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Flat Earth Community / Re: Satellites.... Troposcatter Technology?
« on: September 14, 2016, 08:48:02 AM »
Did you notice the size difference between Thork's picture and yours?
Did you research the advancement of the technology and time line?
As technology and techniques improved/improves the size of the receiving dishes decreased/will decrease and data rates have/will increase.
Looking closer you should realize the antennas currently used for troposcatter are much larger so they can receive the signal than the antennas used for satellite TV. They used to need to be
Militaries are interested in troposcatter because of the narrow transmission beam. It allows for more security because the signal can be directed and have a very narrow range where it can be intercepted. Compare that to satellite transmissions which can be received over a very large area.
That would be a pretty dumb military application if any military operation which uses it has to be located in line with where the transmitter is pointing. How does that work? A lot of those military broadcasting antennas don't even look like they turn. And then in a combat situation how does it work when there are multiple teams spread across a large battle field trying to communicate with toposcatter tech?
I think it more likely operates like a spotlight in the sky that anyone can see.
The following article seems to suggest that Troposcatter was introduced because the military didn't like having their current communication setup using microwave transmitters which required multiple transmitters and the field teams to be in a line with the antenna. It appears that they were able to replace multiple microwave transmitters with one Troposcatter transmitter. That sounds to me like it's broadcasting a spotlight in the sky that anyone can see and communicate with.
From http://www.comtechsystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Troposcatter-In-The-Modern-Military.pdf
Quote
In an attempt to free-up satellite bandwidth, ground forces increased the use of Line-Of-Sight
microwave equipment. While useful, the problem in many instances was that LOS required
multiple relays to maneuver around obstacles or to span distances greater than the limited range
of tactical LOS links. This in turn resulted in relays being installed in unsecured areas that
required force protection and had no supporting infrastructure, thus limiting the use of LOS as a
complete battlefield bandwidth solution.
As an alternative to LOS and satellite, the military deployed its aging fleet of AN/TRC-170
troposcatter systems to provide intra theater communications. These vehicle mounted systems
with trailer transported antennas were the main stays of tactical long haul communications from
the 1970s through the early 1990s. One of the largest deployed troposcatter networks was
established using the AN/TRC-170 during Operation Desert Storm, consisting of over 60 links.
The success of mobile troposcatter systems in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) substantiated the value of troposcatter communications on the
modern battlefield.
Quote from: woody
Do you notice the size difference? Do you notice the troposcatter antenna is actually two antennas since it increased the reliability?
As I pointed out we now live in a time where they reduced the sizes, increased data rate and reliability. This did not happen when satellite transmissions where first used to send signals to people's homes.
Satellite dishes on people's homes also used to be a lot bigger. It looks like as Troposcatter antennas shrunk so did the dishes on people's homes.
Quote from: woody
Antennas used for troposcatter still need to be larger than the ones used for satellite transmissions since the signal is still weaker and atmospheric conditions have a greater influence on them.
Home satellite dish connections are also subject to atmospheric conditions. What are you trying to tell us?