The FCC Mandatory Narrowbanding deadline is fast approaching and as of January 1, 2013, “any equipment that is not capable of operating on channels of 12.5 kHz or less will need to be replaced.” The FCC added that, “it is likely that those who fail to comply will face serious penalties such as monetary fines or license cancellation.” If you do not currently have a plan or need assistance, please contact us immediately.
Traditional land mobile VHF and UHF bands use a 25 kHz bandwidth (“wide-band”); narrowbanding reduces the channel bandwidth of your radios to 12.5 kHz, with an eventual FCC goal of 6.25 kHz.
This change will create broader spectrum availability with an additional benefit of interference protection. This mandate does pose some challenges, but with proper planning and funding, you will find a seamless transition.
Note: OmniSite is not a SCADA system and does not utilize VHF or UHF bands, so your OmniSite system is not affected by this requirement.
Most wastewater or water system that utilize a standard SCADA/RTU system through private land mobile radio to monitor remote pump stations should evaluate their current systems.
This mandate especially affects those that utilize monitoring equipment installed before 2011 and have not yet started to upgrade.
Some equipment comes preprogrammed to work on both the 25 kHz and 12.5 kHz channels, but running devices on different channels on the same network may create interference and other communication errors. Read more
The talented and relentless engineers at OmniSite have been busy adding additional features to our software and as a result GuardDog is getting a few updates.
These updates will go into effect at approximately 10p EST tonight and will grant users a better experience by allowing streamlined access to the data they deserve. Here are the updates direct from one of our Senior Software Engineers: Read more
The SmarteLight™ looks, feels, and installs like your typical alarm light. Simply attach it to the alarm output of any device and when the output is triggered the light turns on. Only, the SmarteLight™ does not stop there, it’s connected with the local cellular network and OmniSite’s cloud servers to give operators real-time alert notifications via text, email, and voice.
Once notified, the operator can login to our GuardDog Web Interface to see the alert and determine if someone should be dispatched for repairs. The SmarteLight™ has one output control as well, so operators can power cycle their equipment on/off from the internet or their Iphone. The SmarteLight™ helps operators save time and helps municipalities save money, making it the most cost-effective remote monitoring solution on the planet.
