USAT Helps ALF Preserve American History
USAT Case Study | Race Point Light Station
America is full of wide-open prairies, mountain valleys, and remote coastal areas where internet connectivity is often difficult obtain. While the average business resides in urban population centers where cellular and broadband connectivity options are plentiful, there are those that operate in areas along the fringe. For them, it is not as simple as calling the local cable company to get their organizations online. They need the purpose-built cellular routers and high-powered antenna assemblies USAT is uniquely equipped to provide.
Case Overview
Preserving Historical Landmarks
Since the year 1994, the people at the American Lighthouse Foundation (ALF) have worked to restore, maintain, and preserve historic sites across the east coast. Their mission is to positively impact the lives of others by bringing culturally irreplaceable resources to life. While restoring the Race Point Light Station along the coast of Cape Cod in Provincetown, MA, they found reliable connectivity elusive. Without access to power lines or broadband services, they needed creative solutions to both power and connect their site.
Located 2.3 miles from the nearest road in an area known for protected species of birds, running power lines, or entrenching broadband cables was not an option. It would be too costly and would disturb the integrity of the historical site. The American Lighthouse Foundation needed off-grid power solutions and robust long-range communications equipment to get their site powered up and online.
USAT can provide your off-grid facilities the end-to-end communications solutions they need to support the success of your remote operations.
Challenges Faced
Finding Reliable Connectivity
Their first problem was power. The ALF team was able to brilliantly engineer a solution for that via photovoltaic arrays, DC power converters, and battery storage. For their problem with internet connectivity, they reached out to the team at USAT.
Cellular reception around the site was virtually nonexistent. They needed help identifying the best carrier network in the area and with selecting the connectivity devices they would need to boost signal strength and maintain constant connectivity at the site.
They needed to connect various devices, both wirelessly and via direct lines. They planned to use wireless thermostats, cameras, smoke detectors, and carbon monoxide monitors that all functioned via Wi-Fi. Additionally, they needed to directly connect the point-of-sale systems within their gift shop, and the P2P cameras outside of it.
The solutions USAT engineered would need to be capable of withstanding every element the wind and sea regularly threw at them, while being robust enough to handle all these different points of connectivity.
Carrier Networks
Connecting to the Strongest Signal
The ALF team at the lighthouse used various carriers for their personal cell phones, yet no one seemed to be able to connect. USAT has a series of representatives at all major cellular carriers and was able to pinpoint the carrier that had the most solid and reliable signal - T-Mobile. Therefore, the solutions we provided would need to be able to utilize the T-Mobile network to ensure a strong and stable connection.
Cradlepoint Cellular Routers
Rugged and Reliable Endpoints
The Cradlepoint IBR1700 is a ruggedized 5G ready networking platform designed to provide persistent connectivity across a range of commercial applications, including near-shore communications. With an IP64 rating and both MIL STD 810G and SAEJ1455 certifications for shock, vibration, and humidity, this device can withstand punishing conditions and a wide range of temperatures. Ideal for this humid coastal deployment.
Poynting Antennas
Hardened Marine and Coastal Connectivity
The OMNI-291 is high-performance omni-directional, marine, and coastal antenna. The ultra-wide band covers all contemporary LTE frequencies including those of T-Mobile, with excellent balanced gain guaranteeing signal reception almost everywhere along the coast. The antenna is built tough, able to withstand fire, wind, water, and impacts, making them ideal for volatile coastal deployments. We helped ALF procure and install two such antennas atop their lighthouse to enable 2x2 MIMO operation.
Field Tested Results
Seamless Communications on the Fringe
Not only did we help the ALF team select, provision, and activate their new hardware through our extensive DevProv+ suite of services, but we also custom cut and crimped cabling to their exacting requirements, provided rapid on-site installation, and continue to provide ongoing hardware support. The lighthouse and its various devices for video security, smoke detection, CO2 monitoring, environmental controls, and retail POS, experienced near instant connectivity.
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Why Choose USAT?
For 25+ years USAT has provided expert IoT communications solutions to non-profit agencies. Our team supports each and every aspect of your mission-critical connectivity projects. All our solutions utilize only the highest quality equipment from the most trusted manufacturers worldwide.
Our DevProv+ services team configures, provisions, kits and ships your devices hot and ready for immediate use. And our installation teams ensure your devices are functioning securely, reliably, and at peak performance.
Reach out to USAT today to rapidly deploy solutions that meet your cellular communications needs:
- Give Us a Call: (919) 942-4214
- Send Us an Email: info@usatcorp.com
- Request a Consultant: Click Here
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About the American Lighthouse Foundation
The American Lighthouse Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization, founded in 1994. ALF and its nine chapters have stewardship responsibility for eighteen of our nation’s lighthouses and have invested over $3.25 million dollars in lighthouse restoration since that time; thanks in large part to generous supporters and dedicated volunteers who have given over 25,000 hours of their time.
Learn more at https://www.lighthousefoundation.org/
About the Race Point Light Station
The Race Point properties are maintained by the Cape Cod Chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization made up of dedicated volunteer members whose mission is the restoration and preservation of Race Point Lighthouse, the Keeper's house, the Whistle house, the Oil house, and Wood End and Long Point Lighthouses.
Learn more at https://www.racepointlighthouse.org/
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