[NLRS] RF read water meters

Sat Jul 21 15:58:19 EDT 2012

I know that the orginal meter readers built at an Minnsota company in 1990 used a what they referred to as spread spectrum but was more like a highspeed frequency hopping system.  Still it had a waveform close to the standard SS form of sinx/x.  I am sure nowdays you will find this unit to be spread spectrum (dss) which means you will need a spec an to see it.  The total power is as spread out across the band that there is not enough in the narrow band of your receiver to detect anything.  

Just a thought

Dave

David A. Donaldson
Burnsville, MN: EN34ij
WB7DRU; NAVYMARS:NNN0AXK
SKYPE NAME:WB7DEU
Sent from my Kindle Fire.

-----Original Message-----
From: "Dr. Gerald N. Johnson" <geraldj at weather.net>
To: nlrs at mailman.qth.net
Sent: Sat, 21 Jul 2012 1:02 PM
Subject: Re: [NLRS] RF read water meters

Found more searching for Badger Orion. One tech reference says:
> WIRELESS ORION RF TRANSMITTER
> The ORION transmitter operates in the 902-928 MHz frequency
> band at 916.45 MHz, which requires no FCC licensing. The
> transmitter sends a fixed value RF signal to the serialized receiver
> approximately every 4 seconds. The transmitter is powered
> using an internal lithium battery and is encapsulated to ensure
> moisture resistance. It is factory programmed and requires no
> configuration in the field. A transmitter mounting kit consisting
> of a threaded cap and nut is supplied with the kit and can be
> used to install the transmitter in a valve box cover for testing,
 > if required.

http://www.badgermeter.com/Industrial/Impeller-Products/Sensors/Wireless-Sensors/DTB-074-Series-350EV-Tech-Brief.aspx

One I found says there's 3.6 volts of lithium battery with expected life 
of 10 years while transmitting data every 4 seconds. One said 915.450. 
My VX5R handheld detects nothing on that frequency.

> http://www.wateronline.com/doc.mvc/Badger-GALAXY-Fixed-Network-Meter-Reading-0001

> Look to Badger's GALAXY® for Fixed Network meter reading!
>
> Now there's no need to go out and get meter readings. GALAXY employs high-powered meter transmitters using an economical network of signal repeaters and data collectors to bring AMR to your desktop.

There's more than one scheme:
> The Tantalus Hybrid Wireless Network combines a 220 MHz wide area network (WAN) with a 900 MHz local area network (LAN) to create a
> hybrid solution that delivers efficient and affordable two-way data communications with excellent range and data throughput.
> 1. Endpoints transmit data over a 900 MHz LAN (yellow lines below) to a 220 MHz WAN Transceiver (blue dot below).
> 2. Endpoints equipped with the 200 MHz transceiver store all the data from the surrounding meters and transmit data directly to
> the Base Station over the WAN (white lines below).
> 3. The WAN Transceiver relays the data to a Network Controller at the Base Station.
> 4. The Network Controller stores the data and delivers it to the utility via a TCP/IP connection.

That's from > 
http://www.badgermeter.com/getdoc/0c5a5cc7-b2f4-4856-9829-55b9b5ee74ae/tan-b-01-pdf.aspx

Some general comments at:
> http://www.gridinsight.com/products/amrusb-1/amrusb-1-f-a-q/

Arden Hill, MN discussion:

> http://www.ci.arden-hills.mn.us/vertical/sites/%7B376A25A1-53F5-4768-BB37-F5FF4BC3A716%7D/uploads/8A_Consider_Purchase_of_New_Water_Meter_Readers.pdf

A recent patent with history:
> http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8217804.html

 From this it looks like all meters transmit at short intervals and the 
receiver update delay I see comes from the next automatic transmit, and 
that frequency may be hopping within the 902-928 MHz band.
> http://www.waterworld.com/articles/print/volume-26/issue-5/ace-features/timing-intervals-.html

There are another 9000+ hits that I've not explored:
> http://www.google.com/search?as_q=badger+meter+orion+frequency&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&lr=&cr=&as_qdr=all&as_sitesearch=&as_occt=any&safe=images&tbs=&as_filetype=&as_rights=#q=badger+meter+orion+frequency+mhz&hl=en&lr=&as_qdr=all&prmd=imvns&ei=LusKULvxMcqU2AWOzuQF&start=50&sa=N&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=3eb02edab20eed3a&biw=1015&bih=617

On 7/21/2012 9:34 AM, Jim Klassen wrote:
>
>
> Thanks everyone for the responses.
>
> It sounds like there is nothing to worry about w.r.t. the new meter.
>
> 73,
> Jim Klassen (KB0UAZ)
>
73, Jerry, K0CQ
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