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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi every one and sorry before hand for this off
topic requirement</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Under a non profit organization sponsoring we are
developing an internet access system for isolated school based on ham radio data
transmition. On this effort we are looking for any info regarding the siting of
antenas /repeater. We would like to explore the modeling of the signal taking
care of topography to define the best arquitecture to supply all school at least
cost.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We have 1:50.000 digital topographic maps of
the study area, and it available either through mapinfo/vertical mapper or
postgis/mapserver.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Under our preliminary research there are a couple
of comertial software on the range of US$500 to US$5000, and some basic
possibilities under opensource (like splat <A
href="http://www.qsl.net/kd2bd/splat.html">http://www.qsl.net/kd2bd/splat.html</A>).
<B><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>
<P>SPLAT! </B></FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>imports topographic
data in the form of SPLAT Data Files (SDFs) that may be generated from a</P>
<P>number of information sources. In the United States, SPLAT Data Files are
most often derived from U.S.</P>
<P>Geological Survey Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) using the </FONT><B><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=2>usgs2sdf </B></FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=2>utility included with </FONT><B><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=2>SPLAT</B></FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>!.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Any one know of tools to derive DEM like the ones need by
splat SDF from contour lines?</FONT></P>
<P>Any one knows of other open source tool that could be usefull for our
purposes?</P>
<P> </P>
<P>Sincerely</P>
<P> </P>
<P>Juanse</P>
<P>temuko-Chile</P>
<P> </P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2><FONT face=Arial></FONT></FONT> </P>
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