# Use Cases

Accurate Timing and Synchronization for Radio Transmission

Problem We Solve

Radio Time Division Multiple Access Systems (TDMATime Division Multiple Access is a radio channel access method which allows several users to share the same frequency channel by dividing the signal into different time slots. Each "user" or radio on the shared frequency will transmit in rapid succession using its own designated time slot. By using its own time slot, each radio on the shared frequency is able to transmit communications or data without talking over the other radios and experiencing interference.) require free running synchronization to last for hours while in radio silent sleep mode (known as emissions control or EMCONEmissions Control is a military concealment tactic to prevent an enemy from locating friendly forces. There are different levels of prevention that all deal with turning off the transmission signals emitting from radios.) because they need to evade enemy detection. Once it is safe to exit radio silent mode, they need their radios to already be synchronized to reduce the time it would take to start communicating again.

Losing radio synchronization, even momentarily, could cause the radios to draw too much battery power as they search for their appropriate transmitting signal slots in the TDMA system. Therefore, a holdover timing source designed specifically for keeping time during periods of radio silence will ensure the radios stay synchronized on the same frequency before attempting to transmit a signal again. Ideally, the timing source should be able to last for extended periods of time while maintaining a precise level of accuracy.

Why it is Important

Modern TDMA radio systems are used for an increasing number of mission-critical applications. These radios need to communicate and transmit packet data back to command and control centers or other forces on the ground. Radios that are not synchronized on the network experience two hurdles: either they are not able to transmit properly, or they are deaf to incoming communications. An unsynchronized radio TDMA system becomes even more problematic the larger the distance that separates each radio.

Often times, soldiers are operating in contested areas that may be vulnerable to radio direction finding (RDFRadio Detection Finding is the process of using multiple antennas receiving radio wave information to determine the direction of the emitting signal and an object's location.) which can severely threaten their ability to stay hidden, making the need for a resilient time source even more crucial.

How We Solve it

Orolia provides a scalable solution for radio TDMA systems that need robust timing sources: the Ruggedized MRO-50 Rubidium Oscillator.

Ruggedized MRO-50 Rubidium Oscillator

The easiest way to guarantee that your radio TDMA system stays synchronized is to incorporate the ruggedized MRO-50. The ruggedized MRO-50 is a rubidium oscillator which provides an entire day of holdover with 1 nano second accuracy. Its extremely low-SWAP (Size, Weight and Power) form factor make it so that it can easily fit into any handheld radio model type and withstand intense vibration and temperature environments. Perhaps the most notable attribute of this tiny yet incredibly accurate atomic clock is that it draws only 0.36W of power, which is ten times less than existing solutions with similar capabilities.

This rubidium oscillator can be embedded within each portable hand-held radio as well as the command and control center station radio.

Lastly, even if your radio system does not need to operate in radio silence mode, having a < 1 nano second accurate time source will allow you to reduce the number and size of guard bands in your TDMA system. This means that you’ll have more room for more communication data to be transmitted at higher rates.

Why Choose Us

Easy Radio Integration – With a small size of 50.8 x 50.8 x 20mm, the Ruggedized MRO-50 Rubidium Oscillator can easily be embedded into a handheld radio because it was designed to support mobile applications.
Resilient – By adding a secure, robust timing source that can be used for Radio TDMA synchronization, your radio network will be more efficient, consume less power and be able to make more transmissions.
Low SWAP – The MRO-50 takes up less than 51 cc of volume (about 1/3 of the volume compared to standard rubidiums) and consumes only 0.36W of power.
Rugged – The Ruggedized MRO-50 is designed to withstand extreme shock, vibration and temperature environments.
Field-Proven – The Orolia MRO-50 rubidium oscillator has been rigorously tested for over 10 years.