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Old October 17th 06, 04:07 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.antenna
Bob Bob Bob Bob is offline
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First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 32
Default NEC and computer speed

I'll admit to not being an expert on this... However here are some
points to ponder.

- The NEC2 etc executable more or less runs in a DOS window. I would
guess that it runs primarily in realmode and swaps its data array in and
out of high memory. Kind of like the EMM of old. Does this mean it is
only a 16 bit app and therefore a waste on a 32 bit processor? This is a
similar logic one applies when using a RISC workstation for CAD work.

- I had thought that to a degree software has to be aware of the dual
processor/core capability before it can use it. I would think that a
"dos box" probably isn't aware of same. This would explain 50% use.

- If you are doing a lot of modeling it may be worthwhile setting up a
networked pair of PC's. One that has the user interface and the other
doing the calcs. With some modification to the bat/cmd file that calls
the NEC exe you could hand the task off to the other machine quite
easily. Setting up a queuing function will be the way to go. This would
then also free you up to use a purpose built processing engine, possibly
even use Linux or even a later DOS version.

Am prepared to be shot down on any of this!

Cheers Bob

Arie wrote:

FILL= 15.922 SEC., FACTOR= 19.156 SEC., RUN TIME = 35.406

Pentium 4, 2.8Ghz, 1 Gb (W2000, cpu running at only 50% during calc's,
Dell optiplex GX620)

It seems to be some kind of dual core processor system, because on
windows task manager
I see two cpu usage history graphs. So 2.4 Ghz single core seems to be
faster than 2.8 Ghz double core...

Arie.