2003

Raftview Communications Ltd. Microwave Link

We designed and installed a 12Mb Full Duplex Data link from Kamloops BC to Barriere BC and Clearwater BC. The total path length to Barriere is 71.8 Km (44.8 miles). The path to Clearwater is 117.65 Km. (73.4 miles) The longest leg is 102.2 Km. As there was no line of sight from the Big Pipe Inc. Network Operations Center in Kamloops to Mount Lolo, we accessed the Big Pipe Network via an optical fiber from the Shaw Cablevision Headend in North Kamloops. The Link is a 5.8 GHz. link. The Backbone is 12 Mbs full duplex, with a wayside T1. The link from the backbone to the Cablevision Headends are both 10 Mbs Time Division Duplex. The complete link is backed up with batteries, giving several days of run time. The Clearwater site is a non AC site. It is powered by a large bank of batteries. The batteries are charged by a Trace DR inverter which is powered by a Honda Generator. The generator can be started and stopped via the Internet from anywhere in the world. A RMS (Remote Monitoring System) controller by BND Communications controls the generator and remotely monitors all the voltages at the site. 

2000 -2002 

Afag Computers:

Designed and consulted on a complete 2.4 Ghz. Wireless system for the city of Dubai, United Emirates Republic. This system covered a 70 Km. radius, serving thousands of residents.

AirSpeed Wireless Inc:

In conjunction with AirSpeed Wireless Inc. of Salmon Arm, BC. we designed and installed a large data backbone system. It connects several Cablevision companies owned by Mascon Communications Corp. of Salmon Arm, BC. The Link also feeds several point to Multi-Point Sites, providing high speed wireless Internet access for commercial and residential subscribers.

Pender Island Cablevision

When Pender Island Cablevision rolled out Cable Internet, the phone company wanted >$6000 per month for a T1 data connection to the Internet. We installed a Wireless Inc. 10 Mbs. link 12.4 Km's (7.4 Mi.) to the Big Pipe Fiber hub in Sidney, BC. We also installed a Lucent 2.4 Ghz Point to multi-point system between Pender Island, BC and Saturna Island. This provides the residents of Saturna Island with high speed Internet access.

1999

Sicamous, BC:
In conjunction with Mascon Communications Corp. of Salmon Arm, BC, we installed a multi-hop 2.4 GHZ. Spread Spectrum system to transport the Internet traffic from their Sicamous Cablevision System. Sicamous Cable is offering Internet access to its subscribers via DOCSIS Cable Modems. As it was cost prohibitive to access the Internet Via the local telephone company, it was decided to access the Internet via the Shaw Fiberlink facility in Vernon, BC. Vernon is 95 Kilometers (60 miles) from Sicamous. As the central Okanagan area of British Columbia is mountainous, a mountain top to mountain top route had to be taken. Three repeater sites were installed. One on Bastion Mtn, above Salmon Arm, BC and others on mountain tops near Enderby and Vernon BC. With careful design and judicious placement of the repeater sites, we were able to implement this link and still conform with Industry Canada's RS210 regulations. Each site has a backup power system with a 2 day run time.

Owen Sound, Ontario:

We designed, coordinated and installed a major wireless system for the Grey Bruce Hospital System. Due to the consolidation of five hospital districts, we were contracted to tie 7 hospitals together. The system included 9 hospitals and 10 repeaters. As patients records and x-rays were being transmitted across the network, and encrypted VPN solution was used.

1998 

Valley Internet Providers:

In conjunction with Valley Internet Providers of Penticton, BC. we installed a multi hop 2.4 Ghz. microwave Link. It links the towns of Princeton, Keremeos, and Cawston to Penticton. It provides a pipe for the Internet Service Provider in Keremeos, as well as data to the school in Princeton, BC. It also provides Internet access for China Creek Internet, the ISP in Princeton, BC. This Link uses a non AC powered site at 7200 feet, on Apex Mountain. This site is powered by Solar and Wind.

1997

Oliver:
We have completed a 2 hop Wireless Spread Spectrum Data Link for OTV Cablevision, of Oliver, BC. As the quoted costs of a T1 connection to the Internet from the local Telco was beyond reason, it was decided to investigate the used of Spread Spectrum Wireless to access the Internet via the Shaw Fiberlink facility in Penticton, BC. The path from Oliver to Penticton is not line of site. We spent many hours roaming the mountains surrounding Oliver and Penticton to find a place which could "see" both sites. A suitable site was finally found. As this site has no access to AC power, an alternative source of energy had to be found. The current requirements for the site were low enough to use a combination of solar and wind. Two 75 watt BP solar panels and a 75 watt Rutland wind generator was installed at the site. Two large 12 volt Gel Cell batteries are used for storage. The calculated runtime is 5 days without any charge current. An alternate power supply had to be designed, as the Wavepoint II is designed to run on 120 VAC. The site is at 1465 meters (4800 feet) above sea level, and has some large trees. We ran 200 feet of low loss cable between the receive antenna and the transmit antenna, so we could have line of site without cutting down any trees. Both antennas could have been placed on the same tower, if the trees had not blocked the view. One leg of the path is 9.87 KM (6.1 miles). The other leg is 34.7 KM. (21.5 miles). This installation is now in use, and is working to full expectations.

Peachland:

July 1997
We have completed a 25.3 KM (15 Mile) Spread Spectrum hop, using WaveLAN Access Points by Lucent Technologies. They were supplied by Texcan Cables of Delta, BC Canada. This link transports a full duplex T1 with no lost packets. This link was installed for Peachland Cablevision of Peachland, BC Canada. The purpose of this link was to transport a T1 Internet feed from the cablevision Headend in Peachland, BC to access the Shaw Fiberlink facility in Kelowna, BC. This was an interesting project, as there was no line of site between the facilities we wished to link. After carefully looking at all alternatives, we transported the data via the cable plant to where we had line of site to Shaw Fiberlink. At this site we installed a WaveLAN Access Point by Lucent Technologies. A high gain external antenna was used to increase the signal in the direction we wished to send the data. A similar antenna was utilized on the Shaw Fiberlink end, as well as an identical Wavepoint. An AC power backup system was installed, with a runtime of 48 hours.

If you have any questions about the above projects, feel free to e-mail David Hatfield at:
dmh@tfrosystems.com