Computer Modeling of the MX Simulcast Radio Network

Nodes of the MX system can communicate effectively in a trans-or post-attack environment by using a simulcast network that employs groundwave propagation. For a sufficiently dense original network, the simulcast approach is relatively insensitive to degrading channel conditions and loss of nodes and links. Network performance is a complicated function of the radio and antenna designs, terrain in the deployment area, destruction level, network topology and method of control, and channel conditions. In order to systematically evaluate the key parameters affecting performance and, in turn, to optimize their joint selection for various deployment alternatives, the radio network simulator (RNS) was developed. This paper focuses on the application of the RNS to the system design process. After a discussion of the modeling techniques used in the simulation, its utilization for performance assessment and tradeoff evaluation are presented. Specific areas considered include data rate and attack analysis.