A Method for Calculating Error Probabilities in a Radar Communication System

Abstract

Missfle range instrumentation radars are capable of transmitting pulse code groups in which some of the pulses in each group can be used to convey information from the ground to a space vehicle containing a suitable beacon receiver and decoder. Thus, a one-way communication system is provided with only a small increase in ground and vehicle equipment over that required for the tracking function. Since the system is one way, communication reliability becomes of paramount importance. This paper presents a method of computing bit error rates, word error rates, and frame error rates as a function of the SNR at the beacon receiver. The SNR vs range can then be computed by standard methods to obtain the ground-to-vehicle ranges over which reliable communications can be conducted.