Keynote address - Symposium on Communications by Scatter Techniques

The newly developed scatter technique appears to make possible extremely reliable communication circuits over distances of 100 to 1000 mi. These distances had previously been considered too short for good ionospheric propagation and too long for VHF or UHF transmissions. Thus, the facts brought forth in the investigation of scatter propagation have led to a modification of the theories and concepts held by many engineers and scientists. Accordingly, the author believes it is most appropriate that a symposium be devoted to a discussion of this new development, which has opened up many interesting possibilities, and which will undoubtedly have a great impact upon future communication circuits between fixed points. The papers to be presented at this symposilu will discuss both ionospheric and tropospheric scatter. It appears from the knowledge now available that ionospheric scatter will be useful in the band of frequencies ID approximately 25 Mc to 60 Mc and over distcnces.