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Search_HQ Newsletter: November 11, 2005

[This newsletter was sent to the Search_HQ@yahoogroups.com online group, and blind copied to all registered users and selected Casara executives]

Search_HQ v5.0:

I'm pleased to announce this new release of Search_HQ which incorporates nearly all of the requests and suggestions users have sent during the past year. The major enhancements include:

Rounded/stepped CSAD corners (No more long pointed corners!)

"Multi-task" management: The CSAD and multiple taskings can be displayed together on the map. The CSAD can be loaded into a GPS as a "track", and several taskings can be loaded into the same GPS as "routes". New features help you to select a unique PREFIX and NUMBER for each tasking, which are used to create distinct filenames, waypoint names, route/track/point names.

MVFR (mountain CSAD) support: Options have been added to narrow the CSAD from 10/15 to 5/10 NM, and hide the 10 NM lines to facilitate the creation of mountain sectors.

Colour selection: You can assign any colour to any tasking for better viewing on different map types, and to help managing multiple taskings on a single map.

PT/CLA inside/outside controls over turns at the ends of search lines and at the "CD" side of the box.

ABCD re-written with trimmed lines, for easy non-square CLA patterns in awkward CSAD corners

HB (Homing Box) enhancements include an automatic Approach Course option to optimize transit routing, and options to control direction around the box and whether to fly through the box.

ES (expanding square) enhancements include a new automatic First Leg Course option to optimize transit routing The ES pattern now shifts automatically if required to keep it centered over the EHP (ELT Hit Point). The CSP has been corrected to 1 search range back from the ELT hit point.

SS (Sector Search) enhancements include automatic First Leg Course option to optimize transit routing. Controls have been added to select either 3 or the full 6 search lines for the SS route.

Track Crawl enhancements include a new Plot TCL (track center line) button. The TCR (track crawl returning) route features an automatic "Fly to Nearest Point" option to optimize transit routing.

Stored tasking settings: Each tasking can be re-loaded, displayed and altered quickly, because the options used to create it are stored in it's route file.

Other changes include:

All patterns and taskings are created as Waypoints, Routes, Tracks and Points.

a Zone/Unit field in the registration form to help me help you

transit waypoints for adjusting routes to and from search areas for easy routing around control zones and big lakes

new green/red symbols to make CSP/TSP and search line start/stop points easier to see

fixes Fuel/Bingo errors due to use of 1 decimal point rounded numbers

added more "crossover" points to CSAD3M route (for MVFR searches)

addition of CSP and TSP points to all search patterns to separate Transit and Search phases for Fuel/Bingo calculations

checking of all user input for errors to prevent program crashes

use of a comma "," as a decimal point when the Window's Regional and Language Option is "French (Canada)". This addresses a "Runtime Error 13 - Type mismatch" fatal crash problem.

a start-up splash screen with Copyright and Disclaimer has been added

removal of obsolete/redundant controls (e.g. SX textbox, CLA/ELT filename dialogs)

a manual Time Calculator based on actual fuel and burn rate, was added to the Fuel/Bingo form to facilitate Bingo time calculation

Future enhancements:

To avoid delaying the release of the above enhancements any longer, the following have been deferred to a future release:

Creation of a CSAD map overlay for the UI-View APRS live tracking program

Printing of Fuel/Bingo information and Navigation information to standard forms and/or to spreadsheets. Both the X400 Air Tasking, and the X410 Navigation forms could be created from SARCS (Aircraft, crew and W&B info) and from SHQ (Fuel/Bingo, wind, reserve info, and specific details of each track, such as distance, bearing). If a field was added for magnetic variation, then the balance of the flight plan could be completed, such as ground speed, magnetic heading, time etc.

Automatic LABELS on the map when creating taskings. User's could create additional Map Comments which also get saved in the EventMap.map file. At start-up or when loading taskings, users can choose their Default Map or use new SHQ options similar to the OZI "load last map" and "set last Zoom and position" system configuration options.

detect and wait if Ozi start-up gets delayed by its splash screen

using different colours for Transit and Search phases of a tasking, and the ability to hide Transits

splitting of long taskings into multiple routes to accommodate certain GPS's

ability to load and manage ALL routes from SHQ. This may be necessary to implement the preceding 2 enhancements.

a built in Help file

ability to specify an EventFolder on a Network drive vs a mapped Local drive

Registrations:

Search_HQ version v5 will run using your v4 registration. I encourage you to download and begin using and learning version v5 now. To encourage the retirement of v4, I do not intend to renew v4 for use past Mar.1,2006. Registrations for v5 will be issued with the usual 365 day activation period.

Currently, Search_HQ (v4) is registered in 125 computers and laptops in all parts of Canada, with the exception of 1 province and 1 territory. The breakdown is as follows:

Casara AB	18
Casara BC PEP/Air	28
Casara MB	8
Casara National	1
Casara NL	1
Casara NS	2
Casara NWT	11
Casara ON	44
Casara PEI	1
Casara SK	2
Casara YT	2
Serabec	7
Grand Total	125

GPS issue:

Even though OziExplorer (Ozi) allows us to configure the GPS with 300 waypoints per route (allowing large CSAD's and search patterns), many GPS's are limited to 30 waypoints per route or less. When you upload a large route (e.g. more than 12 CLA lines) to such a GPS, the route in the GPS will be missing some lines. To get around this, I'm looking at splitting long taskings into multiple routes. For now, please verify that your GPS contains the entire tasking before you depart. If your GPS is missing the end of your tasking, create a second route in Ozi for the missing part (using existing waypoints) and upload it.

Email discussion group:

Are you interested in joining the Search_HQ email discussion group for sharing ideas, questions, files etc. relating to Search_HQ and OziExplorer? If so, please sign-up at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Search_HQ/

Download:

The new Search_HQ v5.0.0 update can be downloaded from the "Tools" page on www.casaraontario.ca

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Please email any questions, problems and suggestions for future features to me at wch_dunn@ncf.ca

Regards,
Bill Dunn
Search_HQ Author
613-828-5867

Search_HQ Newsletter: November 11, 2005