Exporting Wires

AN-SOF provides several ways to export your wire geometry and simulation settings for use in other software, ranging from legacy solvers to CAD tools and programming environments.

1. NEC Format (.nec)

Exporting to the Numerical Electromagnetics Code (NEC) format is ideal for benchmarking or using alternative solvers. To do this, navigate to File > Export Wires and select the .nec file type.

The software automatically translates your model into standard NEC “cards”:

• GW Lines: All linear wires are converted into geometry cards.
• Physics & Setup: The export includes cards for ground conditions (GN/GE), transmission lines (TL), loads and conductivity (LD), and insulation (IS).
• Simulation Parameters: Frequency (FR), excitation (EX), the “Exact Kernel” toggle (EK), and radiation pattern requests (RP) are also preserved.

2. CAD Exchange (DXF)

If you need to incorporate your antenna design into a mechanical drawing or a professional CAD environment (like AutoCAD or SolidWorks):

• Navigate to File > Export Wires and choose .dxf.
• Note: While the 3D paths and positions of the wires are maintained, the specific cross-section attributes (like the equivalent radius or shape) are lost in this format, as DXF treats the segments as basic lines.

3. Programming Scripts (.m / .sce)

For users who prefer automation and parametric modeling, you can export your project as a script for MATLAB/Octave (.m) or Scilab (.sce).

• Parametric Control: The exported file contains code that defines the wire lengths, positions, and frequencies.
• Customization: You can modify variables within the script to create loops, allowing you to sweep geometry parameters or generate complex, repeatable project configurations automatically.