scannernut09
Member
So I went on a ice fishing trip last week, and came home to find this stuff installed on our water tower, and in our fire hall could anyone tell me what this is?
what is this?
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kayn1n32008
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What has changed on the water tower? Is it the microwave dishes?
teufler
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Hard to tell from the photos, any large coax running out of the boxes? No coax, probably not radio related. Boxes pretty big, had to take some time installing, anybody see anything. Any cardboard boxes remaining that have addresses or shipping labels on them?
scannernut09
Member
I will look tomorrow and yes those microwave dishes are whats new. And yes there is coax running from the dishes down to the fire hall and into that metal box. I will get more pics tomorrow.
mmckenna
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That's an outdoor rated equipment enclosure. You'll see similar things at the base of some cellular towers.
The grey box on the side is a manual transfer switch, allows them to switch between "normal" power and a portable generator. The generator would plug into the socket under the grey flap on the right side.
Grey box on the back is likely for air circulation. It's probably got (at minimum) a fan or blower in there to help exchange the warm air inside the unit with fresh air outside. You can get them with air conditioners/heaters also.
The whole thing looks like a microwave add/drop or regeneration point. Basically picking up a signal from somewhere far off and passing it on. Might be an add/drop multiplexer in there for feeding local stuff.
Some closer photos of the labels on the unit might clear up some of the questions.
Microwave links like this could be for dang near anything, cellular, radio system, network feeds, etc. etc. etc....
The grey box on the side is a manual transfer switch, allows them to switch between "normal" power and a portable generator. The generator would plug into the socket under the grey flap on the right side.
Grey box on the back is likely for air circulation. It's probably got (at minimum) a fan or blower in there to help exchange the warm air inside the unit with fresh air outside. You can get them with air conditioners/heaters also.
The whole thing looks like a microwave add/drop or regeneration point. Basically picking up a signal from somewhere far off and passing it on. Might be an add/drop multiplexer in there for feeding local stuff.
Some closer photos of the labels on the unit might clear up some of the questions.
Microwave links like this could be for dang near anything, cellular, radio system, network feeds, etc. etc. etc....
scannernut09
Member
Well from what I recall we are suppose to be getting a cell tower put up just south of town this spring could those have anything to do with it?
mmckenna
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Possible. Some cell sites use microwave backhaul to the mobile switching office. It would depend on how far away the cell site will be from the water tower. Usually installations like this are installed to extend microwave path farther than a single point to point can get due to mountains, over the horizon, etc.
If you can tell me exactly where this is located we could look up the FCC license (if it's a licensed link) and figure out who it belongs to.
is this close enough?
Bruning is located at 40°20′8″N 97°33′54″W / 40.33556°N 97.565°W / 40.33556; -97.565 (40.335675, -97.564883).
Bruning is located at 40°20′8″N 97°33′54″W / 40.33556°N 97.565°W / 40.33556; -97.565 (40.335675, -97.564883).
mmckenna
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No luck so far, I'll keep looking as I have time. Likely you'll find something on the box that tells you who it belongs to.
Could be unlicensed point to point stuff, or some location agnostic service, like 80/90GHz, although the dishes look awful big for that.
Could be unlicensed point to point stuff, or some location agnostic service, like 80/90GHz, although the dishes look awful big for that.
W0JJK
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I looked and not found anything with that location. There is a two 3ghz licensee in Bruning but neither use the water tower(atleast licensed that location).
It could be this, maybe they moved the Bruning Site.
http://homelandplanning.nebraska.edu/Documents/radioconference/2014/NRIN Brochure tower 2-14.pdf
It could be this, maybe they moved the Bruning Site.
http://homelandplanning.nebraska.edu/Documents/radioconference/2014/NRIN Brochure tower 2-14.pdf
W0JJK
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I did more searching on NRIN and found this. It is a site for that network.
http://homelandplanning.nebraska.edu/Documents/radioconference/2015/NRIN Map as of 09.01.2015.pdf
http://homelandplanning.nebraska.edu/Documents/radioconference/2015/NRIN Map as of 09.01.2015.pdf
scannernut09
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Ok I kinda thought it had something to do with the 911 services.
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We had one instaleld in our town last year too for the 911 ring. Lots of neat info if you dig into that link!
scannernut09
Member
So like what is the whole purpose of all of this?
mmckenna
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Dispatch (PSAP/911) centers need a number of unique services to operate effectively. Being able to tap into specific law enforcement data systems is important. Being able to pass calls off to adjacent agencies, statewide radio networks, etc. are all some of the uses.
Used to be a lot of these services were handled by the local exchange carriers, and many places still use that, but more and more the LEC's are wanting to get out of the "special circuit" business. Some of it has to do with the old copper cable plants going away. Some of it has to do with the 911 centers wanting more reliable and secure systems.
So, basically voice and data traffic between 911 centers.
Used to be a lot of these services were handled by the local exchange carriers, and many places still use that, but more and more the LEC's are wanting to get out of the "special circuit" business. Some of it has to do with the old copper cable plants going away. Some of it has to do with the 911 centers wanting more reliable and secure systems.
So, basically voice and data traffic between 911 centers.
scannernut09
Member
ok thats cool anyway a scanner can pick that up?
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
No. It's too high a frequency. It's also a focused beam, so you'd have to be in line. The modulation schemes used are not compatible with a scanner. Anything important would be encrypted.
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