Meteor Scatter Communication between Thule and Station Nord, Greenland

Meteor scatter as a mode of communication was first examined in Canada in the late 1940's and later in Europe in 1960. It was found to provide a good, but relatively low capacity digital communication channel. In comparison with high yield satellite links, meteor scatter was too complex for wid...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Ostergaard, Jens
Other Authors: LOWELL UNIV MA CENTER FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1990
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA234440
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA234440
Description
Summary:Meteor scatter as a mode of communication was first examined in Canada in the late 1940's and later in Europe in 1960. It was found to provide a good, but relatively low capacity digital communication channel. In comparison with high yield satellite links, meteor scatter was too complex for widespread utilization then. However, the advent of the microprocessor has removed the most costly obstacles of its economical use in areas where no regular communication systems exist. This report examines such meteor scatter paths between selected Greenland sites and Station Nord. A 1800 km link was found to provide virtually no throughput and discussion focuses on probable causes. In contrast, a 1150 km link traversing northern Greenland produced very high throughput. Extensive analyses are presented of propagation properties and potential communication capabilities. These are discussed extensively in light of several scenarios.