Analogue Satellite Television Signal Calculator

[JohnEB]

Hello All,
I used to be on here in the early 2000s as maybe TD03-5 but not sure, so I have created a new account.
At that time I had a Dreambox DM7000 and was a Mod on Toecutters Den.

I have recently returned to computer programming and have found some of my old programs written in the 1980s and 90s.
One of these is SATCALC, written using the Mix C compiler in 1991.
Most of the program is concerned with signal calculations for analogue FM TV but part of it carries out dish alignment calculations.
Unfortunately it is written for MS-DOS but should work under Windows CMD in a 32 bit Windows system.
It works OK for me with Windows XP SP2 on an EeePC 900.
It will not work with any 64 bit Windows system unless something like DOSBox is installed.
Just in case it is of use to anyone, I will attempt to attach it to this post.
Hmm, it seems to be there. The program is SATCALC as SCALC181.COM in a zip called SCALC181.zip.
Unzip it in any directory/folder of your choice (I have it in My Documents) and it will create a sub-directory/folder called SCALC181.
In that folder will be program file SCALC181.COM.
From File Explorer, either double click the program file or right click and send a link to the Desktop, then double click from there.
It will open in a Command window.

Please download it and try it.
If it is of any use to anyone, please let me know.

Back in 1991 I sent a 31/2" disk with this program to a Satellite TV columnist in a magazine.
I was greatly disappointed when he returned the disk saying it would not run on his Mac nor his son's Atari and was I sure that writing it for IBM PC compatibles was the right platform........... I thought he worked in the magazine head office and even if he did not have a PC, someone nearby would let him borrow theirs to try my program. I was hoping the magazine might put it on a cover disk or have some way of distributing to enthusiasts. No, he worked from home and just sent his articles to the magazine.

So it has never been used by anyone for its intended purpose.

Any chance someone here might find a use for it?

Best regards, John.

 

[timo_w2s]

Back in 1991 I sent a 31/2" disk with this program to a Satellite TV columnist in a magazine.
I was greatly disappointed when he returned the disk saying it would not run on his Mac nor his son's Atari and was I sure that writing it for IBM PC compatibles was the right platform........... I thought he worked in the magazine head office and even if he did not have a PC, someone nearby would let him borrow theirs to try my program. I was hoping the magazine might put it on a cover disk or have some way of distributing to enthusiasts. No, he worked from home and just sent his articles to the magazine.

Welcome back to the forums.

Back in 1991 I had an Amiga but I do remember one school friend had a PC. How times have changed!!

What kind of calculations did your program do?

 

[JohnEB]

Welcome back to the forums.

Back in 1991 I had an Amiga but I do remember one school friend had a PC. How times have changed!!

What kind of calculations did your program do?

Hello timo_w2s,
Thanks for your reply.
It is not did do but it still does do.
It does everything that was in Newnes Guide to Satellite Television. There were many little Basic programs for many different calculations. My program gathers them all into a single program, that behaves like a bespoke spreadsheet.
Also, at the click of the F6 key, it does dish setup calculations AZ/EL or Polar.
If you have a 32 bit Windows system or a DOS emulator, download it and give it a try.
It is fun just to put in the different satellite positions and see the distance to the satellite, the angle etc.
I've attached a photo of it running on my Asus EeePC 900.

Best regards, John.