High latitude scintillation effects on very high frequency /vhf/ and S-band satellite transmissions.

A scintillation study was conducted with the purpose to define the extent of scintillation activity in the S-band region, and to determine if such activities at higher frequencies are caused by ionospheric irregularities similar to those causing scintillations at vhf and lower frequencies. Simultaneous transmissions at 137 and 1695 MHz from polar orbiting satellites were used in this study. Scintillations were found to be present at S-band frequencies in the polar regions; it is concluded that they are caused by ionospheric characteristics similar to those causing scintillations at lower frequencies.