Chirp Ionosonde–Radiodirection Finder as a New Tool for Studying the Ionosphere and Radio-Wave Propagation

Hardware of a chirp ionosonde–radiodirection finder, which, along with the conventional parameters, measures angular frequency characteristics on oblique ionospheric sounding paths, is briefly described. The results of the experimental studies of propagation of radio waves on paths of different length and orientation in the natural and artificially disturbed ionosphere are presented. Capabilities of the ionosonde–radiodirection finder for over-the-horizon HF radio detection and ranging of the Earth’s ionosphere on a global scale are shown.