Practical consideration for forward scatter applications

It is now possible to provide communications with high reliability factors in geographical areas which are resistant to the more conventional high-frequency radio. For the past two years, the US Air Force has been operating an ionospheric scatter system (FPIS) between Loring AFB, Maine, USA, and Thule AFB, Greenland. Relay stations in this system are located at Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada and Sondrestrom, Greenland. The US Air Force tropospheric scatter system (FPTS) has been in operation since May, 1955, along the Labrador coast in support of a chain of radar stations. Practical considerations in the application of either of these scatter systems include but are not limited to such factors as cost, reliability, channel capacity, geography, topography, path length, interference, manpower requirements (both as to skill and number) and logistics support. Although tropospheric and ionospheric scatter systems are linked in the similarity of nomenclature, the characteristics and practical considerations are quite different. Accordingly the FPIS and FPTS systems are discussed separately.