Measurements of the HF Radio Noise Environment in Arctic Canada

Abstract

Measurements of the HF radio noise environment were made at Alert and Inuvik in the Canadian Arctic in 1977. The measurements were taken in the 8:0012:00 hour and 20:00-24:00 hour local standard time periods. The Alert measurements were taken in June, a period of total daylight. The Inuvik measurements were taken in October when the 20:00-24:00 hour data period occurred after sunset. The results of the night measurements at both sites compared favourably with the CCIR predictions and the day results showed that the Quiet Receiving Site Line, used in the South, was an accurate prediction at Inuvik but it predicted levels too high at the quiet location at Alert. The measurements taken in the town of Inuvik showed higher levels of man-made noise that were comparable to a "rural location" as defined in CCIR Report 258. Measurements at these high latitude sites revealed limitations in the sensitivity of the measuring equip­ ment . where 10 log f