BER ANALYSIS OF AN F-16 TEST RUN AT EDWARDS AFB

Abstract

This paper analyzes the bit error rates (BER) using data recorded during an F-16 test at Edwards Air Force Base in September, 1996. The effects of multipath fading on BER are presented. It is shown that significant increases in BER can occur when the received signal power remains at an acceptable level. Recordings of the received power spectrum during the test show that these BER increases are caused by frequency selective fades due to multipath interference. This paper illustrates that in these cases, significant data degradation can occur without drops in the received signal power.