Meteor scatter burst communication system

摘要

The specification discloses a meteor burst communication system including at least two spaced apart master stations, in association with a plurality of groups of remote stations spaced at locations remote from the master stations, with each group being associated with one of the master stations. Each of the master stations incudes a radio transmitter for transmitting probing digital radio signals having address portions which are directed from the master station for reflection from meteor trails to the remote stations associated with the master station. Circuitry is provided to vary the length of the address portions transmitted by the master station in dependence upon desired signal-to- noise and timing considerations. Each of the remote stations includes a radio receiver for receiving the reflected probing digital radio signals from the master stations. Each of the remote stations also includes at least one sensor of physical characteristics such as snow depth, rain fall or the like. The remote stations further include a predetermined unique digital address sequence stored therein and include circuitry to compare the received address portions from the master station with the stored digital address sequence. The remote stations each include a transmitter for transmitting digital data representative of the output of the associated sensor to the master station via reflection from a meteor vapor trail, if the received address portion compares with the stored digital address sequence in accordance with predetermined criteria.