Executive Summary
Sept 28, 2000

"Impossible" Technology
Passes The Test

VMSK (Very Minimal Shift Keying) is a radical modulation scheme--so much so that many engineers and scientists consider the technology impossible. A recent, public demonstration changed some important minds, however.

Mr. Jeff Cutruzella, COO of Alphacom Communications ( corn) in Akron, Ohio, the VMSK patent holders, hosted the event at the Marriott Hotel in Burlington, Massachusetts on September 22, 2000. Mr. Michael Judd, CEO of SeaChange Communications in Dunkirk, Maryland ( delivered the technical presentation and Mr. Harold Walker, inventor of the technology and CEO of Pegasus Laboratories (a division of AIphaCom) in Edison, New Jersey, conducted the technology demonstration.

The thirty plus attendees included nearly a dozen PIID's from the academic and research communities. MIT's Lincoln Labs; the University of California (Davis); the MITRE Corporation; DARPA and the Army, Navy and Air Force Research Laboratories were represented along with several major-name commercial enterprises.

A Technology Breakthrough, The first demonstration consisted of the over-the-air transmission of a 266 Kbps signal (digitized music) through a standard 30 KRZ AMPS slot using low-power, cellular transceivers modified for VMSK operation. These radios use 835 MHz (mobile) and 880 MHz (base station) carrier frequencies. Although the poor propagation properties in the meeting room (severe multi-path and heavy, external cellular interference) detracted from the cosmetic aspects of the test, it was clear that the modulation and transmission were, indeed, taking place.

The second phase of the demonstration consisted of signal encoding, modulation, and up-conversion to if and then down-conversion, demodulation, and decoding back to baseband. The modulation source was a random digital generator. Signals could be inspected at key test points using a spectrum analyzer, with the display projected on a large screen for easy viewing by the audience. The original and final signals were input to a high-accuracy Hewlett Packard BER counter for comparison.

Three source signals were input to the system: 270 Kbps (emulating GSM), 812 Kbps (emulating EDGE) and 1.544 Mbps (T-t). MI were successfully processed through a 30 KHz bandwidth slot. The resulting spectrum analysis traces (taken at the transmitter output) in each case showed a transmitted signal just one hertz wide.

The high point of the demonstration was a HER test conducted at the 266 Kbps rate. Dr. Kamilo Feher (U of CA-Davis),

a noted RF Modulation expert, challenged Mr. Walker stating that if he could achieve the desired throughput with a BER of

10 to the -5th, Walker deserved the Nobel Prize. The measured value was an impressive 6.8 times 10 to the 5th. This result

was achieved without error correction or adaptive filtering which would improve the error rate further.

But What About Shannon? A heated debate over VMSK's apparent violation of Shannon's Limit was anticipated but did not materialize after Dr. Feher encouraged the audience to analyze and verify the physical evidence of the VMSK phenomenon before being sidetracked into a theoretical discussion. Later in the program, Mr. Judd offered a formal presentation on the VMSK/Shannon issue. The point was made that VMSK proponents do not contend the technology repudiates Shannon. One possible, theoretical, reconciliation was presented after which the audience was invited to respond.

There were no questions.

Facing The Jury, The day concluded with a detailed, open discussion with the attendees. For nearly two hours, NIT. Walker fielded questions frequently responding by reconfiguring test equipment on the fly or dashing off a diagram on a flip chart to illustrate his point. Without fail, each issue was addressed to the frill satisfaction of the audience. As the questions were resolved, the tone of the discussion was transformed from denial to skepticism to acceptance and finally to admiration. One member of the audience (properly skeptical at the beginning of the day) called the technology "incredible."

Conclusions. VMSK is real. The physical evidence is undeniable and is not the result of measurement errors, misinterpretation of data or fraud. It can be demonstrated and examined in the laboratory. T-l data rates in a 30 KHz slot with acceptable BER readings are readily achievable. The underlying theory of VMSK certainly warrants investigation but it is time to accept the fact that VMSK works. Given the insatiable search for bandwidth in today's world it is time to apply this extraordinarily promising technology to the problem.

(For further information contact Jim Lord at 435-586-2780 or )

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