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FreeWave to Showcase Wireless Data Radio Offerings for Wind Energy at AWEA 2011May 26, 2011 (Close-Up Media via COMTEX) -- FreeWave Technologies, a manufacturer of spread spectrum and licensed radios for critical data transmission, announced it will demonstrate its latest wireless data radios and service offerings for the wind energy industry at AWEA 2011. The company also will be highlighting how it has partnered with Turningpoint Wind, to offer a complete wind condition monitoring solution for wind farm operators across the globe. FreeWave will be showcasing its line of FGR2-PE wireless data radios, a communications solution for a number of wind applications, such as orientation and positioning, tracking controls, status updates, telemetry, SCADA, temperature and pressure monitoring and performance reporting. The company's FGR2-PE offers industrial serial and Ethernet wireless connectivity using license-free spread spectrum for data communication over long distances. Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) radios, like FreeWave's FGR2-PE, typically are much less expensive to install than cable or fiber and do not have the recurring fees of satellite and cell phone technologies. In addition, if an operator can stop a turbine from a potential disaster by detecting problems before they occur, they can achieve immeasurable savings in machine repairs or replacements, not to mention lost production time or even fines. With FreeWave's FGR2-PE radios, the investment in an RF network isn't only useful for vibration monitoring, however. The devices can be deployed on meteorological systems for remote monitoring of wind speed and direction as measured by an anemometer, or the RPM of the actual engine itself within the turbine. With these radios, they can be expanded upon without having to add more devices. "FreeWave's wireless data radio technology is a scalable option for operators to tap when it comes to ensuring a trouble-free wind turbine," said Ashish Sharma, chief marketing officer at FreeWave. "The FGR2-PE's ability to communicate over long distances reliably and in environments with a lot of RF noise is the reason why companies, like Turningpoint, have selected it to ensure smooth, uninterrupted communications for its customers." The FGR2-PE is compatible with other FreeWave FGR plus family radios and offers users a second, switched Ethernet port as well as two serial ports to meet the demands of customers' wireless automation requirements. The future-proof combination of two serial ports and two switched Ethernet ports offers customers the ability to transition from serial to Ethernet data communication without having to replace their wireless communication hardware down the road, or operate both serial and Ethernet communication independently and simultaneously on one radio platform. This flexibility of the FGR2-PE product also reduces the need for additional hardware. ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) |