A remote terminal unit is a small device at a site that reads sensors and equipment alarms, reports them to a central system and operates relays on command.

What should I monitor first at a repeater site?

Start with power, including mains, UPS, batteries and generator, along with repeater status, since these cause or reveal most site outages.

Can I monitor sites without Ethernet?

Yes. Sites can report over cellular or satellite where wired links are not available, and some RTUs also support dial-up.

Remote site monitoring for public safety radio networks

For radio system managers and technicians at public safety agencies and their contractors.

Monitor public safety radio sites by placing a remote terminal unit at each tower to report radio, power, environment, tower lighting and access alarms to one central system. The central system should tell the on-call technician what failed and what it affects, before a dispatcher notices.

What to monitor at each site

Repeaters and radios: status, forward and reflected power, and receive levels.
Power: commercial mains, UPS, batteries and generator run state and fuel.
Tower lighting: failures that may need to be reported.
Backhaul: microwave and fiber link status.
Environment and security: temperature, HVAC, door and intrusion alarms.

Why power comes first

Many outages at remote sites start as power problems. A mains failure followed by a generator that did not start leaves only the battery reserve, so the time to act is when the first alarm arrives. Trend battery voltage and generator tests so that you find weak equipment before an outage does.

Getting alarms to the right person

Prioritize by the service affected, not by the device.
Escalate automatically when an alarm is not acknowledged.
Give technicians enough detail to bring the right parts on the first trip.
Keep reports for after-action reviews and compliance.

Connecting remote sites

Remote sites may reach the central system over Ethernet, cellular or satellite. Choose equipment that keeps logging and acting locally if the link drops, and that can switch or restart local equipment through relays without a truck roll.

Common questions

What is an RTU?: A remote terminal unit is a small device at a site that reads sensors and equipment alarms, reports them to a central system and operates relays on command.
What should I monitor first at a repeater site?: Start with power, including mains, UPS, batteries and generator, along with repeater status, since these cause or reveal most site outages.
Can I monitor sites without Ethernet?: Yes. Sites can report over cellular or satellite where wired links are not available, and some RTUs also support dial-up.