Re: [Hampshire] Help finding wireless bridge manufacturers/s…

On 05/02/2025 20:13, James Dutton via Hampshire wrote:
> On Wed, 5 Feb 2025 at 18:24, Roger Munford via Hampshire
> <hampshire@???> wrote:
>>
>> Thanks everybody for your kind and useful responses.
>>
>> The project involves two solar installations which are close to each
>> other and as generators they are separate. However it appears that for
>> monitoring purposes, (equipment manufactures advice) it would be better
>> to have the two systems integrated hence the last minute call for a
>> wireless link. It could have been incorporated into the system whilst it
>> was being built but that didn't happen. I have passed on the excellent
>> suggestion of a fibre link.
>>
>> In the distant past I did install a couple of wireless bridges across
>> farmyards using normal domestic equipment costing in the order of £50
>> plus antennae and they seemed to be OK. However for this job, I thought
>> that I would try and find something industrial standard . It seems that
>> the sort of equipment found on Amazon although cheap appears to be
>> adequate although I think a well made, rugged system is required here.
>>
>> A few years a go was lucky enough to be involved in a project in Africa
>> and we were advised to use "Teltonika" equipment for comms and it looked
>> the part, aluminium case, rail mounted. What I meant by robust. It has
>> been working for 3 years without failing.
>>
>> My friend has ordered something Chinese from Amazon just to get going
>> but chances are he will come back to it later.
>>
>
> Hi,
>
> Considering the Wifi option.
> An off the shelf wifi equipment can probably reach 100M line-of-sight
> without needing any special antenna.
> 180M might need a more directional antenna.
> There are also OFCOM license considerations to consider. Limit's TX
> power outdoors etc. if you don't want to need a license.
> Another aspect of RF point-to-point links is that RF does not travel
> in a single straight line like a laser does.
> You need to pay attention to something called the "Frensel Zone"
> Here is a youtube video to explain it:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7ey2upDhRw
>
> So, in summary, I don't think you need to go with anything too expensive.
> You could also maybe use Lora or similar to link the two solar arrays,
> that will be cheaper.
>
> Kind Regards
>
> James
>

G'day all (long time no post!)

I'd second the Lora option, if it is an option; you can get a surprising
amount of traffic a surprising distance using some of the SOCs
available. Heltec make (or made) an Arduino SOC + LoRa unit for under
€20 that could be used for something like this.

That's not factoring in the development time or the additional hardware
and enclosures you'd need to make it work, of course. Be warned that the
rabbit hole can be quite deep :-D

Cheers

Brad
--
Brad Macpherson