A Flexible, HF Sweep-Frequency Sounder with Submicrosecond Resolution

Abstract

A frequency-modulation, continuous-wave HF ionospheric sounder ('Chirp 1') was introduced in 1964. This equipment provided a considerable increase in system sensitivity over commonly used pulse sounders at a time-delay resolution of 10 microseconds. Experience with this equipment revealed a need for still greater time-delay resolution capability, plus easily selectable sweep frequency limits and rates, and an ability to sweep with either positive or negative slopes. In 1966, a second-generation equipment, 'Chirp 2', was developed. This report describes the differences between it and the 'Chirp 1' equipment. The salient characteristics of 'Chirp 2' are time-delay resolution of 1 microsecond or less, great flexibility in selection of sweep limits and sweep rates, and a choice of several sweep formats. The sweep phase discontinuities have been reduced to a level more than adequate for most ionospheric sounding work, but further reduction is needed in some applications.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 1968
Accession Number
AD0846568

Entities

People

  • J. M. Lomasney
  • L. L. Peden
  • R. B. Fenwick

Organizations

  • Stanford University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Bandwidth
  • Circuit Boards
  • Continuity
  • Continuous Waves
  • Difference Frequency
  • Discontinuities
  • Electronics
  • Electronics Laboratories
  • Frequency
  • Frequency Modulation
  • Frequency Synthesizers
  • Generators
  • Measurement
  • Modulation
  • Spectrum Analyzers
  • Sweep Generators
  • Waveforms

Readers

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics.
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.