TOYON RESEARCH CORPORATION — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N213-142

Description

In the great power struggle reliance on SATCOM is now considered fragile and alternative, persistent long range communications are needed.  High Frequency (HF) communications, used extensively in World War II in the pacific theater, are seen once again as a robust alternative to SATCOM reliance.  This topic seeks to apply the considerable advances in ionospheric modeling, sounding, and prediction to optimize communications in the HF bands.  The technical challenges include how to maintain channel synchronization across a mobile and globally distributed network of nodes. The various nodes are expected to be asymmetrical with respect to radio, power, and antenna configurations.  Further the ionosphere is ever shifting with diurnal and solar cycles. Toyon proposes a solution that draws on decentralized autonomous control work to develop an application that support both based nodes and dis-advantaged end-point users.  The application will link with VOACAP as a common reference model, while simultaneously researching methods to augment the models with real-time ionosonde sounding and direct point-to-point measurements. Toyon will focus phase I on developing a concept of operations, an initial application prototype, and conducting a simple feasibility experiment.  In parallel, Toyon will work with the program office to shape a Phase II program.