Advanced link quality analysis for ALE HF radio

The authors describe an approach for measuring the performance of high frequency (HF) links that is currently being evaluated for inclusion in MIL-STD-187-721, the planning standard that provides input for MIL-STD-188-141A. Several proposed advanced link quality analysis (ALQA) techniques for both digital and voice HF links are presented, including both channel quality measures (CQMs) and link performance measures (LPMs). CQMs provide the ALQA process with the HF link performance measurements needed to select operating frequencies or logical channels. These data are generated upon reception of a valid automatic link establishment (ALE) signal and may differ in opposite link directions due to propagation nonreciprocity and differing noise and interference environment. LPMs provide a combined link quality/traffic load measure for HF network node controllers to select optimum message routes.<<ETX>>