SATSOFT 3.5 is released

We are pleased to announce that SATSOFT 3.5 has just been released with several new features, many of them requested by users and thus aimed at improving the experience for those who use SATSOFT in their daily work. We are hopeful that SATSOFT 3.5 will be welcomed by everyone.

Plot of pattern cuts

In SATSOFT 3.5, the plot of pattern cuts feature enables the user to define lines through a contour plot together with a given sampling density, and the user can compute and plot the values of both component and composite beams along these lines. Additionally, the user can view and export data to compare to other beams. This makes it possible to visualize for example the ripple inside a coverage in a more illustrative way than by the usual contour plot, or to determine individual beam cross-over levels more accurately.

Control the satellite attitude

A new ’satellite attitude de-pointing’ functionality has been added to SATSOFT. The functionality may be used in the assessment of the coverage degradation due to a de-pointing of the satellite.

The de-pointing is specified in the commonly used definition using pitch, roll, and yaw. In SATSOFT, the antenna beams are moved relative to the satellite, whereas the coverages are unchanged. In this way, the degradation of the antenna beams due to the de-pointing may be assessed.

Export POS project in TICRA Tools format

When the preliminary antenna layout and design made by SATSOFT is taken to the next level, the antenna engineer will use the POS product that is part of TICRA tools. SATSOFT 3.5 allows the user to easily export a POS project to be used in TICRA Tools, either in the well-known Classic POS form or in the TICRA Tools format making use of the very latest features. Once a project is imported into TICRA Tools, it will be possible to perform further design optimisations based on the realistic and accurate antenna modelling techniques available there.

Mathematical expressions in input fields

SATSOFT 3.5 have the same antenna models as previous SATSOFT-versions. The new release allows the user to use mathematical expressions in the specification of the input parameters of the antenna models. The standard arithmetic and trigonometric functions are available, e.g. the sine-functions and square-root function. The mathematical expressions allow an easier and faster set-up of the SATSOFT project.

Plot enhancements

A number of enhancements have been added to the plotting capabilities, such as the re-introduction of the Auto Level button and the possibility to save custom colour schemes for contour plotting, to use in future projects as well as the possibility to specify a default line colour and apply it to all contour levels. All of these features serve to provide a better user experience with more focus on generating professional graphics material that may be used in presentations and marketing material.

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With a valid SATSOFT Technical Support and Maintenance agreement you can download SATSOFT 3.5 on our support site.