LongHaul(TM) Radios Link View of Wild Chinook Salmon Run to the Internet
Arcata, California - An Internet "Fish Cam," located deep under the rushing waters of the Yukon River, will be documenting the passage of Chinook salmon this month as their arduous journey takes them past the Whitehorse Rapids Fishway in southern Yukon Province, Canada.
A pair of "LongHaul(TM) 5x" microwave radios are now transmitting digital video data from the Fish Cam site to an Internet connection located one-third mile across the Yukon River, allowing people all over the world to view this amazing journey.
Yukon Energy was looking for a solution that would fit their commitment to nature through maintenance of both the Whitehorse Rapids Fishway and nearby hatchery. They needed to transmit the Fish Cam's signal across the river without unsightly wires interfering with the unspoiled nature surrounding both facilities. Carlson Wireless, a Northern California technology company, designed a system to do just that using the LongHaul(TM) 5x wireless Ethernet Bridge.
The LongHaul(TM) 5x has impressive specifications; it transmits data up to 108 Mbps over the air (OTA) and, through Carlson's proprietary TrueTDM(TM) technology, is capable of reaching distances beyond 80 miles. The LongHaul(TM) can be powered by either AC or DC power and has a very low current draw for solar-powered applications-making it a perfect fit for remote applications like the Yukon Fish Cam.
Yukon Energy's Willy McKenna, the electrician who installed the LongHaul(TM) system, plugged the radios into networking switches linking the digital IP video camera to the video server computer to make the wireless connection possible.
McKenna was particularly pleased with the ease of the LongHaul(TM) installation.
"It was very plug-and-play, very easy to put in. I just pointed the radio antennas in the general direction and didn't have to adjust anything," he said.
The Fish Cam may be viewed at the Yukon Energy website (http://www.yukonenergy.ca/community/multimedia/fishcam/ ), which recently noted that a few salmon have already passed over the fishladder. Until the salmon run begins, the Fish Cam transmits video of other fish species that call the Yukon River system their home including Arctic grayling whitefish, lake trout and longnose suckers.
Pictures of the LongHaul(TM) radio installation itself can be found on the Carlson Wireless blog (http://carlsonwireless.blogspot.com ).
