What is the best way to send about 20 words to a central DCS (Siemens PCS7) from about 60km away? We have a remote station with a few pumps, valves and transmitters that we want to connect to the control room. This is in a very rural location so Internet is not an option. We must put in all the hardware needed for this.

 

You have a several options:
1)Radio modem via spread spectrum
2)Radio modem via cellular phone
3)Modem card and telephone line
4)Radio modem with Ethernet
For all this options you can chosse I/O modules or PLC connected at one of this options. We have do it 6 yearas ago with option 1)and other case with option 2). In fact you can use Profibus as protocol al depends which hardware do you have in the rural place
Take a look at http://www.arsoft-int.com
Hope this helps you

best

 

Do you have a good line of sight for radio equipment? Can you put equipment (repeaters) in between if need be? Do you have phone lines or are leased lines feasible? Other options are modems for communication that tie in to the cell phone network. Shoot me an email if you have specific questions.

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Nathan Boeger
boeger AT inductive automation DOT com
http://www.inductiveautomation.com
"Design Simplicity Cures Engineered Complexity"

 

Two options, Phone-Line or Wirelesss RTU, dataradio, or MCS Ethernet radio, they go over 30 miles.