Assessment of Radio Frequency Propagation in a Naval Shipboard Environment
Abstract
The Navy, in an effort to reduce costs and operate within future budgetary constraints, is planning to reduce the manning on combat ships. To support this reduction in manning, several wireless technologies are being considered, including wireless LANs and a wireless sensor system augmented by a computer-controlled log keeping system. The internal volume of a combat ship is a generally un-studied wireless environment. While a preliminary study demonstrated that radio energy can be radiated and received from compartment to compartment (room to room) within a ship, a detailed analysis of this environment has not been done. In this project, data was collected aboard decommissioned and active ships to characterize the wireless channel on combat ships and to attempt to determine the effect of bulkheads (walls) and hatches (doors) on the information path. Both narrowband and ultra- wideband techniques have been used to demonstrated and measure transmissions through the shipboard environment. Each bulkhead attenuated the test signal roughly 20dB. Computer modeling of the bulkhead supported the hypothesis that the radio energy is propagating through the non-conductive structures within the bulkhead - hatch seals, for example - rather than through the steel.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 07, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA392407
Entities
People
- Daniel R. Estes
Organizations
- United States Naval Academy