Webb develops unique antennas for Transnet
14 May 2008
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Webb Industries has supplied Transnet Freight Rail with a series of unique antennas for its locomotives.
These antennas are in response to Transnet's requirement for a wide range of frequencies including VHF, UHF, WiFi, GSM and GPS.
"We have succeeded in housing in one antenna VHF (or UHF), WiFi, GSM and GPS. We believe this to be unique," says Terry Reuss, Webb engineer.
Margherita Perini (left), Webb inventor and Terry Reuss, Webb engineer, show off two of the unique antennas developed specifically for Transnet Freight Rail
Transnet have for some years had dual antennas (GSM and GPS) on their Richards Bay coal line and when WiFi had to be introduced, a new solution was required. "The solution was, in essence, a radical new design consisting of two antennas, one with VHF, WiFi, GSM and GPS and the other with UHF, WiFi, GSM and GPS," says Reuss.
He adds that one of the key challenges of the project was to maintain the same shape and footprint as the older antennas to obviate fitment problems on the locomotives. "In addition to keeping the basic footprint the same, we also made modifications to the outer cover, enabling the antennas to withstand up to 90 kV a.c. voltage without breaking down. We have completed a series of very successful tests on these covers," says Reuss.
Paul Richards, Webb CEO says that he is proud that his company managed to fulfil this brief. "This is the type of ingenuity that has helped us develop a reputation for developing cutting-edge technology in the telecommunications industry."
Transnet Freight Rail's Derrick Marais was equally pleased with the job. "We needed a unique solution and the Webb team came up with it without too much fuss and, of course, within the required budgetary constraints," he said.
He added that these antennas are part of an ambitious programme, Project Triton, to upgrade Transnet's wireless communications with its trains. "The digital age enables us to convey a host of important information to various points, including the locomotive operator and the various control centres. This information includes details of the condition of the locomotives and the wagons being hauled, alarm warnings and other crucial operational information. This entails the transmission of both voice and data, hence the requirement for so many frequencies. We needed to reduce the number of antennas as a result, and Webb was able to do this."
For more information contact Webb Industries, +27 (0)11 444 2299, [email protected], www.webb.co.za
Further reading:
Strategic agreement for eSIM solutions
Avnet Silica
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
This agreement between Avent Silica and Thales covers the latter’s eSIM solutions that are compliant with GSMA SGP.22 and SGP.32 standards.
Read more...
High precision multi-GNSS antenna
RS South Africa
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
The Amphenol PCTEL GNSS-L125-DH-NF multi-GNSS antenna is a high-performance antenna designed for reliable global navigation satellite system reception in demanding environments.
Read more...
Designing IoT devices for deterministic LPWAN environments
Editor's Choice Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Built on Ultra Narrow Band communication technology, the Sigfox network focuses on low power, wide area M2M connectivity rather than maximising data throughput.
Read more...
Robust LoRaWAN for distributed IoT
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
InHand Networks has unveiled its latest LoRaWAN gateway, the EC312, marking an evolution in industrial-grade connectivity solutions for distributed IoT environments.
Read more...
Miniaturised tuneable harmonic filter bank
RFiber Solutions
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Modern RF and microwave communication systems require compact, high power filtering solutions to suppress unwanted harmonic signals generated by power amplifiers, and to address this challenge, Tri-TeQ has developed a miniaturised broadband tuneable harmonic switched filter bank.
Read more...
Nordic accelerates cellular IoT leadership
RF Design
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
The company unveiled its next-generation portfolio featuring Cat 1 bis, satellite NTN, and advanced LTE-M/NB-IoT with edge AI, delivering secure and resilient connectivity across billions of IoT devices.
Read more...
Powering the future of industrial automation
IOT Electronics
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
5G, the 5th generation of wireless broadband technology, enables users to establish reliable connectivity, which in turn enables flexible, autonomous, and efficient processes from production to logistics.
Read more...
Wi-Fi 7 tri-band connectivity module
iCorp Technologies
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Quectel has introduced the FCE870Q, a compact short range wireless connectivity module designed for next generation IoT devices that require high throughput, low latency, and reliable operation in dense wireless environments.
Read more...
Compact cellular IoT SiP with GNSS
RF Design
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Combining low-power connectivity, edge processing, and positioning capabilities in a compact module, Nordic’s nRF9151 targets applications such as asset tracking, smart metering, industrial monitoring, and smart city infrastructure.
Read more...
Enabling the next generation of high-performance wireless designs
iCorp Technologies
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Espressif Systems has expanded its wireless connectivity portfolio with the introduction of the ESP32-E22, a high-performance connectivity co-processor designed for next generation embedded and IoT systems.
Read more...
printer friendly version