I'll throw in another vote for being part of a smartmeter reader system. They're often used in a store and forward type of setup typically done with SCADA.
Finally got pictures of the telephone pole
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ki4wbn
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Any way you could get a real good zoomed in picture onto the bottom label (the label closest to the pole)?
I can, problem is that although I have a digital cam, I don't yet have an SD reader to read the card, so I have to run to my buddies because he has one, and have him download it to my USB stick, which is why it takes me so long to get pics up.
These appear to be Utilinet Radios, (see Ricochet Photos Page 1 (Poletop Radios) at the bottom of the page)
Initially designed and manufactured by Metricom (Ricochet (Internet service) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) then licensed to Schlumberger.
That could be what it is, I wish google would come back with something on the model number. Just wish one of the pics in the links you posted looked more like what is on the pole.
I know there are many different models of the Utilinet radios. I'm far more familiar with the Ricochet infrastructure (both designed by Metricom). Those cases without a doubt look like Metricom hardware.
I'll have to grab the ladder and write down all the info on the bottom of it, then maybe we can figure it out for sure. I don't feel like taking more pictures and running across town to post them.
All it says on the bottom is CN 154545 Call 1-800-597-2809 if it needs repair. Gonna try that number and see where it takes me too after I plug in my majicjack.
Edit: Brought me to lanseng communications, but obviously nobody was in the office given the holiday. Options included ethernet/internet on the automated system, so who knows what that thing is.
Edit: Brought me to lanseng communications, but obviously nobody was in the office given the holiday. Options included ethernet/internet on the automated system, so who knows what that thing is.
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ki4wbn
Member
Ah. Was hoping there would be an FCC ID or something to that effect on the other tag, but I am also going to go with it being a smart meter or some sort of energy usage transmitter/receiver.
RickS31
Member
Most here are much more knowledgeable about this than I but just one additional comment if I may. The fact that this unit is hooked directly to the secondary of the pole transformer with absolutely no metering points directly to it being installed by and owned/leased by the power company. Any other entity including local government's powered devices always or most always have meters and they have to pay for the electricity they use, even at a reduced or wholesale rate.
Municipalities can get a yearly rate that covers usage for items such as street lights and doesn't need to be metered.
Mike
RickS31
Member
I agree. I thought about that after my comment, but my statement was based on most devices. I have seen federally controlled dams, scada devices, traffic signal,s as well as cell bases, repeaters, remote camera monitoring stations (DOT), etc., all with local meters. This being radio and subject to variable usage and power demand would seem likely to be metered if it didn't belong to the power company, IMHO.
The best input I can give, our local power company offered a "greener" control system for A/C. The concept is when there is higher demand on a hot day this system would shutdown your condenser based on demand, plus temperature in house via a plug in sensor. Now there was a box piggybacked of Condenser Disconnect that has an 800/900 mhz antenna and then if you look along the telephone poles you can see control boxes.
Cliffs: WiFi controlled system by the power company is my opinion.
Cliffs: WiFi controlled system by the power company is my opinion.
They have them here. Ours look slightly different and were made by Cellnet (I think) but they are now maintained by Landis & Gyr.
Ours are definitely used as repeaters for remote meter reading. Both gas and electric.
As another poster mentioned, the meters use the ISM (902-928) band at very low power and these pole mounted devices use the 890 GSM band to send the data back to an office.
I see them here spaced maybe 1/2 mile or so apart from one another. Some use yagi antennas for the GSM radio. It all depends on the location as to if they need the yagi or not.
Somewhere here at RR I posted pictures of mine taken one winter night this past winter so maybe search for my posts and they will turn up.
If I get out today, I'll try and remember to snap a daylight picture of the one that handles my apartment complex.
Ours can be dual use though as we have remote reading meters for gas and electric and the companies are in no way tied together. Landis & Gyr trucks are seen pretty often working on the radio units in the gas or electric meters and less often, they are up working on the pole mounted devices like in your picture.
I spoke with a Landis & Gyr person at my work and he had an ID badge around his neck identifying him as a Landis & Gyr employee but the ID card also had the power company and the gas companies printed on it. He told me he maintains the communications links for both companies.
When any of our meters need to be swapped out, an actual employee of the utility will do that work but usually the same day, a Landis & Gyr vehicle will arrive and install the radio module on the new meter.
I had one once (a radio module form a power meter) that I had written down the FCC ID number from but I cannot find the info.
The ID number had all info blocked from public view other than the manufacturer which was Cellnet and the base frequency of the device which I remember was in the ISM band. Yours do not look exactly like any of ours do so they are likely from a different manufacturer but I suspect they are indeed remote reading meter repeaters.
I'm thinking the Landis & Gyr website may have had a picture that looked like your picture so maybe take a look there. I kind of remember them not having much info at all on this technology while Cellnet had tons of info before Landis & Gyr took them over.
Ours are definitely used as repeaters for remote meter reading. Both gas and electric.
As another poster mentioned, the meters use the ISM (902-928) band at very low power and these pole mounted devices use the 890 GSM band to send the data back to an office.
I see them here spaced maybe 1/2 mile or so apart from one another. Some use yagi antennas for the GSM radio. It all depends on the location as to if they need the yagi or not.
Somewhere here at RR I posted pictures of mine taken one winter night this past winter so maybe search for my posts and they will turn up.
If I get out today, I'll try and remember to snap a daylight picture of the one that handles my apartment complex.
Ours can be dual use though as we have remote reading meters for gas and electric and the companies are in no way tied together. Landis & Gyr trucks are seen pretty often working on the radio units in the gas or electric meters and less often, they are up working on the pole mounted devices like in your picture.
I spoke with a Landis & Gyr person at my work and he had an ID badge around his neck identifying him as a Landis & Gyr employee but the ID card also had the power company and the gas companies printed on it. He told me he maintains the communications links for both companies.
When any of our meters need to be swapped out, an actual employee of the utility will do that work but usually the same day, a Landis & Gyr vehicle will arrive and install the radio module on the new meter.
I had one once (a radio module form a power meter) that I had written down the FCC ID number from but I cannot find the info.
The ID number had all info blocked from public view other than the manufacturer which was Cellnet and the base frequency of the device which I remember was in the ISM band. Yours do not look exactly like any of ours do so they are likely from a different manufacturer but I suspect they are indeed remote reading meter repeaters.
I'm thinking the Landis & Gyr website may have had a picture that looked like your picture so maybe take a look there. I kind of remember them not having much info at all on this technology while Cellnet had tons of info before Landis & Gyr took them over.
I was definately thinking it had something to do with the sherriffs being able to transmit. It's so hard to believe they could transmit a digital data stream to central if they were parked in my driveway and be able to receive a response back without it chirping in and out and being garbled.
My roof antenna is 15 feet above the house, so that would make it roughly 35 feet above the ground plane, yet I have an extremely tough time picking up my counties frequencies.
With all the replies, I'm sure it's some kind of power meter gadget for the power company. I just am left to wonder how in the heck they can chat back and forth when everything chirps trying to listen to them, and my antenna is 30+ feet higher up than their vehicle.
My roof antenna is 15 feet above the house, so that would make it roughly 35 feet above the ground plane, yet I have an extremely tough time picking up my counties frequencies.
With all the replies, I'm sure it's some kind of power meter gadget for the power company. I just am left to wonder how in the heck they can chat back and forth when everything chirps trying to listen to them, and my antenna is 30+ feet higher up than their vehicle.
Eh, I'd be more concerned with the 115V trio coming from the pole pig secondary. Something caused the center (neutral) wire to sag and wrap around the lower, live one so one day when rubbing breaks through the insulation... POW!
Meanwhile if it has become disconnected at the load end wherever that trio goes to there exists a severe line voltage imbalance with all the return current fighting its way through small diameter protective ground wiring and soil resistance. That being the case, somebody has half the house lights dim with the other half bright and changing brilliance with varying load conditions, sooner or later sumpins gotta give and you'll notice when you see the flames of a structure fire.
Since fluorescent lighting, CFLs in particular, modern TVs and appliances are largely unaffected by all but extreme voltage swings the dangerous imbalance may go unnoticed... uh oh.
Meanwhile if it has become disconnected at the load end wherever that trio goes to there exists a severe line voltage imbalance with all the return current fighting its way through small diameter protective ground wiring and soil resistance. That being the case, somebody has half the house lights dim with the other half bright and changing brilliance with varying load conditions, sooner or later sumpins gotta give and you'll notice when you see the flames of a structure fire.
Since fluorescent lighting, CFLs in particular, modern TVs and appliances are largely unaffected by all but extreme voltage swings the dangerous imbalance may go unnoticed... uh oh.
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