FM "Chirp" Communications: Multiple Access to Dispersive Channels

Abstract
The white Gaussian noise-limited channel so often assumed by system designers is encountered less and less in practice as the density and sophistication of modem communications increase. Long-range radio communications in particular tend to be limited by interference rather than by receiver noise; for that reason, the design of the signal waveform has great impact on system performance. A waveform that shows particular promise for channels such as satellite relay and HF radio is swept FM or "chirp" modulation. The chirp waveform is characterized in Fig. 1. A carrier is swept in frequency over a band W during a sweep interval T. The sweeps shown are linear and assume a square amplitude envelope of unity value, although nonlinear sweeps and shaped envelopes may be used. The sweep slope W/T may be used to convey information in a variety of ways, the simplest being +W/T for binary 1 and -W/T for binary 0 (slope-shift keying SSK). Higher order alphabets can be represented by different slopes, and amplitude can be added if desired. SSK will usually be most efficient, reserving the distinguishability of different slopes for the purpose of defining channels or addresses in multiple-access applications. The value of chirp modulation derives from its efficient use of available bandwidth and transmitter power in combating multipath and other forms of interference, including the "clutter" of other transmissions in multiple-access systems.

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