Pilot signals for large active retrodirective arrays

Abstract

It was suggested that for large active retrodirective arrays, as in the solar power system, a two tone uplink pilot signal with frequencies symmetrically situated around the downlink frequency be used in order to reduce ionospheric biases and to lower the cost. Unfortunately such a system faces the following difficulties: (1) the pi-ambiguity, and (2) a large phase difference between the downlink and uplink signals. It is shown how the pi-ambiguity can be easily removed by using a two tone uplink signal with both frequencies situated at one side of the downlink frequency, and the phase difference can be greatly reduced with a three tone or a four tone uplink pilot signal.