SBIR-STTR Award

In support of the Hi-FIVE effort in wideband HF communications, optimized frequency selection, and improved parametric settings for signal control, NWRA will employ our extensive HF propagation software capabilities.Given an ionosphere estimate from our GPSII code, informed by current measurements (including WSPRnet and other amateur-radio databases), we can efficiently characterize the propagation channel for frequency support and can determine sub-bands capable of wideband operation.Coupled with HiCIRF calculations of channel coherence parameters (e.g., signal decorrelation time and coherence bandwidth), we are able to fully characterize the real-time HF propagation environment.We propose to address the following four challenges for the Hi-FIVE program:1. Collection of communication-link quality data from amateur radio networks, in order to complement the ionospheric-sounder data that is commonly used to inform ionosphere models.2.Estimation of an ionospheric model that assimilates the reports communication-link quality, in addition to ionospheric sounder data.3.Use of the updated ionospheric model to generate metrics affecting link quality, wherein, the resultant metrics are designed to inform operators and to advance modern HF communication protocols.4. Visualization of link-quality metrics derived from the observation-informedionospheric model, to enable near-real-time visualization and assessment of conditions by radio operators.

In support of the Hi-FIVE effort in wideband HF communications, optimized frequency selection, and improved parametric settings for signal control, we will employ NWRA's extensive HF propagation software capabilities. Given an ionosphere estimate from our GPSII code, informed by current measurements (including WSPRnet and other link data), we can efficiently characterize the propagation channel for frequency support and potential wideband operation. Coupled with HiCIRF calculations of channel coherence parameters, we are able to characterize the real-time HF propagation environment affecting the establishment of new links. In particular, this will enable prediction of ionospheric conditions for links that propagate over geographically isolated regions, where traditional ionospheric soundings are unavailable. We propose to address the following four challenges for the Hi-FIVE program: 1. Processing and collection of WSPRnet and HFDL link data, 2. Estimation of an ionospheric model that assimilates the reports of communication-link quality, using the GPSII ionospheric inversion routine, 3. Use of the updated ionospheric model to evaluate and characterize potential communications channels and HF spectral conditions, 4. Use of this HF communication channel characterization to aid the selection and initiation of communication links, in terms of choices about frequency selection, modulation, coding, and link-establishment protocol.