How do you establish reliable voice communications across 14 km of open sea when other technologies have already failed? On the coast of São Paulo, Brazil, RACOM’s RipEX2 radio modems provided the answer – delivering a high-performance UHF connection for EDP’s voice communication infrastructure.
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Challenge: Connecting Voice Networks Across Open Water
Reliable voice communications depend on more than simply establishing a connection. Low latency and sufficient bandwidth are essential for maintaining clear, responsive communication between users.
For EDP, an international energy company, the challenge was to establish a point-to-point radio link spanning 14 km of open sea off the coast of São Paulo, Brazil.
The connection was needed to provide backhaul for voice repeaters, enabling communication between geographically separated parts of the network.
However, transmitting radio signals over open water presents particular challenges. Signal reflections from the sea surface and changing propagation conditions can affect link performance.
Several alternative technologies had already been tested without success. EDP needed a solution capable of delivering reliable connectivity with the performance required for voice communications.
Solution: RipEX2 Full-Duplex UHF Radio Link
To overcome these challenges, the customer selected RACOM’s RipEX2 radio modems.
The solution uses a full-duplex UHF configuration, allowing simultaneous transmission and reception – an important advantage for applications requiring continuous, bidirectional communication.
With a 250 kHz channel and 16 DEQAM modulation, the link provides sufficient capacity for voice repeater backhaul while also supporting Voice over IP (VoIP) services.
Key technical specifications:
- End user: EDP
- Location: São Paulo coast, Brazil
- Application: Voice repeater backhaul and VoIP
- Distance: 14 km across open sea
- Technology: RACOM RipEX2 UHF radio modems
- Topology: Point-to-point, full duplex
- Channel width: 250 kHz
- Modulation: 16 DEQAM
- Throughput: Over 1.8 Mbps
- Average latency: 7 ms
Results: Reliable Voice Connectivity Beyond Expectations
The RipEX2 solution succeeded where previously tested technologies had failed.
The 14 km radio link achieved over 1.8 Mbps throughput with an average latency of just 7 ms, providing the performance required for EDP’s voice repeater backhaul.
The successful deployment also opened the door to additional services, including VoIP, extending the network’s capabilities beyond the original requirements.
Key achievements:
- Established a successful 14 km UHF link across open water
- Provided backhaul connectivity for EDP’s voice repeater network
- Delivered low-latency communication suitable for voice applications
- Enabled additional VoIP services over the same infrastructure
- Exceeded the customer’s original expectations
What began as a challenging connectivity problem became a versatile communications solution.
By combining high throughput, low latency, and full-duplex operation, RipEX2 demonstrated how industrial UHF radio technology can support demanding voice applications – even across 14 km of open sea.
