Light masts star in radio role

Seafreight Agencies’ Port Everglades facility has installed the first wireless network to use an existing high-mast light fixture as the base infrastructure for a radio frequency (RF) box management system.

The Phocus Array – Holophane light fixture integration kit provides several advantages over the dedicated antenna towers that have traditionally been used.

Since container terminals typically have existing light poles that are ideally located to provide wireless coverage, this innovation saves the port the expense of erecting new poles for wireless equipment. Further, the holophane light ring can be lowered, eliminating the need for a crane or manlift when servicing or inspecting the wireless equipment.

Because the RF system is capable of adapting its pattern on a packet-by-packet basis it makes it ideal for high “multipath” environments, such as in constantly shifting container yards, as some of the antenna elements in the circular array are able to capture the signal even if others do not.

“The integration of our wireless network with Seafreight’s existing high-mast light poles provided a very fast deployment, required minimal infrastructure costs, and had a minimal impact on port operations,” said Joe Carey of the system’s developers, Fidelity Comtech.