Optical Fiber Transmission System Demonstration Over 32 km with Repeaters Data Rate Transparent Up to 2.3 Mbits/s

An initial optical fiber transmission system under development for Army long haul tactical communications is described and evaluated. The system interfaces with the 2.304 Mbit/s data input and output of an Army inventory multiplexer and its orderwire. The system includes transmitter and receiver end terminals, three data rate transparent repeaters, 8 km of graded index optical fiber, plus three optical attenuators and various optical connectors for simulating transmission up to 32 km. Long repeater spacing is achieved using low loss fiber, semiconductor lasers stabilized using optical feedback, and avalanche photodiodes. The system met all of the specified requirements and shows that optical fiber transmission systems have excellent prospects of meeting full military specifications. The versatility of data rate transparent repeaters is achievable even for transmission up to the 64 km distance desired for Army long haul tactical communications.