FMCommander – Features above and beyond

Developed from optimized base code for speed.

FMCommander offers the “Detail” mode which presents the main screen table sort ordered by the station having the greatest contour overlap anywhere on the protected contours between the reference station and a station from the database. This new table shows the greatest amount of contour overlap whether or not the overlap is found on the direct line between the stations.

FMCommander now checks the class parameters in use, such as the power and antenna height and reminds the user when parameters are our of bounds and suggests the correct ERP to be used to maintain the selected class.

FM translator station maximum ERP is calculated at the touch of a button with consideration given to the differing rules near the Mexican and Canadian borders.

Enhanced Mapping Screen Features

• New graphic engine, uses Probe VMap graphic files for spectacular polygon shaping. Packaged map features include, city boundary shape files, city name files, lake files, river files, road files, county boundaries and political boundary files.
• Adjustable city names. Name overlapping prevented on basis of priority given to city population.
• Small city and large city population cutoffs are user adjustable.
• City look-up features allows city mapping of any US city regardless of population.
• Choice of U.S.G.S. polygon city boundary or optional Tiger Census city boundary databases.
• Full screen interactive editing allowed. Call letters can be dragged by mouse to new locations.
• Boxed or unboxed labels can be added to a map, changed in size and color, moved or deleted. Fonts sizes are adjustable. Undo features added.
• Draw arrows or lines for labeling purposes.
• Screen layout and menu groupings have been optimized for efficient use.
• Channels can be stored in channel-bar simply by clicking an empty channel-bar button.
• Highly accurate distance calculation routines. Improved point and click accuracy.
• Constant cursor elevation, latitude, longitude, distance and bearing readout.
• Profile tool. Click any two points on the map and program will display or print out the distance and a terrain profile graph with Fresnel clearance drawn between the points.
• New Contour tool that allows the user to point the mouse to any screen location, click and the program will draw the terrain based city signal contour (or other user select-able contours) for the reference station at the selected location.
• Program includes AM station overlays and optional FCC tower, airports, railroads and population scatter-gram overlays.
• U.S. Census Population counting. Count the population, either to the group block or block level for any station’s contour that has been added to the map.
• Tool bars conveniently access many of the more often used tools and functions.
• New scale notch buttons change scale by standard steps.
• Individual station, FCC rules section 73.215, automatic short-space circle assignment ability. Alternating color dashed circle lines represent 73.215 short-spaced stations.
• Minimum circle plotting routines for showing principal city allocation distances.

Find Information Mapping Screen

• This screen uses the same mapping engine as V-Soft’s Probe for high quality polygon shaping. Map features packaged with the program include: city boundary shape files, city name files, lake files, river files, road files, county boundaries and political boundary files.
• Users with the optional tower overlay need only click the button to show towers on the map that are filtered  by height.  The mapped towers will also show total height AMSL.
• Adjustable city plotting based on city population. Overlapping prevented on the basis of priority given to the largest city.
• Small city and large city population cutoffs are user adjustable and independent of other maps screen.
• City look-up features that allow city mapping of nearly all US city regardless of population.
• With the interactive map editing, call letters and signal contour labels can be adjusted or dragged by mouse to new locations.
• Boxed or unboxed labels can be added, moved, deleted. Fonts are adjustable. Undo feature added.
• Draw arrows or lines for labeling purposes.
• New more, efficient screen layout and menu groupings.
• Population counting for contours produced while in the Coverage Mode.
• Toggle instantly between a station’s map graphic and its FCC operating parameters shown in standard text.
• New overlays include, AM stations and optional FCC tower, airports, railroads and population scatter gram overlays.
• New profile tool, allowing user to click any two points on the map and program will display or print out the distance and a terrain profile with Fresnel clearance between the points.
• Program now has a new pop-up window for translator work that will show the user a list of all antenna azimuth radials where the power is above what the rules allow and it will tell the user what the power should be on those radials.
• New tool bar conveniently accessing many of the more often used tools and functions.
• New scale notch buttons change scale up or down in standard steps.
• Enhanced contour plotting and population calculation integration.
• Your internet browser seamlessly integrates with the FCC’s FMQuery program or the new LMS database can be called up.
• Download fresh data or program updates directly from FMCommander’s help screen.  (FMCommander will automatically flag the user that a program update is available, or that the FCC FM database in use is dated.)
• FMCommander will load AM distance to contour files from V-Soft’s AM-Pro program or some older non-V-Soft programs.
• FMCommander will load and use Industry Canada’s  EHAAT distance to contour files.

Pattern Editor Screen

(Functionally enhanced) see YouTube Video here:

• Automatic pattern developing feature, designs patterns that prevent contour overlaps in one step.
• Includes drag and drop radial power editing while in the effective field mode, dBk or kW modes.
• Ability to edit pattern table using other than field values, such as dBk or power kW.
• New curve smoothing features using adjustable increments for shaping patterns.
• Table switch that when switched “on” causes azimuth pattern to be displayed without the table.
• With drag-drop adjustment of a pattern point, if the program sees that 2 dB per ten degrees is not met between azimuths, program will automatically alert user as the pattern point moves outside required FCC parameters.
• Pattern editor highlights the location of  contour overlap in red.  When the overlap is removed, the red highlighter warning disappears.  Placing the cursor over the overlap highlighting displays the station to which the overlap is caused or from which the overlap is received.
• Multiple un-do.

Main Screen:

• Routine for handling channel-six TV stations has been rewritten so that all channel-six TV stations within the FCC prescribed distances will appear (not the one with the highest signal as in previous versions.)  The exact direct line overlap of the FM station’s TV-6 interference contour with the TV6’s protected 47 dBu (Grade B) contour will be shown.
• When program is in the overlapping contour or “Interference” mode, for commercial channel stations, the program now flags stations that meet the FCC’s required seperations  and therefore need not be considered under contour overlap.
• Program now contains a new pop-up window for translator work that will show the user a list of all antenna azimuth radials where the power is above what the rules allow and it will tell the user what the power should be on those radials.
• Revamped screen paging system for improved channel to channel paging.
• Revamped tool bar.
• New “Detail” mode shows the closest distance between interfering and protected contours.
• Color printing enhancements.

WatchDog Option

(Used to watch a client’s facilities for frequency encroachment by other stations, such as LPFM or translators.)

WatchDog screen allows the user to create a database of clients and stations. This feature will printout a complete channel study report for each of the selected stations at user’s time intervals. Stations on commercial channels will have both a separations study and a contour-to-contour study produced, so that encroaching translators and LPFM stations will be properly flagged.

Client database is searchable. Each client report begins with a client name and address page for mailing purposes.

• WatchDog will will produce text file reports or printed reports.
• WatchDog will send emailed reports to clients – automatically.
• Client database allows easy editing of stations to be watched.