ISM band spread spectrum radio manufacturer FreeWave Technologies has launched a 900 MHz industrial radio that supports TCP, industrial grade wireless security and serial communications. In fact, the company has combined the performance of two of its earlier designs, FGRO9CSU and HTplus, to create a long-range FGRplus radio with high reliability and Ethernet capabilities, along with security.

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“After the high demand for the FGRO9CSU and HTplus radios, we realized the convenience and the benefits of combining all of their features into one package,” explained Colin Lippincott, vice president, sales and marketing at FreeWave Technologies. “We are now proud to offer our customers a rugged and reliable solution that delivers communication without barriers for even the harshest of conditions.”

Some key features of the FGRplus radio include a point-to-point range of 60 miles with clear line of sight, four communication ports ( 2 serial; 1 Ethernet and 1 diagnostics), GUI interface and 154 Kbps over-the-air throughput. Plus, it offers a wide input voltage range of 6 to 30 VDC. Power requirements are 550 mA at 12 V in transmit mode and 150 mA in receive mode. The idle mode consumption is 71 mA at 12 V. The output power is 1 W in compliance with the FCC Part 15 rules. Receive sensitivity specs are given as -110 dBm for BER 1x10-4 at 115 kbps, -106 dBm for BER 1x10-4 at 153.6 kbps.

The company uses proprietary spread spectrum technology to prevent detection and unauthorized access, while 32-bit CRC with automatic retransmission ensures error free communications. In addition, the unit is 100% tested for RF performance over the temperature range of -40°C to +75°C.

Designed to operate in harsh and challenging RF environments, target applications for the FGRplus radio include oil and gas, military, electric power, water/wastewater, agriculture, golf/AVL, petro-chemical, cathodic protection and security.