RU-2861598-C1 - ARCTIC MARINE IONOSPHERIC TRANSMITTING STATION FOR HF RANGE

Abstract

FIELD: radio engineering. SUBSTANCE: invention relates to active phased array antennas, and can be used as an antenna system for multifunctional ionospheric transmitting stations for vertical impact in the HF range, located in the Arctic regions. The essence: an Arctic marine ionospheric transmitting station for the HF range of vertical impact comprises a transmitter, an antenna, an automatic control unit and a power supply, wherein the transmitting station is located in a below-deck compartment on an Arctic marine vessel having a nuclear power plant, enabling energy-intensive operating modes for the created radio channels, with the possibility of radiation by the antenna in the zenith direction through a hatch made in the vessel's deck, wherein the transmitter includes a frequency synthesiser, pre-amplification stages, a modulator, a power amplification unit configured to operate on valve amplifier stages, and a matching device, the automatic control unit is configured to be integrated into the vessel's information system, the power supply is configured to be connected to the vessel's power plant, and the operability of the transmitting station is ensured by using the vessel's onboard cooling, ventilation and power supply systems. EFFECT: implementation of an Arctic marine ionospheric transmitting station for the HF range, combining the possibility of effective impact on the ionosphere at any point of the NSR along its entire length with the necessary and sufficient power supply resources at minimal economic and operational costs. 1 cl, 2 dwg

Inventors

• Ruzhnikov Vadim Aleksandrovich
• Spodobaev Mikhail Iurevich
• Spodobaev Iurii Mikhailovich

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20250610

Claims (1)

1. An Arctic marine ionospheric transmitting position of the HF range with vertical action, containing a transmitter, an antenna, an automatic control unit and a power source, characterized in that the transmitting position is located in a below-deck compartment on a sea-going Arctic vessel having a nuclear power plant that allows for energy-intensive operating modes on the created radio channels, with the ability to radiate by the antenna in the zenith direction through a hatch made in the deck of the vessel, wherein the transmitter includes a frequency synthesizer, pre-amplification stages, a modulator, a power amplification unit made with the ability to operate on vacuum tube amplification stages, and a matching device, the automatic control unit is made with the ability to be integrated into the information system of the vessel, the power source is made with the ability to be connected to the ship's power plant, and the operability of the transmitting position is ensured by the use of the ship's on-board cooling, ventilation and power supply systems.

Description

The invention relates to radio engineering, in particular to active antenna arrays, and can be used as an antenna system for multifunctional ionospheric transmitting positions with vertical influence in the HF range, located in the Arctic regions. The following ground-based vertical heating facilities are known: HAARP (High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program), USA, Alaska; HIPAS (High Power Auroral Stimulation), USA, Alaska; EISCAT (European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association), Norway, Tromsø Island; SPEAR (Space Plasma Exploration by Active Radar), Norway, Longyearbyen Island. They are located in the polar regions. The set of fundamental principles of the construction of these facilities is laid down in the US patents: US 4686605, US 4712155, US 5038664, US 4817495. The facilities are capital structures, rigidly tied to their geographic coordinates, they are provided with a developed infrastructure and a powerful power supply. The active antennas of these facilities are made in the form of horizontal equidistant arrays of wire vibrator antennas of various modifications. All of them operate in the high-frequency range. The directional properties of such arrays are formed with the active participation of the underlying surface. The power emitted by active arrays is determined by the total power of the amplifiers connected to each array element. The spatial zones of influence on the ionosphere are clearly related to the geographic location of the heating facility and the ability to control its directional properties in the vertical plane of ±15°. The wide range of geophysical and physical phenomena occurring in the ionosphere using heating rigs enables a variety of significant scientific, technical, and applied applications, the main ones of which are formulated in [1]. Given the telecommunications focus of the invention, it is more appropriate to refer to it not as a "heating rig," but rather as a "transmitting position" in the HF range, a term used in radar, which is involved in the creation of ionospheric radio channels. The urgent need for the use of HF ionospheric radio channels has arisen for Russia due to the pressing challenges of Arctic development, including the complex tasks of the Northern Sea Route (NSR). The uniqueness of the situation for Russia lies in the fact that, by a natural coincidence, the projection of the contour of the ionosphere's auroral zone, 67° ± 6° geomagnetic latitude wide, which is characterized by persistent, significant changes in its electrophysical properties, practically coincides with the contour of the NSR. This leads to unacceptable losses of HF communications with mobile objects (ships) and mainland communications equipment, as well as to serious disruptions to navigation support for objects in the Arctic zone [2]. This problem is partially solved by a system of stationary radiosondes located in the Arctic zone, which carry out operational probing of the ionosphere in order to predict its state and determine the maximum operating frequencies for the radio channels created. Maintenance of radiosondes, which are distributed across the Arctic's continental and island regions (approximately 7,000 km), is a labor-intensive and expensive undertaking. This does not address the causes of radio channel failures; it merely predicts and recommends operating frequencies. The Arctic antenna array for an ionospheric heating facility with vertical ionospheric effects on geographic scales (RU 2801980) is known in the art. It is based on primary autonomous universal active phased antenna arrays housed in lighters or containers. This technical solution has been adopted as a prototype for the invention. The disadvantages that are serious limitations in the deployment and operation of the prototype of the invention are as follows: – the need to manufacture, equip and configure each element of the lattice (lighter or container), deliver it to the base locations in Arctic conditions, connect it to the territory’s infrastructure and provide its operational maintenance; – a fundamental limitation of the functional capabilities and placement of grid elements in the Arctic by requirements for energy supply – the capacity of energy supply sources and their presence at the points of proposed basing; – organization of operational maintenance and creation of a special telemetry network for communication with each element of the array; – the complexity and duration of creating an effective system for full coverage of the Arctic zone by the segments of influence of the stands. The problem that the invention is aimed at solving is the implementation of an Arctic marine ionospheric transmitting position in the HF range, combining the ability to effectively influence the ionosphere at any point along the NSR along its entire length with the necessary and sufficient energy supply resources at minimal economic and operating costs. The essence of the invention lies in the structural and tec