Officials at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), are investigating new technology to improve U.S. Army radio communications in severe multipath distortion. Torrey Science Corp. in San Diego, Calif., had the technology they were looking for.
The contract, which DARPA issued through the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) at Fort Monmouth, N.J., calls for a new Enhanced Multipath Beyond Line-of-Sight (E-MUBL) digital radio, capable of communicating at distances as far as 400 miles using land- aircraft-, or satellite-based repeaters. The frequency-hopping radio will operate in severe interference - especially in cities, mountains, and forests where radio signals ricochet wildly off obstacles to make reception difficult.
The new radios will use Torrey Science`s advanced frequency hopping and satellite-communications capability potentially to enhance existing satellite communications systems.
Data rates as fast as 28.8 kilobits per second are available, and the E-MUBL system includes a global positioning system receiver. Thomas Seay, president of Torrey Science, says he expects it to find commercial uses in law enforcement, search and rescue, and commercial two-way radio. - J.M.
For more information on Torrey Science Corp., contact Michelle Mueller by phone at 619-552-1052, by mail at Torrey Science Corp., 3550 general Atomics Blvd., Bldg #4, San Diego, Calif., 92121, by e-mail at [email protected], or on the World Wide Web at http://www.torreyscience.com.
