RadioComms Asia-Pacific Jul/Aug 2012

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hoosing the C best oscilloscope probes

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Major equipment rollout creates challenge

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Paper over wet etching for RFID antennas

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To the Moon and back for finite radio waves

42 radio@work Surf Life Saving NSW network


on your wavelength 6 radio head 10 DMR is full steam ahead

contents

on the cover 4

Radio Comms Asia-Pacific July/August 2012

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ditor’s omment

As radio equipment and systems have become more complex, so has the testing technology. Not only are new demands now being made on test and measurement equipment, to handle the new-fangled digital signals, but there is a move towards higher operating frequencies.

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hoosing the C best oscilloscope probes

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Major equipment rollout creates challenge

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Paper over wet etching for RFID antennas

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To the Moon and back for finite frequencies

42 radio@work Surf Life Saving NSW network

This means that such instruments as oscilloscopes are not only required to have higher sampling rates but also be capable of sorting out glitches in signals that are in a whole different territory. At the other end of the scale, the digital multimeter has to show very low voltages, be even less of a load on the circuit under test and measure to accuracy unheard of, and sometimes not needed, with older equipment. Signal generators have also had to step up a notch; and with digital signals, spectrum analysers have come into their own. To get the most out of a system you need to be able to choose the best testing equipment for your needs. In this issue we feature an article which may help you in choosing the right oscilloscope probes for an application (see page 14). We have also featured the latest in testing products, from waveform analysers to digital radio test sets. In other news, the ACMA has designated a segment of the UHF frequency band for class-licensed equipment to operate on a designated channel plan throughout Australia. Christian Kelly writes about the spectrum - known as the CB band - and why ARCIA believes it should not be used for commercial purposes. Read about this on page 12. Kylie Rhodes, Editor rc@westwick-farrow.com.au

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July/August 2012 - RADIO COMMS

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on the cover

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A.B.N. 22 152 305 336 www.westwick-farrow.com.au Head Office Cnr. Fox Valley Road & Kiogle Street, (Locked Bag 1289) Wahroonga NSW 2076 Australia Ph +61 2 9487 2700 Fax +61 2 9489 1265 Editor Kylie Rhodes rc@westwick-farrow.com.au

round the clock, day in and day out, Tait DMR Tier 3 is the ‘no compromise’ digital radio solution for continuous operations, designed for safety, efficiency and reliability. The DMR Tier 3 solution delivers location services with worker safety features and workforce management tools to maximise

are busy, the system will queue the call until the next channel is free. User-friendly network management tools are key elements of the DMR solution, unlocking sophisticated analysis and control of system resources. The system is secure, using authentication to ensure that only authorised radios can access the system.

oper ation al e ffici ency, with networ k performance, security and resiliency that minimises interruptions. The solution is designed to protect users’ communications investment by providing a smooth migration path from analog to digital, and by compliance with the ETSI DMR Standards. Genuine support for open standards is one of the fundamental requirements to ensure that freedom of choice is uncompromised now and in the future. Tait is proud to have been awarded the first DMR Tier 3 interoperability certificate by the DMR Association. Digital mobile radio is a standard defined by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and has several tiers. DMR Tier 2 conventional operation has proved its capabilities in the past few years; however, DMR Tier 3 trunked operation raises the bar for the end-user experience, voice and data capability, and efficiency. A key benefit of DMR is 6.25 kHz ultranarrowband spectral efficiency; however, Tier 3 trunking provides superior channel utilisation and a seamless user experience across wide area networks. Users don’t have to change channels manually, are more likely to get their calls through and if the channels

With the user in mind, DMR is designed to minimise the costs and interruption of moving to a new system. Tait TP9300 portables and TM9300 mobiles are multimode. They can be deployed in current analog conventional or MPT trunked systems and can roam seamlessly onto digital networks. Legacy analog systems can also be linked with DMR systems to support calls between analog and digital user groups. Existing infrastructure investment is optimised because existing antennas and combiners can continue to be used and existing 12.5 kHz radio channels will now yield two voice channels with excellent audio clarity across the same coverage area. If users have TB8100 analog repeaters, the power amplifier and power management modules can be re-used in the TB9300 DMR repeater. The network architecture is simple and scaleable and an investment in a Tait DMR system will work harder with data capabilities for location services, detailed job dispatch and telemetry, combined with standardised application interfaces. Organisations looking to the future will find that Tait DMR Tier 3 provides access to truly innovative applications and significant operational efficiencies.

4 RADIO COMMS - July/August 2012

Tait Communications www.taitradio.com

Technical Advisor Mike Smyth Chief Editor Janette Woodhouse Publisher Geoff Hird Art Director/Production Manager Julie Wright Art/Production Tanya Scarselletti, Jeanette Teuma Colleen Sam Circulation Manager Sue Lavery circulation@westwick-farrow.com.au Copy Control Mitchie Mullins Advertising Sales VIC, SA, WA - Lachlan Rainey Ph 0402 157 167 lrainey@westwick-farrow.com.au NSW, QLD - Lisa Gilbert Ph 0414 283 933 lgilbert@westwick-farrow.com.au New Zealand - Gemma Burr Ph 0800 442 529 gburr@westwick-farrow.com.au USA - Huson International Media East Coast Ph +1 212 268 3344 West Coast Ph +1 408 879 6666 ralph@husonusa.com UK - Huson International Media Ph +44 1932 56 4999 gerryb@husonmedia.com Asia - Lachlan Rainey Ph +61 (0) 402 157 167 If you have any queries regarding our privacy policy please email privacy@westwick-farrow.com.au Subscriptions: For unregistered readers, price on application

March 2012 total CAB Audited Circulation (Aust + NZ) 4,306 (81% personally requested) Print Post Approved PP247345/00004 ISSN No. 1448-9201 Printed and bound by Pegasus Print Group +61 2 8822 0716 All material published in this magazine is published in good faith and every care is taken to accurately relay information provided to us. Readers are advised by the publishers to ensure that all necessary safety devices and precautions are installed and safe working procedures adopted before the use of any equipment found or purchased through the information we provide. Further, all performance criteria was provided by the representative company concerned and any dispute should be referred to them. Information indicating that products are made in Australia or New Zealand is supplied by the source company. Westwick-Farrow Pty Ltd does not quantify the amount of local content or the accuracy of the statement made by the source.

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NX-220/320 NEXEDGE® VHF/UHF Digital & FM Portable Radios

http://nexedge.kenwood.com

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• 60,000 GIDs / UIDs • Wide Area Group Call • Auto Roaming Registration • Group Registration

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• 25 & 12.5 kHz Channels • Conventional & LTR Zones • FleetSync / II, MDC-1200, DTMF* • QT / DQT & 2-Tone (Conventional Zones only)* • 5 Tone Encode/Decode Conventional Zones only)* • Voice Inversion Scrambler (16 Codes) ®

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These trunked features are primarily system programming and operational dependent. Priority Monitor also requires NX subscriber settings. *4

JVC KENWOOD Australia Pty Ltd Ph: (02) 8879 2266 Fax: (02) 8879 2233 www.kenwood.com.au commsales@kenwood.com.au


Orion wins Apex award

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rion NZ Limited has been awarded the Apex Award for 2012 by Utilities Telecommunications Council (UTC). This award recognises utilities that employ communications networks to benefit the communities they serve. To determine who should receive the award, UTC looks at the impact of the service provided and the difference it makes within the community. Orion, an electricity provider in New Zealand, received the award based on the resilience of its private mission-critical network after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake impacted New Zealand.

Emergency beacons for Sunshine State

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A Radio has deployed its emergency beacons to Surf Lifesaving Queensland (SLSQ). The beacons have contributed to saving 12 lives on the state’s beaches since their installation. © iStockphoto.com/Trout55

© Richard Simmonds Photography

6 RADIO COMMS - July/August 2012

ACMA reviews mobile broadband

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he first paper in the review of the radiofrequency spectrum between 1427.9 and 1510.9 MHz (the 1.5 GHz mobile band) has been released by the ACMA. ‘Planning for mobile broadband within the 1.5 GHz mobile band’ investigates the potential use of the band for mobile broadband services. This band was previously identified by the ACMA as one of a number of candidate bands for mobile broadband services in its earlier discussion paper, ‘Towards 2020: Future spectrum requirements for mobile broadband’. The paper details drivers for reviewing the 1.5 GHz mobile band and some preliminary options for future arrangements. The primary goal of the paper is to gather views and information from industry to inform the next stage of the review, where more detailed proposals will be developed. Due to current planning arrangements, the mobile band is heavily used in remote and

© iStockphoto.com/daneger

The company ’s MiMOMax IP radios survived the natural disaster, allowing personnel to start energy restoration while maintaining communications in the field. This wireless technology was vital to Orion’s response and shortened the length of power cuts. U TC h a s a c k n o w l e d g e d t h a t t h e company’s earthquake response was of a standard that would, in its view, not normally be achievable. “ To g e t h e r, O r i o n a n d M i M O M a x developed the product over a two-year period and created a radio communications solution specific to Orion’s needs. The result was a world-first wireless network which has proved its resilience and value over the past 18 months,” says Orion chief executive, Rob Jamieson. The wireless solution allows the company to ‘talk to’ various assets around the electricity network over a large and diverse geographical area and operate and protect the network by remote control. “We are proud that our local product has been recognised internationally. UTC is an American body which represents critical infrastructure operators worldwide and this is the first time an Apex Award has been granted outside the US,” continues Jamieson. The award ceremony was held on Tuesday, 22 May 2012 in Orlando, Florida.

The company has a long-standing relationship with SLSQ and is responsible for the system design, delivery and maintenance of its statewide radio communications infrastructure network and radio terminals. With only 84 of the more than 700 accessible beaches patrolled, one of the greatest challenges for SLSQ is implementing initiatives to prevent the loss of life on unpatrolled beaches.

The emergency response beacons (ERB) operate over the existing radio network and are all fitted with alarms that can be sounded by remote control or can be activated if the ERB is knocked over or tampered with. The GPS capability supports SLSQ’s ability to act quickly when responding to an emergency situation. David Lenehan of AA Radio explains, “Working closely on an operational level with SLSQ provides us with an intimate understanding of what our partners’ operational requirements are and what challenges they are faced with. Many of the people who find themselves in need of assistance along the Queensland coastline are visitors to the state and are not necessarily familiar with where they are and, in some cases, may find it difficult to communicate in English. This becomes more evident in a life-or-death situation when their primary concern is for a person’s safety. The GPS functionality allows SLSQ to deploy services to the exact location from the moment the ERB is activated.” Next-generation ERBs are in the construction phase and will be deployed to remote unpatrolled beaches in time for the 2012 season commencing in September.

regional areas, but only lightly in metropolitan areas and major population centres and where usage is dominated by one licensee. The relatively low usage of the band especially in areas where there is high demand for mobile broadband services - and nascent moves to standardise the band internationally for mobile broadband services, mean it is timely to consider options for its replanning. The paper’s release comes in the leadup to RadComms2012, held at the Sofitel Melbourne from 6 to 7 June 2012.

www.radiocomms.com.au


Major communications upgrade for Pilbara

erth communications company Minetec has commenced construction of hardware associated with a data communications network for a major rail upgrade in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The $12.5 million first stage of the project involves the construction, commissioning and testing of more than 100 radio telemetry poles along about 250 km of railway linking iron ore mines in the Pilbara with Port Hedland.

LTE-based critical communication system under development

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ytera Mobilfunk is currently developing the LTE-based, next-generation, critical communication system at its German-based research and development centre near Hanover. The system will integrate narrowband and broadband on one single platform to ensure reliable interworking between the different radio access technologies. With the integrated SIP-based core server, service interaction between narrowband and broadband is ensured. Group calls with

www.radiocomms.com.au

© iStockphoto.com/Stephan John

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Minetec’s general manager, Steve Hannah, said work to build and position the telemetry towers was already underway. “We have an eight-person crew constructing and concreting towers into place and are looking to add a second crew in coming weeks to speed up work,” he said. “We recently purchased our first excavator to help with the work and will be adding additional equipment as required.” Hannah said it was expected stage one of the project would be completed by the first quarter of 2013. Stage two involves construction of 13 radio base stations and the installation of microwave communication technology. The system will enable data to be transferred along the entire length of the railway including the ports. This was important to enable computers coordinating the locomotives attached to the ore trains to ‘talk’ to each other as well as to provide constant updates of conditions on the rail line itself. “The system is far more than just enabling train drivers to be in contact with their depots,” he said. “Coordinating the actions of locomotives is critical in ensuring the trains operate in the most effective manner. “It is also important that track conditions and ore cars are constantly monitored because of the stresses involved in transporting iron ore.” Hannah said the contract was an extension of the communications technology and software that the company had developed to assist with communications on mine sites.

WLAN technology wins award

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he CSIRO inventors behind the WLAN technology have won the European Inventor Award.The organisation invented and patented wireless LAN technology in the 1990s. The awards were announced at a ceremony in Copenhagen on 14 June. Inventors Dr O’Sullivan and Dr Percival attended the event at the Royal Danish Playhouse, along with the Danish Crown Prince and Princess, around 350 economic and political decision-makers, researchers, scientists and intellectual property specialists. “CSIRO’s technology is now estimated to be in more than three billion devices around the world, so it’s a truly global technology that has now received global recognition,” Minister for Science and Research, Senator Chris Evans said. “Congratulations to Dr John O’Sullivan, Dr Terry Percival, Mr Diet Ostry, Mr Graham Daniels and Mr John Deane on winning this prestigious international award. “This is the first time an Australian team has won this award and this is wonderful recognition for a technology that has changed our lives.” European Patent Office president Benoit Battistelli said: “The work completed by Dr O’Sullivan and his team perfectly demonstrates how a publicly funded research centre can use patent protection and licensing revenue to finance further innovation.”

ARCIA dinner to be held in SA priorities as well as text messaging throughout the system can be demonstrated. Video captured with the end-user equipment can be transferred to a central dispatcher and can also be received from a stationary camera.

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RCIA will be holding an industry dinner and networking event at the National Wine Centre of Australia on 20 September 2012. Registrations will open later in June. For more information, visit the website.

July/August 2012 - RADIO COMMS

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APCO and TCCA join forces

ll 36 of CSIRO’s Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) antennas have been assembled at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO) in Western Australia. The antennas have been constructed by their manufacturer, the 54th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (known as CETC54), with the assistance of CSIRO’s ASKAP team and local contractors.

he affiliation between the APCO Global Alliance and TETRA Critical Communications Association to support the Public Safety Communications Research laboratories, in their efforts to raise the awareness of the need for mission-critical standards for new-generation technologies, marks an important first step in the closer collaboration between the global representative bodies. APCO Australasia’s chairman and current chair of the APCO Global Alliance, Geoff Spring, said, “It is vital that Australia’s public safety agencies have access to the same seamless communications capabilities that Australians now enjoy. However, these same capabilities need to be strengthened to meet the demands of public safety agencies when being used for public safety events ranging from a single event through to major disasters requiring the involvement of one or more agencies. “Importantly, Australians will have the expectation that they will be able to use the same multimedia LTE technology to access and assist public safety agencies by providing text, pictures and video relating to events and, likewise, the agencies can communicate with individuals and communities using the same technologies,” he continued. The work to put the affiliation in place commenced through discussions that took place at the 2012 APCO Australasia Conference and Exhibition in Queensland in March. These conversations continued through meetings held in Manchester, UK and Dubai, UAE and culminated with co-coordinated announcements being made in Washington DC at the National Broadband Summit and in Dubai UAE at the TETRA World Congress. APCO Australasia is also working closely with the Australian TETRA Association to replicate the affiliation announced between the global associations.

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© iStockphoto.com/Natalia Lukiyanova

The antennas were manufactured at CETC54’s factory in Shijiazhuang, China. After passing factory acceptance tests, the antennas were then disassembled and transported to the MRO (about 350 km northeast of Geraldton), where they were then reassembled on site. “The assembly of all 36 antennas is an important milestone in the construction of ASKAP,” said Ant Schinckel, CSIRO’s ASKAP project director. “I am immensely proud of the CETC54 and CSIRO teams, and the many local contractors who have assisted with the antenna assembly. The remote, arid conditions of the MRO - which make it a perfect location for a radio telescope - have also posed challenges that have been overcome through detailed design, planning and problem solving. “We are now able to start fitting the antennas with the complex receiver and computing systems that will enable ASKAP to survey the sky faster than any other radio telescope. ASKAP will be one of the most advanced tools available for helping us to understand our universe.” While all antennas have now been assembled at the MRO, finalisation of site acceptance testing for all the antennas is still due to take place over coming months. Work to develop ASKAP’s innovative phased array feed receivers (or ‘radio cameras’), and complex signal processing and computing systems, has also continued. Essential infrastructure at the MRO, such as high-bandwidth optical fibre cable linking all the antennas to a new control building, is almost complete. ASKAP will be operational in 2013.

8 RADIO COMMS - July/August 2012

© iStockphoto.com/Yunus Arakon

SKA antennas assembled

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App for RF/microwave engineers

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egaPhase has developed a tool for engineers designing and building RF/microwave systems and components. Testing engineers can download a free app to simplify daily calculations and estimates. The company has developed the iOS app for iPhone, which also runs on the Apple iTouch and iPad. “The MegaPhase app is an essential utility for test engineers when specifying RF coaxial cables and connectors,” said William Pote III, MegaPhase’s founder and CEO. “Engineers are no longer tethered to their desks to get the information they need. Now they can do their calculations and work more efficiently in the lab, the field or anywhere their work takes them.” With the MegaPhase app, engineers use the app to quickly and accurately build cable designs; browse cable options; receive assistance when specifying cables; access product descriptions; and examine complete product datasheets. Custom cables can be built and emailed instantly for quick quotes. And instant phone calls are made for any enquiries or questions. MegaPhase is also offering a 10% discount for first orders of any T&M cables generated from the MegaPhase app that use the offer code “NEWAPP”. In addition to cable configurators and quotes, the app provides engineering tools and converters, including: RL/VSWR converter; dB per pound converter; dBm to watts converter; and flashlight. The MegaPhase app is available for free download from the Apple iTunes store.

Connectivity between AWR VSS and NI LabVIEW

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ational Instruments has announced connectivity between NI LabVIEW system design software and the AWR Visual System Simulator (VSS) software for RF and microwave system design. The connectivity helps engineers to better use measurements in the design flow by executing LabVIEW code directly from the AWR design environment. “This integration between LabVIEW and the VSS is the direct result of our first joint initiative,” said Joe Pekarek, chief technology officer at AWR. Features include: AWR design environment can now incorporate LabVIEW signal

processing capabilities including multirate digital signal processing (DSP), wireless standards, modulation, fixed-point math and more; engineers can integrate VHDL and LabVIEW FPGA module code through NI field-programmable gate array (FPGA)based hardware directly into VSS diagrams; connectivity to both PXI and traditional RF instrumentation makes it easier to incorporate measurement data into simulations. “We’re very happy with the new capabilities that LabVIEW co-simulation brings to VSS and are looking forward to further product integration in the future,” said Pekarek.

www.radiocomms.com.au



DMR is full steam ahead The number of interoperability test sessions carried out are increasing, therefore the DMR Association has developed a common application interface specification for digital mobile radio infrastructure to further enhance interoperability - the Application Interface Specification. The digital mobile radio (DMR) uptake in the current market is very much driven by the application and data support that it provides. While the DMR standard does specify various means of data transport over the air interface, it currently does not include an interface standard between the DMR network and application devices. An important aspect of open standards is interoperability as it provides choice as well as comfort, that by selecting a digital mobile radio system, a buyer is not tied into a single vendor solution. The DMR Association is therefore pleased to see that not only is the number of interoperability test sessions (IOP) carried out increasing but the test cases covered by IOP are expanding as well. To further enhance interoperability, the technical working group of the association has embarked on a complex task - to agree on a common application interface specification for DMR infrastructure. This interface, called the Application Interface Specification (AIS), will provide connectivity for well-known radio network pe"The Application Interface Specification ripherals such as dispatch consoles and will provide connectivity for well-known voice recorders, and it will also support

Monique Princen is chair of the Marketing Working Group of the DMR Association. She works as solutions marketing manager for Tait Communications, with responsibilities for the company’s DMR program as well as utility solutions. Her extensive career in technology includes project and program management roles for companies in the communications, security and electronics markets across New Zealand and Europe. Monique is a member of several industry working groups including the DMR Association.

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RadioComms_JulyAugust2012 ISSUU.indd 10

data applications like location services radio network peripherals such as dispatch tools, workforce management applicaconsoles and voice recorders, and it will tions and telemetry systems. also support data applications like location The association is committed to this enhancement because it will lead services tools, workforce management to lower research and development applications and telemetry systems." costs for CAD and console manufacturers, who will not be forced to develop specific interfaces for different digital networks. A further benefit will be faster time-to-market for value-added applications. 2012 is proving to be an important year for the association and the DMR standard. The membership numbers are growing steadily, with members all over the world including Russia, Turkey and China. Also important is the growing number of application developers, system integrators and test equipment manufacturers that have joined. In the course of the year, numerous DMR products have already been launched and we expect more to be released in the next few months. The releases include the offering of the long-awaited DMR Tier III (trunked DMR) products, where one vendor has launched their trunked DMR and two further vendors have revealed their release plans. The growing number of application providers that join the association as category 2 members as well as the commitment of application vendors to join as a category 1 member (in order to actively participate in the AIS development) is a confirmation that this addition to the standard will further increase the success of DMR. The AIS interface is an infrastructure interface for applications. When the initial draft of that work is completed, a mobile station interface will be defined as well. The completion of these tasks will be a significant step towards bringing digital mobile radio technology forward and provide long-term benefits to the users of DMR. DMR Association http://www.dmrassociation.org

www.radiocomms.com.au

6/07/2012 10:10:30 AM


Hytera Digital Solution, Efficiency goes with Reliability As a leading designer and manufacturer of professional mobile radio communications solution, Hytera is dedicated to bringing most valuable and customized solutions to clients across the world. With 800 R&D engineers over nearly two decades research, Hytera now offers a complete product portfolio of TETRA, DMR, PDT, MPT technologies. In August 2011, Hytera acquired Rohde & Schwarz TETRA business; we now become one of few suppliers in the world that providing completed Tetra solution. Your businessďźŒHytera response.

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newproducts

INDUSTRY TALKING The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has designated a segment of the UHF frequency band for classlicensed equipment to operate on a designated channel plan throughout all areas of Australia. This spectrum is often referred to as the CB band. These channels and the equipment operating on them play an important role in providing recreational users and travellers with spectrum for their use. The ACMA offers no protection against interference for services operating in this band and does not monitor the channels for inappropriate or improper use. As CB radio is open to use by anybody, there can be no certainty of airtime availability at the time when a transmission is required. The use of any given channel by a third party is unpredictable and hence the medium is unreliable for essential business applications or where safety is impacted. While the ACMA does not mandate the functions that CB channels can be used for, Australian workplace legislation and OH&S policies invariably indicate that CB equipment is not suitable for any function where worker safety and/or critical business activity is reliant on the equipment. The risk to any company using this technology is significant. This statement was reinforced by the ACMA in a public forum in Adelaide where Andrew Kerans, representing the ACMA, stated that although there is no legislation that directly prohibits the use of CB radio for commercial purposes, should a worker become injured as a result of this technology being inappropriately chosen, then the person and company concerned may be required to answer questions about culpability in a court of law. Taking the above factors into consideration, ARCIA does not recommend that CB radios be used for commercial purposes. Furthermore, ARCIA strongly advocates that when worker safety could be impacted by the radio’s availability, licensed channels and commercial-grade equipment should be used. Thank you to Jeff Perry from the ARCIA SA sub-committee for this initiative. In other news, ARCIA will be holding an industry dinner and networking event at the National Wine Centre of Australia on 20 September. The last event held in Queensland featured MP Ros Bates, Minister for Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts and breakfast radio presenter Spencer Howson, of Queensland. Please register your interest by emailing events@ arcia.org.au.

Christian Kelly President Australian Radio Communications Industry Association

HF radio platform Codan Radio Communications has launched the Codan Envoy, a software-defined HF radio platform. The Envoy provides the advantages of software-defined radio - the ability to add new capabilities to the radio through software upgrades. The platform provides users with internal features such as automatic link establishment, encryption, high-speed data, GPS and IP interface. It also offers scalable solutions for mobile, deployed and base-station requirements. The device, with an icon-based user interface incorporates an intuitive and simple-to-use, high-resolution, colour, graphical user handset for radio operation and control. Codan Limited Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q330

CAD and mapping range Zetron has added NG9-1-1 CAD and mapping products to its MAX Solutions range. The incident-response products enable a flow of information between the CAD, mapping and emergency call-taking systems. The range includes NG9-1-1 CAD, mobile CAD and mapping. The range simplifies operator tasks and improves efficiency because it automatically transfers call information to CAD, displays call information on the map and allows operators to answer calls from the map. Like other MAX Solutions systems, the products will be able to accommodate standards and requirements as they emerge. Features include: NG9-1-1 CAD works with mapping to automatically follow mobile calls as they change location, including features such as colour cues for active calls, drag-and-drop functionality, the ability to schedule pre-planned events, call history and a be-on-the-lookout (BOLO) feature; an Esri-based mapping tool displays call location and relevant geographic data, including emergency service number (ESN) boundaries - this includes search capability and single-click map updates and helps first responders reach the scene as quickly as possible; the mobile CAD extends the call centre out to field personnel - this allows first responders to see what the dispatcher is seeing, including photos, call history and National Crime Information Center (NCIC) queries and also allows first responders in the field to send information and status updates back to the call centre. Zetron Australasia Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q281

12 RADIO COMMS - July/August 2012

www.radiocomms.com.au



test & measurement

Jae-yong Chang and Kenny Johnson, Agilent Technologies

Selecting the right probe for an application is the first step towards making reliable oscilloscope measurements. There are a number of different types of oscilloscope probes to choose from, but they fall into two major categories: passive and active probes.

distinction between the two Asimple types is that active probes require

external probe power to power the active components in the probe such as transistors and amplifiers and they offer higher-bandwidth performance than passive probes, which do not require external probe power. There are many different types of probes under each category, and each has an area where it performs best.

Passive probes The most common type of scope probes today is the passive voltage probe. Passive probes can be largely divided into high-impedance-input passive probes and low-impedance, resistor divider passive probes. The high-impedance-input passive probe with a 10:1 division ratio is probably the most commonly used probe; it is shipped with most low- to mid-range oscilloscopes. The probe tip resistance is typically 9 MΩ, which gives a 10:1 division ratio (or attenuation ratio) with the scope’s input when it’s connected to a 1 MΩ input of a scope. The net input resistance 14 RADIO COMMS - July/August 2012

"Compared to active probes, passive probes are more rugged and inexpensive. They offer a wide dynamic range (>300 V for a typical 10:1 probe) and high input resistance to match a scope’s input impedance."

seen from the probe tip is 10 MΩ. The voltage level at the scope’s input is then 1/10th of the level of the voltage at the probe tip, which can be expressed as: Vscope = Vprobe * (1 MΩ/ (9 MΩ + 1 MΩ)) Compared to active probes, passive probes are more rugged and inexpensive. They offer a wide dynamic range (>300 V for a typical 10:1 probe) and high input resistance to match a scope’s input impedance. However, they impose heavier capacitive loading and have lower bandwidths than active probes or lowimpedance (z0) resistor-divider passive probes. Let’s look at the low-impedance resistor divider probe. The low-impedance resistor divider probe has either 450 or

950 Ω input resistance to give 10:1 or 20:1 attenuation with the 50 Ω input of the scope. That input resistor is followed by a 50 Ω cable that is terminated in the 50 Ω input of the scope. It is important to remember that the scope must have a 50 Ω input to use this type of probe. The key benefits of this probe include low-capacitive loading and very high bandwidth - in the range of a couple of GHz - which helps to make high accuracy timing measurements. In addition, this is a low-cost probe compared to an active probe in a similar bandwidth range. This probe would be used in applications such as probing ECL circuits, microwave applications or looking at 50 Ω transmission lines. The one critical trade-off is that this probe has relatively heavy resistive loading, which can affect the measured amplitude of the signal.

Active probes A scope with more than 500 MHz of bandwidth is an active probe. In spite of its high price, the active probe is the tool of choice for high bandwidth perwww.radiocomms.com.au

© iStockphoto.com/Krzysztof Zmij

Choosing the best oscilloscope probes


test & measurement

Figure 2: High impedance passive probes provide a solution for generalpurpose probing and troubleshooting.

Figure 1: Passive probe is the most common type of scope probes today.

formance. They typically cost more than passive probes and their input voltage is typically limited, but because of their significantly lower capacitive loading, they give more accurate insight into fast signals. By definition, active probes require probe power. Many modern active probes rely on intelligent probe interfaces that provide power and serve as communication links between compatible probes and the scope. Typically, the probe interface identifies the type of probe attached and sets up the proper input impedance, attenuation ratio, probe power and offset range as needed.

Figure 3: Low impedance resistor divider probe features low capacitive loading and wide bandwidth. off and replaced with a 10 cm dual-lead adapter, the probe bandwidth drops to 1 GHz. With additional clips attached to the dual-lead adapter, the probe bandwidth is further reduced to 500 MHz. So the key here is that shorter input leads are better for probe performance.

Probe loading effect Figure 4: Many modern active probes rely on intelligent probe interfaces that provide power and serve as communication links between compatible probes and the scope.

Bandwidth considerations Higher bandwidth is a clear advantage of active probes over passive probes. One thing probe users often overlook is the effect of the connection to the target, which is called “connection bandwidth”. Even though a particular active probe may have an impressive bandwidth specification, the published specified performance may be under suitable probing conditions. In a real-world probing situation, which would include using probing accessories to attach to the probe tips, the active probe’s performance may be much worse than the published specified performance. The real-world performance of an active probing system is dominated primarily by the ‘connection’ system. Parasitic components to the left www.radiocomms.com.au

"Higher bandwidth is a clear advantage of active probes over passive probes. One thing probe users often overlook is the effect of the connection to the target, which is called ‘connection bandwidth’."

of the point labelled VAtn in Figure 5 are the driving factors in determining the performance of a real-world active probing system in high-frequency applications. As an example, Agilent’s N2796A 2-GHz single-ended active probe provides 2 GHz of bandwidth with a probe tip and a 2 cm long offset ground. With this best-case set-up, 2 GHz of probe bandwidth is produced. If the tip is taken

Now, let’s talk about a probe’s input impedance and input loading. Many people think that probe input impedance is a constant number. Some may say that the probe has a kiloΩ, megaΩ or even a 10 megaΩ input impedance, but that isn’t constant over frequency. Input impedance decreases over frequency. At DC and low frequency ranges, the probe’s input impedance starts out at the rated input resistance, say 10 MΩ for a 10:1 passive probe, but as the frequency goes up, the input capacitance of the probe starts to become a short, and the impedance of the probe starts to drop. The higher the input capacitance, the faster the impedance slope drops. Figure 7 shows a comparison between a 500 MHz passive probe and a 2 GHz active probe. At ~10 kHz of a crossover point and beyond, the input impedance of the active probe is higher than that of the passive probe. Higher input impedance means less loading on the target signal, and less loading means less effect or less disruption of the signal. At 70 MHz bandwidth on the chart, the input impedance of the passive July/August 2012 - RADIO COMMS

15


implementation

Figure 5: Parasitic components (to the left of the point labelled VAtn) are the driving factors in determining the performance of a real-world active probing system in high-frequency applications.

probe goes down to ~150 Ω, while the input impedance of the active probe is about 2.5 kΩ. There is a significant difference between them. If, for example, a system that had something like 50 or 100 Ω source impedance was used, that passive probe is going to have a significantly higher effect on the signal due to probe loading. In that frequency range, connecting that passive probe is like hanging a 150 Ω resistor on a circuit. If this can be tolerated, this passive probe is going to be fine. If not, then this probe would be an issue, and a probe with higher imped-

Test cable The Quick-Lock test cable is suitable for frequencies from DC to 18 GHz with a 28 dB return loss at the highest frequency. The device mates with a standard SMA connector and can withstand 20,000 flex cycles and insertions. The simple sliding lock feature makes it suitable for test lab applications with good strain relief and flexibility for tight access locations. The FEF jacket supports operation to 105°C and protects a double shielded cable construction for minimum signal leakage. The cable can handle RF power of 270 W at 1 GHz and 47 W at 18 GHz. Clarke & Severn Electronics Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N911

16 RADIO COMMS - July/August 2012

Figure 6: Higher bandwidth can be achieved with shorter leads.

ance at a high frequency range like an active probe would be more suitable. When considering the right measurement tools for scope application, probing is often an afterthought. Many customers usually select the scope first based on the bandwidth, sample rate and channel count needs, and then worry about how to get the signal into the scope later. Selecting the right probe for an application and how to use the probe is the first step towards reliable scope measurements. A passive probe is a safe choice for general-purpose probing and troubleshooting, while for high-frequency appli-

Figure 7: At ~10 kHz of a crossover point and beyond, the input impedance of the active probe is higher than that of the passive probe.

cations, an active probe gives much more accurate insights into measuring fast signals. Although many active probes in the market have an impressive bandwidth specification, remember that the realworld performance of an active probe is dominated primarily by how the probe is connected to the target. A simple rule of thumb to keep in mind is that a shorter input lead is better if it’s for high fidelity measurement. Agilent Technologies Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N821

IP remote interface Through IP has released the TIP100 RoIP remote transceiver interface. The interface, designed and manufactured in Australia, is for Codan NGT series HF transceivers, enabling them to be operated over any distance using common networking technologies such as ethernet LANs, wireless Wi-Fi connections and mobile or wired internet. Using the interface and an internet connection, it is possible to operate the HF transceiver from an office or operation centre in a city and have the transceiver relocated in a remote area for reduced interference and more space for the antennas. The transceiver interface is specifically designed for use with the NGT series of HF transceivers and allows the transceiver handset to be operated away from the transceiver in a fully transparent manner. The required connection to carry the audio and control signals between the handset and the transceiver are achieved using ethernet and internet ADSL or broadband wireless connections. A fully functional remote control system for a transceiver can be set up in minutes. The voice announcement of the network address at start-up allows for quick configuration of the interface through its in-built web pages. The interface also features a bidirectional RS232 data connection between the handset control location and the remote transceiver location, allowing a PC to connect to the transceiver and access its GPS tracking or page calling capabilities. Other uses of the RS232 data connection would be to operate an HF data modem, antenna selectors or antenna rotators at the transceiver site. Through IP Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N337

www.radiocomms.com.au


Redefining RF and Microwave Instrumentation with open software and modular hardware

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Wireless connectivity for microcontrollers

Field measuring instrument with LTE Narda Safety Test Solutions has equipped its SRM3006 frequency selective field measuring instrument with an LTE option. The instrument measures the electromagnetic fields emanating from LTE wireless communications stations in their entirety as well as according to cells and antennas automatically. All the requirements for human and environmental protection are met by the instrument with the LTE option. The selective radiation meter obtains the LTE-specific information by demodulating control and information channels that are part of the LTE signal. The instrument automatically extracts the cell ID from the primary and secondary sync signals and determines the transmitting antennas from the reference signal. All the levels of these signals can be shown at the same time and in detail down to each individual antenna. Settable extrapolation factors allow calculation of the field exposure at maximum transmission load. As a spectrum analyser, the instrument can cover all LTE bandwidths from 1.4 to 20 MHz or select individual frequency channels down to 15 kHz. The instrument displays the continuous time characteristic of the signal level in scope mode, so that the levels of the sync signals PSS and SSS can be identified even though they are present only in a few timeslots. The meter automatically records peak values in level meter mode. The instrument can automatically evaluate the field exposure in accordance with current human safety standards. Its analysis features also make it suitable for checking signal integrity and for detecting impairments.

GainSpan has released wireless connectivity solutions said to make it quick and easy to add ultra-low-power Wi-Fi to embedded systems that use any Renesas 8/16/32-bit microcontrollers. Now, Renesas Electronics users can add Wi-Fi connectivity using GainSpan’s GS1011M and GS1500M low-power Wi-Fi modules and develop their solutions with the Wi-Fi adapter boards, evaluation boards and drivers. The Wi-Fi adapter boards come in two configurations: the WAB-GW-1011MIP Wi-Fi is an ultra-low-power 802.11b solution based on the GS1011MIP module; the GS1011 chip has a standby current as low as 1.2 µA and a wake-up latency from standby of less than 10 ms, suitable for battery-operated applications; the WAB-GW-1500M is a low-power 802.11b/g/n solution and includes the GS1500M module. The boards provide both UART and SPI interfaces, making it possible to connect to any Renesas microcontroller using simple AT commands. Additionally, the boards have built-in flash for reliable over-the-air firmware upgrade, factory restore configuration and data storage such as for web pages. The GS1011MIP and GS1500M modules mounted on the boards provide easy system integration and minimal use of host resources. The modules are preloaded with serial to Wi-Fi firmware with complete Wi-Fi functionality including security, WPS and provisioning features running on the module as well as the networking stack, an embedded HTTP server with network configuration pages, and limited AP capability for ease of provisioning. The host microcontroller is hence offloaded from Wi-Fi and networking functionalities and could be dedicated to user applications. Glyn Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N242

Wide bandwidth scope The WaveSurfer MXs-B and MSO MXs-B LeCroy oscilloscopes are compact with a large touch screen and intuitive user interface. The range can handle long memory captures and it has features such as WaveStream fast viewing mode and WaveScan search and find. The oscilloscopes offer a wide range of serial data trigger and decode tools for SPI, I2C UART, RS232, LIN or CAN as well as mixed signal capabilities to troubleshoot embedded system designs. Bandwidths are from 200 MHz to 1 GHz. Key features include: 200, 400, 600 MHz and 1 GHz bandwidths; sample rates up to 10 GS/s; long waveform memory - up to 32 Mpts/ch; bright 10.4″ colour display; WaveScan advanced search; WaveStream fast viewing mode; 18 or 36 ch high-performance mixed signal capability; USB host and device connections for printers, memory sticks and PC remote control.

Narda Safety Test Solutions GmbH

element14

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q073

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N581

18 RADIO COMMS - July/August 2012

www.radiocomms.com.au



newproducts

Rugged transceiver

Vector signal generator The MG3710A vector signal generator provides excellent RF and baseband performance. Up to two RF output connectors can be installed, each with two built-in waveform memories to output two combined modulation signals from each RF connector for a maximum of four modulation signal outputs. It features a wide vector modulation signal band and large waveform memories while supporting digital modulation signals for a wide range of communications modulation technologies. With a built-in waveform pattern generator, any waveform pattern can be selected to output modulation signals to any communication device. The four following types of waveform pattern may be used with the MG3710A: built-in standard waveform patterns; optional waveform pattern suites; waveforms generated by the IQ producer waveform generation software; IQ data generated by general-purpose signal-generation software and converted waveform patterns used by the signal generator. Features include: supporting frequencies of 100 kHz to 2.7/4/6 GHz; ACLR: -71 dBc (W-CDMA Test-Model 1 64DPCH, ≤+5 dBm); output level +23 dBm (CW, 400 MHz to 3 GHz); switching time: ≤600 µs (List mode); two RF outputs using dual-RF; combines and outputs two modulation signals from one RF output using baseband addition function; easy setting and output of wanted and interference signals (modulated/delayed signals); built-in wideband (120 MHz) baseband signal generator; Windows O/S. Anritsu Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q050

GPS module Fastrax has introduced the IT530, an ultralow-power-consuming and supersensitive OEM GPS module in a tiny form factor. Sensitivity is -148 dBm in acquisition, -165 dBm in navigation and power consumption is 35 mW at 3.3 V. With a form factor of 9.6 x 9.6 x 1.85 mm and a weight of 0.4 g, the module has an identical footprint to the IT430 allowing designers to use either module. The power-saving AlwaysLocate mode prolongs battery life by intelligently controlling receiver power modes and maintaining location information. Depending on the environment and motion, the module adaptively adjusts its navigation activity to balance positioning accuracy, fix rate and power consumption (typically between 2-8 mW). In addition, the embedded assist system reduces warm-start TTFF by up to 90%, and ephemeris data stored internally for up to three days. The additional server-assisted EPO file transfer extends the external A-GPS service to up to 14 days. The embedded jammer remover fights distorting signals with active interference cancellation of 12 CW type EMI sources up to -80 dBm. The embedded Locus logger function can store location information in the internal memory for up to 16 h at a predetermined interval, set at every 15 s as a default. Glyn Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N578

20 RADIO COMMS - July/August 2012

The Midland G7XT-A transceiver is rugged, lightweight and built in a sturdy mechanical frame. The ergonomic design is engineered to sit safely in the hand allowing access to all function keys from the opposable thumb joint making it suitable for extreme situations such as construction and rescue. The tranceiver is fitted with 80 channel frequencies, compliant to the AS/NZS4365 standard and backed up with a two-year warranty. Point to Point Technology Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N531

Linking solutions MiMOMax Wireless has launched ‘seriously smart’ linking solutions in the licensed 800-900 MHz RF bands. The range provides up to 16 b/s/Hz spectral efficiency and 5 ms latency. The company’s point-to-point and point-to-multipoint UHF digital radios occupying the 900 MHz RF band are said to offer up to four times more data throughput in the same channel space compared to other high-performance digital radio solutions. The solutions are a suitable for mission-critical applications like utilities, public safety and transport to monitor and control energy delivery systems. Features include: 806-960 MHz frequency range; 12.5 and 25 kHz narrowband channels in 6.25 and 5 kHz steps; improved frequency reference with enhanced spectral performance; dual 10/100 Base-T ethernet switch that supports auto negotiation; lightweight antennas offering a 16 dBi nominal gain across the whole band and come with fully enclosed radome making them suitable for harsh weather conditions; internal band pass duplexer; upgraded digital processing system. MiMOMax Wireless Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q052

www.radiocomms.com.au


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End-user experience measurement is critical for your business: managing quality of experience Organisations used to predominately use network uptime measurements to evaluate their performance when delivering business-critical data to end users but are now seeking to reduce the time needed to resolve performance issues and also take actions to prevent these problems before they disrupt business processes. Read more in this paper.

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newproducts

Vapour phase soldering The VP450 soldering system has been developed for use in the lab for special applications and small series production. It is suitable for test soldering, for qualifying soldering processes and for soldering sample assemblies. Because of its semiautomatic operation, the system is suitable for small production runs. In combination with the ASSCON de-soldering system, the appliance can also be used for repairing assemblies. This soldering system provides all the advantages of modern vapour-phase soldering and enables correct soldering of complex SMD components with lead-free or leadcontaining soldering pastes in virtually any arrangement. Components such as quad flat packages, ball grid arrays, flip chips, cooling elements, SMD SIMM bars or ceramic substrates can all be processed. Advantages of the system include: non-oxidising heating process in inert vapour zone without additional shielding gases; reproducible process conditions; infinitely variable temperature gradient; energy savings, due to quick start function; electromechanically locked process space; no overheating of electronic assemblies; suitable for leadfree operation without restrictions; even heating of the assemblies without shadings; no time-intensive temperature profile creation; automatic heat transfer medium identification; user-friendly microprocessor control; no dependency on cooling water due to integrated re-cooling system; and suitable for unsoldering components with the ASSCON de-soldering system. Suba Engineering Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N580

HF manpack radio

Building a storage environment for super-efficiency The growth of stored data is being driven by a need to leverage new data sources (web-based social media, for example) to create new business opportunities. The current ways of managing data in this environment are not sustainable, however, so IT administrators must therefore respond by becoming more efficient.

For these and more White Paper downloads, visit www.radiocomms.com.au/white_papers

22 RADIO COMMS - July/August 2012

Codan Radio Communications has available the thirdgeneration (3G) automatic link establishment (ALE) in the 2110M series HF manpack radio. The waveform, based on the Standard NATO Agreement (STANAG 4538), supports enhanced data throughput and linking performance over noisy HF skywave channels. Integration of the ALE linking protocol and the data transport mechanism provides effective increased data throughput and shorter linking times in difficult HF conditions. Codan Limited Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q332

www.radiocomms.com.au


newproducts

Digital/analog portable repeater The RD96X is Hytera’s digital/analog portable repeater, compatible with the DMR standard. Compact and embedded with a mini duplexer, the device is equipped with a wide selection of components. The repeater fits into various application scenarios and supports a range of power supply plans for uninterrupted communications during emergencies. Its API and 100 Mbps network port combine to support an extended array of applications and it provides IP67 protection making it suitable for hostile operating environments.

Single earmuff noise-cancelling headset The single earmuff headset comes with either an inline PTT or earmuff PTT and is suitable for noisy environments where the user may have to listen to multiple conversations and wear another hearing device. The additional feature of an AUX input jack can assist with making this happen. Features include: an interchangeable radio interface cable allowing one headset to suit different radios; a choice of earmuff PTT or inline PTT; an AUX input jack for input of a secondary audio device such as an MP3 or scanner; a dynamic noise-cancelling microphone with 300° flexibility; NRR 24 dB; a waterproof and dustproof PTT; standard foam ear pads (ability to upgrade to gel ear pads).

Hytera Communications Co. Ltd

CRS Accessories

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q220

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N736

When a promise is made,

Polar Delivers. Australian manufacturers of Communication equipment in the 2-2900 MHz range.

Base antennas Multicouplers Diplexers Cavity filters Mobile antennas Marine antennas Power dividers/Accessories

Australian distributors for Kabelwerk Eupen AG

30475

Corrugated coaxial cables Braided coaxial cables Radiating cables Connectors & Accessories

www.radiocomms.com.au

POLAR ELECTRONIC INDUSTRIES Pty Ltd TEL: (03) 9555 2500 • FAX: (03) 9555 1515 • TOLL FREE 1800 33 5633 9-15 Friars Rd, Moorabbin, VIC, 3189 AUSTRALIA • Web: www.polarelec.com.au

Quality Endorsed Company ISO 9001 : 1994

Lic : QEC 1789

July/August 2012 - RADIO COMMS

23


newproducts

Two-channel scopes The 1000B series of oscilloscopes consists of four two-channel models, with bandwidths from 50 to 150 MHz. The series is equipped with a sharp colour LCD that is easy to read even from wide angles and it has up to 16 kpts of memory per channel and its 1 GS/s sample rate provides good signal detail. All the instruments can display 23 automatic measurements, including those made with a built-in frequency counter. The series is supplied with a go/no-go mask testing capability for precise parametric tests. The scopes also offer sequence mode that allows users to record and replay up to 1000 occurrences of a trigger for identifying glitches and other anomalies. USB connections allow them to share and document measurement results while a free educator kit helps teachers and professors teach essential oscilloscope skills. Agilent Technologies Aust Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q254

Remote spectrum analyser Narda Safety Test Solutions has added a scope option to its NRA range of remote spectrum analysers. This records the signal level continuously versus time and also makes the I/Q data available. A variant with LNB Control is also available which can be used to switch the low noise block converters (LNB) of satellite receiving antennas to the desired frequency range (low band/high band) and the appropriate polarisation (horizontal/ vertical). The NRA-3000 and NRA-6000 analysers can continuously record signal characteristics versus time with the new ‘scope and I/Q data’ option. The frequency resolution (RBW) can be set between 100 Hz and 32 MHz. The time resolution can be set down to 31.25 ns. The analysers also output ‘online’ the raw data separated into its real (in-phase) and imaginary (quadrature) components. The NRA-3000 LNB Control variant generates all the usual control voltages for switching the LNB to low band or high band and horizontal or vertical polarisation. These voltages can be increased if necessary to compensate for cable losses. Remote operation of the LNB Control is integrated into the standard command set of the analyser. Narda Safety Test Solutions GmbH Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N681

24 RADIO COMMS - July/August 2012

www.radiocomms.com.au


newproducts

Location software upgrade

Beamforming wireless base stations

A software release from CommScope, the GeoLENs Mobile Location Center 10.3, is giving wireless operators the ability to accurately and reliably locate mobile devices connected to LTE networks. Equipped with virtual node technology, the fully integrated MLC consolidates all of the capabilities of the various network location servers into one singlebay solution that is flexible, powerful and scalable. Each deployment can be customised and configured for specific network environments. The software supports combinations of handsetbased, network-based and hybrid location technologies. When queried for a location, it automatically selects the suitable locating method based on the specific request, device and subnetwork capabilities. The locating methods and procedures available are selected by the network operator and can be augmented as the network evolves. The software allows seamless upgrade of any existing CommScope location solution with no new hardware and doesn’t affect service.

The Wavion WBSn range of beamforming wireless solutions is said to offer significant performance gains in terms of range, throughput and interference mitigation. Fully outdoor rated to IP68, the range resolves the inbuilding penetration challenges facing large-scale metro and rural deployments by providing extended coverage and higher throughput in an outdoor environment, suitable for non-line-of-sight and heavy interference conditions. The range of WBSn base stations is available in omni and sectorised form factors, with simultaneous 2.4 and 5 GHz band support, integrated backhauling and a built-in access controller.

CommScope Solutions Singapore Pte Ltd

Madison Technologies

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q129

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q074

www.radiocomms.com.au

July/August 2012 - RADIO COMMS

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implementation

Dan Quagliani, system and projects manager, AA Radio

Major equipment rollout creates challenge A contract to supply over 9000 digital radios for the Country Fire Authority (CFA) fleet and provide a 10-year support services agreement, required an implementation partner to manage the installation of radio equipment into thousands of vehicles and appliances. Dan Quagliani from AA Radio describes the rollout of the CFA Radio Replacement Project.

T

he CFA is one of the largest volunteerbased emergency management organisations in the world and has been fighting fires and protecting Victorian communities since its inception in 1945. With over 57,000 members, predominantly volunteers, spread throughout 1220 brigades across a land mass equivalent in area to the UK, the installation project was a challenging and complex task. More than 17 years had elapsed since the installation of the original incumbent radio system and equipment. In this time, the technology in both radio equipment and vehicles had changed significantly. This required adjustments to the technical scope of works and requirements. From the outset, AA Radio realised that apart from the sheer size and scale of the task, there were other major factors that would need to be addressed. While CFA is largely a volunteer organisation, its sphere of operations ranges 26 RADIO COMMS - July/August 2012

"The fire danger period represented a significant risk to installations; this required careful planning to minimise the likelihood of appliances being unavailable during a fire call out."

from major urban areas through to a single shed hundreds of kilometres from the city. Many considerations were taken into account when planning the state-wide project, such as the wide variety of firefighting appliances to be installed, over 57 different vehicle types, and variations in manufacturer and age of those vehicles. Over 9000 customised P25 digital portable and mobile radios and TB9100 base stations needed to be implemented to upgrade CFA's incidentmanagement network.

Local seasonal factors such as crop sowing in Northern Victoria and holiday periods at coastal locations would affect the coordination of the installation teams. The CFA volunteers’ availability to access appliances and fire stations were also affected by seasonal factors. Personal limitations of CFA members, such as work or family commitments, also meant that vehicle access would not always be possible and that flexible working hours may be required to accommodate these circumstances. A close coordination between project teams to strike a balance for all members’ training requirements was needed. “With 57,000 members to train, 1220 fire brigades to be visited, 5000 portable radios to be delivered and 4000 mobile radios to be installed across 57 different types of vehicles, I think the Tait Communications and AA Radio rollout has been an extraordinary success,” said Doug Booth, CFA’s project director. www.radiocomms.com.au


implementation

The fire danger period represented a significant risk to installations; this required careful planning to minimise the likelihood of appliances being unavailable during a fire call-out. Brigades could also only tolerate a certain percentage of appliances being unavailable at any one time due to the installation works. In addition to these challenges, all parties faced additional, unforeseen issues, which would emerge as the project began. Many CFA members who had experienced the original rollout had moved on and been replaced with new members. Coordinating up-to-date CFA member contacts and access to vehicles was an ongoing precursor to all rolling installation schedules. Early in the project, some hardware and software enhancements were added to the product and this put pressure on the committed schedules, resourcing and travel plans of the installation crews. One of AA Radio’s first priority tasks was the establishment of a formal project management structure to continually engage with the Tait project team. This ensured there was regular communication with the Tait and CFA teams so that critical issues were addressed without delay. This structure was essential to maintain project control, but had to be flexible to accommodate unforeseen changes to both scope and operations. A key outcome of this structure was the ability to interact directly with CFA on operational matters while referring other issues to Tait for resolution. This required a great deal of trust and interaction from all parties and was a major factor in the success of the project. Another key priority was the establishment of a dedicated project office and warehouse/staging area, where equipment from Tait could be built into field kits for loading into the installation team vehicles in accordance with the scheduled week of works. Returning crews would unload old equipment, collect relevant documentation, attend debriefs with project staff and reload equipment for the next week’s mobilisation. A team of in-house dedicated resources supported the field crews with the objective of scheduling work, arranging accommodation, supplying consumable material supplies and keeping them up to the run rate required. Staff were recruited for the project and trained initially at AA Radio under the supervision of workshop personnel bewww.radiocomms.com.au

fore testing and accreditation at CFA. This meant every two-person team had a CFA-accredited installer at any location for sign-off on the completed installation. Quality assurance was conducted by AA Radio inspections and in conjunction with the overall Tait quality assurance inspection regime. Despite the many operational and physical challenges such as extreme weather, road closures and floods, the final installation was conducted at the Stawell brigade on 14 June 2012 - on time and on budget. Tait Communications program manager Terry Robinson stated, “We were very pleased with the commitment, professionalism and quality of the work performed by AA Radio. Their ability to communicate effectively and work closely with our project team was a major factor in the success of the project. Despite the many challenges that presented themselves, they overcame them and met the delivery and quality goals needed. Their achievement in a large and complex undertaking such as this was outstanding.”

"Five installation teams travelled in excess of 240,000 km over 17 months to install almost 4000 transceivers, 2800 in-vehicle chargers, program and supply 5000 portables into more than 3600 vehicles and specialised appliances."

Five installation teams travelled in excess of 240,000 km over 17 months to install almost 4000 transceivers, 2800 in-vehicle chargers, program and supply 5000 portables into more than 3600 vehicles and specialised appliances. Booth said, “Working to a tight timetable, [AA Radio] has demonstrated a strong commitment to meeting installation milestones while maintaining compliance with rigorous installation standards. It has accepted accountability for its work and has shown a willingness to work together constructively to resolve issues to deliver what has been a massive logistical undertaking. CFA has warmly recognised and affirms the key contribution made by AA Radio to the overall success of its radio replacement project.” AA Radio Services Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q432

July/August 2012 - RADIO COMMS

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newproducts

Tracking and location solution STProtect is an indoor tracking and location solution primarily targeted at providing lone worker safety and protection across a wide range of sectors. It works with STP8000 and STP9000 series hand-portable radios to provide a complete, built-in communications and location system for users in sectors where the security benefits of a TETRA solution are required, but where employee protection and location are also paramount. The solution comprises: STProtect-enabled radios - a STProtect module is located within the Sepura hand-portable radios; a series of batterypowered, IP65 STProtect radio beacons can be placed at key, user-defined positions within specific sites; a fully featured STProtect management software suite. The solution enables organisations to control access to certain areas of sites, monitor employees’ location and movement and provide users, such as maintenance engineers and security guards, with set routes and checkpoints. It also provides levels of flexibility, for example, by allowing users to adjust the range and polling rate of the beacons, enabling the swift importing of building plans and establishing a variety of alarm scenarios. Sepura PLC Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N940

28 RADIO COMMS - July/August 2012

Trunk microwave systems NEC Corporation has released its trunk microwave communications systems, the 5000iP series, featuring 1.6 times the transmission capacity of existing 5000S systems. The series supports full packet networking for long-distance communications of up to 50 km between metropolitan and mountainous areas, where it is difficult to lay optical cable. The systems are suitable for strengthening trunk networks with LTE and 4G communications and support full packet, high capacity communications that reach 4 Gbps higher than existing products. The compact design enables carriers to flexibly install the systems within offices and other areas of limited space. Primary features of the system include: high capacity trunk communications support - the system supports full packet (IP) networking, time-division multiplexing (TDM) and bundles numerous lines together to enable high capacity transmission of 400 Mbps - 4 Gbps; and, in addition to the wireless functions supported by existing 5000S products, the systems also support gigabit ethernet. NEC Corporation Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N772

www.radiocomms.com.au


newproducts

Satellite piracy system Beam Communications has a satellite piracy solution for Iridium-based, secure communications onboard a vessel. The PotsDOCK Extreme Covert Piracy Solution uses the Iridium Extreme satellite handset and the Covert Antenna system to provide a dedicated system for a safe room or citadel onboard a vessel. The system ensures that essential communications onboard, such as the ability to alert authorities in the event of a piracy attack, can be maintained even if all power or communication equipment has been cut off or destroyed by pirates. The system couples the handset and the system to provide the captain and crew with access to voice communications, tracking and alert functionality from the system. In the event of an attack, an alert can be raised and the vessel can be tracked immediately. Beam Communications Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q350

Wideband antenna Panorama Antennas has launched the LPB, low profile range of antennas. The rugged LPB antenna operates at all frequency bands from 700 through to 2700 MHz, providing the user with 3 to 5 dBi peak gain and VSWR below 2.5:1 across the full frequency range. With these characteristics, the device is a versatile antenna suitable for use either on commercial or private vehicles for cellular use or by public safety organisations and other users looking for products covering LTE and 7/800 MHz public safety frequencies. At 82 mm in height, and featuring an impact resistant housing, the antenna is suitable for tough environments and can withstand sudden impacts. It is supplied with either a short 50 cm pigtail or an integrated 5 m low loss coaxial cable run and fitted with an SMA male connector. Panorama Antennas Australia Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N631

www.radiocomms.com.au

July/August 2012 - RADIO COMMS

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newproducts

Rugged RF cable An 18 GHz cable assembly has been added to the Gore Phaseflex microwave/ RF test assemblies range. The assembly is specifically engineered for high-throughput production test applications in the wireless infrastructure market. The connectors on these assemblies minimise failure by incorporating maximum strain relief at the point where the cable and connector meet. The assembly’s internally ruggedised construction is more durable, delivering crush resistance of 85 kg/cm. Available in 1.0 and 1.5 m lengths with both SMA and N-type male connectors, the cable is easier for the operator to use because it is smaller and lighter weight, and it can be connected and disconnected manually. The assemblies withstand 100,000 flexures at a minimum bend radius of 2.4 cm. WL Gore & Associates Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q242

Protocol test platform

UHF narrow band telecommand modules LPRS has released the CDT-TX-02MR/CDT-RX-02M-R multichannel telecommand transmitter and receiver modules. The modules provide four selectable preprogrammed communication channels and six switch signal input/output processing circuits, allowing switch signals to be transmitted and received without the addition of external components. The CDT-TX-02M-R and CDTRX-02M-R modules provide longrange control, low-voltage operation with low current consumption for suitable battery operation and CDT-01-compatible communication format. Output switching is via PhotoMOS relays and all circuitry is housed in robust metal casings. These CE-certified radio modules operate in the 434 MHz ISM band and feature: six switch inputs and outputs; transmitter standby mode in; four receiver operation modes; 10 mW RF output power; MSK modulation; receiver sensitivity -120 dBm; six switching signal transmission R&TTE (EN 300 220); and RoHS compliance. Power requirements for the CDT-TX-02M-R are 2.2-12 V at 27 mA with 1 ÂľA at standby and for the CDT-RX-02M-R, 3.0-12V. Telelink Communications Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N011

30 RADIO COMMS - July/August 2012

Tektronix has introduced a protocol test platform that allows engineers to analyse, stimulate, stress and characterise highspeed serial links - with support for speeds up to 10 Gbps. With the TPI4000 protocol analyser series, users need one instrument to perform multiple test functions and to look at a variety of protocols such as ethernet, fibre channel, common public radio interface and serial front panel data port. With the broad acceptance of high-speed serial interfaces, engineers are looking to complement their company oscilloscopes with protocol analysers that can provide insight into the information that is being transferred across the physical layer. Engineers working with these high-speed serial protocols need to perform a number of tests, including interoperability and compatibility testing, performance optimisation and stress testing. The series provides a single instrument that can be configured to perform each of these tasks. The series consists of two models. The TPI4202 is a portable unit with a built-in monitor and keyboard and supports up to eight ports. The TPI4208 is a 4U rackmount unit that supports up to 32 ports. Each model is configurable with options to support different data rates, to support different protocols and to support different applications. In a single hardware platform, the TPI4000 can be configured by the user to be any combination of protocol analyser, traffic generator, system stress tester or BER (bit error rate) tester. The device can support any combination of protocols simultaneously and can be reconfigured by the user to support different protocols. Multiple protocol support allows the user to troubleshoot system-level problems while the ability to reconfigure the TPI4000 to support different protocols reduces total test cost. The device is said to be the only protocol analyser with a user-editable database that allows users to define custom protocols using the optional Protocol Editor tool. TekMark Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N583

www.radiocomms.com.au


newproducts

Radio remote controller The Zetron model 390 digital radio remote controller has the form factor of a conventional desk phone, but gives users access to TETRA functionality through its interface. The interfaces are currently available for Motorola MTM800e, 800, 700 and 300 TETRA radios. Up to 15 controllers can be connected, by Cat 5 cable, to a single TETRA radio located up to 600 m away and enable RF emissions be kept away from sensitive equipment. An optional interface module enables out of coverage or remote access to TETRA networks via dial-up telephony, ISDN or private circuit. Each unit has an individual rotary volume control, a numeric keypad and function buttons. The function buttons mimic the radio, making the operation simple for any operator familiar with the MTM700, MTM800, or MTM800e. LED button indicators show which functions are activated and the presence of incoming messages in the stack. For in-building applications, the controller minimises the risk of EMC/EMI disruption by keeping radios away from sensitive equipment, while, at the same time, using existing phone wiring instead of antenna cabling. In refineries and other applications where radios are either banned under health and safety regulations or could be potentially hazardous, the device gives personnel full access to TETRA radio network functionality while keeping RF emissions away from the critical areas. The controller’s remote access module provides a suitable way to achieve connectivity for enterprises that need to link by radio with their own personnel or those of partner organisations located away from the network. Zetron Australasia Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N930

Handheld personnel tracker SPOT Satellite Messenger is a compact, rugged handheld personnel tracker that supports location tracking and OH&S Sked reporting as well as help and duress functions. Used with TracerTrak, the tracker provides a low-cost enterprise-grade OHS solution for remote personnel. It uses AAA lithium batteries providing up to three months on standby or up to 700 messages. Features include: compact - easily carried by remote workers; battery powered, no external power supply required; supports ‘I’m okay’ Sked reports as well as SOS duress, help and custom messages; increased frequency of reporting while in SOS or help mode. Pivotel Australia Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N682

IMPROVE EFFICIENCY WITH THE DX-ALTUS

Operators can quickly complete their dispatch tasks using the user-friendly, easy to navigate, Alto dispatch console, reducing response times. Production times can also be improved by providing fewer interruptions using digital radio features such as text messaging for non-urgent communications and individual calling.

www.radiocomms.com.au

Furthermore, multiple dispatch locations can easily be connected to the centralised DX-Altus system. This means that dispatch operators can be in the most convenient location and work can be shared or taken over as required. In addition, features such as hot swapping and soft degradation ensure no operator downtime. Finally, diagnostics and reporting through protocols such as SNMP provide system managers and network administrators with real time system status, ensuring that the system operates at peak efficiency at all times. Contact our sales team today to learn more.

Challenging Communications Boundaries

East Coast Sales: +61 7 3369 5733 West Coast Sales: +61 8 9445 2633 sales@omnitronics.com.au www.omnitronicsworld.com

July/August 2012 - RADIO COMMS

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At Omnitronics our purpose is “to promote safe and efficient operations through electronic solutions.” By choosing DX-Altus as your dispatch system, you can go a long way to improving your efficiency in a number of ways.

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newproducts

Portable spectrum analyser The Advantest U3771 portable spectrum analyser is a 31.8 GHz microwave spectrum analyser capable of handling frequencies between 9 kHz to 31.8 GHz. The analyser has an ability to run on battery or AC or DC power and, being small in size and weight, offers portability for technicians in the field. The unit has a USB interface for printing and data storage. Features of the analyser include: high-input sensitivity; image suppression; simultaneous time and frequency domain displays; and an RMS detector. TechRentals Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N678

Digital radio test set

Wireless microphone

Aeroflex has collaborated with EF Johnson Technologies to provide automated test and alignment capabilities for EF Johnson P25 radios on the Aeroflex 3920 digital radio test set. Initial test capabilities will be focused on the 5100ES and 5300ES series APCO P25 conventional radios. The automated test and alignment procedure provides fully automated test and alignment of radios without the need for user interaction. The test system provides consistent and reliable tests and alignment to manufacturerrecommended specifications and to industry standards, ensuring proper interoperability and a uniform standard of performance within the radio’s network technology.

Wireless Pacific has released the compact, lightweight X10DR secure wireless microphone. It provides users out-of-vehicle communications with the power and performance of their mobile radio. The device allows wireless communication with a fixed or vehicle radio to over 60, 150 or 300 m. Users can communicate with clear duplex audio, with the power and range of a mobile radio while not being tied to the vehicle.

Aeroflex Asia Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N630

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N003

32 RADIO COMMS - July/August 2012

Pacific Wireless Communications Pty Ltd

www.radiocomms.com.au


I C O M 6 5 0 - A d _ R a d i o C o m. p d f

Pa ge

1

newproducts

Tester software options Two software options for the MD8475A signalling tester add IMS/ETWS service function tests for LTE smartphones and mobile terminals by upgrading the functions of the MX847570A SmartStudio package while also releasing the MX847570A-080 Extended CSCF option. The tester is a base station simulator incorporating hardware and software supporting various mobile communications technologies, including LTE, W-CDMA, etc. The SmartStudio software offers a GUI for setting parameters for each communications test.

The functions of the tester have been strengthened by adding the CSCF serve function for controlling IMS services such as VoLTE and SMS over IMS, as well as the public warning service centre function for controlling ETWS services. Installing the upgraded SmartStudio in the LTE test configuration not only eliminates the need to write complex sequence programs but also supports service function tests of LTE smartphones and mobile terminals offering IMS/ETWS services. In addition to the SmartStudio upgrade, installing the newly developed Extended CSCF option supports intentional generation of both abnormal status conditions, such as no network response and server error, and quasi-normal status conditions, such as no response from called party and called party busy, at testing of smartphone IMS services. When communications problems occur in field trials on actual LTE networks, this function can help troubleshoot whether the cause is at the network or is terminal side. Anritsu Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q364

In Safe Hands Communications play an essential role in keeping your mine site operations safe and productive, especially when working in hazardous environments. With Icom’s range of radio communications equipment, which is based on 50 years experience in the industry, we’re confident you’ll be in safe hands.

NXDN

Lightning protection The Times Protect LP-BTR surge arrestor series addresses applications in the 200-1000 MHz range. The DC blocking employed provides optimum isolation of the antenna port from the protected equipment port for maximum surge protection. The protectors are available with N connector configurations for various installation requirements. Rojone Pty Ltd

To discover how Icom can offer a complete solution, email our Land Mobile Specialist via lmr@icom.net.au

www.icom.net.au ICOM 650

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q240

www.radiocomms.com.au

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1 2 / 0 6


newproducts

RF capacitors

Wireless headphones/headset Audiomate, from AirWave, wirelessly enables headphones or headsets allowing users to make VoIP calls as far as 30 m from their computer. Available in two models, the AM8112 digital audio adapter enables high-fidelity, stereo sound up to 30 m from signal source and the AM8212 two-way audio adapter and microphone makes both audio entertainment and computer conversations wireless, allowing a user to make Skype or other VoIP calls as far as 30 m from their computer. The devices work with any earphones or active speakers to provide 360° omnidirectional transmission and reception throughout a 30 m radius. Both use 2.4 GHz digital FHSS technology for smooth audio streaming and advanced interference resistance and deliver high-fidelity stereo sound quality with a 20-20,000 Hz audio range. The devices are designed for comfortable use and portability and are compatible with both Windows and MacOS X. A built-in Li-Ion rechargeable battery and charger are included for the receiver. The AM8112 works with stereo systems, mobile devices and audio equipment with a 3.5 mm earphone jack. The AM8212 is suitable for in-home use with a PC, notebook or tablet via a USB port. The built-in omnidirectional microphone in the receiver allows the AWS8212 to function as both a headset and as headphones. PC Range Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q227

Vishay has launched a surface-mount thin film RF capacitor with, what is claimed to be, the highest self-resonance frequency, ranging from 8.5 to upwards of 20 GHz, depending on capacitance. This RFCS series replaces the previous generation HPC product range. The devices have a Q of 260-70,500 at 100 MHz and 10-3190 at 1 GHz. The capacitors are rated for a working voltage of up to 50 and feature a capacitance range of 0.2 to 27 pF with a tolerance of ±5%. With a thin film capacitor-on-silicon construction, the series is designed for RF circuits that require good performance at frequencies up to 20 GHz. The structure is based on thin film electrodes deposited on a highly conductive silicon substrate characterised by ultralow parasitic inductance which allows the component to self-resonate at higher frequencies. The capacitors are suitable for impedance matching circuits, decoupling, DC blocking, lumped element filters and other circuit applications requiring ultrathin components such as smart credit cards and SIM cards. Typical end-products in which the device will be used include test and measurement equipment, RF receivers and transmitters, high-frequency data transfer (telecom, datacom, etc) and other applications with operating frequencies greater than 5 GHz. Future Electronics Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q243

LTE device test system Aeroflex and 7Layers have collaborated to provide a test system that assesses the interworking of LTE-capable terminals or chipsets with LTE networks and the Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC). Based on the InterLab test solution LTE-USIM/USAT in combination with the 7100 digital radio test set, the system is a test set-up that is suitable for both conformance and R&D test purposes. The system has been used for LTE-only test cases, with further extensions of the test case packages in progress. Aeroflex Asia Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N006

Check out this magazine’s website.

34 RADIO COMMS - July/August 2012

www.radiocomms.com.au


RFID manufacturing

© iStockphoto.com/Albert Lozano

Paper over wet etching for RFID antennas The manufacturing of RFID antennas through the process of etching is now being challenged by a patented technology. alki-4E is a way of producing W flexible circuit boards efficiently and sustainably. This is possible through a dry production process, involving no liquid chemicals and using paper as the substrate. It also allows for computer to antenna production and accurate laser cutting of the circuit board patterns. Walki, a producer of technical laminates, looked for ways to simplify the manufacturing process, while making use of its knowledge in lamination. “We think that Walki-4E technology is the first feasible alternative to etching and that it will bring new dimensions of cost efficiency and sustainability to the industry,” said Sami Liponkoski, business line manager at Walki. In brief, the idea is to make a special laminate of aluminium and paper substrate, where the aluminium foil is cut in patterns using a laser. Computer to antenna production and laser cutting of the flexible board patterns allow for a speedy production process and high accuracy. For example, the laser cuts with an accuracy of 20 microns while a human hair has the thickness of 100-120 microns. The technology can be used for any production of flexible circuits boards, ranging from RFID antennas to boards for radiators and flexible displays. The first product to be launched using the technology is Walki-Pantenna, a UHF RFID antenna. www.radiocomms.com.au

“The technology can be used for any production of flexible circuit boards, ranging from RFID antennas to boards for radiators and flexible displays.” The four E’s of Walki-4E stand for efficiency, exactness, economy and ecology. Compared with etching, the technology eliminates a whole step from the tag production process or from the converter’s process, thus combining efficiency and economy. “Since paper is used as a substrate, the RFID manufacturers can leave out the insertion of the PET inlay into paper, a necessary step when the antenna has been produced by etching. Moreover, the computer to antenna production method speeds up design and development, an advantage especially when it comes to producing short series, involving a fewer number of antennas,” Liponkoski said. Cost efficiency comes hand-in-hand with environmental benefits. The dry process does not involve any chemicals, thus resulting in process residue that is easily recyclable. The absence of liquid chemicals also leaves the RFID manufacturers with a product, the ready antenna, that is 100% recyclable. “Since the antenna is free from plastics, made of paper and aluminium only,

it is easily recycled in a fibre recycling process, where metal detectors sort out the aluminium,” said Liponkoski. The precision of the laser cutting of the patterns allows for smaller chips, greater repeatability in the production process and higher accuracy of the antenna. “This does not only overcome certain accuracy problems that etching brings, but also gives new possibilities for developing the antennas and the chips,” Liponkoski said. Digitalisation of the production process - ie, computer to antenna production - brings efficiency and allows for an endless number of variations in the patterns. “Our vision is that the antenna production eventually will be completely digital. Laser cutting can speed up the production process by 10 times and, taking into account the development that laser technology undergoes every year, the possibilities of producing flexible circuit boards with lasers are almost limitless. “We are now in the ramp-up phase for our production line in Pietarsaari, Finland, and we are looking forward to introduction in the market. There is a lot of interest in our product and we strongly believe it has the capacity to change the industry,” Liponkoski said. Walki http://www.walki.com

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newproducts

Digital oscilloscopes The Rigol DS4000 series digital oscilloscopes feature 4 GS/s sampling, bandwidth from 100 to 500 MHz and 2 or 4 channels and the Rigol DSA-815 1.5 GHz spectrum analyser. These scopes can help find system glitches with 140 million pts of memory depth and 110,000 waveforms/s acquisition rate. In addition, DS4000 series can search and navigate within up to 200,000 triggered waveforms with mask tests.

The oscilloscopes feature Rigol’s UltraVision technology and a 9″ WVGA display to offer an intensity grading display and real-time waveform recording, and waveform visualisation and replay, with customisable real-time hardware filters available. The series is suitable for applications in the communications, aerospace/ defence, computing and instrumentation industries, research and education, industrial and consumer electronics. Emona Instruments Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q228

36 RADIO COMMS - July/August 2012

Signal generation and analysis capability Aeroflex Limited has added IEEE 802.11ac capability to its S-series RF signal generator and analyser product line. Designed for use in wireless local area network research, design and manufacturing, the capability is available for the SGD RF digital signal generators (option 119) and the SVA vector signal analysers (option 110). The S-series products’ standard features include a bandwidth of 200 MHz; level and frequency settling times that are said to be five times faster at 100 µs; and low phase noise performance (-135 dB/Hz at 1 GHz, 20 kHz offset). Using Aerolock, the S-series instruments can be locked together to build complex test set-ups. Aeroflex Asia Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q366

Vehicle mobile radio extender The X10DR vehicle mobile radio extender, released by Wireless Pacific, is available in a 128-bit encryption version. The company stated that the upgrade to 128-bit encryption provides an additional layer of confidence for those who need their mobile radio communications to remain secure. The device provides out of vehicle wireless communication from vehiclemounted mobile radios, up to hundreds of metres from the vehicle. Pacific Wireless Communications Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q374

www.radiocomms.com.au


TETRA repeater Enhancements have been made to Axell Wireless’s CSR438 TETRA repeater. The repeater does not require hardware upgrades and therefore can be reconfigured remotely using software updates. The enhancements provide an extension of the company’s range of digital TETRA repeaters, which includes band and frequency shifting capability used to enhance the reach of a TETRA base station. The enhancements allow the digital repeater to be configured via a graphical user interface to operate in either ‘band’ or ‘channel’ selective modes. Systems integrators and public safety operators can then deploy systems in a typical 5 MHz band selective mode and, to improve selectivity and reduce noise at a later stage, reconfigure the unit to operate with a set of channels within the band. The switch from ‘band’ selective to ‘channel’ selective, or vice versa, can be done through a local connection to the repeater or remotely via a wireless modem or ethernet connection. Whilst operating in ‘channel’ selective mode the repeater provides filtering for up to eight channels. The digital repeater is designed to support public safety networks and PMR systems for security applications either within buildings or critical infrastructure facilities such as metro (underground) networks, rail or road tunnels, airports, and energy or chemical plants. Its broad frequency capability allows it to operate from 380 to 470 MHz in bands of up to 20 MHz in bandwidth. Equally operating in ‘channel’ selective mode, a narrow band part of the spectrum can be selected through a GUI interface.

N EW

newproducts

Axell Wireless http://www.axellwireless.com/

Wi-Fi handset with 2D barcode scanner The Polycom SpectraLink 8452, said to be the first enterprise-grade voice-over Wi-Fi handset with an integrated 2D barcode scanner, has been released. The handset combines a mobile phone, pager, pushto-talk functionality, barcode scanner and access to web-based applications in a single lightweight device. As an easy-to-use, multifunction solution, the handset lets workers communicate and access data in a variety of ways from anywhere within the enterprise Wi-Fi network. The barcode scanner has the capability to read both 1D and 2D barcode images in hundredths of a second from a scanning distance of up to 86.36 cm and from a range of horizontal and vertical scan angles. The handset also features the Polycom HD Voice sound quality for clear conversations, a large colour display with a simple and intuitive user interface, enterprisegrade durability, simple provisioning and management and support for accessories such as battery packs and headsets.

www.powerbox.com.au

Wavelink Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N338

www.radiocomms.com.au

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space technology

© iStockphoto.com/tpavloster

To the Moon and back for finite frequencies For decades, the European Space Agency (ESA) has served as permanent executive secretary of the Space Frequency Coordination Group (SFCG), a little-known technical body charged with coordinating and managing the radio frequencies used for communication by all space-faring organisations.

he SFCG has worked to ensure that radio T frequencies are wisely and fairly used for many years - work that is far more important than the committee’s arcane technical name would suggest. “There is only a finite range of radio frequencies that can be used by spacecraft and satellites to communicate between each other and back to ground stations on Earth,” said Edoardo Marelli, head of ESA’s Frequency Management Office. “The role of the SFCG is to coordinate the frequencies allocated to civil spaceflight use and to optimise the benefits of this precious and very limited natural resource.” The SFCG’s 29 regular members include NASA, ESA, national European space agencies, Eumetsat, NOAA, and national agencies from Russia, China and 14 other nations. Institutional observer members include the International Telecommunication Union and the World Meteorological Organisation. 38 RADIO COMMS - July/August 2012

"[Access to space] also requires well-managed radio frequencies for communication. Without that, no one would fly any missions at all."

“SFCG was started by ESA and the French space agency 32 years ago, and it’s one of the most mature and longest-running examples of international cooperation in space,” said Enrico Vassallo, responsible for frequency coordination at ESA’s ESOC Establishment. “It’s up to ESA to set the agenda, manage issues and, when necessary, break ties to ensure that the annual meetings produce decisions and results that enable all operators to build and fly their missions.” 2012’s seven-day meeting was hosted by ESA at ESOC in Darmstadt, Germany, and ended on 20 June. Delegates agreed on a number of impor-

tant issues, including coordinating radio frequencies for ESA’s Solar Orbiter mission, planned for launch in 2017, and identifying the bands to be used for future exploration missions around, or on, the Moon. By cooperating in the SFCG, all space agencies gain the benefits of reducing the risk of interference to their missions, protecting the frequency bands allocated to space services from other spectrum users and creating strong opportunities for cross-support and interoperability. “And that boosts return on space investment for everyone,” said Vassallo. Manfred Warhaut, head of mission operations at ESA, explained that access to space is not only a matter of developing launchers. “It also requires well-managed radio frequencies for communication. Without that, no one would fly any missions at all.” European Space Agency www.esa.int

www.radiocomms.com.au


newproducts

Satellite piracy system for maritime communication

IP radios

Beam Communications has produced a satellite piracy solution for secure communication on board a vessel. The system operates with the Inmarsat satellite network. The Oceana 800 Covert Piracy Solution provides a system for a safe room or citadel on board a vessel. The system ensures that, in the event of a piracy attack, essential communications on board the vessel can be maintained and used for alerting authorities. The antenna is intended for covert placement and claimed to be less likely to be spotted and targeted prior to an attack. The system operates with the FleetPhone service and ensures the captain and crew have access to communications, tracking and alert functionality from the system. Inmarsat Services Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q176

MiMOMax has released sub 1 GHz ‘seriously smart’ IP radios. Features include: 806 to 960 MHz; 12.5 kHz and 25 kHz narrow band channels in 6.25 and 5 kHz steps (50 kHz in future); built-in dual 10/100 Base-T ethernet switch that supports auto negotiation; improved frequency reference with enhanced spectral performance to support greater signal sensitivity and better path performance; low cost and lightweight antennas, offering a 14dBi nominal gain. Low visual impact a n t e n n as co m e with fully enclosed radome making them suitable for harsh weather conditions; internal band pass duplexer (instead of notch-type duplexer) that assists to mitigate on-site interference from other equipment; and MiMOMax has upgraded to a new digital processing system to provide more system processing power. MiMOMax Wireless Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N878

TX4800 25 watt VHF/UHF commercial radio Ingress protected to IP67 500 channel / 50 zones MDC1200 compatible signaling

www.radiocomms.com.au

CR013B

• • • •

SYDNEY (02) 9879 8888

MELBOURNE (03) 9558 9999

BRISBANE (07) 3278 6444

PERTH (08) 9455 5744

ADELAIDE (08) 8234 2633

AUCKLAND (09) 274 0955 www.gme.net.au

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newproducts

Vector network analysers

Wireless Pacific has released the GT - a professional-grade, portable two-way radio. Features of the portable radio include: industry-standard 4 W UHF transmitter; voice scrambler; Li-Ion battery; IP54rated build quality; and 16 on-site channels.

The Planar R54 is a vector reflectometer designed for S11 parameter measurement. It provides high-accuracy measurements for magnitude and phase in frequencies between 85 MHz and 4.2 GHz. With a weight of 250 g, this device is portable and can be taken into any testing environment. The reflectometer provides a variety of analytical capabilities in the frequency and time domains. The Planar TR1300/1 vector network analyser features: measured parameters S11, S22, magnitude and phase; dynamic range 130 dB; measurement time per point 150 µsec; output power range -55 to +3 dBm. It is a 2-port, one-path vector network analyser. It represents a low weight and small size solution for magnitude and phase measurements with a variety of analysis capabilities in the frequency and time domains. The Planar 304/1 vector network analyser features: measured parameters S11, S22, S12, S22 magnitude and phase; dynamic range 135 dB; measurement time per point 125 µsec; output power range -55 to +10 dBm. The capabilities of the analyser include: embedding and de-embedding, gating as a standard feature; frequency offset for testing mixers; transformation between the frequency and time domains, mixer/ converter measurements and other state-of-the-art analysis methods. The Planar 804/1 vector network analyser features: measured parameters S11, S22, S12, S22 magnitude and phase; dynamic range 145 dB; measurement time per point 100 µsec; output power range -60 to +10 dBm. It provides a wide variety of analysis capabilities in the frequency and time domains as well as the frequency offset mode feature; transformation between the frequency and time domains, mixer/ converter measurements and other state-of-the-art analysis methods.

Pacific Wireless Communications Pty Ltd

Clarke & Severn Electronics

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q367

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N839

Handheld oscilloscopes Two oscilloscopes have been added to Agilent’s range of handheld instruments. The 100 MHz U1610A and the 200 MHz U1620A are the first handheld units to include a colour VGA display. With up to three viewing modes (indoor, outdoor and night vision), these instruments enable users to view signal waveforms by zooming in to capture glitches under all lighting conditions. The outdoor viewing mode, coupled with the 5.7″ transflective display on these instruments, makes it possible to read waveforms even in bright sunlight. Key measurement capabilities include a sampling rate of 1 or 2 GS/s and two safety-isolated input channels. Analysis capabilities include deep memory, 1000-times zooming and dual zoom windows for overview and detailed displays. Agilent Technologies Aust Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q241

Portable two-way radio

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newproducts

Aviation headset

Spectrum analyser with tracking generator

Audiospecialist Sennheiser has released the S1 Passive, a high-performance general aviation headset that provides both good passive noise attenuation and comfort. The headset has joined the S1 family of general aviation headsets that were released last year. The full-sized headset was developed for pilots who demand good noise attenuation but do not want to use an active headset. It is also suitable for flight students. The headset ensures safe and clear speech transmission between the cockpit and the tower and can also be adapted to the user. It comes equipped with the ActiveGard feature, which protects the pilots from hearing against extreme volume peaks that can occur during radio communication. If a signal above a level of 110 dB is received, ActiveGard compresses the sound and everything remains clearly intelligible at a healthy volume. The headset can be connected not only to audio devices but also to mobile phones. As soon as the tower contacts the pilot, a mute function automatically mutes the music or the phone call. The contact pressure of the headset can be individually adjusted in three stages, while a glasses zone has softer, more flexible padding to provide space for the temple arms of sunglasses.

The Rohde & Schwarz FSH6 spectrum analyser with tracking generator provides scalar network analysis, one-port cable loss measurement and frequency (with distance to fault) measurement. Low level signals can be measured with the adjustable preamplifier that is included in this model. With measurements such as TDMA, channel-power, field-strength, carrier/noise and directional, the spectrum can be analysed rapidly and with high precision. Features include: RBW 100 Hz to1 MHz; noise level to 3 GHz, -112 dBm; 5 to 6 GHz, -102 dBm typically; rapid and simple transfer of measurement data from the analyser to PC and vice versa. TechRentals Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q126

Syntec International Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N787

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RADIO

© iStockphoto.com/Lev Kropotov

Project: Surf Life Saving NSW network Application: Centralised control and local service with radio over IP

S

aving thousands of lives every year, surf lifesaving is an important force in public safety. Quick response times and reliable radio networks are just as important to lifesavers as they are for other public safety organisations. With some of the busiest beaches in Australia like Bondi and Manly, Surf Life Saving NSW recognised this need and commissioned Omnitronics and Karera Communications to implement a reliable and flexible solution. Covering such a large area of over 2000 km of coastline and 132 beaches, SLS NSW faced a number of challenges. These challenges were overcome by connecting each of the repeater sites by RoIP. Bruce Forward, manager of Oceania and International sales at Omnitronics, stated that “over the past few years, Omnitronics has received numerous enquiries from surf lifesaving organisations throughout Australia and New Zealand wishing to find out more about how radio over IP (RoIP) technology could be used to improve their radio communications services”. An IPR gateway was placed at each site converting the SLS’s existing analog radio signals to digital. By using IPR devices, calls are able to be distributed across the network and to multiple dispatch locations using Omnitronics’ conferencing mode. John Florenca, CEO of Omnitronics, commented on how the company has been focusing on just this kind of application. “Over the past few years, we have been developing our capability and honing our skills of delivering RoIP solutions that meet the changing needs of two-way radio users. We have now reached a point where we can help deliver a distributed radio management architecture (over IP), reliably and in a cost-effective manner.” In the case of SLS NSW, a combination of centralised and localised support was required. This ensures that individual lifesavers have the backup of not only their local team members but also team members right

across the region, thereby increasing safety and improving response times. To achieve this, the DX-64 radio dispatch management system was selected as the hub of this network, being placed at the centralised communications centre. From here, dispatch operators are able to monitor and coordinate the activities across the state. Regional Surfcom communication centres were then set up with desk-mount IP consoles to simultaneously connect to the same network. Chris McCaskie of SLS NSW states: “Surf Life Saving NSW has seen significant operational benefits from the implementation of this system. Centralised control and command of statewide communications has enabled uniformity and streamlining of our emergency response system.” The rapid recall feature of the system has proved to be a valuable addition to the network. Lifesavers need to very quickly convey their location and type of emergency to the dispatch centre so they can continue to perform emergency first aid. Operators may miss vital details due to the hurried nature of the call. By using rapid recall, all voice calls are automatically recorded and can be replayed as many times as required at the press of a button. This has enabled operators to quickly call in emergency services and local services without requiring the lifesavers to repeat information and distracting them from their main task - saving a life. With Phase 1 of the rollout complete, SLS NSW is looking to expand its network to cover more beaches. Due to the flexibility of a RoIP infrastructure, this will be done by simply connecting additional IPR gateways and regional surfcoms to the existing network. As for the future, Bruce Forward states: “Digital radio technology is now also offering further advantages to surf lifesaving organisations and Omnitronics’ digital radio capable dispatch console solutions will soon be used at many beaches throughout Australia and New Zealand.”

“[Rapid recall] has enabled operators to quickly call in emergency services and local services without requiring the lifesavers to repeat information and distracting them from their main task - saving a life.”

Omnitronics Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q323

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The Future of Professional Mobile Radio

Utilities Government Enterprise Transportation Public Safety

2012 In conjunction with the ARCIA Industry Gala Dinner

4–5 December 2012 Melbourne Convention Centre, Australia A Date For Your Diary And A New Venue ... RadioComms Connect conference and exhibition returns to Melbourne later this year and is pleased to announce it will be taking place in the state-of-the-art facilities offered by the Melbourne Convention Centre. A top quality line-up of both local and international speakers will take a close look at how radio communications are being utilised across a broad range of industry sectors and at what the future of radio and combined communications landscape has in store. With industry-focused streams, keynotes, workshops and an exhibition with dozens of new exhibitors showcasing the very latest technology available, why not put the date in your diary now? Join us as we take a look at ‘The Future of Professional Mobile Radio’. Key themes include: • • • • • • • •

Mining and resources Transportation and utilities Education and training Spectrum management Scada/M2M Networks and infrastructure Mobile broadband and PMR users Public safety

Registration will go live and the full conference agenda will be available in early September. Save the date today. Magazine partner:

In association with:

Supporting associations & media organisations:

WFevents, a division of Westwick-Farrow Media - ABN: 22 152 305 336

((( www.radiocommsconnect.com.au )))


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