20/12/2017

Latest field test of Patented Auto-hopping Algorithm

Latest field test of Patented Autohopping Algorithm

Quark-elec  AIS Receivers QK-A021 and A023 feature our Patented Auto-hopping algorithm. The facility to select operator set intervals  for auto-hopping is newly available and will be supported  in the  A021 V2.0 (to be released in Jan 2018) and the A023 (from Dec 2017).

An integral part of inventing and developing sophisticated algorithms is the field testing process, which is why we could be found in Dover on a sleety and freezing December day collecting data and crunching numbers for the newest upgrade to our algorithm.

The main issue with auto-hopping is that the switch between frequencies can mean that messages are dropped, and quite often, multi-part messages are not received in their entirety. Quark-elec’s new upgrade now allows you to set the switching interval so that you can choose to slow down the switching rate or let the algorithm do what it does best.

Dover messages received
Messages received VS mins
5mins 10mins 15mins 30mins
Auto-hopping 482 912 1574 2956
0.25s 435 878 1487 2894
1s 456 853 1543 2913
30s 473 845 1567 2884
Vessel numbers vs mins
1min 2mins 3mins 4mins 5mins
Auto-hopping 13 20 24 31 34
0.25s 9 19 24 30 32
1s 11 20 23 28 33
30s 10 18 21 28 32

As you can see from the chart, our numbers suggest that the Auto-hopping algorithm is usually the optimum choice.  It consistently picks up more than 2% more messages and is significantly faster at acquiring targets than the user set intervals.  That being said, the 1s delay is the optimium choice for picking up multi-part messages, such as ship names and numbers as the longer interval allows longer transmissions to be received in one interval, and 30s may enable better acquisition in isolated environments.  Over longer  times, signal acquisition becomes more homogenous over all intervals, but those initial minutes may be crucial in a crowded seaway.

Weather on Day of Testing

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