DESIGN AND TESTING OF AN AUTOMATED RECEIVING SYSTEM FOR THE IONOSPHERIC SOUNDING IN HF RADIOFREQUENCY RANGE.

The paper presents a system designed for automatic measurement of signal level in ionospheric channels based on a spectrum analyzer controlled by a software application developed for fast and flexible sounding. It enables choosing of desired frequencies, bandwidths, times and duration of monitoring and customized recordings. The measured values of two ionospheric channels were compared against the ones provided by the prediction of the commercial application Voice of America Coverage Analysis Program (VOACAP). Sounding recordings proved that automatic measurement is able not only to assess realistic received power versus time continuously but also to distinguish fading periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]