Near-Vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS) Technology Development

NVIS utilizes the effects of vertically directed RF signals and ionospheric characteristics to track transmitters over long distances (hundreds of miles) without the need for overhead communication relay platforms (airborne or spacecraft). Comtech AeroAstro has pioneered unique capabilities in low power HF signaling systems using NVIS links to address sensitive and difficult RF transmission environment requirements for multiple government customers. A specific application of this technology, developed in partnership with its AFOSR Phase I STTR partner Virginia Tech, is development of a laboratory prototype system capability to perform multiple, synchronized, multi-tone oblique ionosphere soundings using a regularized array of low cost, low power HF transmitters and data post-processing. The data may be used to study spatial and temporal electron density structure and dynamics with fine resolution.