Underwater Communication by Electric Current

Abstract

This paper describes a method of undersea wireless communication by electric current. The most difficult problem about this method is how to reduce output power. In this study it was found out that effective range is not a function of power but that of current. Based on this property and the experimental results, two technically feasible models of voice communication system, one for divers which has 150 m range with 6 w power and the other for manned submersibles which has 1000 m range with 280 w power have been designed and are under development. As electric noise in the sea is extremely low, stable undersea communication is possible by this method in spite of rather high power and attenuation, compared to the acoustic method.