Improved performance for integrated voice and data in a tactical packet radio network

A new programmable radio platform (PRP) has been designed by ITT, and two of its significant features are a new frequency hop modem and a general purpose processor. This article describes a joint project to design and simulate a new channel access protocol that is targeted for the capabilities of the modem. Our channel-access protocol exploits the improved modem design and a low bit rate voice codec to provide integrated voice and data communications in a military frequency-hop packet radio network. The protocols are implemented in OPNET, a computer aided design tool, and they will be ported to the general purpose processor in the PRP. We demonstrate that an open design for a radio system that uses general purpose processors allows new networking protocols to be quickly developed, tested, and implemented in actual hardware.