Recent TAP FAQs

Recent FAQs

The following list provides links to Frequently Asked Questions about SoftWright's Terrain Analysis Package (TAP) software that have been added recently to our web site.

You may also find helpful information in the list of Maintenance Subscription Features.

(For customers using versions prior to TAP6, please go to Legacy Support FAQs.)

Search SoftWright Website

August 28, 2008

How can I draw the line of sight and Fresnel zone for a space-diversity system in HDPath?

August 19, 2008

How can I show the effects of different effective earth curvature values on a single profile?

August 13, 2008

How do I display a plot of an antenna pattern?

How can I plot an antenna showing the pattern in dB down from the major lobe?

August 11, 2008

How do I print a report with the results of an intermodulation study in HDSpectrum?

August 1, 2008

How can I export a copy of my path profile into a JPG graphic file?

July 28, 2008

When I try to run the 3DDisplay function, the program continues to prompt me to install DirectX, even after it has been installed.

July 10, 2008

I installed AssetManager into my TAP system, and now I am having trouble running TAP. How do I fix this?

July 7, 2008

How can I save a coverage map or path profile to a JPG file?

June 23, 2008

How can I draw a path profile from a command line or from another program?

June 18, 2008

How can I eliminate blank data fields when I print a path profile?

June 5, 2008

How can I restore the demo files for TAP so I can run the examples in the Tutorial?

How do I compute an interference study in TAP?

June 4, 2008

What are types of files TAP uses? If I have shapefiles do I need “Land Use” or “Topo” or "Surface Feature" files?

May 30, 2008

When I draw a path profile along an ocean coastline, sometimes there are gaps or missing data points along the profile. How can I correct this?

April 25, 2008

How can I set the field strength level template I want to use for a coverage map?

How can I show received power levels every 10dBm on a coverage map?

How can I show just the Fixed Facilities in my county on a map?

April 16, 2008

What are the detailed street files available for use with HDMapper?

February 28, 2008

How can I customize a clipboard copy of my profiles? How do I use the Print Preview feature in TAP6?

February 27, 2008

How can I add a 10-mile radius circle to my coverage map?

February 20, 2008

How can I make all the roads on my coverage map the same color?

How can I show just the coverage layer on my map?

February 19, 2008

How can I give my GIS department a data file with just the coordinates and field strength values of my coverage study?

February 18, 2008

How can I display multiple signal levels on a plot of a Composite coverage study?

February 8, 2008

How can I use AutoPath to save bitmap image files for path profiles?

February 7, 2008

How do I show my coverage maps using dBm instead of dBu?

February 6, 2008

How do I delete a page layout template I no longer need?

February 4, 2008

How can I set the elevation and distance scales for a path profile in HDPath?

How can I zoom into a specific part of a path profile I want to examine in detail?

Why do I keep getting the message “Are you sure you want to draw this long path?”

January 30, 2008

How can I run the same field strength study again if I only want to change one or two parameters?
(FAQ revised for updated version)

How can I show the site location of my transmitter for a coverage study in HDMapper?

How can I change the symbol used for my transmitter site or pin locations in HDMapper?

January 29, 2008

What is the information that is displayed in the “Mouse Location on Path” window when I move the mouse over a profile in HDPath?
(FAQ revised to include added functions)

January 17, 2008

I need to plot several profiles for different paths. How can I automate the process with the AutoPath function? (revised)

December 13, 2007

How can I define an area for my composite study based on the component study areas?

How can I select several component studies to include in a Composite Coverage study?

December 5, 2007

What is the Global Land Cover data used with TAP?

How do I install Global Land Cover data files for use with TAP?

How do I change the default associations between the Global Land Cover values and the USGS Land Use classifications?

December 1, 2007

How can I maintain the index of topographic data on an external hard disk if the drive letter changes when I connect the drive?

November 30, 2007

How can I find the geographic area covered by my topographic elevation data files, and what files I may be missing?

How can I show the Land Use classifications in HDMapper?

November 21, 2007

If my path profile using Land Use data shows trees along the path why is a loss value not included in the field strength calculation?

Can I use both Land Use files and Surface Feature files when computing field strength on a path profile or area coverage study, or should I only select one or the other?

November 20, 2007

How can I use the Canadian National Transformation for NAD27-NAD83 coordinate system conversions?

November 9, 2007

I want to select the data types for use with TAP, but the selection form has changed. How do I use that data?

November 6, 2007

What is “finished” SRTM topographic data?

How do I perform intermodulation studies with HDSpectrum?

September 5, 2007

What are some specific applications for the use of your software?

August 31, 2007

How can I make TAP display coordinates as degrees and decimal minutes, or other coordinate format?

August 21, 2007

How can I use the results from a TAP coverage study as a DBF file in other software?

How do I create an Excel spreadsheet to use for importing intermod frequency information into HDSpectrum?

July 19, 2007

Why doesn’t the antenna pattern I imported from a manufacturer's file look like the published pattern?

July 18, 2007

How can I use Land Use data to set the Okumura Area values in a propagation study?

July 3, 2007

Why is my talkback coverage greater than my talkout coverage in some situations?

July 2, 2007

What is the information that is displayed in the “Mouse Location on Path” window when I move the mouse over a profile in HDPath?

June 19, 2007

How can I use TAP to view measured field strength data?

June 12, 2007

How can I add customized shapefile information for police precincts, fire districts, roads, and town locations to my TAP coverage plots?

June 4, 2007

How can I be sure my coverage setup for a study includes all of the parameters needed later for the Talk-back study?

May 31, 2007

How can I quickly find the elevation of several locations?

How can I compute the distance and bearing between to sites?
How can I compute the coordinates at a given distance and bearing from my site?

May 29, 2007

How can I import my Excel spreadsheet of frequency information for an intermodulation study in HDSpectrum.

May 15, 2007

How can I import the gain values from an antenna pattern in an Excel spreadsheet or ASCII file into a TAP antenna library?

Can I use USGS DEM or Canadian CDED data files with TAP?

May 8, 2007

How can I open a previously created file in HDMapper?

May 7, 2007

How can I improve the appearance of my printed path profiles?

How can I show multiple Fresnel zones on a path profile?

How can I determine areas of Line-of-Sight for different antenna elevations, such as aircraft at different flight levels?

April 21, 2007

I am having a problem adding new records to my Fixed Facility database. What should I do?

How can I draw a path profile showing a line of sight with a fixed antenna elevation angle?

How can I compute an area shadow study showing the clear paths with a fixed antenna elevation angle?

What user permissions and file attributes are necessary to use TAP?

April 18, 2007

How can I remove a layer from a map?

How can I add all the shapefiles in a folder at once to HDMapper?

April 4, 2007

Can I show the results from TAP in Google Earth?

March 27, 2007

How can I compute microwave link fade margins for digital systems?

March 13, 2007

How do I use TAP for digital system design compared with my analog design process?

March 9, 2007

Will the Terrain Analysis Package (TAP)™ software run on the Vista™ operating system?

February 13, 2007

Why do I get different values when I compute the field strength for a path with different propagation models?

What value should I use for the Topo Data Step with the Bullington model?

February 6, 2007

Is there an easy way to set a range of levels for a layer in HDMapper?

February 3, 2007

How can I show elevation information in HDMapper?

February 2, 2007

How can I create a file of topographic elevation values in TAP6?

January 31, 2007

What file formats can I import into TAP6 Surface Feature files?

How can I import external data on building and other obstacles for use in a TAP coverage study or path profile plot?

January 29, 2007

How do I compute the shadowing around my site with TAP?

How do I use an antenna I need that is not in the TAP library?

January 25, 2007

How do I show the results of multiple coverage studies in HDMapper? (REVISED)

January 24, 2007

How can I edit elevations using more accurate map values in HDPath?

January 23, 2007

How can I compute parabolic gain for a microwave Fixed Facility record in TAP6?

January 20, 2007

How can I add a file to the map in HDCoverage?

I need to look at a path from my site on an azimuth of interest but I don’t have coordinates for the receiver end-point. How can I do this in HDPath?

How can I find a record quickly in myTAP6 Fixed Facility or Mobile Facility database?

October 11, 2006

How can I show elevation values on my map in HDMapper?

September 19, 2006

How can I send my configuration files to SoftWright support if I need help?

September 12, 2006

How can I import an Excel spreadsheet into the Fixed Facility database?

September 1, 2006

I am having trouble loading the software because of an error message that is displayed when I try to run it. How can I get past this?

In TAP6, how can I show Composite coverages from multiple sites over an area, including regions where the coverages overlap?

August 30, 2006

How do I enter the data for my base station or repeater?

August 10, 2006

How can I use a Composite Study map to show areas where the problem is low signal level from all the server sites?

August 9, 2006

What is the quickest way for me to determine if I have line of sight over a potential path?

May 5, 2006

How can I select which Fixed Facility sections I want displayed?

May 3, 2006

I want to move my TAP system from an old machine to a newer computer. What files do I need to copy? (updated)

May 2, 2006

What does it mean when I see “Disconnected from database” in the Fixed Facility interface?

May 1, 2006

How can I get a list of map objects that are included in my coverage area?

April 14, 2006

How do I include electrical or mechanical downtilt with an antenna in TAP6?

What is the “Antenna Orientation” in the Fixed Facility database? Is it the Azimuth for the antenna’s major lobe?

April 5, 2006

How can I show the area I want to compute coverage for in HDCoverage™?

How can I draw a path preview in HDCoverage™ that starts right at the Fixed Facility coordinates?

March 22, 2006

How do I use the Mobile Facility database in TAP6?

February 20, 2006

How can I draw my coverage study from HDMapper in 3DDisplay?

February 17, 2006

How do I compute the coverage just in my county with TAP6?

The legend shown on my coverage plot shows the field strength levels in dBu. How can I show the values in dBm?

How can I delete TAP6 coverage studies I no longer need?

How can I compute the field strength at the receive facility in HDPath?

How can I find what percentage of locations in my tile study meet a certain requirement?

February 16, 2006

How can I delete TAP6 coverage studies I no longer need?

February 8, 2006

How can I find the parameters used for an area coverage study computed with TAP6?

February 7, 2006

How do I configure the layers I want shown in the HDCoverage map?

How does the new interface for the Fixed Facility Database work?

Where can I get Land Use data for the TAP Land Use Module? (Updated FAQ)

January 11, 2006

How can I plot the sites in my Fixed Facility data base in HDMapper?

November 28, 2005

How can I set the layers I want as default settings in HDMapper?

November 25, 2005

How can I use records from my TAP5 Location Database with TAP6?

November 17, 2005

What new features are available in TAP6?

What can I do with TAP6 that I cannot do with earlier versions?

November 12, 2005

How can I create a DXF file with HDMapper?

October 25, 2005

Since the SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) data was collected with radar imagery, do these values include building heights?

How do I use the new interfaces in TAP6 for paths and coverage studies?

October 4, 2005

How do I use HDPath to compute a microwave link budget?

How do I use HDPath to compute a link budget for my VHF or UHF path?

September 15, 2005

How do I use the Bullington “Figure 12” setting?

How does the “Obstacle Peak” function work for selecting terrain obstructions in the Bullington model?

August 29, 2005

How can I draw path profiles from several base stations to hundreds of remote sites with TAP™ when I have all the sites in my Fixed Facility Database?

August 17, 2005

How can I send the information for a coverage study to SoftWright support for help?

August 16, 2005

How can I find the elevation of points in HDMapper?

August 11, 2005

How can I make my Composite studies run faster?

July 27, 2005

How can I do a population count of a coverage area, but exclude the population in one area, such as a county?

June 28, 2005

Where can I find the meaning of error numbers or other symptoms of TAP?

May 31, 2005

I ran an intermod study and it generates all possible results of my 85 receivers and 80 transmitters. How do create an intermod study that produces a study that will generate results that are more helpful?

May 19, 2005

How can I improve the speed of coverage studies run with TAP?

May 12, 2005

How can I determine the antenna elevations needed for line-of-sight using HDPath?

How do I use HDPath to compute possible reflection points along a path?

May 4, 2005

When I create a bitmap from HDMapper, how do I find the latitude and longitude extents of the image?

May 3, 2005

How do I set up a coverage study in TAP using HDCoverage?

March 30, 2005

How do I show the results of multiple coverage studies on HDMapper?

March 19, 2005

How can I use the TAP5 Print Preview and Page Layout functions?

March 10, 2005

How do I use the HDPath function for drawing path profiles?

How do the Longley-Rice Variability values affect the field strength predictions?

March 9, 2005

How can I draw a profile of a path between two points on an HDMapper map?

February 23, 2005

How can I locate my TAP 5 mapping files on a different hard drive where I have more available disk space?

February 16, 2005

When I run a coverage study with TAP, the results don’t look like what I expect. What should I do?

December 20, 2004

How can I create a sample task in my AutoCoverage input file?

How can I add tic marks to show latitude and longitude marks on my HDMapper drawing?

December 13, 2004

What files should I use for my HDMapper™ population counts?

November 23, 2004

How can I use TAP to count population in coverage studies for Talkback Coverage studies?

How can I use TAP to count population in coverage studies for Aggregate Coverage studies?

How can I use TAP to count population in coverage studies for Tile studies?

How can I use TAP to count population in coverage studies for Contour studies?

REVISED How can I set the layers I want as default settings in HDMapper?

Every time I try to draw a profile I get the error message “Unrecognized Units”. How can I correct this?

Every time I try to draw a profile I get the error message “Error 13 – Type Mismatch”. How can I correct this?

October 20, 2004

Can I run TAP coverage studies from an Excel spreadsheet or comma-delimited file?

What are the fields (columns) used in the AutoCoverage function?

How can I run a sample study using AutoCoverage?

When I computed my field strength study I included body and building losses for the mobile receiver. How do I include these losses in the Talk-Back study?

What information do I need for using TAP to design a microwave path link?

What information do I need for using TAP to design a VHF or UHF path link?

September 13, 2004

What information do I need for using TAP to design a mobile coverage system?

August 16, 2004

How do I mark locations in HDMapper?

How do I change the color or size of a symbol I have added in HDMapper?

How can I calculate the distance between points on an HDMapper drawing?

Can I draw a map scale in HDMapper?

How do I adjust the size of the legend when I print a map in HDMapper?

August 10, 2004

How do I compute the shadowing around my site with TAP?

I need to move my Fixed Facility database from my machine to machine being used by another TAP licensee. What files do I need to move?

May 19, 2004

How can I use HDMapper™ to draw TAP coverage studies with ShapeFiles?

April 16, 2004

When I try to run the 3DDisplay module in TAP I get the message that DirectX must be installed. But I already have DirectX installed? What do I need to do?

April 9, 2004

Where can I get updated antenna library files for use with TAP?

March 17, 2004

What is the difference between CDMA and TDMA?

February 9, 2004

How can I limit the number of records displayed in the Fixed Facility Database editor or lookup?

January 6, 2004

Is the RX Threshold Value of uV equal to uV/m?

December 30, 2003

I want to install TAP in a folder on my D: drive, but the setup program shows a default folder of C:\SWTAP. How do I change that?

What in the "Launch Delay" in the Aggregate Coverage Simulcast Delay Spread calculation?

October 28, 2003

How is the location of a contour computed along a radial?

October 22, 2003

How do I use the 3D Display module in TAP?

What are .NET and DirectX and why do I need them?

What is a Template in the TAP 3Ddisplay module?

How can I save a basic drawing settings I want to use several times in the TAP 3DDisplay module?

How do I use the Lighting functions in the TAP 3Ddisplay module?

How can I use boundary files from TAP on a 3D image?

How do I overlay an image file of a map on a 3D image?

October 13, 2003

How do I use the 3D Display module in TAP?

October 8, 2003

Why are the elevation values from TAP different from the elevations on my map?

October 1, 2003

What is SRTM data?

September 29, 2003

How do the variability settings affect the Longley-Rice field strength calculations?

What settings should I use for Longley-Rice soil conductivity and permittivity values?

September 20, 2003

When I indexed my topographic data many of the files are for areas I seldom use. Can I remove these from my index?

August 4, 2003

How can I run the same field strength study again if I only want to change one or two parameters?

July 11, 2003

How can I transfer a fixed facility record from my TAP system to another TAP system on a different machine?

What kind of topographic elevation data files can be used with TAP?

July 7, 2003

How do I import ShapeFiles created for a TAP field strength study into Maptitude mapping software?

June 30, 2003

How can I import FCC data into my TAPÔ Fixed Facility database?

How can I import FCC data into TAPÔ for use in an intermodulation study?

How can I import FCC data into TAPÔ for use with AutoPath?

June 23, 2003

When I calculate rain attenuation in the microwave link budget program, the attenuation lookup returns different values for a given rain distance and rate. Which one should I use?

When I changed Operating Systems from Windows NT to XP, I copied all the files in my SWTAP folder to a network drive, then after installing the new OS, copied them back. Now I get several errors about "dependencies" and files "not properly registered", "automation not supported", etc. How do I fix this?

May 10, 2003

How do I use my new 1-second data with TAP?

May 1, 2003

I downloaded the current maintenance release from your web site to update my TAP software, but during the installation I got a warning about "No version information available." What is the problem?

April 28, 2003

How can I import external data on building and other obstacles for use in a TAP coverage study or path profile plot?

April 8, 2003

I have done a coverage study over an area of interest, but how can I find the computed field strength at a specific location?

March 17, 2003

How are the National Elevation Dataset (NED) files from the USGS available from SoftWright?

How do I add new SoftWright data files to my TAPÔ system?

February 11, 2003