Radius Tool or Tower Tool
Add radio propagation model: Identify a point for a tower, its height above ground level, and how many miles it can transmit, then TNP shades the map to show you where signal can reach and where it can't. Alternatively: Locate a point, move any distance from that point, click to set your radius and then move the cursor in an arc to draw any portion of a circle from 5 degrees to 360 degrees. It would show the length in feet of the radius (i.e. length of pivot) and the acres within the circle or partial circle.
AdminEd Lecuyer
(Technical Product Manager, Terrain Navigator Pro)
shared this idea
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Chris
commented
I'm not sure if the original post intended to include the actual Path Loss calculation, but I would like to see TNP add the ability to perform these calculations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Path_loss The user would need to create a Route, then enter frequency, height above ground level (offsets), and antenna gain(s). TNP would then output the path loss in dB. Utilizing the existing Line of Sight interface for these additions would be ideal.
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Bill May
commented
See other suggestion "Viewsheds" on including Viewsheds as an associated utility.
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Steve Steinbrecher
commented
This might be a useful tool as well for tracking cell "pings off a given known tower during a SAR, allowing one to use the degrees and radius of a cell antenna.
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Tommy
commented
I have also asked for this for years. Currently it is a huge task to run these radio coverages and not have to spend a fortune doing so. Please, something easy, simple, and quick. I spend a lot of time in the field looking at possible tower sites and need to be able to do a quick analysis of and area in order to determine whether or not to pursue it any further. A quick radio propagation tool would be great.
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Jardy
commented
I made this suggestion years ago. It would just expand on the line of sight/profile tools, but make it a 360 radius for your given distance (5 miles, etc). Probably wouldn't need more than about 10 miles for a cross band repeater, more for a regular repeater.
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caver456
commented
our SAR group (CA) has looked at doing actual field tests to see where certain signals can be received. Simple radius, even automatically accounting for topography / line of sight, might or might not produce actual usable results due to local interference - power lines, multipath off buildings, tree cover, other structures, etc etc. If the field testing yields usable info, then a raster overlay might be a good way to handle it: draw your actual reception area by hand and add it as a raster overlay.