[amsat-bb] InstantTrack

[Dave Guimont <dguimon1@xxxxxxxxxx>]

This message is directed to present and potential InstantTrack users.

The following is gleaned from some of the questions I've received from
users in the hopes that presenting it here will assist in your enjoyment
of Amateur Satellites.

I'm an experienced user, and I appreciate user questions.  I have my
"senior moments", and have to go back to the instructions to read up
on what I have not used in a while.

1.  READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!  The program though intuitive, is comprehensive,
     and many of the intricacies are not at first apparent.

2.  The "h" command provides an excellent assist in using the various screens,
     but there is NO SUBSTITUTE FOR READING THE INSTRUCTIONS.

3.  The *.txt instructions are ok, but use Adobe Acrobat Reader in the pdf file
     and your questions will probably be answered instantly with a simple 
word search.

4.  For the frequently used satellites I keep two sets of elements in 
consecutive
     #'s.  If I suspect an aberrant set, I can determine that immediately 
by using
     the r/l arrow keys on either the map or the ephemeris screen: e.g. the 
object #
     appears in one set, and the set next to it has any random number.  The 
program will
     not accept duplicate numbers in that position.  Occasionally  swap the 
position
     of the true object number to keep the sets fairly close to each other.
     The update will of course appear in the location of the correct object 
number.

5.  Use Eudora and every time the new set appears in amsat-bb your set will be
     instantly and painlessly updated.  The instructions for doing that are 
in the
     documentation.

6.  I use an old 486 to control my rotor sets.  I use a batch file to 
transfer the
     IT.ORB file to a floppy from my e-mail machine, and another batch file 
to transfer
     from the floppy to the four various sets of IT that I keep on that 
machine.  The
     four sets control two rotor pairs, and other files that I use for 
antenna relay
     experiments.  The entire process take about 30 seconds.

Please do not hesitate to let me know if I can be of any help.  I'll probably
have to READ THE INSTRUCTIONS, but the questions do refresh my memory....


            73, Dave wb6llo@amsat.org
                    Disagree: I learn....
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