Okay, so you want to start using Radio Mobile.

Radio Mobile website.

Here I'll show you some screens of where to find the options to make a basic link.

I'm going to start off assuming you know how to extract, install the program, and obtain your GPS locations via Google Earth, but will guide you as to getting terrain data. You're not going to learn this in one day, it took me about two months to get fully comfortable with the program and remember the screen layout. I also found very little as far as FAQ's and guides so I am basically self taught and I don't know every little detail of the program.

When you first open the program you're going to see a map of the grand canyon. This is just an example and the first thing you're going to have to do to make your own is make sure your terrain server is setup. RM will automatically download the appropriate terrain file.

First go to Options, Internet, under SRTM choose either

• USGS USA 1 achsecond or
•choose Other

and enter this URL:
f t p://e0srp01u.ecs.nasa.gov/srtm/version2/SRTM3/North_America/ (If you copy/paste the URL be sure to remove the spaces in "ftp")

I have found that using #1, the maps can be about 7 MBs while #2 can have maps around 800K.

Now make sure 'Download from the internet if a file is not found on local path and keep a local copy' is selected.



Now after that click on the blue right hand arrow ( button - see #1 in the toolbar image below).



This will open a new window shown below.



This is where you tell RM what map you want to download by GPS coordinates and set the size and distance of the map. Now all the options you see in the picture are what I would recommend, for longer links, such as 15 miles, you would need to set the Height in Km to about 30 Km. But for 2-4 miles 15 Km is fine. Make sure 'Merge Pictures' is checked, and enter your GPS coordinates. Then click 'Extract'

Now a map should present itself with a new window, if the image is all blue then the program did not find the terrain data, this can be from either a bad server, you set up the Other with a bad link, or the server does not have the data. You can go back under Internet and change to a different server but the two others I previously mentioned are the best I've found.

But if all is well let's continue..

Under Operation it gives you many choices, this is how the map will be laid out, either the new street map you download will be 'merged' into the data map, or be completely replaced (You can go back and experiment more with this later). I like Add because it retains the terrain color levels. I use the Mapquest option, but you can also use MapPoint. Only those two are worth trying. Click Draw and it will download, and merge the two into one.



Then click 'Keep in actual picture' and Okay.

Congrats, you now have your map and terrain! Looks nice huh?

Okay, let's place some radios. Click on the map and click the button at the top (see #2 on the toolbar image above).



This is where you place your radios, either by GPS or your mouse position. Click 'Place unit at cursor position' Then Okay, it will add a radio to the place you clicked, click a new spot and do it again with the next unit down selected.

Now let's setup a network. Click on the button (see #3 on the toolbar image above), this is Network properties.



Set the minimum and max frequencies and the amount of forest if you so desire.

Note that even 100% forest does not mean it's going to actually represent dense forest throughout the map.
Then go to 'Systems',



I'm not going to go over this much because this is for someone that knows what antenna gain is and dBm power levels. Just make sure you have your antenna type selected under 'Antenna Type' and set the Height.
Now go to 'Membership',



This is a very important part. It will tell the program which radios will link to each other and what azimuth the antenna will be at, fixed or not.
Now check both your units you placed on the map and change the 'System' selection to the one you edited earlier for Both units. Make sure 'Fixed' is unchecked for both units and select which unit they will be pointed at.
For example Unit 1 should point at Unit 2 and so on..

Click 'Okay' and you're done!

You should now see both your radios with a line between them. Now click on the button (see #4 on the toolbar image above) called 'Radio Link'. This will show if the terrain is blocking the radios or not, and if you added trees RM will add a certain amount of loss.

Now marvel at the fruit of your labor and enjoy.



Remember, When you're done, Save the .Net file. This contains all the GPS coordinates and other data besides terrain.

Double click (older versions) or Shift click on a metric field to have a metric to standard converter appear.

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Compiled 9/1/2006 using RM ver. 7.5.6

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Forum threads with more information about Radio Mobile:
»Radio Mobile Deluxe Install and Setup
»Radio Mobile Deluxe (modeling software)

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by rawgerz edited by seagreen
last modified: 2006-09-13 12:29:31