Installation Guide
Probe Troubleshooting
31
RADIO LINE OF SIGHT
Radio Line of Sight (LOS)
refers to the ability of the receiver to ‘see’ the transmitter. In TLS RF Wireless sites,
the preferred positioning of the Receiver is one that is visible from the Transmitter’s location. When Radio line
of sight is impossible, e.g., tanks are on opposite sides of the building, a Repeater should be installed that is
positioned at a point that is both visible from the Transmitter and from the Receiver.
ANTENNA POLARIZATION
Polarized omni-directional antennas (used in the TLS Wireless System) are subject to severe pattern distortion
in the direction of their mounting (vertically or horizontally). For this reason, the TLS RF Wireless System
Receiver’s antenna must be mounted vertically and the Transmitter’s antenna mounted horizontally (90
degrees apart).
INTERFERENCE
Interference may be caused by several possible sources:
•
In-band signals originating from other systems
•
Reflections, multipath
•
Receiver front-end overload, produced by adjacent transmitters such as a microwave tower, etc.
The nature of Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum systems is such that interference would tend to degrade
throughput, rather than cause the cessation of link operation. Even in such instances, the inherent immunity to
interference provides that extra margin of safety. When all antenna orientation possibilities are tried and one or
more transmitters still cannot be received, additional repeater(s) will have to be installed.
