Wireless Data Acquisition Systems

This wireless data acquisition solution is for industrial monitoring and control applications. Building on the QTM-8000 series of remote data acquisition and signal conditioning modules for serial networks, the company's new QTM-8524 Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) RF modem modules take the system wireless.

The modem modules operate in the 2.4GHz ISM band and can reach speeds up to 57.6 kbps. As a spread spectrum system they can be used alongside other radio systems with minimal signal conflict. As the modules use GMSK (Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying) modulation, they have a low bit error rate, which is best suited for use in factories and other high-noise environments. Additional advantages of the DSSS implementation are high throughput, and a noise-like signal that is particularly resistant to deliberate or accidental interception, demodulation and jamming.

The modules convert RF signals to serial RS-232 or RS-485 for communication with a PC or a serial network. They can be used to network PCs and PLCs, or they can be used in conjunction with the QTM-8000 data acquisition and signal conditioning modules to create a modular data acquisition and control system that is well suited for a wide range of process and monitoring applications.

Standard package includes either an indoor/outdoor wall-mount swivel antenna or a ceiling- mount antenna. The QTMSuite software package brings the system together. It provides a Windows-based configuration utility, a DDE server, 32-bit Windows DLLs, ActiveX/OCX controls, LabView Virtual Instruments, and a custom DASYLab Driver.

Quatech, Inc., 662 Wolf Ledges Parkway, Akron, OH 44311. Tel: 330-434-3154; Fax: 330-434-1409.