“In a world where infrastructure ends but responsibility does not, troposcatter reminds us that physics – not proximity – defines the boundaries of command and control.” – MJ Martin
In the engineering science and art of radio frequency (RF) design, we have seen some surprising changes over the past 50 years – not all for the betterment of well thought out solutions.
Today, everything is “off the self” and fixed in its design. There is little room for any RF creativity or variation of the radio patterns beyond what the manufacturer preordains. Historically, engineers shaped radio coverage to optimize performance. This pattern shaping was performed with many specialized skills composed of both science and art inventiveness. Sadly, these skills are quickly disappearing and are almost absent from our fast paced world. There is no time to do it right, but there always seems to be time to do it over.
A notable lost art of RF engineering is the application of bouncing radio signals off of the earth’s troposphere to transmit signals a great distances. The common approach today is to use a TCP:IP network over a space or terrestrial network, commonly utilizing satellite, optical fibre, or long-haul microwave links. Clearly, optical fibre is a trusted and preferred method of sending signals, no argument. But, in Canada, optical fibre coverage is optimized for urban settings and is actually rather limited geographically, especially for hydro-electric utilities generating facilities in rural environments. If a utility needs to connect to a generating station, found in some remote location, how can they make a robust connection? Managing generation sites demands strict command and control requirements to throttle the generation by adjusting water flows or taking turbines offline by closing off flood gates and automating valves. Utilities must comply with strict NERC SIP regulations. So, ultra low latency command of output power is paramount.
In the vast and often rugged geography of Canada, reliable long-distance communication remains a technical and logistical challenge, especially for utility companies operating hydro-electric generation stations in these remote areas. One technology with renewed interest in this context is troposcatter skip – a form of microwave communication that leverages the lower atmosphere’s troposphere to scatter radio signals over the horizon. While traditionally overshadowed by satellite and optical fibre solutions, troposcatter systems offer unique advantages in terms of latency, reliability, and independence from third-party infrastructure – making it especially attractive for command and control systems in critical utility operations.
Troposcatter, or tropospheric scatter, works by transmitting high-power microwave signals – typically in the UHF or SHF band – toward the horizon. A portion of the signal interacts with irregularities in the troposphere and is scattered forward to a receiving antenna beyond the visual line of sight. Unlike ionospheric skip, which relies on upper-atmosphere refraction, troposcatter occurs in the lower atmosphere and is less affected by solar activity or diurnal variation. In Canadian terrain, especially in provinces like British Columbia, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador, where run-of-the-river hydroelectric stations are situated in deep valleys or isolated river systems, this method can provide dependable links without the need for satellite transponders or extended fibre trenching.
Utility companies operating SCADA and telemetry networks demand low-latency, high-reliability connections to ensure timely control signals and situational awareness. While optical fibre remains the gold standard for latency and bandwidth, laying fibre to remote generating stations is both capital-intensive and susceptible to physical disruptions from weather or land shifts. In contrast, modern digital troposcatter systems offer sub-20 millisecond latency, suitable for critical command functions, fault isolation, and automated dispatch systems. Moreover, these systems can operate in harsh weather conditions, including snow and rain, without severe signal degradation – a key consideration in northern Canadian climates.
As Canadian utilities expand their renewable energy portfolios, including small-scale run-of-the-river hydro generation plants that lack on-site operational staff, dependable remote control is essential. Troposcatter microwave links, when engineered with diversity and error-correction protocols, can bridge 100 to 500 km gaps between control centres and generation sites, enabling centralized automation without dependence on vulnerable infrastructure. In contrast to satellite solutions, which typically introduce latency of 500 milliseconds for Geostationary satellites and 100-200ms for LEO satellites, troposcatter’s low-latency profile enhances real-time situational responsiveness and safety.
In summary, troposcatter skip is not a relic of Cold War-era communications, but a viable and increasingly strategic tool for Canadian utility operators managing hydro-electric generation in remote regions. With its ability to provide secure, low-latency links over long distances without relying on satellites or terrestrial infrastructure, it plays a growing role in resilient command and control architectures – especially in areas where natural geography limits traditional options.
About the Author:
Michael Martin is the Vice President of Technology with Metercor Inc., a Smart Meter, IoT, and Smart City systems integrator based in Canada. He has more than 40 years of experience in systems design for applications that use broadband networks, optical fibre, wireless, and digital communications technologies. He is a business and technology consultant. He was a senior executive consultant for 15 years with IBM, where he worked in the GBS Global Center of Competency for Energy and Utilities and the GTS Global Center of Excellence for Energy and Utilities. He is a founding partner and President of MICAN Communications and before that was President of Comlink Systems Limited and Ensat Broadcast Services, Inc., both divisions of Cygnal Technologies Corporation (CYN: TSX).
Martin served on the Board of Directors for TeraGo Inc (TGO: TSX) and on the Board of Directors for Avante Logixx Inc. (XX: TSX.V). He has served as a Member, SCC ISO-IEC JTC 1/SC-41 – Internet of Things and related technologies, ISO – International Organization for Standardization, and as a member of the NIST SP 500-325 Fog Computing Conceptual Model, National Institute of Standards and Technology. He served on the Board of Governors of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) [now Ontario Tech University] and on the Board of Advisers of five different Colleges in Ontario – Centennial College, Humber College, George Brown College, Durham College, Ryerson Polytechnic University [now Toronto Metropolitan University]. For 16 years he served on the Board of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), Toronto Section.
He holds three master’s degrees, in business (MBA), communication (MA), and education (MEd). As well, he has three undergraduate diplomas and seven certifications in business, computer programming, internetworking, project management, media, photography, and communication technology. He has completed over 50 next generation MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) continuous education in a wide variety of topics, including: Economics, Python Programming, Internet of Things, Cloud, Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive systems, Blockchain, Agile, Big Data, Design Thinking, Security, Indigenous Canada awareness, and more.