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Controlant wireless devices have up to 300m range in open air. The communication frequency channels are placed around 860MHz for Europe. But that dose´nt tell the whole story. Many thing in the environment effects the wireless communication and reduces the distributed signal strength.
Open Air
The range in open air depends on various factors, including:
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- Frequency used (Wavelength)
- Weather condition, moisture, tides etc.
- Type of antenna (Gain)
- Orientation of the antenna
- Cable and connectors
- Other transmitted devices on same wavelength
- Frequency reflection and other types of frequency interference.
Indoor Use
Wireless range is significantly affected by occlusion of objects. The range of wireless devices indoor depends on various factors, including:
- The building materials used in walls and ceilings.
- Objects which occlude the straight path of the signal. A metal grid can occlude the signal if the metal mesh size is the same as the transmitted wave length
- Proper assembly and selection of antennas.
- Gain of antennas at the communication frequency.
- Disturbance on communication frequencies caused by electronic devices - both low and high current.
- Disturbance on communication frequencies caused by other wireless devices which are using the same or similar communication frequency.
In the following chapters, special issues are addressed and solutions proposed. The purpose of this text is to give an introduction to the possible issues which can arise with wireless communication and solution to those issues.
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- Moving traffic such as forklifts, machinery and people
- Stored goods, especially a water rich products such as fruits and liquids.
In the chapter Device installation, further guidelines can be found regarding device installation in a challenging environments
All Controlant equipment can be mounted in any orientation. However, mounting the device according to recommendations may have positive effects on wireless communication range. The default quarter- and half-wave antennas which the Controlant devices come equipped with by-default get the most gain if they are parallel.
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Table 1: Shows the different orientation of loggers and transceivers and how good each setup is in terms of signal quality.
Various environmental factors can affect on the communication range of the wireless system. Below is a description of a few issues which can arise when using wireless communication in different environments
Indoor use can reduce the signal strength. If the path between a transceiver and a wireless logger is closed off by walls, the signal strength might be reduced. Signal strength reduction varies, depending on the building material and thickness of walls.
The general rule is that the thicker the wall the greater reduction in signal strength. Table 2 shows the relative reduction in signal strength for different building materials. The setup is shown in picture 1.
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Picture 1: Indoor use of wireless transceiver and wireless logger.
Wall material | Relative Signal Reduction |
Metallic (Aluminum, iron etc.) | Maximum reduction |
| Concrete with iron binding | Very High reduction |
Concrete | High reduction |
Gypsum | Average reduction |
Plastic/Wood | Low reduction |
Table 2: Relative reduction in signal strength for different building materials.
Various factors can add to range issues, such as radiation from electronic equipment, other occluding objects, high humidity etc.
While installing the Controlant system, these factors should be taken into account when choosing the optimal location for a transceiver. Controlant offers various accessories to get a better signal quality for the system, including; antennas with different characteristics, antenna extension cables and mounts. By using the accessories, users can place antennas in optimal locations for better signal quality. Various factors can add to range issues, such as radiation from electronic equipment, other occluding objects, high humidity etc.
Usage in trailers of trucks where walls are made from metallic material can cause signal strength to be reduced. In case of low signal strength, placement of wireless loggers can be changed and moved closer to openings such as doors, windows etc. Antennas with more gain can be used to increase signal quality. Extension cables and cable mounts can be used to place antennas in optimal locations for better signal quality.
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Picture 2: Use of wireless logger and transceivers in trucks and trailers.
Occluding objects will affect the signal quality between wireless logger and transceiver. The effect varies by the size, placement and material of the object.
To get the best signal quality, placement of wireless loggers and transceivers should be such that as few objects are occluding the path between wireless logger and transceiver as possible. Table 2 shows the relative effect on signal quality for different materials.
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