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HomeProducts and ServicesSoftwareASAPS 5Patches and Problems Saturday, May 25 2013 09:06 UT
Software

Patches and Problems

Listed below are known problems and solutions of ASAPS and GWPS.

ASAPS V6.2 Patch for ASAPS V6

Date: 1 May 2013

Changes

The ASAPS V6.2 patch aims to increase the useability and reliability of ASAPS under Windows 7 and 8. Major changes are summarized as follows:

  1. A new retro-style file save dialogue is not blocked by some configurations of Windows 7.
  2. Real time T index updates now download from the IPS web site instead of via FTP. This provides for greater transparency and circumvents problems which arise due to customer firewall settings. See http://www.ips.gov.au/HF_Systems/1/6/3.
  3. More reliable T index update in GRAFEX prediction mode.
  4. Improved logical consistency between GRAFEX, Field Strength and digital HF prediction formats (rounding-off errors sometimes generate inconsistent results).
  5. The digital HF nomenclature Basic Circuit Reliability (BCR) and Overall Circuit Reliability (OCR) are used to annotate single frequency results, and Basic Reception Reliability (BRR) and Overall Circuit Reliability (ORR) to annotate multi-frequency results.
  6. The Open file dialogue can now be re-sized under Predictions -> View Predictions. This helps customers survey large collections of prediction files.
  7. To improve legibility, the size of the Databases -> Antenna dialogue has been expanded to display 18 rows x 12 columns of gain for 2D antennas, and 18 rows of gain for 3D antennas.
  8. It is now possible to select separate antenna efficiencies and antenna gain offsets under the improved Databases -> Antenna dialogue.
  9. The ASAPS configuration (Databases -> Configuration) is remembered when the program is closed and restarted.
  10. Under Databases -> Configuration, pushing of either Bearing Units buttons no longer toggles the Dusk-Dawn Terminator button.
  11. Under Databases -> Configuration, the GRAFEX solid fill colours have been changed to purple for MUF colour and to yellow for EMUF colour. This improves the legibility of prediction results.
  12. When viewing BUF graphs, the MUF line colour has been changed from yellow to purple to improve legibility.
  13. Improved saving of GRAFEX prediction file formats to text files (File -> Save As).
  14. Other minor display and behavioural bugs fixed.
  15. Minor improvements to ASAPS user help guide.

Installation

Download self extracting archive ASAPS62Patch.exe:

To install, run the ASAPS62Patch.exe program and enter the directory where ASAPS V6 was installed. Usually, this directory will be:

C:\Program Files\IPS\ASAPS6

ASAPS V6.1 Patch for ASAPS V6.0

Date: 13 February 2012

Changes

  1. Several customers have reported difficulty saving prediction files when running ASAPS under Windows 7. We suggest they change the ASAPS user directory path to the application data path under their user account directory.

    For example, under Databases -> Configuration -> User Directory, change "C:\PROGRAM FILES\IPS\ASAPS6" to "C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\"

  2. ASAPS dialogues are now centred under the ASAPS application window, rather than the centre of the screen. This will help users running multiple applications on large, high resolution monitors.
  3. The input of frequency for surface-wave calculations is now restricted to the range 15 kHz to 50000 kHz.
  4. The input of "Required % Days" is now restricted to the practical range 10 to 90%.
  5. Improved algorithm for interpolating atmospheric noise model across time blocks.
  6. Improved manual entry and saving of 3D antenna gain patterns.
  7. The magnetic field model has been updated to IGRF 2011.
  8. Improved atmospheric noise model.
  9. Other improvements and bug fixes to increase the useability and stability of the program.

Installation

Download self extracting archive ASAPS61Patch.exe:

To install, run the ASAPS61Patch.exe program and enter the directory where ASAPS V6 was installed. Usually, this directory will be:

C:\Program Files\IPS\ASAPS6

GWPS 4.1 Patch free for GWPS 4.0 customers

Date: 20 December 2011

Updated: 13 February 2012

Changes

  1. The ability to export and import input prediction dialogue parameters.
  2. The ability to save and retrieve user-defined areas of interest within the input prediction dialogue.
  3. The input parameters prediction dialogue now "remembers" the last world map chosen by the user.
  4. Terminal geodetic coordinates are now stored with greater numerical precision permitting location of stations to the nearest 100 m.
  5. The exported KML/KMZ files now use relative directory paths facilitating greater flexibility in the sharing of prediction results across platforms.
  6. User selection of azimuth used to select different range profiles of atmospheric noise when calculating 2D graphs of range versus power and frequency.
  7. User selection of fixed minimum and maximum colour scale values for field strength and SNR area predictions.
  8. Range circle lines now drawn using selectable units of nmi, mi, and km.
  9. Other minor improvements and bug fixes to increase the usability and stability of the program.
  10. HTML documentation now also included as a single PDF file.

Installation:

Download self extracting archive GWPS41Patch.exe:

To install, run the GWPS41Patch.exe program and extract the files to the GWPS 4 directory. Usually, this directory will be:

C:\Program Files\IPS\GWPS4

ASAPS V5.4 Patch for ASAPS V5.3

Date: 4 April 2010

Changes

  1. Compatibility with 64-bit Windows 7 operating system. Backwards compatibility with 32-bit Windows operating systems.
  2. VBX grid component used in the T-index and Antenna dialogues in versions up to ASAPS 5.3 has been replaced by a custom spread sheet.
  3. The ASAPS 5 User Guide has been converted from Windows Help format (.hlp) to HTML Help format (.chm) so that it can be viewed with Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Installation:

Download self extracting archive ASAPS54Patch.exe:

To install, run the ASAPS54atch.exe program and enter the directory where ASAPS V5 was installed. Usually, this directory will be one of the following:

  • for ASAPS V5.3 Originals: C:\Program Files\IPS\ASAPS5.3
  • for ASAPS V5.2 Originals: C:\Program Files\IPS\ASAPS5.2
  • for ASAPS V5 Upgrades: C:\WASAPS

ASAPS V5.3 Patch for all previous versions of ASAPS V5 to ASAPS V5.2

Date: 4 June 2008

Note: Contains all previous V5 patches and upgrades.

Changes

  1. Updated Tutorial for version 5.3
  2. Multi-surface: Implementing the Rec 368-5 Annex II Millington ?Application to mixed Paths? method. Calculating Field Strength over multiple surface types as described in CCIR recommendation 368-5
  3. "Surface Wave" and "Multi-Surface" displays modified to use the Prediction Confidence parameter in the Station Configuration menu.
  4. Modify computation of All Modes Score for SNR Frequency Set Test and Frequency Selection to use the logarithmic average of the maximum SNR value from all modes that satisfy the required criteria for each frequency.
  5. User Guide: ITU vs CCIR noise method explanation to clarify use of Atmospheric, Man-Made and Galactic noise components calculations if they are selected for Atmospheric noise in Station Config menu.
  6. User Guide:"Database restrictions" updated regarding Tx power, Rx bandwidth and frequency limits in a Frequency Set for the skywave and surface wave.
  7. Antenna Database: CODAN Antenna gain patterns added.
  8. Antenna Database: bugfixes for (a) deleting 2D frequency & elevation angle records (b) 3D antenna database problem (c) caching
  9. Frequencies above 32.77MHz allowed: BUF and Surface Wave displays in ASAPS could previously only display frequencies up to 32,766 KHz in the specified Frequency Set for Skywave and Surface Wave.
  10. Area Predictions: Units stated corrected to dBuV/m (dB above a microVolt per metre). Changed the units title above the colour scale from "dBW/Hz" to "dBuV/m" and also changed the title in the Area Prediction table from "Noise @ BUF" to "Noise field strength @ BUF"
  11. Area Prediction: Mouse position now displays range, bearing and units as well as latitude, longitude and data.
  12. Area Prediction: Correction to SNR Area Prediction and Area Table to show dB values below zero.
  13. Area Prediction: "Ionospheric modes" display changed to interpolate better between modes (eg. 1E to (100 by 100 grid points) grids and higher frequencies (40 MHz).
  14. Area Prediction: Bugfix that now allows for high density (100 by 100 grid points) grids and higher frequencies (40 MHz).
  15. Corrected minor problem with the labelling of the 1st E-mode and 2nd E- and F-modes for hop lengths in the range 2025-2050km. Now the EMUF mode extends to hop lengths up to 2050 km, as stated in the Original Model document, and is not rounded off to 2025 km as in previous versions of ASAPS5.

Installation:

Download self extracting archive ASAPS5Patch.exe:

This file contains replacement and additional files FPLOSS.DLL, FPRED.DLL, FPATH.DLL, TINANT.DLL, WASAPS5.HLP, GWPS.DLL, FDC.SDB, PTINDEX.EXE, WASAPS5TUT.PDF, WASAPS5.EXE, WASAPS5UPGRADE.EXE, HRNOSITU.

To install, run the ASAPS5Patch.exe program and enter the directory where ASAPS V5 was installed. Usually, this directory will be as follows:

  • for ASAPS V5.2 Originals: C:\Program Files\IPS\ASAPS5.2
  • for ASAPS V5 Upgrades: C:\WASAPS

ASAPS V5.2 Patch for all previous versions of ASAPS V5

Date: 31 March 2006

Changes

  1. Modification to SNR Frequency Set Selection algorithm when calculating the top frequency.
  2. A choice between ITU and CCIR Atmospheric Noise maps.
  3. Multi-Surface groundwave SNR contour plots available for specific frequencies as part of Area predictions.
  4. Area predictions now have a maximum of 100 x 100 coordinates in the grid, as opposed to 50 x 50 for earlier versions.
  5. 2D antennas - bug fix for problem importing antennas with non-integer frequencies.
  6. EZNEC antenna files:
    • files including "Azimuth bearing =" string can be imported. Only files including "Azimuth angle =" string were allowed in earlier versions.
    • multiple frequencies files can be imported.
  7. FST 16 months / T index selection - bug fix to allow this option to be 'de-selected' from the FST dialog box.

Installation:

Download self extracting archive v5.2patch.exe:

This file contains replacement files FPLOSS.DLL, FPRED.DLL, FPATH.DLL, TINANT.DLL, WASAPS5.HLP, GWPS.DLL, FDC.SDB, PTINDEX.EXE, WASAPS5TUT.PDF, WASAPS5.EXE, WASAPS5UPGRADE.EXE.

To install, run the v5.2patch.exe program and enter the directory where ASAPS V5 was installed. Usually, this directory will be as follows:

  • for ASAPS V5 Originals: C:\Program Files\IPS\ASAPS5
  • for ASAPS V5 Upgrades: C:\WASAPS

ASAPS V5.1 Patch for all previous versions of ASAPS V5

Date: 27 April 2005

Changes

  1. GRAFEX Frequency Set Test to include 'all modes' score and the availabilities of the main and all modes.
  2. "SNR confidence level" renamed to "Prediction Confidence" (or PC) level, with a link to this provided in the Station Configuration.
  3. Titles for the method to be used to calculate PCL (polarization coupling loss), i.e., "Old algorithm" and "New algorithm", replaced by "Approximation" and "Full calculation".
  4. SNR Frequency Set Test - E mode inclusion for 3000-4000km
  5. GRAFEX - View|Select Frequency Set Cancel button erases current frequency set selection in all Views using it.
  6. SNR Frequency Selection:
    • List the Scores for each Frequency Set before the best one is selected in the Verbose view.
    • SNR Scores are now being averaged by dividing the sum of the dB values by the number of hours, circuits, months and frequencies in the Frequency Set.
  7. Improve the algorithm to select the Best Frequency Set.
  8. EMUF factor-distance table improved.
  9. Include the 'All Modes' score in the GRAFEX and SNR Frequency Set Selection and Test Concise formats.
  10. Latest magnetic field model IGRF10 included, valid for predictions to 2015. This updates Field Strength through pathloss and polarisation coupling loss calculations.

Installation

Download self extracting archive v5.1patch050427.exe:

This file contains replacement files FPLOSS.DLL, FPRED.DLL, FPATH.DLL, TINANT.DLL, WASAPS5.HLP, GWPS.DLL, FDC.SDB.

To install, run the v5.1patch050427.exe program and enter the directory where ASAPS V5 was installed. Usually, this directory will be as follows:

  • for ASAPS V5 Originals: C:\Program Files\IPS\ASAPS5
  • for ASAPS V5 Upgrades: C:\WASAPS

ASAPS V5 Patch for versions of ASAPS V5 prior to 30 April 2004

Date: 30 April 2004

Changes

  1. Points 1, 2 and 3 as listed below in the patch dated 31 October 2003.
  2. Points 2, 3 and 4 as listed below in the patch dated 12 March 2004.
  3. A problem was found with the ASAPS5 Surface Wave prediction when the Atmospheric Noise switch is toggled "on" and "off". The noise module "frno_new1.cpp" that was plugged into the GWPS3 Kernel did not have a flag to switch off the Atmospheric Noise. Hence there was still a diurnal variation in the Surface Wave SNR calculation, even if the Atmospheric Noise was switched "off" and the Man Made Noise was lower than the CCIR Atmospheric Noise (e.g Remote or -164 dBW/Hz @3MHz).

Installation:

Download self extracting archive v5patch040430.exe:

The file contains replacement files FPATH.DLL, FPLOS.DLL, FPRED.DLL, TINANT.DLL, WASAPS5.HLP and GWPS.DLL.

To install, run the v5patch040430.exe program and enter the directory where ASAPS V5 was installed. Usually, this directory will be as follows:

  • for ASAPS V5 Originals: C:\Program Files\IPS\ASAPS5
  • for ASAPS V5 Upgrades: C:\WASAPS

ASAPS V5 Patch for versions of ASAPS V5 prior to 12 March 2004.

Date: 12 March 2004

Changes

  1. Points 1, 2 and 3 as listed below in the Patch dated 31 October 2003.
  2. There was a bug in the ASAPS5 Kernel when calculating the bearings between the Transmitter and Receiver locations, when they are aligned with the North-South meridian. This was inserted to prevent a division by zero error and the programmer used Pi/2 instead of Pi for a bearing of 180 degrees. The bearing in GRAFEX and Field Strength predictions is not only used for display purposes, but is also used for the 3D Antenna Gain calculation. This means that for Circuits aligned with due North (0 degrees) or due South (180 degrees), the 3D Antenna Gain calculation was using a bearing in error by 90 degrees. For example, the bearing between Transmitter and Receiver and vice versa was 0, 270 degrees instead of 0 ,180 degrees and 90, 360 degrees instead of 180 ,360 degrees. This bug has now been fixed in the ASAPS5 Kernel via the FPATH.DLL, FPRED.DLL and FPLOS.DLL files included in the patch below.
  3. EZNEC antenna gain patterns can now be imported to the antenna database. When importing EZNEC antennas, the filename is used as the antenna name and the text on the 3rd line is used as the antenna description. This facility is incorporated in the updated TINANT.DLL included in the patch file below.
  4. The ASAPS on-line User Guide has been updated to reflect the ability to import EZNEC files, and also highlights the availability of 44 Andrew Canada antennas, located in the sub-directory \x93Antennas\x94, that can be imported as required.. This information is incorporated in the updated WASAPS5.HLP included in the patch file below.

Installation

Download self extracting archive v5patch040312.exe:

This file contains replacement files FPATH.DLL, FPLOS.DLL, FPRED.DLL, TINANT.DLL AND WASAPS5.HLP.

To install, run the v5patch040312.exe program and enter the directory where ASAPS V5 was installed. Usually, this directory will be as follows:

  • for ASAPS V5 Originals: C:\Program Files\IPS\ASAPS5
  • for ASAPS V5 Upgrades: C:\WASAPS

ASAPS V5 Patch for versions of ASAPS V5 prior to 31 October 2003

Date: 31 October 2003

Changes

  1. The latest release of ASAPS5 does not crash when attempting to open ASAPS4 prediction files, but displays an error message "Could not open document". ASAPS5 can open ASAPS4 GRAFEX (.PRD) files but not ASAPS4 Field Strength files (.FSH), because there is extra data for the new Polarisation Coupling Loss algorithm and SNR confidence levels. Therefore, you can still open an ASAPS4 GRAFEX file and "Recompute", selecting a Frequency Set to regenerate the Field Strength prediction with ASAPS5.
  2. While calculating Antenna Gain patterns or when doing the Surface Wave calculation, ASAPS5 now displays an appropriate message in the Status Bar at the bottom left hand corner of the main application window, indicating the reason for the delay.
  3. The TinAnt.DLL containing the T-index Grid and Antenna Dialogue has been changed, removing debug output that produces gcache.out and toagb.out files. ASAPS4 did not generate gcache.out or toagb.out files and they are only used for testing, slowing down ASAPS5 considerably especially when using 3D antennas.

Installation

Download self extracting archive v5tinant031030.exe, which contains a replacement file TINANT.DLL.

To install, run the v5tinant031030.exe program and enter the directory where ASAPS V5 was installed. Usually, this directory will be as follows:

  • for ASAPS V5 Originals: C:\Program Files\IPS\ASAPS5
  • for ASAPS V5 Upgrades: C:\WASAPS

ASAPS V5 Patch for versions of ASAPS V5 prior to 8 October 2003

Date: 13 October 2003

Problems

When importing T-indices from a text file in the T-index Dialogue and importing / exporting Antennas with text files in the Antenna Dialogue, the ASAPS V5 application window lost precedence, popping behind other windows on the screen.

Also, when selecting a T-index text file in the T-index Dialogue, the "Cancel" button caused ASAPS V5 to "freeze" and become unresponsive.

Furthermore, clicking the buttons multiple times in the T-index Dialogue and Antenna Dialogue now only carries out the command once, waiting until the user is finished. These problems with the T-index Dialogue and Antenna Dialogue have been fixed in the new tinant.dll dated 8 October 2003.

Installation

Download self extracting archive v5tinant.exe, which contains a replacement file TINANT.DLL.

To install, run the v5tinant.exe program and enter the directory where ASAPS V5 was installed. Usually, this directory will be as follows:

  • for ASAPS V5 Originals: C:\Program Files\IPS\ASAPS5
  • for ASAPS V5 Upgrades: C:\WASAPS

ASAPS for Windows V4.0 and MS Windows 2000

Date: 12 February 2002

Problem

ASAPS V4 is a 16-bit program. As such, there may be some instances in which it does not perform as expected when run under MS Windows 2000. For example, users may find that when the cursor is located over the minimise/maximise/close buttons at the top right-hand side of the ASAPS screen, the following error message appears:

WASAPS caused an access violation in wow32.dll

ASAPS V5, a 32-bit program due for release in 2003, has been tested successfully on MS Windows 2000.

ASAPS for Windows V4.0 update of fpath.dll

Date: 6 July 1999

Problem

For near vertical incidence propagation predictions performed at the end of a month and at begining of the next month the differences in MUF's for an hour were greater than expected.

Installation

Automatic:

  • Download self extracting archive v40fpath.exe, which contains a replacement file FPATH.DLL.
  • To install, run the V40FPATH.EXE program and enter the directory where ASAPS 4.0 was installed (C:\WASAPS is its default).<.li>

Manual:

  • Download self extracting archive v40fpath.exe, which contains a replacement file FPATH.DLL.
  • Rename FPATH.DLL in the directory where ASAPS v4.0 is installed. Usually C:\WASAPS for new installations or C:\ASAPS for upgraded ASAPS v2.X.
  • Copy fpath.dll to the directory where ASAPS v4.0 is installed.

Note

This file has only been tested with ASAPS v4.0.

MD5 of fpath.dll: 0f5d809739f12349d0d9fa8bf844be39

ASAPS for Windows V4.0 update of TEXT2TDB.EXE

Date: 17 June 1998

When you run TEXT2TDB and it goes SPLAT, this patch is for you.

Note

You can get around this problem by using the Update from file button on the T-index DB dialog.

Installation

Download self extracting archive TXT2TPAT.EXE, which contains a replacement file for TEXT2TDB.EXE.

To install run the TXT2TPAT.EXE program and enter the directory where ASAPS 4.0 was installed (C:\WASAPS is its default).

ASAPS for Windows V4.0 update of ANTENNA.DLL

Date: 15 June 1998

If you get the message ERROR: AntRec: SetAngs when converting/importing an ASAPS 2.x antenna database, this patch is for you.

Installation

Download self extracting archive ANTDBPAT.EXE, which contains a replacement file for ANTENNA.DLL.

To install, run the ANTDBPAT.EXE program and enter the directory where ASAPS 4.0 was installed (C:\WASAPS is its default).

ASAPS and CONVANT will then work as they should.

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