A DSP based underwater communication solution

The last several years have seen rapid advances in DSP (Digital Signal Processor) architecture technologies. These advances have made it possible for DSP´s to be used for applications previously considered unsuitable for them. This paper describes an underwater communication radio that utilizes a DSP to perform all of the audio signal processing as well as radio functions. The primary advantage of utilizing a DSP lies in its flexibility. Because it is programmable, new code can be downloaded to change radio functions or to add a new algorithm. The current generation of DSP´s have sufficient processing power to perform several concurrent signal processing operations including filtering, noise removal, channel equalization, AGC, etc., in addition to signal modulation and demodulation. This paper describes several of those functions and is primarily intended to showcase a DSP based solution as well as to illustrate what is achievable.