RELEASE NOTES

Changes for 5.8.0 (10 mar 2010)

- Running a frequency-sweep using a list of predefined frequencies added.
- Possibility added to Watch the change in current-distribution (using the arrow keys) after running a freq-sweep.
- Size of 'rear-segment' (normally +/- 90 degrees) included in user settings.
- Bugfix when creating Point-to-point propagation prediction charts using the REC533 model.
- When switching between RLC and stub matching the initial Z-in is not lost anymore.
- Some minor tooltip text changes.

Changes for 5.7.6 (1 dec 2009)

- Fallback to original file after comparing/reading multiple far-field patterns.
- Fixed again a bug which was introduced 13-nov-09 concerning trap (LD6) modelling.
- Second bugfix in optimizer to let us again optimize for none integer frequencies.
- Bugfix in optimizer because in rare cases it did not optimize using the specified frequencies.
- Added setting to enable 'fixed dB scaling' for the far-field pattern (F4) in Settings-menu.
- Bugfix in display of current-source data which was accidentally introduced in the previous release.
- Upgrade from windows-help to Html-help to also enable F1 help on Windows-Vista systems.
- Bugfix when using (very) small structures at freqyencies bewow 100 khz.
- Bugfix when using % in the segment-number when adding/specifying sources, loads or transmission lines.
- Bugfix on the display of the imaginary part for current-sources in Geometry edit.
- Bugfix lattitude/longitude calculation when using propagation prediction.
- Added warning message when using both geometry scaling and mm/cm/in/ft suffixes.

Changes for 5.7.5 (9 Jul 2009)

- Bugfix in variable sweeper when having specified a freq-sweep in the Nec input-file.
- Bugfix in optimizer when using 'fast-ground'together with radial groundscreen.
- Bugfix for duplicate NT lines in 'new Nec editor' when only empty lines were entered.
- Problem fixed when starting Notepad/Wordpad programs on case-sensitieve Windows-95 systems.
- Bugfix when updating surface-patch continuation data (SC card) from withing new Nec-editor.
- Bugfix for accidentally introduced bug (to fix below TL-tag problem) in RLC-matching window (F10).
- Bugfix for percentual TL tag/segment number positioning.
- Few other minor fixes.

Changes for 5.7.4 (16 Oct 2008)

- NEC-edit: scattering for complex equations over multiple cells fixed.
- Near-field pattern: display for single dimension fields made possible.
- Added test on max planes of symmetry for GR card.
- NEC-edit: Header names changed when using wire-tapering.
- Line-chart: minor X-axis formatting issues.
- Default far-field plot upwards (north) again instead of downwards.
- Nec-editor LD5 bug introduced on 22-sep-08 version, fixed again.
- Major bugfix for crash on 64-bit Vista/XP-systems running over 4Gb of memory.
- Bugfix for Geometry-Check on overlapping wires which crept in during version 5.7.1.
- Solar data (to be used by VOAcap) for the years 2008-2016 added again.

Changes for 5.7.3 (15 August 2008)

- Bugfix for problems with RLC- and stub-matching networks introduced with 5.7.3.
- Bugfix when comparing far-field patterns for which resolution does not match
- None interactive command-line support added ("4nec2.exe file.nec -I")
- Accidentally re-introduced regional-settings bug (decimal separator) fixed again.
- Rounding problems for RLC matching (circuits) solved.
- Decimal separator problem in freq-entry on Generate (F7) fixed.

Changes for 5.7.2 (15 May 2008)

- Bugfix when generating radial-wire screen without perimeter wire in 'Geometry-edit'.
- Bugfix (crash) on adding new trans-line after having removed the last TL in 'Geometry-edit'.
- Bugfix in Genetic Evolver when specifying a number of zero chromo's to re-use.
- Bugfix for problem introduced with 5.7.1. concerning extra 990* wires added after each Geometry-edit session using current-sources.
- Increased text-box widths and number of decimals for radius entries.
- Increased fixed number of decimals in Q(uality) text boxes Pi/L/Tee-matching.
- Increased number of decimals in Touchstone export.

Changes for 5.7.1 (18 March 2008)

- Bugfix to overcome crash in new Nec-editor when using Ctrl-C or Ctrl-X
- Modification to reduce excessive error logging when SYmbols are not (yet) defined.

Changes for 5.7.0 (28 January 2008)

- Bugfix when using Mininec Ground [GN 3]
- OpenPF plot-file import and export.
- Percentile positioning of sources, loads and transmission-lines on a wire.
- Optional distance entry for E-field calculations in the far-field.
- Bugfix for Inch-Meter conversion in new Nec-editor

Changes for 5.6.10 (15 November 2007)

- Added a forum to the 4nec2 homepage.
- Some debug tooling slipped throug,placing a file named 'controls.txt' on the desktop.
- Managed to mess-up cutting/pasting of cells/rows in the old style Nec-editor.
- Comparison of circular polarized far-field patterns included/fixed.
- User specific RP card data is preserved in Geometry- and old-style Nec-editor.
- Default 3D far-field calculations now also lists radiation-efficiency and RDF value.
- Radiation efficiency included in Optimizer.
- Bugfix for user-specified RP cards when both AGT and full 3D pattern were requested.
- Bugfix when comparing two or more far-field output data files.
- Bugfix for 3D color-display on axial-ratio, phase and tilt.

Changes for 5.6.9 (24 July 2007)

- Bugfix concerning copy/cut/paste of multiple rows from/to clipboard in new Nec-editor.
- Major bugfix on TL/LD/EX placement on GM/GR/GX card created wires when autosegmentation is enabled.
- Bugfix in new Nec-Editor which showed old/previous geometry data after a file was correctly saved.
- Bugfix on Y12 and Y22 parameters in NT card when using Auto-segmentation.
- A rather annoying (re-introduced) bug related to using MiniNec ground was fixed.
- Increased time-out value for ItsHF area-coverage map plotting on slow(er) systems.
- Additional informational messages for ItsHF are/time/distance propagation prediction plots.

Changes for 5.6.8 (1 May 2007)

- Bugfix in LD7 (insulated wires) conversion in very special circumstances.

Changes for 5.6.7 (20 Mar 2007)

- Bugfix (crash, type conversion error) in Geometry-editor when running on Windows-XP.
- Bugfix in tag-number conversion when plane-wave voltage-source is used together with auto-segmentation.

Changes for 5.6.6 (2 Jan 2007)

- Two major bugfixes for traditional- and genetic-optimizer.
- These bugs were accidentally introduced in the 5.6.5. version dated 21-dec-2006.
- Bugfix when using odd population sizes in genetic-optimiser

Changes for 5.6.5 (21 Dec 2006)

- Bugfix for 'open' and 'short' transmission-line ends in new NEC-editor. (21-dec)
- Severe error solved in optimiser. This error resulted in loss of SYmbols when updating the original nec-file with the optimised SYmbols. (20-dec)
- Program crash solved when multiple manual restarts of genetic evolver window were performed. (20 dec)

- Frequency specification bugfix when performing an Area Coverage variable Sweep (11-dec)
- Devide-by-zero bug removed from circular-polarization calculations (23-nov)
- Official Nec2 bugfix (related to the use of surface-patches) in Nec2dXS*.exe engine files as proposed by J.Burke of LLNL (9-nov)
- Touchstone import addded on Smith-chart (7-nov)
- Initial freq-sweep setting changed so by default F/B data is generated.
- TabCtl.ocx was missing, added to Installer. (3-nov)
- Spreadsheet style NEC-editor added.
- Cosmetic changes Smith-chart; Touchstone exports (Z11, S11) added.
- Predefined ground-, wire- and coax-data added in text-files so user can extend it.

Changes for 5.6.4 (25 Sep 2006)

- Since version 5.6.1, Genetic optimizer suddenly stopped or didn't even start: Bug was fixed.

Changes for 5.6.3 (15 Sep 2006)

- Resizable Main window and some other cosmetic changes.

- Bugfix when using multiple/split excitation sources.

- Bugfix related to frequency selection box on Optimizer form (F12).

- Bugfix related to optimizing Far-field data including surface-wave.

- Some bugfixes related to stub-matching form, however still in beta release

- Few other minor bugfixes.

Changes for 5.6.2 (8 Apr 2006)

- Some 300 extra categorized example files added.

- Under certain conditions, in Geometry Edit all wires were saved as single-segment wires. This bug was fixed.

- Bugfix because both Ri and Xi values were extracted from the same Nec Ri data-value when optimizing/sweeping a model containing split voltage/current sources.

- Bugfix when using variable names longer than 8 chars in Genetic Optimizer.

Changes for 5.6.1 (3 Mar 2006)

- GEOMETRY ERROR bug when using GS card and running the optimizer removed.

- Auto engine-selection bug solved for > 1500 seg's together with GM, GX and GR card.

- Open last used file at start-up and a recent files-list added.

- Timing problems for multiple area-coverage plots on slow(er) systems solved.

- Problems when inserting new records or creating new files in NEC-edit solved again.

- Tolerance in Geometry check for inter-segment connections multiplied by 2.

Changes for 5.6.0 (14 Jan 2006)

- Direct plotting of ItsHF (voacap/icepac/rec533) Time-, Distance and Graphical point-to-point plots added.

- Direct entry of most important ItsHF parameters and settings on Generate (F7) form.

- Picture-viewer integrated into 4nec2 program for scrolling through multiple ItsHF plots.

- ItsUtil.exe program added for easy modification of ItsHF Contour/Graph-colors and scaling and Time/Distance Y-axis scaling.

Changes for 5.5.4 (11 Nov 2005)

- Bugfix Nec4 when due to segment tapering using a GC card the nr of segments were changed.

- Optimizer bugfix for single step Gain values on 90 degree Theta using perfect-ground.

- BugFix (Field not found) when using both autosegmentation and radius-conversion in optim.

- Creating structures for over 30000 segments does not crash geometry builder any more

- Number of decimal places increased for wire coordinates in Geometry-edit.

Changes for 5.5.3 (August 2005)

- Multi-color display for Tilt/Phase, Axial-ratio and Sense on far-field added.

- List-boxes for ground-types and LD materials added for Nec-Edit.

- Optimizer makes no difference anymore between 'SY var = 123.4cm' and 'SY var = 123 cm'

- Bug (crash) when adding wire without frequency specication in Geometry-Edit fixed.

- Bugfix for GC card and MiniNec ground when used with Nec4 engine.

- Bug (crash) when opening second file in Geometry-Edit fixed.

- Wire-radius when converting AO files now correctly calculated.

Changes for 5.5.2 (June 2005)

- Major bugfix related to GM card and European regional settings.

- Import/conversion of EZnec type input-files and EZnec style 'MiniNec' ground added.

- Selection between multiple V/I sources for line-chart display

- Display of dB value to correct with for Average Gain Test.

- Geometry builder (build.exe) now supports autosegmentation.

- Bugfix when selecting more than 32 var's to optimize.

Changes for 5.5.1 (April 2005)

- Far-field plot, theta angles > 360 degrees are now displayed as minus values.

- Gnuplot 2D/3D display for azim/elavation angles and labeling corrected.

- Some Nec-4 specific height- and radius tests corrected.

- Print function did behave strange sometimes, now should be OK.

Changes for 5.5.0 (Jan 2005)

- Now possible to use with both Nec-2 and Nec-4 (Nec4d*.exe)

- Problems resulting from XP service pack 2 discussed in this file.

- Segmentation-bug introduced with previous version 5.4.1 removed again.

- Same for bug related to GM cards in conjunction with surface patches.

- Same for zero segment/wire length bug.

Changes on 5.4.x)

- Extensive geometry checking added

- Batch processing for automatic calculation of multiple (4)Nec2 files.

- Automatic convergence-testing function with line-chart result display.

- User selectable traditional- or Eznec-style current/phase display.

- Screen grabber added for easy cut/paste or print parts of the screen/window/form.

- BugFix related to regional setting when generating gnuplot data-files.

- Automatic generation of L, Pi and T matching-networks (low- and high-pass)

- Plot 2D and 3D graphs/charts using gnuplot freeware package

- Show Circular Polarization components E(left) and E(right) for far-field.

Changes version 5.3.x (mar 03)

- Usage of average/minimum or maximum value when optimizing on freq-sweep.

- Radius/Diameter bug removed for wire-radius combo-box in Geometry-edit.

- Pattern direction bug removed when using multiple Current sources.

- Possibility to specify insulated wires.

- Bugfix on saving a file without extension

- 'LC-trap' loading-type (LD 6) added.

- Auto-conversion of GN, LD cards for Average-Gain-Test

Changes version 5.0-5.2 (Dec 01)

- Drawing style 3D Geometry editor added.

- Display of (arbritrary shape) patches added.

- Additional checking on nec-2 output-file error's.

- Optimization for a range of frequencies now possible.

- Genetic Optimization Algorithms added.

- Real-Time DirectX based 3D-graphics viewer added.

- Overall max for far/near field points, LD, EX, NT/TL cards increased.

Version 4.x

- Switchable Theta/Phi or Azim/Elev display.

- Improved accuracy when using SOMNEC ground with freq-loop

- Automatic evaluation of SWR, Gain, F/R, etc. trends.

- Current-Sources (EX 6) added.

- Auto-segmentation functionality added.

- Curve smoothing, Lin- or Log-scaling for graphs.

- Front-to-rear data included in optimizer/evaluator

- Support for windows-XP (max [for now] 5000 segments)

- Real-time geometry updating when using the 4nec2 editor

- Additional Power and SWR information for selected wire/segment

- Highlight selected 2D far-field trace in 3D view.

- Optimizer added to optimize geometry-, loading or phase configuration

- Use variables and constants to configure the nec-2 input data.

- Forms lay-out updated and executable changed to 32-bit.

- ItsHF plot-file viewer added.

- Geometry builder added

Version 3.x

- New and comprehensive help added.

- Near field 3D, 2D and 1D (linear graph) patterns added

- Smith-chart plot added for feed-line length determination

- Automatic generation of far/near field, frequency loop and ItsHF files added.

Version 2.x

- Structure validation added

- Reflection coefficient and SWR graphs added

- Display 2D far field patterns for frequency-sweep.

- Menu command structure added.

- Comment possibilities for 4nec2 input-files.

- Auto start 4nec2.exe for *.nec files.

Some of the 4nec2 (1.0) basic functionality:

- Read nec-2 input- and output-files and display geometry structure.

- Rotate, shift, zoom-in and zoom-out geometry structure

- Show, zoom in/out RF-currents/3D-far-field on geometry structure

- Select segment and show segment current amplitude and phase

- Automatic generation of nec-2 output file and SOMNEC ground files,

- Polar or linear plot for far-field or ground wave radiation pattern.

- Show geometry inside polar plot.

- Load and compare other radiation patterns.

- Show impedance graphs for frequency range.

- Generate type 13 and 14 antenna files for HFWIN32 propagation software