SBIR-STTR Award

GMF proposes that skywave propagated HF signals can be discriminated from groundwave propagated signals received on a small beamline antenna by means of ionospherical effect imposed on the former. GMF believes that these effects which are often easily discernable aurally can be automatically detected, measured and used to support the required propagation mode decisions in real-time. This proposal contains a brief theoretical analysis concerning the origin of and graphic examples of some of these effects. Display formats are used which directly reveal the influence of these effects. Signal processing approaches and techniques are discussed which GMF believes should be quite suitable for this application. In addition a preliminary signal processing system concept is defined. This is done in order to examine potentially suitable implementation methods for a skywave discrimination system and for its possible integration with conjectured existing submarine deployed HF collection equipment.