An ionosonde is basically a ground-based HF band (High Frequency, shortwave range) radar that sounds upwards to the earths ionosphere providing information of the different electron layers. This knowledge is essential to understand HF propagation, NVIS for the vertical sounding and oblique propagation for the lower takeoff sounding. As the ionosphere free electron distribution varies, a Finland-sized area can be very efficiently covered by about five vertical sound ionosondes. Legacy ionosondes use frequency sweeping chirp signals for probing, but modern instrument such as the RF-shamaanit Oy RFsIONO1 has unique physical properties allowing disruptive technologies. Ionosounding is an inherent part of long term science and research, but also plays a key role in supporting short and long haul HF communications by providing reliable real situation propagation information for the give HF radio path.
The RFsIONO1 Ionosonde
Traditionally, ionosonde transmit antennas are very large, demanding substantial real estate and permanent installations, whereas the RFsIONO1 is relocatable requiring no fixed infrastructure: the transmit and receive antennas are only 1 m3 (cubic meter) in volume and support all polarizations. Furthermore, the inherently wide-band design has an instantaneous bandwidth that covers the entire frequency range of interest (currently 1,5 – 16 MHz – for Finnish latitudes), enabling measurement signals that can maximally utilize the complete band of interest continuously. This obviously also entails extreme robustness, low probability of interception and support of simultaneous data transfer. The extremely fast response rate can provide real-time support of HF radio link characteristics allowing true, cognitive, fade free radio operation.
This instrument is fully independent and provides both quick-look data and raw data downloadable over fiber optical LAN. Both the transmitter and receiver modules are based on software-defined radio and FPGA technologies, allowing customization and further development of the modulated transmission signal.
What is an ionosonde?
An ionosonde is basically a ground-based HF band (High Frequency, shortwave range) radar that sounds upwards to the earths ionosphere providing information of the different electron layers. This knowledge is essential to understand HF propagation, NVIS for the vertical sounding and oblique propagation for the lower takeoff sounding. As the ionosphere free electron distribution varies, a Finland-sized area can be very efficiently covered by about five vertical sound ionosondes. Legacy ionosondes use frequency sweeping chirp signals for probing, but modern instrument such as the RF-shamaanit Oy RFsIONO1 has unique physical properties allowing disruptive technologies. Ionosounding is an inherent part of long term science and research, but also plays a key role in supporting short and long haul HF communications by providing reliable real situation propagation information for the give HF radio path.
The RFsIONO1 Ionosonde
Traditionally, ionosonde transmit antennas are very large, demanding substantial real estate and permanent installations, whereas the RFsIONO1 is relocatable requiring no fixed infrastructure: the transmit and receive antennas are only 1 m3 (cubic meter) in volume and support all polarizations. Furthermore, the inherently wide-band design has an instantaneous bandwidth that covers the entire frequency range of interest (currently 1,5 – 16 MHz – for Finnish latitudes), enabling measurement signals that can maximally utilize the complete band of interest continuously. This obviously also entails extreme robustness, low probability of interception and support of simultaneous data transfer. The extremely fast response rate can provide real-time support of HF radio link characteristics allowing true, cognitive, fade free radio operation.
This instrument is fully independent and provides both quick-look data and raw data downloadable over fiber optical LAN. Both the transmitter and receiver modules are based on software-defined radio and FPGA technologies, allowing customization and further development of the modulated transmission signal.
Features
Datasheet / more info
Contact us for more detailed info and demo data!
Instrument photos
Example ionograms