one on top that has the "focus", you clicked the area of a display that provides date and time. Clicking the date and time display toggles display between civil, local, time and UTC.

SmartMap with prediction batch having the same target in the batch twice, one short-great circle and one long-great circle - like a contest plan - mouse over target gives second entries data. In other words when you displayed a contest plan type prediction set on the map and move your mouse over a target to view its information on the propagation information line, the displayed information will be the target "on top", the last one placed on the map. In the default contest plan form that means the long-great circle circuit information will be shown.

See the quick start notes on Grid type predictions.

Got-you: If the current “system-parameters group” includes the “Reverse Circuit” option when you begin grid fields or grid squares predictions a warning message is displayed in the “confirm inputs” window. The message advises you to carefully check the listed antennas and insure they are what you expect. Although the “Reverse Circuit” option is ignored for these type VOACAP predictions it has other possible complications. For example if you create grid fields or grid squares predictions and then create point-to-point predictions – either with the Coverage-Analysis View “shift click” on target feature or otherwise – the point-to-point predictions will use the “Reverse Circuit” option. This is all fine unless you used different “man-made noise” settings and or a different a “receive antenna” - configured in the “Receive System” and the “Reversed-Circuit Receiver” and you compare the prediction results without realizing they were created with different input parameters. The “Reversed-Circuit Receiver” is configured for each “station” and can easily be seen using the “Station-Parameters Manager” under the “Man-Made Noise” and the “R Ant Name” column headings. The “Receive-System Manager” shows all currently configured system-parameters groups with the “current group” selected - for “forward circuits” the current “Receive System” is included on a page in the Circuit-Configuration Manager.

For Contest-Plan compatibility, a prediction batch prediction set must be for 5 frequencies and 14 circuits. Additionally, the first 7 "prefix" fields must match last 7 and be in same order, the first 7 circuits should be for short-great circle and the last 7 long-great circle. In all 14 circuits, the transmit "mode" and quality must be the same.

See Contest Log Filter and Coverage-Analysis View Prediction Restrictions

Please see the topic The Station Location.