Propagation aspects of ionospheric links over short and medium distances

Those aspects of ionospheric propagation that are pertinent to understanding, assessing, and predicting the performance of ionospheric-dependent radio links under tactical scenarios are described. Emphasis is given to those aspects of ionospheric propagation that compete for control of overall circuit performance: path geometry, signal loss, ionospheric structure and its variation with location and time, ionospheric parameters, and their relationship to circuit performance. The problems associated with predicting the performance of ionospheric links for long term planning purposes as well as for satisfying short term operational requirements are discussed.