Ham::Resources::Propagation - Get Solar and propagation data from web that's useful for Amateur Radio applications.
Version 0.04
use Ham::Propagation; my $propagation = new Ham::resources::Propagation; die $propagation->error_message if $propagation->is_error; # access to all data: Solar, HF, VHF and extended foreach (sort @{$propagation->all_item_names}) { print "$_ = ".$propagation->get($_)."\n"; } # Access data by category my $category = "vhf"; # categories may be solar, hf, vhf and extended foreach (sort keys %{$propagation->{$category}}) { print $_.": ".$propagation->{$category}->{$_}."\n"; } # Access to unique data item # for direct access to Solar data print "Update: ".$propagation->{solar_data}->{updated}."\n"; # or access to data using get method if you don't know the category of an item print "80-40m at night: ".$propagation->get('80-40m_night');
The Ham::Resources::Propagation module provides a simple and easy to use interface to obtain and explain data from N0NBH's solar resource website that's useful for Radio Amateur applications.
Ham::Resources::Propagation
This module provides not only the same values from the website but it makes a categorization based on a simplified scale.
Also, this module offers you an interpretation of some values, like solar or electron flux.
This module don't use a static data structure to create the data object, if not, when it creates the hash with the XML data using the names of the labels to create their own structure. This means that if the original XML is modified by a new value, the resulting object displays the new value without changing the internal structure of the module.
The original data structure has 3 groups of information: solar, HF and VHF propagation. But this module adds a new group (call extended) interpreting some values, like band openings, electron alert, radio blackouts and solar radiation, and his impact on HF.
This module is based on XML::Reader to obtain a hash from the original XML website resource. So you can call not only all data but a specific group of data or an specific item too.
For example:
$propagation->{solar_data}->{aindex}, returns the A-Index value from the Solar group $propagation->get(aindex), returns the A-Index value without need to add the group $propagation->get(vhf), returns all data that this group.
There are 4 groups to call: solar, hf, vhf and extended.
You can use the all_item_names method for obtain a list of all item names of data and to pass to get method, for example:
foreach (@{$propagation->all_item_names}) { print "$_ = ".$propagation->get($_)."\n"; }
It is highly recommended don't use 'sort' in this foreach.
Usage : my $propagation = Ham::Resources::Propagation->new(); Function : creates a new Ham::Propagation object Returns : a Ham::Propagation object Args : a hash: key required? value ------- --------- ----- timeout no an integer of seconds to wait for the timeout of the web site default = 10 description no an string 'numeric', return only numeric data, 'text' returns values with text index, Default value is 'text'
Usage : my $sunspots = $propagation->get( sunspots ); Function : gets a single item of solar data Returns : a Ham::Propagation object Args : a single item from the list of data items below
Usage : my $sunspots = $propagation->get_groups; Function : gets an array of existing groups of data Returns : an array reference Args : n/a
Usage : $propagation->all_item_names Function : get an array reference of all solar and propagation data items available from the object Returns : an array reference Args : n/a
Usage : $propagation->is_error() Function : test for an error if one was returned from the call to the resource site Returns : a string, the error message Args : n/a
Usage : $propagation->error_message() Function : if there was an error message when trying to call the resource site, this is it Returns : a string, the error message Args : n/a
The following items are available from the object. Use them with the get() method.
There are four groups of data items: Solar, Hf, VHF and Extended.
The current list of items for solar data are like as follows, but it will be increased (or decreased) depends from XML data source:
The category 'hf' show the state of propagation in decametric bands, separated by the day and night. Possible values are: Good, Fair and Poor.
Propagation condition at the day from 10 to 12 meters band.
Propagation condition at the night from 10 to 12 meters band.
Propagation condition at the day from 15 to 17 meters band.
Propagation condition at the night from 15 to 17 meters band.
Propagation condition at the day from 20 to 30 meters band.
Propagation condition at the night from 20 to 30 meters band.
Propagation condition at the day from 40 to 80 meters band.
Propagation condition at the night from 40 to 80 meters band.
The category 'vhf' show the state of some atmospheric phenomena which may be involved in the propagation on metric bands. Each item show open or closed band.
Possibility of use skips through ionospheric 'E' layer in Europe.
Possibility of use skips on 4 meters band through ionospheric 'E' layer in Europe.
Possibility of use skips on 6 meters band through ionospheric 'E' layer in Europe.
Possibility of use skips through ionospheric 'E' layer in North America.
How it affects the aurora in DX-type communications in the northern hemisphere.
The category "extended" shows a human explanation interpreting some of the solar data.
This item calculated a category index of the Solar X-Ray and his iteraction over HF transmisions.
This item calculated a category index of the severity of solar proton events and his impact on polar regions.
This item calculated a category index of band opening based on the Solar flux index.
This item warn you when the electron flux will be dangerous for propagation.
Add more data items or new sources for more information.
Improve more error checking.
Add option to add the unit of measurement from any values when description argument is 'text'.
This module gets its data from N0NBH's Propagation Resource Page at http://www.hamqsl.com.
Thanks to Paul L Herrman N0NBH!
Carlos Juan Diaz, EA3HMB <ea3hmb at gmail.com>
Ham::Resources::Propagation is Copyright (C) 2011-2012 Carlos Juan Diaz, EA3HMB.
This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the Artistic License 2.0. For details, see the full text of the license in the file LICENSE.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but it is provided "as is" and without any express or implied warranties. For details, see the full text of the license in the file LICENSE.
To install Ham::Resources::Propagation, copy and paste the appropriate command in to your terminal.
cpanm
cpanm Ham::Resources::Propagation
CPAN shell
perl -MCPAN -e shell install Ham::Resources::Propagation
For more information on module installation, please visit the detailed CPAN module installation guide.