A blind joint channel and data estimation algorithm for DS-SS ionospheric radiolink

INTRODUCTION

Data communication from Antarctica is mainly achieved via satellite. However, since communication with geostationary satellites is not always possible from the poles, skywave ionospheric radiocommunications have become a good and inexpensive alternative. The Research Group in Electromagnetism and Communications from ETSEEI La Salle is working on the design of a robust unidirectional system for very long distance HF communications through the ionosphere. This type of communication systems are useful to obtain the data measurements from distant sensors in the Antarctica. Current work has been mainly based on measuring the significant parameters of the link between the Antarctica and Spain. In that sense a sounding system, named SANDICOM (Sounding System for Antarctic Digital Communications), has been designed [1]. In this paper the subsystem for preliminary data communications is presented. The data subsystem uses SANDICOM and represents the first step towards the implementation of the radiomodem.