What determines the hopping pattern and hopping rate in a HAVE QUICK system?

In a HAVE QUICK system, the hopping pattern and hopping rate are determined primarily by the Time of Day (TOD) signal. This system is designed for tactical communications and relies on frequency hopping to maintain secure and jam-resistant transmissions. The TOD signal is critical because it synchronizes the transmit and receive frequencies among communicating units, allowing them to operate on the same hopping sequence.

Each unit in a HAVE QUICK system uses the TOD signal to establish when it should change frequencies and which frequency to switch to at any given time. By coordinating this timing across multiple users, the system ensures that all units remain synchronized, thus enabling effective communication even in hostile environments. Without the TOD signal, units could easily drift out of sync, leading to communication failures.