MARS-ALE READ_ME.TXT Release Notes - File Started: 01-01-05 AAR2EY File Updated: 07-23-06 AAR2EY/NJ MARS-ALE SDT Scope: MARS-ALE Legacy Edition (LE) & MARS-ALE Standard Edition (SE) Release: v1.02 BETA OVERVIEW - This file contains basic information for the installation of the MARS-ALE v1.02 Beta software. The difference between the MARS-ALE Standard Edition (SE) and Legacy Edition (LE) is that LE has been tailored to work better on systems running slower hardware and older versions of MS-Windows by coding of LE to use an 8Khz sound device sample clock and removal of the MIL-STD-188-110 modem. If you are running a PC system with less than an 550Mhz CPU than LE is the version that should be utilized. If you are running a system with an 866Mhz CPU or better than SE is the version that should be utilized. Between a 550-866Mhz CPU, depending on the type of CPO sound device, LE or SE may be the appropriate version, an exact CPU speed and combination of sound device sample clock ability has not yet been determined. For all systems that have enough CPU speed and RAM to run Windows 2000 Professional SP4, it is recommended that it be the operating system of choice. However, both LE and SE will work on Windows 98SE and WindowsMe system, its just that performance will be some what less. MARS-ALE LE and SE v1.02 BETA are not being released as stand alone installations at this time. For the best results, it is recommended that MARS-ALE SE v1.01 be installed as detailed below and a subdirectory be created for the beta software, whereas the contents of the SE v1.01 installed be copied into the BETA sub directory and all beta files are then copied into the same directory and shortcuts are then manually created for the executable and the docuementation. You must have the "Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0" or better software installed on your system to be able to review the DRAFT BETA user documentation. FORWARD - After reading this file and installing the software and your existing license.dat file into the same directory as the program executable, you should next read the MARS-ALE Quick Start Up Guide (.PDF), Radio Help Operator Guide (.PDF) Appendix A at a minimum in that order. There is also an updated doucmentation file on the use of the MixW RigExpert. The Quick Start Up Guide is also lauched from the software but the use of the menu selection Help > Help. INSTALLING THE MARS-ALE BETA SOFTWARE The process for installation of the BETA can be one of two methods detailed below, do NOT just drop the BETA version into your pre-existing MARS-ALE directory as the BETA release has a new ALE.DAT file structure, thus your pre-existing ALE.DAT file will be considered corrupt and will be over written if present by the BETA version when started. NOTE: For this beta manually delete the ALE.DAT file to preclude address an error associated with Radio 1 Alt PTT comm port being set to zero (0), just delete the ALE.DAT file and restarting the program will create a fresh version. The structures are different and the file is automatically overwritten but the existing file being present and read before being overwritten introduces this error. METHOD 1. NOTE: If you have NOT previously installed a earlier version of v1.02 Beta, then you MUST run the existing version of MARS-ALE v1.01 before installing the BETA version if you are going to use this method. If you have never installed MARS-ALE in the past or you prefer to automate the process, make a full installation of MARS-ALE SE v1.01 to a directory specific for use with this beta and then copy all of the files distributed with the beta to the same sub directory. Next, if you have previously installed MARS-ALE, run that version of the tool and check that you have the proper Army ALE channels configured with respect to the 1 December 2005 Net Plan ALE channel changes and use Fill > Dump to create a .QRG file with your GROUP/Channel information and Addresses. Then exit the program and start the BETA following the directions herein to include importing the .QRG file just created and making the needed changes to your configuration settings and exit the program normally to save the changes to the tools ALE.DAT database file. Otherwise using the provided MARS_SHARES.QRG supplied with the beta, make sure to edit all instances of the OWN example Address to read your primary ALE Address follow the directions herein to include importing the MARS_SHARES.QRG file making the needed changes to your configuration settings and exit the program normally to save the changes to the tools ALE.DAT database file. METHOD 2. The second option is to manually create a new subdirectory for the beta and copy over all of your existing files from your installed version of MARS-ALE. Then copy all of the files distributed with the beta to the same sub directory. Next, if you have previously installed MARS-ALE, run that version of the tool from its sub directory and check that you have the proper Army ALE channels configured with respect to the 1 December 2005 Net Plan ALE channel changes and use Fill > Dump to create a .QRG file with your GROUP/Channel information and Addresses. Then exit the program and start the BETA following the directions herein to include importing the .QRG file just created and making the needed changes to your configuration settings and exit the program normally to save the changes to the tools ALE.DAT database file. Otherwise using the provided MARS_SHARES.QRG supplied with the beta, make sure to edit all instances of the OWN example Address to read your primary ALE Address and follow the directions herein to include importing the MARS_SHARES.QRG file making the needed changes to your configuration settings and exit the program normally to save the changes to the tools ALE.DAT database file. HISTORY OF RELEASE AND BUILD REVISIONS - Date Released Tool Version Build 07-23-06 MARS-ALE SE Beta v1.02 B001A8g9 NOTE: Extended to 10-31-06 04-24-06 MARS-ALE SE Beta v1.02 B001A8g9 Expiration: 07-31-06 04-18-06 MARS-ALE LE Beta v1.02 B001A8g0E Expiration: 07-31-06 04-17-06 MARS-ALE SE Beta v1.02 B001A8g8 Expiration: 07-31-06 04-14-06 MARS-ALE SE Beta v1.02 B001A8g7 Expiration: 07-31-06 03-24-06 MARS-ALE SE Beta v1.02 B001A8g5 Expiration: 07-31-06 01-31-06 MARS-ALE LE Beta v1.02 B001A8g0 01-31-06 MARS-ALE SE Beta v1.02 B001A8g0 01-05-06 MARS-ALE LE Beta v1.02 B001A8f9 01-05-06 MARS-ALE SE Beta v1.02 B001A8f9