Communications Solutions An overview of communications options - Find the right solution for your application

communications overview

When designing a monitoring system, you need to consider how you will get the data from the station’s datalogger to your PC. The communications device you choose will greatly depend on the location of your station, as well as the frequency and size of your data. We are highly experienced in providing various communications components as well as data management services for each type of communication device.

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Communications device or Data Services?

Telelmetry Options Diagram

Remote Communications Telemetry Options

Detailed Comparisons

Software Support

Combining Options

Communications device or Data Services?

There are four ways to get data from your station.

Outsource data collection and delivery to our Data Services department
Transmit data from a remote station site to your office PC using a telemetry device
Retrieve data during an onsite visit
All of the above

To determine the best data storage and retrieval method for your application, you should consider:

Availability of resources — determine if you can handle data collection, storage, display, reporting, QA/QC, monitoring the system to ensure everything is working as expected, etc. with the in-house resources you have available.
Accessibility of Site — a dependable telemetry solution that transmits data to a base station’s computer is preferable for a site that is difficult to access. On the other hand, if your site is essentially in your backyard, you may want to collect data with a portable handheld device or laptop.
Availability of Service — prior to the purchase of any equipment, you should determine if the appropriate coverage for cellular, RF, or satellite systems is available for your site. The use of telephones or the Internet requires that phone lines or an Internet connection be available within a few miles of the site.

Quantity of Data Collected — this affects the transmission duration. For some telemetry devices, a long transmission length will significantly impact the current drain, and perhaps service costs.
Frequency of Data Collection — if you need near real-time data, a telemetry device is indicated. If you only need to collect data every few weeks, you may prefer an on-site device. A good rule-of-thumb is that you should retrieve your data at a frequency that you can afford to lose it. For example, when retrieving data manually, you never know what happens at your site until you return the next time. If a bear was to tear out a cable 10 minutes after you leave and you do not return for 3 months, you have just lost 3 months of data that can not be replaced!

Telemetry Options

Remote Communications Telemetry Options

Type of communication	General	Application Requirements/Constraints	Products	Data Management Services Available
Telephone (land-line)	Transmits data over phone land-lines	Limitless coverage anywhere phone lines are installed data transmission rate generally constrained to 33.6 kbps Voice synthesized modems allow base to call the station for voice synthesized data reports Dataloggers can be programmed to initiate a call from the modem to a PC when certain alarm conditions are met	COM220 COM320
Cellular	Transmits data over cellular network to cell tower. Data can be accessed through the Internet via TCP/IP protocol or an IP address.	Dependant on cellular network coverage at the datalogger site Two-way data exchange Useful where telephone land-lines are not established Dataloggers can be programmed to initiate a call from the modem to a PC when certain alarm conditions are met Must pick a provider and pay a fee	IPn3Gb	Plus Cell Service Options: Set up and test of SIM cards (TELUS, Bell, Rogers) We take care of provider fees and modem activation, and set up and test modem prior to shipment
Short-haul Modem	Hard-wired connection	Easiest link for local hard-wired connection using phone line or twisted pair max distance 7.6 mi	SRM-5A	When combined with a remote communication device
Multi-drop		Permits a PC to address and communicate with one or more dataloggers up to a distance of 1200m can be used with other communications devices to extend the range between datalogger and a PC CABLE2TP two-twisted pair cable must be installed between networked dataloggers and base. Increases the distance allowed between a CC5MPX digital camera and a PakBus datalogger Extends the distance between AVW200 Vibrating Wire Interfaces for situations where wireless communication is impractical	MD485	When combined with a remote communication device
Radio Frequency (RF Networks)	UHF/VHF Narrowband	Line of sight between devices required Coverage up to 25 miles between stations (line-of-sight); effective distance can be increased using repeaters. Repeater stations act as a communication relay between stations that cannot communicate due to distance or obstacles. Licensed frequency required Avoids all collisions within a network, thus increasing polling speeds and reducing overall current drain	RF500M RF500B RF320	When base station is equipped with a remote communication device
Radio Frequency (RF Networks)	Spread-spectrum	Longer range than UHF/VHF narrowband radio; up to 96km Line-of-sight required Shares frequency with other devices. Not allowed to cause harmful interference to licensed radios. Spreads information signal over a wide band of frequencies making it more immune to noise and interference from RF sources such as pagers, cellular phones and multipath. do not require an individual license nor frequency coordination through a regulatory agency. Higher receiver sensitivity and signal processing help to compensate for lower power compared to UHF or VHF systems transmitting 5 W. Supports point-to-point and point-to-multipoint datalogger communications Serves as a field modem/radio while connected to the datalogger, a stand-alone repeater, or as a base-station modem/radio when connected to a computer.	RF401A RF416 RF432 RF450	When base station is equipped with a remote communication device
Internet and IP Networks	Ethernet	Requires Ethernet access Worldwide transmission distance Connect over local network or TCP/IP Enables access to Internet protocols such as PakBus, DPN3, and OPC	NL116 NL121 NL201	Provided we can access your publically available IP address
Internet and IP Networks	Wi-fi	Requires Wi-Fi hotspot (access to standard 802.11b/g/n networks) Worldwide transmission distance Connect over local network or TCP/IP Enables access to Internet protocols such as PakBus, DPN3, and OPC	NL240	Provided we can access your publically available IP address
Satellite	GOES	Satellite telemetry offers an alternative for remote locations where phone lines or RF systems are impractical. coverage in Western Hemisphere Formal permission to use the GOES system must be acquired from NESDIS. Non-U. S. government agencies and research organizations must have a sponsor from a U.S. government agency. Self-timed windows allow data transmission only during a predetermined time frame. Random windows are for applications of a critical nature (e.g., flood reporting) and allow transmission immediately after a threshold has been exceeded. One-way communication	TX320	Under development. If interested, please contact us.
	ARGOS	Satellite telemetry offers an alternative for remote locations where phone lines or RF systems are impractical. worldwide coverage Latitude dependent. From 448 average bytes per day at the equator to 1792 average bytes per day at the poles. Argos field sites are well suited for deployment in high latitudes. To use the Argos system, you must receive formal permission from Service Argos and pay a fee. The data must be used for environmental purposes. The satellites’ relatively low orbit of 850 km permits the PTT to operate with a small antenna and power supply. One-way communication	ST21	If interested, please contact us.
	Iridium (RUDICS or dial-up)	Uses the Iridium system. Ideal for stations at very high-angle latitudes (greater than 70° (North or South), high-altitude applications, and mobile applications, such as buoys or ships. Worldwide coverage (including poles, oceans and airways) Requires SIM card Must pick a provider and pay a fee Two-way communication	COM9522B	Plus Iridium Service Options: We take care of provider fees and account activation, and set up and test modem prior to shipment
	Short Burst Data (SBD) Modem (on Iridium network)	Flexible access to data compared to GOES Inexpensive option to transmit short data messages Uses the Iridium system. Ideal for stations at very high-angle latitudes (greater than 70° (North or South), high-altitude applications, and mobile applications, such as buoys or ships. Worldwide coverage (including poles, oceans and airways) Does not require SIM card Must pick a provider and pay a fee One-way communication	COM9602	Plus Iridium SBD Service Options: We take care of provider fees and modem activation SBD Service Plans

Detailed comparisons of product specifications and compatibility can be found in the Data Storage and Retrieval Peripherals Brochure.

Software Support

If you are doing your own collections, you will need software on your computer. Our PC200W software is available, at no charge, from our website; it supports direct communications only. PC400, RTDAQ, and LoggerNet software support our direct and telemetry options. LoggerNet also supports scheduled data collection and combining data retrieval methods (e.g., phone-to-radio).

Combining Options

You can increase the flexibility, convenience, and reliability of your application’s data storage and retrieval by combining an on-site device with a telemetry device. For example, cellular phone with on-site back-up provided by a CompactFlash card combines an on-site and telemetry device. You can also combine two telemetry methods. Popular telemetry combinations are Ethernet-to-radio and phone-to-radio.