Detecting Neutrinos in the Antarctic Ice Shelf![]()
April 2012 – The University of California in Irvine is embarking on an ambitious research project to detect and count ultra-high energy neutrinos coming from the Afar depths of the universe. They have selected Afar Communications to provide the wireless network that retrieves the data captured by an array of detectors, which, when fully deployed, will consist of 960 stations in the Antarctic, covering a 30 x 30 km square.
Neutrinos are subatomic particles that
have no electrical charge and until recently were thought to be
massless. Most neutrinos traversing the earth are generated in the
Sun but the UC Irvine team is interested in the ultra-high energy
neutrinos that come from the far regions of the universe.
The UC Irvine team, led by principal
investigator Steven Barwick, developed a neutrino detector consisting
of broadband radio antennas, pointing down and buried in the ice
shelf, to detect radio pulses that result from the extremely rare
collision of a high energy neutrino and an atom in the ice. The plan
is to deploy a 960 detector array (named ARIANNA for Antarctic Ross
Ice shelf ANtenna Neutrino Array ) which will record those radios
pulses and then transmit that data, through the Afar radios, to the
McMurdo station in the Antarctic.
Several stringent requirements for the
radio communication system led to the selection of the Afar
radios:
The engineers at Afar worked closely
with UC Irvine to provide a solution that met these demanding
requirements. In 2012 UC Irvine successfully deployed four detector
stations, each with an Afar radio, communicating with another Afar
radio at the top of Mt. Discovery (46 km away), which then relays the
data to a radio at the McMurdo station (75 km).
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Author: afarwpu
Afar radios now support advanced encryption
Afar radios now support advanced encryption
August 27, 2010 – Afar Communications announced today the release of new firmware for its family of pulsAR Wireless Ethernet Bridges that supports encryption of all data transmitted over RF. You can now configure your wireless network to encrypt all data packets using any of the following encryption methods:
- DES-56
- Triple-DES
- AES-128
- AES-256
When you turn on encryption you can specify a unique key (with different lengths for each method), or have the radios generate the key based on a unique phrase. Encryption makes it virtually impossible for an unauthorized user to eavesdrop on your wireless link and decode your data.
The DES-56 encryption method comes now standard with all radios. The other encryption methods are optional and can be added at the time of purchase or upgraded in the field.
New 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz radios from Afar
New 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz radios from Afar(Download PDF brochure)
The various models occupy different RF bandwidth allowing you to match the radio with your data throughput requirements while keeping the highest possible RF performance. The new models will become available in February 2010. You can download a PDF brochure which includes the specifications for all the 5 new spread spectrum radio models. |
Afar radios provide wireless telemetry for seismic activity monitoring in India.
Afar radios provide wireless telemetry for seismic activity monitoring in India.![]() REF TEK uses the network to collect data from their broadband seismometers and seismic data recorders installed at 12 separate remote stations. The equipment at each of the 12 seismic stations, including the Afar radios, is powered from 80 W solar panel kits that allows for unattended operation over long periods of time. The Afar radios carry the telemetry data to a Central Control Station located in Tehri Town where an operator can view the seismic data from 130 Recorders interactively. The Tehri Dam is located on the Bhagirathi river, the principal tributary of the sacred river Ganges. The region is part of the Central Himalayan Seismic Gap, a major geologic fault zone. In October 1991 there was a 6.8 magnitude earthquake with an epicenter 50 km from the location of the dam. Below are some pictures of the wireless telemetry network for seismic activity monitoring at Tehri Dam. ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Afar delivers wireless telemetry system for the NASCAR Nextel Cup
Afar delivers wireless telemetry system for the NASCAR Nextel Cup
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Afar radio gets SRRC certification for operation in China
Afar radio gets SRRC certification for operation in China
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Afar Communications Inc. wins bid to supply Wireless Equipment for SEPTA
Afar Communications Inc. wins bid to supply Wireless Equipment for SEPTA
The system will be upgraded to Bombardier ’s CITYFLO 450 which uses a lossy-line (“leaky feeder”) in tunnel areas to communicate between trackside equipment and trains using 2.4 GHz Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum Radios. Those radios will be provided by Afar Communications and consist of an enhanced version of our standard PulsAR-24027 Wireless Ethernet Bridge . SEPTA ’s Light Rail Tunnel is 2.5 miles long and contains two main tracks for a total of five track miles. According to SEPTA’s Deputy Chief Engineer, John LaForce, “The purpose of the project is to install a modern state-of-the-art Positive Train Control system, defined as a Communications Based Train Control (CBTC) to improve safety while maintaining efficient rail car movements. Ridership in the tunnel is approximately 60,000/day utilizing a fleet of 112 light rail vehicles. The new CBTC system will support 60-70 rail cars/hour with 30+ rail cars normally operating in the tunnel during the worst-case peak hour under the present scheduling. In the event of a delay, the number of rail cars in the tunnel could be much greater than 30, however, the CBTC system will be capable of handling up to 75 rail cars/hr as well as multiple berthing of cars in all stations.”
Afar Communications will deliver the wireless equipment in June 2007 and the system is expected to be in operation, with the Afar radios, before the end of the year. |
Local High School robotics team, sponsored by Afar Communications Inc., reaches final in the San Diego robotics competition.
Local High School robotics team, sponsored by Afar Communications Inc., reaches final in the San Diego robotics competition.Santa Barbara, California, March 26, 2007 – For the second year in a row the local Dos Pueblos High School Engineering Academy participated in the robotics competition organized by FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) .
In Goleta, the physics teacher at Dos Pueblos High School , Mr. Amir Abo-Shaeer, established an Engineering Academy to foster an interest for science, math and technology among its students. For 45 days the senior class worked 6 days a week well into the night to design, build and test a remote controlled robot that would perform the specific tasks established by FIRST . In March, among much fanfare, music, and loud cheering, the school participated in two regional competitions held in large sports arenas in Los Angeles and San Diego. Over 60 high schools competed in each event and Dos Pueblos High School reached the semi-finals in Los Angeles and the finals in San Diego. Afar Communications Inc. is a proud sponsor of the Dos Pueblos High School Engineering Academy and we congratulate its Robotics Team 1717 for this outstanding achievement.
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