Project 3.1 Connectivity and Coexistence Prof. David G. Michelson (University Of British Columbia) Sina Mashayekhi (PhD student) Presented by: Sina Mashayekhi

Introduction As we transition from traditional Grid to Smart Grid and on to Smart Microgrids, our dependence on high performance and reliable wireless communication increases. – Connectivity and Coexistence can not be taken for granted. – We must re-examine the assumptions upon which both government policy and industry practice are based. The variety of scenarios encountered in SG and SMG propagation environments – Increases the risk of under/over design – Risks the proper functionality of the network – Increases the risk of unexpected or unwarranted expenses Our goal is to reduce the risk of poor design by developing models that capture our knowledge and understanding of propagation impairments in a form useful in simulation and design.

Selected Project Highlight: SRSP Revision Are technical requirements for terminal station fixed P2MP radio systems used for the management of the electricity supply in Canada too restrictive? – Minimum gain of 12 dBi, maximum 3dB beam width of 30 o Key considerations: – NLOS multipath propagation environment – Relatively low capacity systems – Omnidirectional or Directional terminal antennas? Impacts of Using Omni for P2MP deployments: – Co-channel Interference, Coverage, ASE – Second best server redundancy – Cost of installation and maintenance More details in our poster

Selected Project Highlight: Link Budget Problem on Relay Nodes - Shadow Fading Characterization Shadow fading on Relay Nodes at 1.8GHz Macrocell environment Demonstration that shadow fading at pole-top relay nodes is worse than previously realized and must be accounted for in design. Effect on network coverage. Shadow fading at higher frequencies for advanced networks.

Selected Project Highlight: Characterizing Coexistence Between Radios at Relay Nodes The objective is to devise and execute a test methodology to recognize the source of interference and a new method to investigate potential coexistence issues between the collocated 915 MHz SMI, 1.9 GHz 3G and 1.8 GHz WiMAX transceivers. Applicable to both SmartGrid and Smart Microgrid networks

Summary Other projects in-progress : – Noise Characterization in substation environment (BC Hydro) – Characterization of Medium Voltage underground power lines for communication (BC Hydro / Corinex) Goals – Lower design risks and more cost-effective deployments – Better government policy – Competitive advantage for our industry partners