New YagiCAD6.3.1

Changes 6.3.0 to 6.3.1 February 2022 
1.	New options on Genetic Optimiser to select which elements and which aspects of the elements to evolve. Also some internal changes to the genetic
	algorithms to make them less likely to go cancerous/ produce bad yagis.
2.	Four new element types; a rounded end folded dipole, an octagonal loop, a bent X (think old J Beam multi element), and a variable bow tie that can go
	from a classic skeleton slot, to a dual quad, to the aformentioned bow tie. New examples in examples directory to illustrate these including; 
	the classic RSGB 6 over 6 skeleton slot fed array, a shortened homage to the JBeam MDM series, a short loop yagi, and a classic DL6WU 20 element
	yagi with rounded folded dipole and dual reflector. 
3.	Bug fixes to the scaler routines to make them more consistent with the more complex elements, option added to allow extra params to be treated as
	either lengths or spacings.
4.	Added an Element Type Browser under the help menu, a pdf version for all elements is saved in the executable directory.

Changes 6.2.7 to 6.3.0 December 2021 
1.	Major under the covers change, Element models now generated from data file ElemLib.ycl loaded at start up.
	Also added new models for bent dipole Up, Down, Forward, Back, plus split Multi type into 3.
	It will be much easier to add new element prototypes in the future, only editing of ElemLib file will be required no actual coding.
	ElemLib is actually just a text file and has comments on how to add/change element cells, but very little error	checking in this
 	version, and any changes to order etc. will cause problems with Yagi files saved in previous YagiCAD versions. Use caution if you play with this.
	The current version should be backwards compatable.I will add further new element models etc. as I get comments/suggestions/input from users. 
	Many areas rewritten to utilize ElemLib, so there may be bugs I haven't yet found, please report any you find.
2.	Added three new example files illustrating the use of a bent element, Original K6STI 5 element FM Broadcast band with bent back(V) driver, 
	UA9TC 11 element with bent forward reflector, and DB7YBN GTV70-11W using a bent back driver with a larger inner section. With these bent 
	dipole elements	the length is the distance between the two end tips, the first parameter is the distance the ends are bent back, forwards,
 	up, down, and the second parameter is the length of the inner section of the element. Display headings on grid now dynamically changed to suit
 	the highlighted element. Take care with bent elements especially if doing genetic optimising it is possible for elements with sharp angles etc.
	to be generated and the genetic algorythm does not do AGT etc. to validate each model before breeding.
3.	Bug fixes to some of the multi units(mm, M, ", wavelength etc.) support to make it more consistent.
4.	Genetic routine rebuilt so now runs work in true background so forground operation is smoother etc., but may be a bit slower.
5.	Changes to options to reflect element library changes, plus support new nec engine options including the previous nec2++,
	a new (supplied in this distro) MiniNec Command line exe , and NEC4 command line (exe not supplied, must be sourced elswhere). 
	The different engines have different areas of strengths and weaknesses, Mininec handles some geometries better,nec2++ is faster,
	Nec4(if you have paid LLNL for it, and copied the command line exe into the exe folder) is more powerfull than nec2++ but is slightly slower.
6.	Changes to some of the graphs to make them more readable eg. expanded VSWR scale, and extended Convergence/Average Gain which by the way is 
	also now supported in the mininec command line engine. With the new element lib it is even more important to do these model tests and
	understand what they are saying, as it is actually easier to now produce a sub optimal model if you are not carefull. Remember there is 
	no such thing as a free lunch, and if the results look too good to be true then they probably from a bad model.
7.	Changes to the TANT style temperature calculations to add a more accurate integration engine (same as used in NEC2), but note this still uses
	both some somewhat arbitary assumptions, and if you want to compare results with other TANT's, you need to set the same assumptions. 
	Also don't forget this is ultimately limited by the precision available in the (only a couple of decimal places in a 
	rounded/truncated logarithmic number) pseudo printed text output from the NEC engines, rounding etc. errors do take place. 
	If we wanted higher acuracy than this it would have to be done in the NEC engines itselves, or at least get full precision/pre-log
 	results for powers etc. direct from the engine not via a limited textual interface. 
8.	Tested with Win11 all seems OK though some minor visual bleedthrough effects in grid display.

Changes 6.2.6 to 6.2.7 August 2019
1.	Beta version of multi band optimization in OWA Genetic tool.
2.	Bug fixes to fix occaisional crashes due to even numbers of segments.
3.	Corrected problem with reference yagi gain, now shows in same units as main gain.

Changes 6.2.5 to 6.2.6 August 2017. 
1.       Added mm (MilliMetres) as a units option.
2.       Some minor changes to limits in antenna temperature figure of merit calculations.  
3.       Added limited export to EZNec format file. Thanks to Roy Lewallen for his permission and for the file details. Only the very basics are exported to try and limit problems. Please report any issues to me.
4.      Redo of boom correction support, can now edit in either length or length+bcf columns, now need to use options menu to vary custome BCF.
5.       Updated version of Nec-Tie included, fixed some bugs with loads support in MiniNec, also added import from EZNec format files. Thanks again Roy. See NEC-TIE page for more info.
6.       A number of minor cosmetic changes.

Changes 6.2.0 to 6.2.5 catchup release. 
1.	Updated TEE match calculations to be inline with equations in latest version of "Playing with Matches"
    	http://www.yagicad.com/Projects/PlayingWithMatches.htm

2.	Changed Antenna temperature tool nomenclature to be as per Rainer Bertelsmeier's Effective Noise 
	Temeratures of 4-Yagi-Arrays for 432 MHz EME in DUBUS 4/87.  

3.	Added a number of other possible element material types such as 6063-T832, and 6061-T6 Aluminium alloys
	as per common usage. 

4.      Added Antenna notes window, via Tools menu, for multiline/longer notes on a design.

5.	Included stand-alone NEC-TIE app in main YagiCAD directory, also available from Tools menu, that can 
	import NEC(most nec2 and 4nec2 nec), YW(.yw), YO(.yag), MN and AO (.ant) style files and amongst other
	 things convert them (if they are Yagi's) to a monotaper yagi and save in YagiCAD (YC6) format. Getting
	 all those designs from the ARRL antenna book etc. should now be easy. Also includes native double 
	precicion mininec, and antenna viewer. Version 1.0 of NEC-TIE comments/bugs welcomed.

6.	A number of minor cosmetic changes .



Changes 6.2.0

1.	Changed internally and for export to have Yagi boom along X axis to align with common usage.

2.	Added antenna temperature tool to toolbox which does a basic noise calculation  based on the DUBUS article  
        by  Rainer Bertelsmeier, DJ9BV “Effective Noise Temperature of 4- Yagi-Arrays for 432 Mhz EME”. This produces
        similar results to the TANT program by YT1NT. 

3.	To validate the antenna temperature figures, or for other post processing uses there is now also an export 
        option for a far field table in an appropriate format for TANT.

4.      Added the ability to have two more folded dipole element variants, these are similar to the existing folded 
        dipole however they are in the plane of the boom rather than perpendicular to it. One variant is layed down 
        forward ie. drive is closer to the reflector, while the other variant is layed backwards, ie. the driven side
        is closest to the first director. These configurations are sometimes known as LFA. See the included example 
        model 13e23cmLFA.YC6 as an example of what can be achieved with this configuration.

5.	Added option on tools option form to select calling a NEC engine via a command (or BAT) file or directly 
	( default.). The default direct call to nec2++.exe is faster and automatically handles what ever the number
	of segments. The command file option however allows the use of other standard nec executables if you have a
	favourite. 
	Examples for some of these are included in the necrun.cmd file in the root install directory. 
	(unused ones should be prefaced by a REM ). I have not tested this with NEC4 (as I don't have access to it) 
	but it should work. Please let me know if anyone finds any problems with this.

6.	A few other mostly cosmetic tweeks.


Changes 6.1.9

1.	Added ASCII text export of model for codes that don't read nec files.

2.	Bug fixes arround boom correction factors, now entry of custom BCF is always a number less than 1. Also
	clarified for the built in correction factors that one is for the element insulated from the boom case 
	(Ins), and one is for the element connected to the boom (Con) case. 

3.	Rejig of the Gamma, Tee, Omega etc. matches to align with the ARRL and other interpretation of how these
	matches work. In particular now based on the full driven element impedance rather than half as specified
	in Balanis textbook. My local tests with NEC2 models of Gamma agree that, while no simple model is 
	particularly close to what you get from the more complex NEC2 model, those with full element impedance are
	closest. Also at least now YagiCAD should give the same answers as ARRL GAMMA program.

4.	Changes inside the genetic algorythm to try to detect and kill "cancerous" yagi's where gain is unreasonably
	high which can mask real improvements in rest of gene pool. Unreasonable high gain usually due to, elements 
	with too close spacings, and other known model limitations within NEC2.

5.	A few other mostly cosmetic tweeks.




Changes 6.1.8

1.	Added 4NEC2 specific export support under file export menu. 4NEC2.nec file will contain symbolic variable
	extensions as supported by 4NEC2 to assist with easily changing Yagi variables like antenna height.



Changes 6.1.7

1.	Added limits concepts into Genetic Optimisation.
	Can set a hard, soft, or no limit for each
	Target value. Hard = reject designs that better this target
	Soft = keep but limit score, None = do not limit score.

2.	Added Boom length as a parameter in Genetic Optimisation. 
	eg setting Boom Length Limit to a particular length, 
	with a hard limit type will force only designs with Boom Length 
	less than this value to be considered.

3.	Changed default install directory to be not program files 
	to avoid problems with Windows Vista and 7 and admin rights.

4.  	Minor bug fixes with units in matching sections.

5.	Released companion XLS spreadsheet for tapered elements.
	LeesonTaper.xls in main directory.


Changes 6.1.6
Bug fix release.
1.	Fixed a bug that had got into the Genetics bits that was causing unpredicatble results.
2.	Added config file for frequency band edges. If found "banddata.txt" in main directory is 
-       used rather than default Australian ones. see example file for format.


Changes 6.1.5
1.	Replaced Fortran based NEC2SX/DX engine with Open Source C++ version of 
NEC2.(Compiled using free MS C++ 2008 Express)
-	No arbitrary segment etc. limits just available memory limits
-	Double precision only
-	Depending on CPU can be 2-3 times faster on large models.
2.	Added new element models of folded dipole and multi-element
3.	A few minor bug fixes.

Changes 6.02
1. Added support for country specific decimal point value, and in particular "," 
in stead of "."
2. Minimum of VSWR graph in Overall now 1 rather than 0.
3. A couple of minor bugs fixed.
4. Install package which registers file types and creates shorrtcuts etc.


Changes 6.0:
1.	Re-written using the free development package Microsoft VB.NET Express 
2008.  More Windows standard interface, now requires MS.Net runtime 2.0 
(for pre Win XP) or 3.5 (for post Win XP) rather than VB5 runtime as per 
YagiCAD5.x
2.	Removed YagiCAD classic engine, now only NEC2 available but choice of 
SX (single precision as in YagiCAD5) or new DX Double precision.
3.	NEC2 engines recompiled with larger limits now allowing up to 40 elements, 
2000 segments, or 100 non-ideal wires, whichever limit is reached first.
4.	Still only a single driven element, but it can now be in any position in 
antenna 
from first to last. Ie antennas of a single driven element are now possible, eg 
dipole, as well as ones with multiple reflectors.
5.	Elements can now be either a simple dipole, or a square quad shape. 
Elements 
can be set individually to each type allowing for various combinations giving 
standard Yagi’s, Quad’s, or Quagy’s
6.	Dimensions used for display and editing can now be set to be in Metres, 
Inches, or Wavelengths. All internal calculations and saving of data is done in 
Metres.
7.	New file extension “.YC6” used to save antennas with new features,   
YagiCAD can still open/read “.YAG” files but not save them as other than 
“.YC6”.
8.	The YagiCAD6 exe now accepts a filename as a command line parameter 
enabling “.YC6” and “.YAG” files to be associated in windows with the exe 
for double clicking on a file and opening in YagiCAD.
9.	New Yagi Viewer menu to give 3D view of antenna model under design.
10.	Simplified and expanded genetic Optimization subsystem. Configuration of 
options now done by selecting options on a page rather than editing a text file. 
New options include improved weighting process with optional 
reference/normalization to either the ancestor antenna or some idealized target.
11.	Improved Model tests with segment convergence now graphed within the 
application to show effects of increasing segments, and in addition inclusion 
of the standard Average Gain Test.
12.	A number of other visual tweaks, oh and yes it’s still free, however it is 
a .0 
release after a major rewrite so there may well be bugs etc. I haven’t yet found 
so take some care to make backups etc.


Install.


Manual from Zip file.

Save all the files of the distribution in a suitable directory. The EXE’s, OPT, 
GEN, 
and RTF file/s should all be in this directory. The saved antenna models can be 
in the 
same directory or elsewhere if more convenient.

If you don’t already have the MS DotNet framework installed this can be 
downloaded 
from the Microsoft.com website and installed as per instructions. For PC’s with 
operating systems prior to Windows XP the file you are looking for is Dot Net 
Framework 2.0 Redistributable, for those with Windows XP or better the 3.5 
version 
is the way to go.

You can create an icon on your desktop to run YagiCAD by right clicking and 
dragging the exe to the Desktop and selecting create shortcut here.

You can also in a file view window select tools/folder options/file types and 
associate 
the “.YAG”, and “.YC6” extensions with YagiCAD.exe.  Or alternately simply 
double click on a “.YAG” or “.YC6” file and select program to open with as being 
YagiCAD.exe.

Automatic using setup file:

Download and run the setup.exe, follow the prompts.
For uninstal, use the link in the start menu, or control panel add remove 
programs.
In the case of an update the safest thing is to do an uninstall of the old 
version and then install the new. Be carefull this may delete any changes you 
have made to the example models.


Comments and Suggestions.

As usual I welcome any comments or suggestions about YagiCAD to 
VK3DIP@YAGICAD.COM


For those that way inclined Merry Christmas and,
73 Paul VK3DIP December 2009

