RF Modems
Bruce Bowling
Can anyone indicate to me a source of RF modems (RS-232, 9600 baud
acceptable)? I have been looking but with very little luck.
Thanks
- Bruce bowling
bow...@cebaf.gov
John Lundgren
Bruce Bowling (bow...@cebaf4.cebaf.gov) wrote:
: Can anyone indicate to me a source of RF modems (RS-232, 9600 baud
Try Gandalf Data, Inc. They have offices in major cities, and I think
their U.S. HQ is in Wheeling Ill.
Motorola Codex and UDS might also have them.
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===== Canter & Siegel - do us a service: dry up and blow away ======
Scott Stephens
Here's a reference to a list of manufacturer's, it came from
comp.robotics. Many co's are listed.
<PRE>Here's some more on RF modems:
==============================
Last-modified: 94/03/08
<A HREF="ftp://csd4.csd.uwm.edu/pub/Portables/wireless-
modems">ftp://csd4.csd.uwm.edu/pub/Portables/wireless-modems</A>
<A HREF="gopher://csd4.csd.uwm.edu">gopher://csd4.csd.uwm.edu</A>
Copyright (c) 1994, David Kent
I grant permission to copy and distribute this document provided no fee
is charged and the list is reproduced in full, including this Copyright
notice.
Robert J. Kinder
: >
: > Can anyone indicate to me a source of RF modems (RS-232, 9600 baud
: > acceptable)? I have been looking but with very little luck.
: >
: > Thanks
: >
: > - Bruce bowling
: > bow...@cebaf.gov
: Here's a reference to a list of manufacturer's, it came from
: comp.robotics. Many co's are listed.
: <PRE>Here's some more on RF modems:
: ==============================
: Last-modified: 94/03/08
: <A HREF="ftp://csd4.csd.uwm.edu/pub/Portables/wireless-
: modems">ftp://csd4.csd.uwm.edu/pub/Portables/wireless-modems</A>
: <A HREF="gopher://csd4.csd.uwm.edu">gopher://csd4.csd.uwm.edu</A>
[snip!]
I believe csd4.csd.uwm.edu no longer has the modem mfg. list. The guy who
maintained it graduated or something.
Here's a copy of the list I obtained from csd4 several months ago:
-----------------------
Last-modified: 94/03/08
ftp://csd4.csd.uwm.edu/pub/Portables/wireless-modems
gopher://csd4.csd.uwm.edu
Copyright (c) 1994, David Kent
I grant permission to copy and distribute this document provided no fee
is charged and the list is reproduced in full, including this Copyright
notice.
RS-232 wireless modems:
The following is a list of vendors supplying wireless modems that
connect via RS-232. I have broken the list into two categories, smart
and dumb.
A smart wireless modem will guarantee error free data gets from one end
to the other. Since radios occasionally encounter interference or go
out of range, this can be very useful. This is accomplished by an
internal microprocessor which packetizes and addresses data. It also
checks received packets for errors and automatically requests a
retransmission from the sending modem if there is an error. All this
occurs transparently to the user. The users' RS-232 data stream goes in
one modem and comes out the other. Another advantage of this method is
that since packets are addressed, more than two modems can share a
single frequency without interference, however throughput goes down
accordingly. These work well with RS-232 devices that you cannot run
custom software on, eg. printers, plotters, bar code scanners, as well
as computers.
Dumb modems on the other hand simply transmit the data and hope it gets
to the other end. Since there is no addressing, any modems on the same
frequency and in range will receive all transmissions. Dumb modems are
often used where the equipment connected to the modem handles error
detection/ correction and addressing. Software libraries are available
that work with specific dumb modems to provide smart functionality. If
you are connecting a computer running custom software to the wireless
modem anyway, this may be the most cost effective solution.
There are also two main categories relating to the radio frequency (RF)
portion of the wireless modem (I realize that not all wireless modems
use RF, I've included info on one infra-red (IR) one that I know
about). These are spread spectrum (unlicensed) and VHF/UHF (licensed).
Licensed means you need an FCC license, like you would need for
construction site radio's, etc. Costs a couple hundred dollars to
process the paperwork. Generally not a problem getting one unless you
live in some place like New York city where all the frequencies are
taken.
By the way, for those who already have radio's and just need the modem
part there are a bunch of those available too, but that's for another
day (if anyone really wants to know, I could work on a list of those
sometime).
DISCLAIMER: I did my best to get the information contained here correct,
but I make no guarantees. Also some of the information is a year or two
old and may have changed significantly since then.
If anyone knows of other wireless modem products, or has corrections to
information in this list, e-mail them to <dk...@world.std.com> and I'll do
my best to get the list updated. I'd also be interested in comments
from anyone using any of these products.
So anyway, here's the list:
--- DUMB Wireless Modems (VHF/UHF, licensed) ---
SLR-96, SLQ-96, RS-232, RS-422,RS-485, 1200bps-9600bps 138MHz-174MHz
406MHz-512MHz 928MHz-960MHz 2watt & 4watt licensed, dumb wireless modem
Aerotron-Repco Sales, Inc.
2400 Sand Lake Road
Orlando, FL 32809-7666
800-950-5633
407-856-1953
407-856-1960 fax
portable w/batteries
Bass, Inc.
2211 Arbor Boulevard
Dayton, OH 45439
(513) 293-5732
(513) 293-9756 fax
CCL901-DP, RS-232, 38.4Kbps, 902MHz-928MHz 10mW, 25KHz bandwidth,
full duplex, 200 foot range, dumb wireless modem
Communications R&D Corp.
Indianapolis, IN
(317) 290-9107
T-MODEM 96, RS-232, 1200bps-9600bps 403MHz-512MHz 2watt, licensed,
dumb wireless modem
Data Radio Corp.
6160 Peachtree Dunwoody Road
Suite C-200
Atlanta, GA 30328
404-392-0002
404-392-9199 fax
Outside USA:
Data Radio, Inc.
5500 Royalmount Avenue, Suite 200
Mount Royal, Quebec, Canada H4P 1H7
514-737-0020
514-737-7883 fax
242-3410-00X/40X/50X, RS-232, 1200bps 4800bps 403MHz-512MHz 1watt-5watt
licensed, dumb wireless modem
242-3420-00X/40X/50X, RS-232, 1200bps 4800bps 132MHz-174MHz 1watt-4watt
licensed, dumb wireless modem
242-3490-00X/40X/50X, RS-232, 1200bps 4800bps 928MHz-960MHz 3watt licensed
dumb wireless modem
E. F. Johnson
P.O. Box 916131
Longwood, FL 32791-6131
(407) 774-6572
E. F. Johnson Company
P.O. Box 59089
Minneapolis, MN 55459-0089
Corporate Headquarters
E. F. Johnson
11095 Viking Drive
Minneapolis, MN 55344-7292
800-328-3911 ext. 380
Canadian Office
E. F. Johnson Canada, Inc.
633 Granite Court
Pickering, Ontario L1W 3K1
800-263-4634
RNet 9600, RS-232, 1200bps-9600bps 403MHz-470MHz 2watt 4watt licensed,
dumb wireless modem
Motorola
Wireless Data Group
50 East Commerce Drive
Suite M-4
Schaumburg, IL 60173
708-576-8213
708-576-8940 fax
800-624-8999 ext. 105
DR96, portable w/batteries, RS-232, 9600bps 450MHz-470MHz 2watt licensed,
dumb wireless modem
UDS Motorola
5000 Bradford Drive
Huntsville, AL 35805-1993
(205) 430-8000
(205) 830-5657 fax
(800) 221-4380
242-3410-00X/40X/50X, RS-232, 1200bps 4800bps 403MHz-512MHz 1watt-5watt
licensed, dumb wireless modem
242-3420-00X/40X/50X, RS-232, 1200bps 4800bps 132MHz-174MHz 1watt-4watt
licensed, dumb wireless modem
242-3490-00X/40X/50X, RS-232, 1200bps 4800bps 928MHz-960MHz 3watt licensed
dumb wireless modem
East Coast Address:
Seaboard Electronics
70 Church Street
New Rochelle, NY 10805-3204
(914) 235-8073
(914) 235-8369 fax
West Coast Address:
Seaboard Electronics
6986 El Camino Real, #B-205
Calsbad, CA 92009-4110
(619) 438-1205
(619) 438-8660 fax
RS-232, portable w/batteries
Swintek Communications
408-727-4889
408-727-3025 fax
TSI 9600, RS-232, 300bps-9600bps 30MHz-50MHz 136MHz-174MHz 403MHz-430MHz
450MHz-470MHz 2watt, licensed, dumb wireless modem
Teledesign Systems, Inc.
1710 Zanker Road
San Jose, CA 95112-4215
408-436-1024
408-436-0321 fax
--- DUMB Wireless Modems (Spread Spectrum, unlicensed) ---
NLR-96, NLQ-96, RS-232, RS-422,RS-485, 1200bps-9600bps 902MHz-928MHz
spread spectrum 1 watt unlicensed, dumb wireless modem
Aerotron-Repco Sales, Inc.
2400 Sand Lake Road
Orlando, FL 32809
(800) 950-5633
GINA 5000, RS-232, 1200bps-9600bps 902MHz-928MHz 1watt, spread spectrum,
dumb wireless modem
GRE America, Inc.
425 Harbor Blvd.
Belmont, CA 94002
(800) 233-5973
(415) 591-1400
(415) 591-2001 fax
GRE Japan, Inc.
6-2-15 Roppongi, Minato-Ku
Toyko, JAPAN 106
03-3404-3636
03-3405-5387 fax
--- SMART Wireless Modems (VHF/UHF, licensed) ---
CD8000/RFX, RS-232 300bps-19.2kbps, RS-485, 20ma current loop,
2400bps 4800bps 150MHz-174MHz 450MHz-475MHz 2watt 4watt, licensed,
smart wireless modem
(they also have power line carrier current modems)
Compu-Mech, Inc.
2375 Dorr Street
Toledo, OH 43607
419-535-6702
419-535-0805 fax
Esteem 85/95, Esteem 96, RS-232, RS-422, 4800bps 66MHz-79MHz 1watt,
402MHz-420MHz 450MHz-470MHz 2watt 4watt, licensed, smart wireless modem
Electronic Systems Technology (EST)
415 N. Quay
Kennewick, WA 99336
509-735-9092
509-783-5475 fax
PC-9600, SA-9600, 2400bps-9600bps 406MHz-470MHz 200mW-2watt, licensed,
smart wireless modem
Megadata Corp.
35 Orville Drive
Bohemia, NY 11716-2598
516-589-6800
516-589-6858 fax
IC-210, IC-15 portable w/battery, IC-100, RS-232 300bps-19.2kbps, 4800bps
450MHz-470MHz 250mW 2watt licensed, smart wireless modem
Monicor Electronics Corp.
2964 N.W. 60 Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
(305) 979-1907
(305) 979-2611 fax
PDDR-12 w/battery, RS-232, 300bps-1200bps 148MHz-168MHz 450MHz-470MHz 2watt,
licensed, smart wireless modem
Pacific Crest Instruments
1190 Miraloma Way
Suite W
Sunnyvale CA 94086-4607
(800) 795-1001 USA & Canada
(408) 730-5640 fax
(408) 730-5789 outside USA
TEKLINK 2000, portable w/battery, RS-232, 300bps-19.2Kbps 66MHz-80MHz
148MHZ-174MHz 406MHZ-430MHZ 450MHZ-512MHZ 928MHZ-960MHZ 5watts,
licensed, smart wireless modem
SunTek Systems Group, USA
101 Grays Lane
Lansdale, PA 19446
215-832-5037
215-368-1933 fax
--- SMART Wireless Modems (Spread Spectrum, unlicensed) ---
GINA 6000, RS-232 2400bps-19.2kbps, 16kbps-128kbps 902MHz-928MHz 1watt,
spread spectrum, smart wireless modem
GRE America, Inc.
425 Harbor Blvd.
Belmont, CA 94002
(800) 233-5973
(415) 591-1400
(415) 591-2001 fax
RS-LAWN, PC-LAWN, LAWN, RS-232 300bps-19.2kbps, 38.4Kbps 902MHz-928MHz 20mW,
spread spectrum, 200ft-500ft, wireless LAN, smart wireless modem
O'Neill Connectivities, Inc.
607 Horsham Road
Horsham, PA 19044
800-624-5296
215-957-5408
215-957-6633 fax
Proxlink, Proxlink XR, RS-232 300bps-19.2kbps, 128kbps 256kbps 902MHz-928MHz
100mW 500mW, 400ft-800ft, spread spectrum, smart wireless modem
RangeLAN, wireless LAN
Proxim, Inc.
295 North Bernardo Ave.
Mountain View, CA 94043
800-229-1630
415-960-1630
415-964-5181 fax
--- Optical ---
Diffuse IR, RS-232, 19.2kbps or voice, dumb wireless modem
K and M Electronics, Inc.
11 Interstate Drive
West Springfield, MA 01089
413-781-1350
413-737-0608 fax
laser wireless inter-building communications
Laser Communications, Inc.
1848 Charter Lane Suite. F
Lancaster, PA 17605-0066
717-394-8634
717-396-9831 fax
short range laser wireless video, T1, ethernet,etc links
Laser Communications, Inc.
Lancaster, PA
800-527-3740
717-394-8634
125Mbps wireless or fiberlaser link
JOLT Ltd.
P.O. Box 53354
Jeruselem, Israel 91533
--- Misc. (and not yet classified) ---
Laplink Wireless, 30 foot range, package includes Laplink
software and radio's
Traveling Software, Inc.
Bothell, WA
(206) 483-8088
FT1, fractional T1, 5725MHz-5850MHz 1watt, spread spectrum, unlicensed
AirLink, RJ-11, RS-232, EIA-530, V.11, analog voice 64kbps 128kbps 256kbps
902MHz-928MHz <1watt, spread spectrum, unlicensed, wireless modem
Cylink
310 N. Mary Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
800-533-3958
408-735-5800
408-735-6643 fax
wireless 9600bps modem, UHF RF, 50-200 yards, $540, UK pounds 301
New Era Microsystems Ltd
24 Cargate Ave
Aldershot, Hamshire
GU11 3EW
UK
44-252-345426
44-252-317699 fax
RADIO-LINK V1.0, low cost wireless modem, RS232, 1200 bps, 20m
Frank-Uwe Andersen
Baroper Bergstr. 16
44227 Dortmund
0049 231 773756
0049 5201 9314
0049 5201 9300 fax
uch...@ux2.hrz.uni-dortmund.de
wireless radio modem for bank ATM, 12.5KHz, 9600bps
California Microwave Inc., Microwave Data Systems Division
Rochester, NY
ClearSpan, 19.2Kbps wireless radio modem
Comptek Telecommunications Inc
Buffalo, NY
The March/April 1994 issue of MicroComputer
Journal (formerly Computer Craft) has an article on how to build a
1,200 bps RS232 radio link that works on the FM broadcast band.
RTL-1000, 9600bps, VHF, UHF, 900MHz, 3-50watt
Telepoint, Inc.
U.S.A Headquarters
1022 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90035
800-333-6444
310-652-3666
310-652-0777 fax
RTL-1000, 9600bps, VHF, UHF, 900MHz, 3-50watt
Telepoint, Inc.
Canada
800-663-7781
514-648-0578 east fax
403-250-8643 west fax
T-Net micro, T-Net mini, 9600bps, 430MHz-450MHz 450MHz-470MHz, 2watt
Tekk, Inc.
--- Software libraries / consultants to make dumb modems smart ---
Consultant, custom software for Motorola/UDS radio modem
Advanced Systems Consultants, Inc.
1516 Marsetta Dr.
Dayton, OH 45432
(513) 429-1428
(513) 429-8575 fax
DOS device drivers for Data Radio Corp. and Motorola RNet radio modems
COMtrix Systems Inc.
4760 Walnut St.
Bldg 102
Boulder, CO 80301
(303) 440-7868
(303) 938-9439 fax
Consultant, custom software for Motorola/UDS radio modem
Joe Seward
Huntsville, AL
(205) 882-3924
Consultant, custom software for Data Radio Corp. and Motorola RNet radio
modems
Metric Systems Corp.
2052 Sequoia St.
San Marcos, CA 92069
(619) 727-0780, Bill Brown
(619) 727-1674 fax
--- Notes and Comments ---
3/8/94
It looks like there is a new group of radio modems entering the market.
They operate in the 902-928MHz ISM band, transmit very low power (10mW),
and are narrow band (as opposed to spread spectrum). Apparently recent
FCC rule changes in the USA authorized this type of operation. So far
they seem aimed at low cost, short range (30 ft), low power applications.
The Communications R&D Corp. and Travelling Software, Inc. products
mentioned above are examples of this type of radio modem.
---
David Kent <dk...@world.std.com>
--
# Robert Kinder # rki...@gate.net #
# Software Engineer # Siemens Stromberg-Carlson # "You can't polish a turd."
# # Boca Raton, Florida # - Butt-Head
# All opinions are my own and do not reflect those of my employer.
Johnathan Sawyer
: Can anyone indicate to me a source of RF modems (RS-232, 9600 baud
: Thanks
: - Bruce bowling
: bow...@cebaf.gov
Check out FreeWave Technologies in Boulder, Co. They make a wireless
Spread Spectrum modem which has a 115.2 KB through put (uncompressed) and
a range of over 20 miles. In fact I am typing this on my home computer
while at my office 22 miles away. I am using PCAnywhere software and a
pair of FreeWave wireless modems. They are expensive , though, at $1250
apiece.\
Jonathan Sawyer