Ionospheric scintillations at SHF

Test were conducted on DSCS Phase II Satellite No. 9433 during quiet solar periods and during solar disturbances. In considering the transmission of signals between two or more communication terminals via satellite, ionospheric scintillations present a problem in pulsed systems where information is contained in a coded pulse train and the presence, or absence of a pulse, in a particular train may change the entire context of the message. Such a problem exists in a satellite communication system using digital schemes as a modulation method. No attempt is made here to evaluate the data for a particular application but rather to present information for use as may be required for the system involved. The lack of scintillation data at SHF led to this investigation.