Comtech Systems Supports US Army
Next Generation Troposcatter Communications Evaluation

For three weeks in October a team from Comtech Systems participated in a trial and evaluation of the latest troposcatter communications equipment in Fort Bliss and White Sands Missile Range.

The event was set up as part of the US Army’s development and validation of requirements and specifications for next generation tropo systems.  This performance- based evaluation was sponsored by Project Manager, Command Posts (PM CP) in Fort Monmouth, supported by the Fort Gordon Battle Labs.  The overall objectives were to:

• Provide a capability demonstration to the warfighter
• Establish a TRL assessment of the systems maturity level
• Obtain soldier assessments of the equipment
• Develop roadmaps for product evolution
• Validate link predictions

The Comtech Systems team supported the evaluation of two systems submitted by the company to the Army:  a long range system consisting of the 3 meter auto pointing Transportable Fast Link Antenna (TFLA) and a 1.2 meter portable antenna system.  The Modular Transportable Tropo System (MTTS) was used with both antennas, and contained the CS67200 high speed high capacity modem, the CS4400 frequency converter, advanced computer control and monitoring and solid state amplifiers mounted in transit cases for easy and quick deployment.  This arrangement allowed the CSI equipment to operate in LOS, BLOS and tropo.

The results were convincing.  Links were closed at rates of 20 Mb/s using a single modem and 40 Mb/s using an extended data rate capability with excellent range and BER performance.  Being able to use the MTTS with either antenna was an excellent demonstration of the flexibility and overall capability of the Comtech Systems next generation concept.  A key feature of the CS6700 modem that proved operationally important was the automatic adaptive rate change capability that enables the links to operate at optimum data rates during all link conditions.

Comtech Systems was able to demonstrate a quick setup capability and high data rate long range capability with a modular lightweight transportable system.  These next generation Comtech products enable the Army to deploy troposcatter communications as a viable alternative to in-service beyond line of sight systems such as satellite that is limited by bandwidth and high cost.