The instagram: A novel sounding technique for enhanced HF propagation advice

Modern OTHR systems make extensive use of propagation support information for parameter setup advice. A novel method for increasing dimensionality and temporal resolution of this advice is demonstrated here using an instantaneously wideband waveform on a one-way path. A composite of pseudo-randomly phased, discretized, massively multi-channel signals is synthesized through a simple summing scheme. Upon reception the composite is rapidly processed in the frequency domain to produce channel scattering information simultaneously across the band. The channels may be collapsed in the Doppler domain to reduce to conventional oblique ionograms. Total integration time required to produce the full Doppler ionograms, even with low transmit powers, is reduced over conventional methods by up to three orders of magnitude leading to the term ‘Instagram’. The technique is implemented on an oblique sounding system that provides the necessary direct digital arbitrary waveform generation and reception capability. A result from the initial field trial is provided.