Wireless Innovation have been appointed by NI Water to provide cost effective satellite telemetry links to a number of new Wastewater Pumping Stations that were unable to be covered by the existing scanning radio network.

Wireless Innovation Ltd a leading supplier of remote data communication solutions to the water industry proposed their industry proven MiChrosat 2400 dial up satellite solution. The MiChrosat 2400 system uses the Iridium LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite constellation which provides cost effective telemetry dial up anywhere in the world.

The installation was simple with the MiChrosat antenna (does not require any alignment) mounted on a similar column as used for the scanning radio network and the MiChrosat satellite modem mounted in the same street cabinet alongside the outstation.

The outstation a Serck PX 24 is connected to the MiChrosat 2400 unit via a single serial (RS232) cable. The Wastewater Pumping Station is polled on a 24 hour schedule via a centrally site installed MiChrosat 2400 which is connected to the Master Station System. The outstation utilises exception reporting so that should an alarm condition occur between schedule polls the outstation will automatically wake up the MiChrosat 2400 and initiate the transfer of the alarm state to the Master Station System.

The Michrosat 2400 connected to the Master Station System enables the calls to remain within the satellite network thereby minimising call costs as well as insulating the satellite network from any external fault conditions. Further MiChrosat 2400 Satellite Modems mounted at Wastewater Pumping Stations will utilise the same MiChrosat 2400 connected to the Master Station System.