SCADA Radio Networks
Mission Critical RF Consulting
Office Phone: 954 961 2642
The
question of weather to utilize FCC
licensed SCADA radio spectrum or to use the popular
license free SCADA communications equipment or the new 5G Cellular is a challenging
question. There are many important design questions that must
be considered before making a choice. Questions like, network
vulnerably, reliability, can I experience
interference from other license free users? Am I choosing
best
practices in the design process and implementation. How long
does
it
take
to get an FCC
license and how much does it cost?
It
is our job as the RF based communications designers / consultants to
know the answers to these questions. We know the available
SCADA
/ telemetry radio spectrum extremely
well.
We know when license free is a good match and when it is not.
When a SCADA system does require a FCC license we have
methodology that allows us to select the best frequency for the client.
A frequency with good co channel and adjacent channel
characteristics, which SCADA radio bands of operation have crowding in
which geographical parts of the country. We couple real
world, on
site, spectral analysis with FCC Universal Licensing System
database records to select the clearest possible radio channel
available.
Here are a few ideas we use when determining
which option to use (licensed or non licensed). A
good place
to start is to
define the proposed SCADA radio networks current operating
area while
also considering any future area expansion that may be
necessary. Generally speaking if the operating radius is
large more than about a one to two mile radius or difficult terrain
exists, then licensed spectrum becomes increasingly
attractive. Licensed SCADA radio networks can be formed using
central sites that communicate to remote sites up to 10 and even up to
40 miles from the central site. Data bandwidth is
another key factor, if you need to share more than 20 KBPS between your
RTU's and the SCADA master (central site) then licensed free is where
the greater bandwidth is available.
License free radio networks
generally utilize less power in the transmitter and associated radio
path, they typically require
stronger signals in the receiver to carry the wider bandwidth of
payload data, and are limited in antenna system EIRP (effective
isotopic radiated power). There are many types of radios to
choose from and technology selection can leave a designer with more
questions than answers. Having a unbiased third party filter
through the manufacturers sales data can be a great assed when
specifying a SCADA radio network.
Think SCADA over cellular is
the 5G holy land for your mission critical
network, consider the potential down sides. Cellular
infrastructure is an early target of nation state cyber
warfare.
Cellular is not a private autonomous network. With cellular
you
are dependent of ma bell telephone and they are now your business
partner. Consider the number of devices that have to work
flawlessly in order for your data to get through. Tower site;
power systems, microwave or fiber back haul communications circuits,
and cell antenna systems, Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO);
power systems, microwave or fiber back haul communications circuits,
routers, internet infrastructure; power systems, fiber communications
circuits, network routers and more. All of this gear has to
work
to get your data transported. It's also vulnerable to hackers
both foreign and domestic and now your network is
too.
If you have any questions or a
specific project or an application you would like to discuss, please
feel free to call on me, Mark Lavallee. I enjoy sharing my 30 years of experience and knowledge. My organization is
often used to sub consult with consultants, assist controls system
integrators, and work with the end users directly.
954-961-2642
or email : mark.lavallee@advantage-com.com
Thank
you for
visiting SCADA
Radio Networks
2009- 2021