World Solar Challenge, Barrett HF Radio antenna solutions for 100 to 1,500 km.

In supporting the Punch Powertrain Solar Team in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, Barrett Communications are demonstrating the benefits HF (High Frequency) radio communications can offer in remote communications. Typically HF is seen as only long distance communications but as will be demonstrated during the challenge, HF can offer many other benefits.
The Punch Powertrain Solar Team have called on Barrett to assist them with communications between “Brains” and “Eagle” which is a distance of 100 km.

HF communications is also suited to long distance emergency communications such as the distance between “Eagle” and a base station in Alice Springs which may be up to 1,500 km away. To achieve both distances of communication effectively, both the Barrett 2019 Auto tuning antenna and the Barrett 2018 Magnetic loop HF antenna have been installed on “Eagle”. Both antennas’ are capable of these distances, however the 2018 is more ideal for shorter distances where the “skip zone” is more evident due to its NVIS propagation characteristics. All calls taken and received via HF in “Brains” and “Eagle” are free of charge as HF technology uses the ionosphere to “bounce” waves from the transmitting and receiving antennas. The Barrett 2019 Auto tuning antenna is suited to achieve the long distance requirements between the team and Alice Springs. This typical whip based antenna may transmit and receive signals about 3,000 km away (depending on frequency selection and environmental conditions much greater distances may be achieved).

The 2019 also has the option for an internal fit GPS receiver which when connected to the Barrett 2020 Email, fax and data system and the Barrett Vehicle Tracking allows for data to also be transmitted to Alice Springs. During the Challenge “Eagle” is transmitting GPS coordinates for vehicle tracking and sending emails with image attachments via HF to Alice Springs and these messages are relayed to the Barrett Communications Head Office in Perth, 2,505 km away, via the internet.

To achieve the medium distance communications between “Brains” and “Eagle” of 100 km, the Barrett 2019 may not be suitable due to the “skip zones” typical with whip based antennas. To overcome this, the Barrett 2018 magnetic loop HF antenna is NVIS (Near vertical incidence Skywave) in design and is ideal for distances between 30 to 150 kms. The NVIS design of the 2018 antenna and its narrow band width (High-Q) exhibit high immunity to the background noise from the engines of the two moving vehicles; as a result the voice quality over this distance is very clear. This type of antenna is also successfully used in mountainous or obstructed terrain.

Links
>> Barrett to support a challenger class team in the World Solar Challenge
>> World Solar Challenge, Barrett HF Radio antenna solutions for 100 to 1,500 km
>> World Solar Challenge, Where in Australia are they?