Mines & Emergency Services

Effective communication is crucial in the demanding mine environment. However, traditional two-way radio networks often suffer from signal degradation, limited coverage, and high maintenance costs. This case study explores how implementing an RF over Fiber system revolutionized communication at a customer mine site.

 Why use RF over Fiber and not coax?

Before the RF over Fiber system, the mine relied on a two-way radio network that struggled with frequent signal losses, especially in remote or underground areas. Maintenance costs were high due to the need for antenna adjustments, cable replacements, and unreliable signal amplification equipment. RF over Fiber technology overcomes these challenges by:

• • Mitigating Signal Degradation: Terrain features caused coverage gaps and communication blackouts.
• Expanding Coverage: The existing network needed more coverage in critical areas.
• Reducing Maintenance: Constant maintenance and upgrades led to increased operational expenses.
• Improving Reliability: Unreliable communication impacted safety and operational coordination.

General characteristics

Generally, underground mining operations utilize RF over Fiber (RFoF) technologies to facilitate reliable communication between the surface controls and underground units without relying on traditional digital systems. This approach allows miners to maximize the available bandwidth while effectively managing noise and ensuring linearity in signal transmission. An RF over Fiber link serves as a robust electric-optic-electric signal conversion solution. It comprises a Transmitter unit (Tx) that transforms the analog RF input signal into an optically modulated signal and a Receiver unit (Rx) that converts the optical signal back into an electrical RF signal. The optical modulation typically operates at wavelengths of 1310nm for links below 10GHz or 1550nm, with specific applications potentially using other wavelengths. The optical signal travels from the Tx module to the Rx module over single-mode optical fibers, ensuring efficient and high-quality signal transmission vital for safety and effective communication in challenging underground environments.