Specifications

THE WIRELESS JOURNAL
®
Network Infrastructure
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6
Product information and performance claims are provided by manufacturers.
Product Launches and Milestones Recently
Set for Wireless Broadband
n August, Alvarion, Inc.,
the North American sub-
sidiary of Alvarion, released the
BreezeACCESS SU-M mobile sub-
scriber unit for 900 MHz. The
SU-M mobile solution for 900
MHz features large radio cells
that allow cost-effective, ubiqui-
tous coverage of vast areas. As
few as three access units can
cover 50 square miles, many
times fewer than the number
needed in a mesh configuration.
The solution enables public
safety organizations, transit enti-
ties, government and utility
organizations, EMS, and military
agencies to stay connected with
vehicles on the move through-
out entire cities. The subscriber
supports eight MAC addresses
and up to 3 Mbps per terminal,
more than sufficient to support
simultaneous VoIP, real-time
video and data applications,
including RMS, mug shots, fin-
gerprints, warrant requests and
vehicle/DMV data.
In July, Alvarion released
firmware version 2.0 and a new
subscriber for BreezeACCESS VL,
the world’s most deployed non-
line-of-sight (NLOS)-capable
multipoint orthogonal fre-
quency division multiplexing
(OFDM) solution for the unli-
censed bands, including signifi-
cant deployments by such carri-
ers as British Telecom. Free and
backward compatible, the new
firmware provides up to 21
Mbps net Ethernet throughput
per sector, greatly increasing the
number of subscribers per cell.
While already extremely secure
via included AES, MAC denial
lists ability has also been added.
And to better make the business
case, a 3 Mbps subscriber has
been added to expand the
options to include 3, 6, and
24 Mbps CPE options.
Also, in a milestone for the
industry, Alvarion released its
BreezeMAX WiMAX-ready solu-
tion. Compliant with both
802.16 and ETSI HiperMAN
standards, BreezeMAX is built
from the ground up to support
the emerging worldwide inter-
operability for microwave access
(WiMAX) market,
BreezeMAX is the
most advanced
wireless platform
in the world, offer-
ing efficiency of
about 4 Mbps per
megahertz (about
eight times more
efficient than Wi-
Fi) and a wide
variety of cus-
tomer premise
equipment (CPE), including
models with multiple voice
ports with built-in Session
Initiation Protocal (SIP) and
models with integrated 802.11g
for wireless extension within the
enterprise. Available first for the
3.5 GHz bands (not available in
the U.S.), BreezeMAX will
extend to a variety of licensed
and unlicensed frequencies in
2005. BreezeMAX is already
being deployed by a select group
of major international carriers,
with full commercial release
slated for Q3 2004.
Finally, in June Alvarion
crossed the 2,000,000 deployed-
unit threshold, validating for
the entire market that even
in these pre-WiMAX days,
wireless broadband is thriving.
Visit TESSCO.com or call 800-
472-7373 for more information.
Wireless Broadband Solutions
I
Boosting SCADA and Telemetry Performance
Through Antenna Technology
hen selecting antennas for
SCADA applications, it is
not unusual for operators to use
lower-cost antenna equipment
and replace it as it deteriorates.
For remote applications where
climatic or environmental condi-
tions can be particularly harsh,
antenna systems are viewed as
disposable items, since the cost
of replacement is usually less
than the cost of servicing.
The key to more efficient
SCADA communications over
wireless is finding ways to
increase mean time between fail-
ures (MTBF), a task that can be
achieved through more careful
selection of antenna equipment.
More advanced antenna designs
today offer a number of features
that not only improve the elec-
trical performance, but also sig-
nificantly increase the durability
and lifespan of the equipment.
Coatings
Sinclair Technologies manufac-
tures yagi antennas with alu-
minum. However, challenging
environments can accelerate pit-
ting and corrosion of these types
of antennas, leading to rapid
deterioration and non-perform-
ance within two years. To pre-
vent this from occurring, Sinclair
uses an anodized coating.
Anodized coatings offer
thicker, harder films because it is
an electrochemical process. In
addition, black anodized coatings
are preferred for northern cli-
mates because the dark slippery
coating prevents ice from form-
ing and accelerates ice melting.
Other Considerations
In addition to coatings, Sinclair
pays careful attention in choos-
ing the correct cable and connec-
tors. In SCADA applications, the
cable for the antenna assembly
should match the life expectancy
of the antenna boom. Hence,
UV-resistant jacketed low -loss
foam helix cables are used for
harsh environments.
Sinclair also minimizes the
number of joints to reduce
MTBF. Joints are soldered, brazed
or welded using non-corrosive
flux, and spring finger or crimp
joints are not used.
The Growing World of Wireless
Not only does wireless improve
capabilities for remote monitor-
ing and control at less cost, it
also delivers unprecedented flex-
ibility for central operations. At
the same time, initial cost sav-
ings are only beneficial if the
technology has the longevity to
increase MTBF over the longer
term. By choosing Sinclair anten-
nas to make the proper invest-
ment up front in the critical
components of a wireless net-
work, the return on investment
can be considerable. Visit
TESSCO.com or call 800-472-7373
for more information.
Black Yagi Antenna
W
TESSCO Outlet enables you to take
advantage of special pricing on
selected items. Visit us online
at www.tessco.com/go/outlet.