Assessments of Atmospheric Effects on VHF and UHF Communications
Abstract
Nonstandard gradients of pressure, temperatures and humidity in the troposphere create refractive conditions that affect electromagnetic waves by either increasing or decreasing VHF nad UHF communication ranges. The Naval Ocean Systems Center (NOSC) has developed the Integrated Refractive Effect Prediction System (IREPS) to assess refractive conditions for a point of interest and provide video display or printouts of how the refractive conditions will affect various EM transmissions. A research cruise was conducted from 1-8 November 1989 in the Eastern Pacific and included 31 rawinsonde launches. The data from rawinsondes was entered in IREPS PC Version 1.0 assess the refractive conditions. The IREPS-generated refractive assessments where then compared to the GTE Sylvania Report and the Pacific Missile Test Center's Interim Procedure for Forecasting Refractivity Conditions (IPFRC). The results indicated that the GTE Sylvania climatology was not an accurate tool for assessing refractive condition at sea mainly because the GTE data set consisted of shore-based rawinsonde data. The IPFRC, based solely on synoptic weather parameters, obtained at 60% sucess rate in predicting the likelihood of the presence of refractive conditions. Keywords: Theses.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA226661
Entities
People
- Gary W. Culbertson
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School