What do you do if your communications satellite malfunctions and HF links fail you too? According to Pascall (Hall 4/G5) you use meteors!
Using reflections from trails of gas, caused by meteorites entering the earth's atmosphere, it's possible to establish two-way VHF communications over quite long path lengths.
Although this method of communication is not-continuous, it is ideal for short-bursts of data and Pascall has developed a special transceiver just for the purpose.
Mervyn Fretter, Pascall's product manager, says: "It is a pretty reliable way of sending data, but it can take between 10min and 5h for information to get through."
Pascall is also displaying its range of RF and microwave sub-systems, plus weather radar, telemetry and in-flight telephone equipment.
Mervyn says the company is experiencing a growing demand for its in-flight entertainment power supplies.
"With more and more equipment being put in planes every day it gets harder and harder to supply the current required - planes now need a power supply for every three seats," he said.
Source: Flight Daily News
