Effects of shipboard compartment fuel fire and fire extinguishing on RF signal propagation in the 2.4 GHz ISM band
By: Christos Deyannis, Dimitrios Xifaras
Contributors: Xifaras, Dimitrios; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Publisher: Naval Postgraduate School; Available from National Technical Information Service
Published: 2000
Place of publication: Monterey, Calif; Springfield, Va
Language: eng
Number of pages: 334
Description: The objective of this research was to quantify the effects of fuel fire and the follow-on fire extinguishing actions on wireless shipboard communications in the 2.4 GHz ISM band. Directional and non-directional antennas with horizontal and vertical polarization, and a PC-controlled scalar network analyzer, were used onboard ex-USS SHADEWELL to measure the attenuation of 2.4 - 2.485 GHz signals transmitted through diesel and heptane fire, water mist created by the fire extinguishing system, and subsequently developed steam. A MATLAB code has been used to analyze the data statistically. The attenuation for directional antennas exhibits relatively small variations wit time and frequency, but fire and the follow-on fire-extinguishing phases create sever non-stationary frequency selective fading for non-directional antennas. Therefor standard communication techniques effective against frequency selective fading (non stationary but slowly varying with time) are recommended for use with communication systems intended for shipboard indoors use. Even in normal conditions, without fire, water mist, or steam, we have determined that frequency selective fading would be problem for non-directional antennas used in shipboard compartments and thus a system with anti-fading ca ability should be considered for ship board use.
Notes: Thesis advisors: Lebaric, Jovan ; Luscomb, James.

"June 2000."

Thesis (M.S. in Applied Physics, and M.S. in Electrical Engineering)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2000.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 331-332)

"Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited."--Cover.

Also available in print.

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Hellenic Navy author.

dk/dk cc:9116 11/14/00, updated 1/9/2008 maw.