Dear Friends and Industry Colleagues,

I hope this finds everyone in good health and good humor. I am really sorry that some readers got upset over the last issue. Some didn't like it because I put their name in the newsletter, and some didn't like it because I didn't. I guess if I didn't have anything to say all all, there would never be any controversy. My teacher in the seventh grade told us not to just sit there like oysters on the bottom of the ocean but to get out there and do something! Well, I am still doing things. They don't always turn out like I want them to, but I guess it is better to be unpopular than unknown.

I heard that Ted Turner spoke to the CTIA Wireless Convention in New Orleans on Wednesday. He got some good laughs when he told about falling on hard times after he gave away most of his fortune. "It's pretty much gone now, I'm down to just over a billion now," he said. —Poor guy.

Paging industry shows ReFlex advances

March 17, 2003 1:00 AM EST

NEW ORLEANS—A group of the nation’s largest paging and messaging companies plan to meet today at the CTIA trade show to drum up support for the often-neglected industry.

"Despite rumors to the contrary, the paging industry has evolved and is meeting the demands of our customers that require reliable wireless messaging communications," said aid Doug Glen, chief operating officer of carrier WebLink Wireless. "For us, reliable messaging means an extensive network footprint, as well as great in-building penetration. Our subscribers also like that the monthly service charge for paging is the lowest of similar services."

WebLink joins Metrocall Inc., PalmSource Inc., PerComm and SkyTel Communications Inc. in a press conference today to show off a handful of new ReFLEX devices that will go on sale this year. On display will be four ReFLEX personal communication devices and three telemetry devices built by manufacturers including PerComm, Sun Telecom, Hunetec and Advantra. The companies are taking the place of ReFLEX developer Motorola Inc., which last year quit its role as the sole manufacturer of ReFLEX devices.

Source: RCR Wireless News

Wireless Communications

Tri-Wireless PDA Concept Design

The tri-wireless PDA concept design, code named "WANDA" for Wireless Any-Network Digital Assistant, is the first PDA design to integrate TI's wireless LAN, Bluetooth™, and GSM/GPRS technologies for simultaneous voice calls, wireless web access and personal area networking. Primary TI components and their functions include:

• Application processing is handled by the OMAP1510 , an ARM925 and TMS320C55x™ DSP.
• Bluetooth connectivity is provided by TI's BRF6100 single-chip device that integrates digital RF and Bluetooth baseband on one chip.
• The TNETW1100B is TI´s single-chip MAC and baseband processor for 802.11b.
• The TCS2100 GSM/GPRS digital and analog baseband, power management and software protocol stack for voice/data.

Source: Texas Instruments

Gates Pitches Smartphone To Wireless Crowd

March 20, 2003

NEW ORLEANS—Comparing the current mobile computing environment to the early days of the PC, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates took his company's campaign for becoming the dominant smartphone platform to the wireless industry.

Well, sort of. Gates delivered the keynote at what Microsoft is calling its first annual Mobility Developer Conference, which this year is being held at the same venue as the just-concluded CTIA Wireless 2003 conference.

Highlighting the importance Microsoft places on the wireless industry, the company offered complementary admission to Gates' address and to conference-related exhibits to those with badges to the CTIA show, which closed formally about a half hour before his speech late yesterday.

Gates noted the introductions this week at Wireless 2003 of two new smartphones running the Microsoft Smartphone platform: Samsung's SPH-i700 being offered by Verizon Wireless and Sprint, and the Hitachi g1000 offered by Sprint, using the Pocket PC platform.

And he encouraged developers to create applications for the Windows-based platform, stressing that for Microsoft, wireless will be a strategic sector for years to come. "Microsoft is at the very beginning of these businesses. We have a strong track record that we're going to invest," Gates told a full auditorium at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. "We are going to invest and invest and invest to get the most popular platform here, because we believe in these scenarios."

The scenario for mobile computing and communications is analogous to that in the 1990s, when software platform uniformity and the Internet spurred the development of waves of new applications, which helped fuel the decade's PC boom.

Now, although weighed down by weak economic and investment climates, the mobile sector is poised to take off because of a number of favorable factors such as the launch of advanced networks, the dropping price for handheld devices and widespread adoption of such devices by business and consumers.

Source: Wireless Week

Many paging sites were designed by old guys like me, but using "conventional wisdom" which, based on our two-way radio background, says: "put the antenna way-up high and use lots of power." We paging guys had to learn what the cellphone folks already knew: "put the antenna down where the customers are and use just enough power to get the job done."

If your site is already installed on a hill top, you can't follow the second idea. But all is not lost. You can set things right with a down-tilt antenna. Just remember that antennas are not amplifiers, they are passive devices, and even though they are rated in dBs of gain, they can only re-direct the signal or focus it in a certain direction. So, a 10 dB gain antenna just concentrates all the radiated energy straight out to the horizon. It takes it away from one direction and adds it to another. If you start out with 100 watts, you still have 100 watts even with a gain antenna. It's just focused like a spot light. It appears to be 10 dB stronger when you compare it to an antenna with no gain or when you check the signal off the beam. Whoever said that a 3 degree down-tilt antenna results in a 3 dB reduction in power, just doesn't understand the issue. Actually the proper down-tilt can increase the received signal level quite a bit in a given area. The trick is calculating the correct amount of down-tilt. My little drawing below may be helpful to you in doing this. You just need to draw a path profile, to scale, using a topographical map and the degrees of down-tilt required will become obvious. In many cases with a very high antenna, your signal is probably strong farther out, but not close in—maybe the area where you need it the most.

The drawing above, shows the signal from a high gain antenna, on a mountain top, shooting out way over the top of a city, and the signal from a down-tilt antenna correctly radiating right at the city. There are some adjustable down-tilt antennas available, depending on the frequency band, which allow you to aim the pattern so the signal goes where you want it to be. I remember a mobile telephone system in Puerto Rico where the antenna was on a mountain just about like in this drawing. A few people in boats out in the ocean were getting good signals but the people on the land were not. The fix was to grab this vertical (omnidirectional) antenna and just physically bend the mast a little so that it tilted down. That solved the problem. Instead of sticking straight up like this: | the antenna was angled like this: /

Wiring for Wireless Sites

by Ira Wiesenfeld

ISBN 1-4018-1037-3

Price: $41.95

In the Author's Words. . ."It does not matter if you have one day or three decades of experience; you will find this book useful every time you enter a radio site. . . There are many books and training programs to explain how radios and electronics circuits work. Until this book, however, there was not an authoritative reference book to explain all of the intricacies involved with the planning and installation of wireless communication sites."

Wiring for Wireless Sites is one of only a handful of concise, yet highly technical information resources devoted exclusively to teaching readers the ins and outs of installing equipment in a wireless site.

A "go to" resource for site planning engineers and technicians, as well as professionals already in the radio and wireless installation and maintenance business, this book virtually eliminates hours of time linking generic electrical/electronic circuit theory to manufacturer-specific descriptions of cables before moving on to actual installation. Comprehensive coverage spans the spectrum, from equipment layout and wiring through grounding and lighting protection.

• Safety precautions allow novices to develop sound and professional work practices as they gain new knowledge and hands-on skills
• The importance of testing and documentation is emphasized, with specific procedures and guidelines included in nearly every chapter
• Objectives, summaries and review questions focus attention on key points, allowing readers to gauge their understanding of key concepts and cabling techniques

About the Author
Ira Wiesenfeld, P.E., has been in the commercial radio business for a long time and has built many radio systems and sites over the last three and a half decades. He has a BSEE from SMU in Dallas, Texas, is a licensed professional engineer in Texas, has been involved with amateur radio since 1963, and holds a commercial FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License.

Table of Contents
Introduction; Wireless Sites; Equipment Layout; Equipment Wiring; AC Wiring; 24 VDC and 48 VDC Wiring; RF Cabling; Antenna Installation; Telephone Wiring; Grounding; Lightning Protection; Miscellaneous Wiring and Cabling; Emerging Technologies; Appendix.

To Order, Call 800-347-7707 or visit www.electronictech.com

PTX-150

VHF PAGING TRANSMITTER

Specifications and Features

User's Manual

To request pricing and delivery information for the PTX-150, please click here.

The PTX-150 VHF Direct Digital Paging Transmitter is designed to meet the paging industry’s latest standards for high-speed FLEX and simulcast operation. It operates with a wide range of standard network interfaces, and is ideal for both new systems as well as upgrading of existing paging networks.

This Direct Digital Paging Transmitter is designed to generate all modern paging formats including POCSAG, FLEX and ERMES. Standard output power is 100 watts continuous (adjustable 25-100 Watts). Optional amplifiers are available with 250 and 500 Watts output. Up to sixteen channels can be preset for multichannel operation over the 138-174 MHz frequency range.

For simulcast operation the standard internal 1 ppm TCXO may be supplemented by either a built-in 0.05 ppm high stability option or an external reference oscillator. Precision control over carrier offset and delay equalization is also provided.

The PTX-150 incorporates a wide variety of network interface and remote diagnostic capabilities. The standard unit includes an interface for conventional POCSAG controllers and paging terminals. It also includes an interface for C2000 and C-Net controllers. A separate data port provides comprehensive local or remote programming, real time diagnostics, and alarms for all key operational parameters. A WINDOWS®-based software package is available to provide a convenient and easy-to-use remote monitoring capability.

The PTX-150 is ultra-efficient in operation and incorporates a built-in universal 115/230 VAC power supply (auto select) 50/60 Hz. It is supplied in a compact 4 RU high rack mounted case and includes internal front to back cooling optimized to maintain low PA junction temperatures. The unit is rated for 100% continuous duty at up to 60° C ambient temperature.

Wireless Data

I am a manufacturer representative (MR) for Vytek Wireless Products. (Formerly Sonik.) Please look at their web site to see what they have to offer to the Paging and Wireless Messaging industry.

To download the product brochure for the PL-900 Paging Data Receiver, please click here.

brad@braddye.com  CLICK FOR MORE INFO

To let me know if you would like to receive a price quotation on any Vytek product, click on the link above.

Check out this great telemetry product:

Why shouldn't your paging company be using these to bring in new revenue?

VYTEK's PL-900 Paging Data Receiver

Wireless Data—breathing new life into the paging industry. The Daviscomms TMR (Telemetry Messaging Receiver) is a one-way FLEX™ telemetry device and is being manufactured by Daviscomms in Singapore. It is being stocked and distributed in the Americas by Vytek Wireless Products as the PageLink™ PDR (Paging Data Receiver). The PL-900 provides a solution for customers looking for a CreataLink™ one-way receiver replacement. THIS IS A HOT PRODUCT.

Legacy Technology Solutions LLC

Paging infrastructure repair with warranty. Please ask for Virgil Jarrard, President, and tell him Brad sent you. Toll-free voice: 1-877-436-8044 or voice: 972-436-8044, fax: 972-436-8944. They are located in the Dallas suburbs, and they occasionally have some good deals on reconditioned paging equipment as well. Check with them for current product availability. You can send Virgil an e-mail by clicking here. CLICK

Would you like to put something in the newsletter?

If you have any wireless equipment that you would like to buy or sell, please let me know. Everything that is offered for sale in this newsletter is on the honor system. I don't charge individuals for listing something for sale. There is a small charge for companies wanting to promote their products here. If a sale is made, I ask the seller to send me a 10% commission, much the same as the voluntary payments that are requested on the Internet for shareware. There is no cost to the buyer.

brad@braddye.com  CLICK TO MAIL

Recommended Paging Equipment Broker

Pat Merkel

Telephone: 770-638-1006

hmce@bellsouth.net  CLICK TO MAIL

http://www.h-mce.com

I have known Pat for many years. We worked together at BBL Industries in Atlanta about 20 years ago. She is a friend—you can trust her.

Can You Help?

As we all know, Wireless Messaging is less than 20 years old yet it is almost impossible to find evidence of our early experiments and successes.  Many of us experimented with wireless delivery of e-mail using the Teknow solution from the late 80s and others wrote simple scripts to parse and send SMTP messages to our pagers.  However how many of us documented these experiments?

Before what is left goes to the landfill, or is lost as us old timers start to die off, I would request help in archiving the following into a Museum of Early Messaging.  It appears that support to house this museum may be forthcoming from a pioneering company in Wireless Messaging but nothing is firm at this point.

• Articles or papers on early 90s use of a browser on a two-way wireless device (Newton etc.)
• Description of Anterior Technologies / RadioMail (pre Motorola) messaging Gateway and PDA/paging solutions.  Any magazine articles or early brochures on RadioMail would be very helpful.
• Documentation and HP95LX software for the Motorola NewsStream module. Any articles on examples of uses would be great.
• Any documentation magazine articles on the use of delivery of e-mail to a wireless device.
• Back issues of Telocator Magazine from 1990-1995 time frame.
• Motorola PCMCIA PagerCard with documentation and PC or PDA software.  Any articles depicting early use of the card also helpful.

If you think you can help with any of the above I am prepared to cover all hard costs as well as compensate fairly for any old hardware offered to the cause.  

Can you help? Give me a call or e-mail.

Paul Cassel
paul@ve3sy.com
Telephone: 519-634-5139

Motorola Keynote Voice & Numeric Pager

Do you remember the Motorola Keynote pager? There was a model that included both voice and numeric display paging in the same unit. I have a customer that needs several hundred of these pagers. They haven't been manufactured for ten years now. The frequency is 149.185 MHz but anything is this VHF sub-band would be OK—the pagers can be re-crystalized. If you know where I can find some of these pagers, please send me an e-mail. Surely there is a big box full of these in a back room somewhere.

brad@braddye.com  CLICK TO MAIL

FLEX™ Telemetry device

A reader has 190 surplus Tellus one-way PDR's (paging data receivers), model no. TSPM9FXSB, tuned to 929.0125 MHz, re-tunable 929-932 MHz (synthesized), with RJ-11 out. All are in original bubble wrap/individual cardboard box packaging.

For general info on the product click here. For technical specs click here.

These are a steal at $49 each—(FOB source)—if you take the whole batch. If you want to buy them, please contact me by e-mail or telephone at: . They wont last long at this price.

CUSTOM APPLICATIONS

For All Popular Wireless Handhelds

Want to see some ROI? How about Field Force Automation with faster dispatching of technicians and better inventory management using wireless devices? For more information please call me so we can talk, and check out their web site at: www.outr.net.  CLICK

These customized solutions cost a lot less than you might think.

Wireless Messaging Software

InfoRad® Wireless Office (Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP) is designed for the professional who needs full-featured wireless messaging capabilities. Features include enhanced user interface,  message log with search function, scheduled paging,  group and individual message addresses, TAPI Smart™, multiple protocol SMS communication compatibility. AlphaCare™ support services available. With a 32-bit architecture, InfoRad Wireless Office is designed for compatibility with Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP. For more information on InfoRad Wireless Messaging software, and a free demo, please click on the logo.

  CLICK HERE

Two-way Paging Network and Transmitter Controller

TGA Technologies believes that the future of the radio paging industry lies in the evolution of 2-way paging for both man and machine, based on the ReFLEX™ format. To that end, TGA has produced the SPARKGAP™ ReFLEX Network Manager. This device is fully ReFLEX 2.7.x compliant and will support campus, local, regional or national networks.  When used in conjunction with the TGA PRISM paging terminal, SPARKGAP™ offers a controlled path for growth in paging technology.

They also have a new product that can replace the RTS Advantage™ that many international paging network members are using.

I completely agree with TGA's strategy. If you would like to have more information about the SPARKGAP™ click here.

AAPC’s Mission Statement Defines Purpose

• Identifying issues of common concern to its members
• Providing an effective forum for the discussion and progression of issues relating to the industry
• Monitoring and addressing regulatory and legal matters as a unified organization
• Providing research into and development of our industry and its current and prospective markets
• Providing education and resources to address the challenges and trends affecting our operating environments
• Encouraging and maintaining high standards of ethics and services
• Championing the industry and representing paging carriers with a positive voice

Our industry must move forward together or perish individually. If you want to get involved, please click here. Come and join us!

Nokia GSM Phones

I am able to offer up to 20,000 units (per month) brand-new Nokia GSM phones (model #3390) 1900 MHz, to anyone from outside of the USA. These phones are all ESN unlocked. All phones must be exported, and are in original-new boxes and have never been used. Price is very low and depends on quantity—heavy discounts are possible. Let's make a deal. Other new models are available as well.

I also have some great deals on refurbished phones. They are Sony-Ericsson, Nokia, Siemens, Mitsubishi, Samsung, LG, and Motorola—a mix of CDMA and GSM phones.

brad@braddye.com  CLICK TO GET THE MOST RECENT LIST

Wireless Automation

Check out the following four categories of two-way wireless data communications. We have the ability to customize solutions to meet your (or your customer's) needs.

To be politically correct these days we are not supposed to talk about religion or politics. I broke the first "rule" by sending out Christmas greetings to everyone last December. I guess the following personal political opinion will break the other one.

My uncle, Dean Hanks (1908-1944), was a Sergeant during World War II in the US Army, Company B, 25th Engineer Battalion, 6th Armored Division under the leadership of Lieutenant General George S. Patton Jr. He was killed on August 8, 1944, by a German machine gun sniper—while he was riding in a Jeep through a field near St. Lo, France. The Allied troops had landed on the Normandy Beaches on "D" day, June 6th, just a month before and were on their way to liberate Paris. The landing consisted of more than 150,000 men, a fleet of 5,000 ships and landing craft, 50,000 vehicles, and 11,000 planes. There were 4,900 Allied casualties the first day. By the time World War II ended over 50 million people had been killed.

Adolf Hitler—Paris 1940

When I was very young, many nights I heard my mother crying about her older brother being killed. Many nights. . . It broke her heart. He was buried in the St. James Temporary Cemetery in France and then his remains were later shipped home—in August of 1948. My grandmother insisted on having his casket opened in a back room at the funeral home so she could see him. She never spoke of him again. It broke her heart too. She was never the same after that. He is now buried in the Phillips cemetery near Kinmundy, Illinois (USA). I visited his grave last September. He is there right next to my parents, grandparents, my brother, my aunts, uncles, great-grandparents, and great-great-grandparents. There is a plot for me there as well. *According to the American Battle Monuments Commission there are 26,255 American dead from World War I buried in 4 cemeteries in France. There are 30,426 American dead from World War II buried in 6 cemeteries in France. These 56,681 brave American heroes died in their youth to liberate a country which is guilty of shameful behavior in the 21st century.

I think it is sad and very unfortunate that the French don't remember or appreciate the price that we Americans, the British, the Canadians, and people from many other countries paid to free their country. They would all be speaking German today if the free world had not joined together in their efforts to liberate them from German occupation. Maybe we should send the statue of Liberty back to them. It doesn't have the same meaning to us anymore. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. This is mine.