Sophisticated Telemetry Receivers

Writen by Keith Londrie

Telemetry, literally meaning "remote measurement" or remote collection of data is the study and measurement of the transmission of data over certain mediums. Despite the wealth of probable applications the primary purpose of telemetry is automated data collection at a place, which is inaccessible, inconvenient or dangerous, such as satellites in orbit, and relay the data to telemetry receivers on ground where the data is monitored, interpreted and recorded. Telemeter is the apparatus used for recording the readings of an instrument and transmitting them by radio. A telemetry handler, collects, formats and stores the data in a dedicated buffer, and then relays it to telemetry receivers.

Telemetry is expected to replace bar coding when the price point reaches an affordable level. Product information can be stored on specialized telemetry tags that will track the product along the supply chain and relay the information to telemetry receivers. Combined with local technology, the company assets can be located at any point in time. Thus, telemetry monitor will allow companies to wirelessly access information and monitor status levels at all times.

Telemetry also permits the tracking of endangered land and aquatic species tagged with telemetry devices, in order to get information on their patterns of movement, dispersal and migrations, and habitat use. Telemetry receivers are also used as an aid to understand and identify the natural causes that are linked to habitat conditions of these animals, which in turn alter their behavior, and how such conditions affect their mortality rates.

Since the early 1970s, the use of telemetry receivers to provide real time physiological monitoring in coronary care units has become widely recognized. These systems are used for monitoring of the electro-physiological state of patients who are at risk of abnormal heart activity. These patients are outfitted with customized telemetry devices without any other control, except an On/Off button. This device comprises a wireless receiver for the long-distance telemetry and a GSM module. If the patient is suffering from a critical condition, alert messages are relayed via the standard SMS (short messaging system) protocol to the central database, where they are allocated to the healthcare professional in charge of the patient. Back a few years when I thought I was having a heart attack, the hospital attached one of these devices to me to monitor me while I was a patient in my small town hospital.

The use of telemetry is wide spread and beyond the scope of this article. Science has advanced greatly in the last 30 years and continues to progress at at great rate.

Keith Londrie II is a well known author. For more information on Telemetry information, please visit Telemetry Information for a wealth of information. You may also want to visit keith's own web site at http://keithlondrie.com/

How Satellite Radio And Tv Innovations Work For You

Writen by Jim Johnson

For many years, radio and TV broadcasts were all done pretty much the same and consumers had no choice but to put up with the limitations of the broadcasting system. It was well-known that you could only be so far away from a radio or TV station if you ever hoped to pull in a strong enough signal to make the reception clear and enjoyable. But when cable TV was first introduced all of that began to change and now satellite technologies are in place to allow everyone to enjoy clear, high quality broadcast reception no matter where they are in the US.

Old analog radio and TV broadcasts have been extremely limited in what they could do for two major reasons: (1) The signal could only carry so much information, and (2) the shape of the earth made tall obstructions and distance a serious obstacle past a 30 - 50 mile range. So if you exceeded that range, picture and/or sound became sketch and eventually not worth even putting up with.

As mentioned above, cable started to address those issues, but it's been the advent of satellite technology that has really brought clear digital entertainment to the masses no matter where they live in the US. And here is why:

Satellite radio and TV both broadcast their signal in digital formats rather than analog. The signal is much more dense and contains more information. What that means for you is better clarity on the TV screen and high quality CD-like sound for both radio and TV.

But perhaps one of the most incredible advances made available by satellite technology is the ability to stream perfectly clear reception throughout the US even if you live in remote or rural areas. This is possible because the satellites that broadcast the signal are in orbit thousands of miles above the earth, so there is absolutely nothing to obstruct the signal or degrade it as it is beamed down to those on the ground who can receive it with the appropriate equipment.

There is also enough satellites in use that service is never interrupted as they travel around the earth. When one starts to go out of range, the next in line picks up the broadcasting chores and the reception is never broken.

This means that if you have a subscription to either XM or Sirius satellite radio service, you could get in your car and travel nonstop from one end of the country to the other end and never lose the radio broadcast signal or even have to put up with any static or reduced quality. It's entertainment that is always on and always available, everywhere throughout the country.

This kind of technology was only a dream just a few years ago, but now has become the standard for top quality broadcasting entertainment for now and the foreseeable future.

Jim Johnson is a successful author and publisher on consumer related matters. You can find out more about sirius satellite radio and delphi satellite radio by visiting our Satellite Radio Review website.

Xm Radio And Roadway Safety Thru Satellite Relays In Tunnels

Writen by Lance Winslow

Satellite Radio is great for us consumers. It gives us lots of choices for news, sports, comedy, music, weather and so much more. It works almost everywhere except in steep canyon roads and tunnels. Since it does not work in tunnels, this might cause a problem in an emergency. Television and normal radios have the public broadcast system to alert us of emergency; XM Radio can do the same. Only issue is that none of these will work in a highway tunnel.

Recently I drove thru the Boston Tunnel after traveling up the East Coast. I noticed after going thru several tunnels along the way that the XM Radio cut out. Of course I was not surprised as it is hard to get a signal while underground from a satellite. Yet each time I entered a tunnel, I happened to be listening to a really great song on the 80's station. The Baltimore Tunnel was not an issue, there was no traffic and I sailed thru; no big deal. In New York the tunnel took a little while to travel thru due to the traffic, but still a few extra minutes and then the radio was as good as gold again. The real issue was in Boston and the traffic was fierce. I spent nearly 20 minutes in traffic while in the Big Dig, without the radio and had my CD collection in the back and could not get up to get it. This led me to believe there must be a better way. XM Radio has a slight time delay so you can go under highway over passes without cutting into your music or news on any of the over 200 channels. However, when going thru long tunnels or in canyons you often miss the signal, as you do not have a direct line of sight to the satellite.

What I propose is one of two options. A.) We allow government agencies to tap into all possible channels of all satellite radio and regular radio stations to play pre-recorded information or B.) We put relays at the ends of such tunnels, which allow all satellite radio users to pick up the signal in the tunnel. If we do option "A" then the government agencies license free of charge the use of those signal frequencies with a caveat for a quick one or two-line commercial along with a public service announcement for instance:

"XM Radio brings you the following statement from the Great State of MerryLand; While traveling in the Baltimore Tunnel please remain in your lane and drive a constant speed of 45-miles per hour when traffic permits. Be observant of drivers around you at all times. If you see anything unusual be sure to call in the information to the Maryland Highway Patrol. Our alert status today is elevated and we rely on you to be our eyes and ears out there. If you see suspicious behavior please call. And thank you for making Maryland a great place, please drive nicely and be courteous at all times, thank you. This has been a public service announcement from XM Radio and the Maryland Highway Patrol and Toll Transit Authority"

If we go with option "B" then we need to allow the Authorities to break into the radio programming while in the tunnel during heavy traffic, Amber Alerts, Fugitive Watch or during heightened alert. Think on this.

Lance Winslow

Gps Tracking An Executive Summarywho What And Why

Writen by Ken Sink

GPS vehicle tracking systems are a popular tool for business owners; Original equipment manufacturers from General Motors to Bobcat are including tracking systems in their vehicles. Here's some background information to help you:

Who uses GPS tracking?
GPS tracking systems are used by businesses in the service, transportation and manufacturing industries. Businesses of all sizes, with fleets of 1 to thousands of vehicles, rely upon their tracking systems to add to their profitability.

Types of businesses using GPS tracking:

• Contractors who provide HVAC, plumbing or electrical services


• Limousine and taxi companies


• Uniform / Linen Services


• Food and Beverage Distributors


• Street Sweepers


• Pest Management Services


• Snow Plow Services


• Car Carriers


• Landscaping and Irrigation contractors


• Cable Company Contractors


• Bulk and Route Delivery


• Fuel / Oil Haulers


• Hazmat and/or Chemical Haulers


• Produce / Perishable Delivery


• Utility companies


• City, county and state motor pool fleets

What is it?
GPS tracking systems consist of a device installed in the vehicle, a central server and software for the owner to access the information.

All GPS tracking devices use data from the U.S. Government's constellation of Global Positioning System satellites to determine a vehicle's location, speed and direction of travel.

The tracking device transmits data from GPS satellites overhead to a central computer server via either a communications satellite or, more often, via the local cellular phone network. The vehicle data is updated every 2 – 15 minutes, depending upon the owner's preferences and manufacturer's settings.

The central server makes the tracking data available to the system owner through the Internet. The owner logs onto the tracking company's secure web server and sees their vehicle data on a map and in text form. Some tracking companies make the data available for download, so the owner could archive it on their own computer.

Why do they use it?
Users of GPS tracking systems have many reasons why they've installed them:

1. Tracking systems reduce vehicle costs by targeting speeding employees, who waste fuel, cause excessive engine wear and ultimately, drive up insurance rates.
2. Using the system's automatic mileage reminder reduces downtime and enhances vehicle resale values by encouraging scheduled, preventative maintenance. Your tracking system will remind you when it's time to rotate tires, change oil or perform other scheduled maintenance.
3. Many insurance companies offer discounts of up to 30% for vehicles protected with tracking systems.
4. Productivity is improved by:
   a. documenting long lunch hours,
   b. exposing unauthorized breaks,
   c. comparing driver overtime requests with system reports of driver activity,
   d. logging personal vehicle use after hours or on weekends.
5. GPS tracking systems improve customer service by showing you which employee is closest to the client who just called. WOW your customers--give them precise arrival or delivery estimates, based upon the actual location of your vehicles at the moment they call.
6. Your system can tell you the exact time and date each employee reached each customer. If a customer questions when your employee arrived or left --prove it to them.
7. Is one employee more productive than another? --Check the data. Is it time to add a vehicle? --Use your system and there's no more guessing.
8. Use your system to correlate overtime performed with your employees' overtime requests. See who is putting in extra time.
9. Never make another phone call to find out where your employees say they are.
10. Simplify asset management by displaying everything on one computer screen. Make work easier for your dispatcher.
11. Tracking systems work without any input from the driver. No driver logs needed.

Purchasers of GPS vehicle tracking systems say they recover their investment in an average of six – 12 months, by both reducing expenses and improving productivity. While some users recoup their entire investment at one time by recovering a stolen vehicle, most users are repaid more gradually.

Ken Sink, owner of My Vehicle WatchDog, is a veteran with 20+ years of transportation experience, including fleet management of over 800 vehicles. Visit http://www.MyVehicleWatchDog.Info for more information about GPS vehicle tracking systems from Fleet Management Solutions, Networkfleet and Sprint/Nextel. Submit your info for a quick, no-obligation system quote. Quantity discounts for volume purchases.