Telesonar Testbed Instrument Provides a Flexible Platform for Acoustic Propagation and Communication Research in the 8 – 50 kHz Band

Abstract

Abstract. The underwater channel remains a difficult medium for transmitting communication signals. Frequent field tests are required for validating models, testing new waveforms and coding schemes, developing link protocols, designing an adaptive multi-mode modem, testing third-party prototype modems, testing a new directional transducer, and developing new DSPefficient algorithms. A modular, flexible, autonomous instrument was designed to easily and inexpensively conduct such field tests. This instrument, called the Telesonar Testbed, was originally designed five years ago to specifically support the Telesonar Program at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego. It has since taken on a wider role supporting the High-Frequency Initiative, the SignalEx project, and a new project testing Multiple Input/Multiple Output (MIMO) systems. Over the last five years several major design changes have been made, making it smaller, lighter weight, more reliable, and acoustically commandable. This paper will describe the design and features of this instrument which has been the centerpiece of 10 experiments to date. This paper will also apply six carrier estimation and six symbol timing estimators to data received by the Telesonar Testbeds in the KauaiEx and ElbaEx Experiments.

Effects of ocean thermocline variability on noncoherent underwater acoustic communications

“…The Telesonar Testbed is a versatile, wideband, acoustic communication research instrument that has been the centerpiece of many acoustic communication experiments. 8 The moored Testbed used a subsurface float to maintain the position of the sound projector. Receptions were recorded on multiple arrays but here the data are analyzed from the MPL-VLA2 ͑Marine Physical Laboratory͒ receiver array located 3 km from the source.…”

Propagation Physics Effects on Coherent Underwater Acoustic Communications: Results from KauaiEx 2003

“…Data snippets were sent to the R/V Revelle via the RF modem to assess data quality and adjust array gains. A bottommounted transmitter operating at 183 dB re: 1 iPa @ Im generated the acoustic signals [9]. The receiving array location was fixed for the duration of the experiment, but the bottommounted transmitter was repositioned.…”

Modeling broadband ocean acoustic transmissions with time-varying sea surfaces

“…The sources were programmable, underwater acoustic modems developed at SPAWAR Systems Center ͑referred to as the Telesonar Testbeds, T1 and T2͒. 3 Signals were received on the AOB array, which is an autonomous system developed at the University of Algarve, Portugal. The AOB is a drifting eight-element self-recording array that resembles the size and weight of a standard sonobuoy.…”