Propagation measurement-based probability of error predictions for the tactical VHF-range

This paper is concerned with the performance of binary frequency-shift keyed (BFSK) communication over frequency-selective fading channels in the tactical VHF-range. Channel parameters were extracted from time-series measurements of channel impulse response data. These data were recorded during channel measurements in several mountainous areas in the Austrian Alps with a wideband channel sounder, developed in our laboratory. Based on these parameters expressions of the bit error rate (BER) are derived. Calculations using the demonstrated method show that for typical data rates (2 kbit/s-20 kbit/s) an error floor between 10^-4 and 10^-1 is predicted. An error free uncoded communication in the tactical VHF range is impossible in these environments