The reliability of spread spectrum radio in industrial environments.

With increasing demands placed on plant managers to reduce operating costs, wireless is presenting attractive alternatives to buried cable and conduit runs. The issue at stake in choosing this alternative is reliability, and trust must be established before users will confidently invest in this technology. This presentation will discuss the different types of radio that are currently in use for process control applications with a focus on spread spectrum. Fixed frequency, direct sequence spread spectrum and frequency hopping spread spectrum technology with be explained and their performance in high interference environments compared. Radio performance issues will be reviewed and the audience educated on how to interpret specifications and how they differentiate one radio's performance from another. Radio wave propagation, obstructions, and multi-pathing will be discussed so that the attendee has a foundation from which to embark. on wireless projects. Issues surrounding the multitude of frequencies in use and the advantages and disadvantages of each will be covered. Range, interference and basic antenna theory round out the presentation concluding with several practical applications. This paper is intended to discuss the various types of radio technology available for industrial applications of process control with a focus on Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum. Antennas and how to apply radio technology are also covered.