Development of industrial IoT based monitoring and control system for radio broadcasting network in Tanzania: a case of Tanzania broadcasting corporation
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Date
2022-07
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
NM-AIST
Abstract
The radio towers must be constructed in sharp elevations or mountains to ensure the maximum
radio wave propagation and long-distance coverage of the radio station programs. Due to the
sharp elevation positioning of radio towers, the tower operators or technicians are required to
climb up every day to be able to take readings of the equipment. Strenuous and daily effort is
needed to access these sharp locations either on foot or by car. A need to develop and implement
a system that will monitor and send earlier notifications information on the status of the
transmitter to the responsible tower operators. Therefore, this project aims to develop an IIoT based monitoring and control system for terrestrial broadcasting networks with outdated
technology of Fm transmitter equipment which isstill used in Tanzania. As a result, the solution
will effectively and timely assist tower operators to monitor, collecting information
understanding and the existing problems that are happening at the radio towers without
physically climbing to the radio towers. In addition, the system is cost-effective and collect
information in real-time based as it is integrated with a mobile application in a smart device
that is linked to the embedded system which is installed in a specific tower to monitor
parameters such as forward power, reflected power, electrical units, fuel level, temperature,
humidity, and smoke. This study has used a mixed-design approach of quantitative and
qualitative methods using focus group discussions with 20 stakeholders to evaluate the
developed system. The result of the evaluation shows that 90% of the respondents agreed that
the developed system is robust and appropriate to manage the existing challenges at the radio
towers.The radio towers must be constructed in sharp elevations or mountains to ensure the maximum
radio wave propagation and long-distance coverage of the radio station programs. Due to the
sharp elevation positioning of radio towers, the tower operators or technicians are required to
climb up every day to be able to take readings of the equipment. Strenuous and daily effort is
needed to access these sharp locations either on foot or by car. A need to develop and implement
a system that will monitor and send earlier notifications information on the status of the
transmitter to the responsible tower operators. Therefore, this project aims to develop an IIoT based monitoring and control system for terrestrial broadcasting networks with outdated
technology of Fm transmitter equipment which isstill used in Tanzania. As a result, the solution
will effectively and timely assist tower operators to monitor, collecting information
understanding and the existing problems that are happening at the radio towers without
physically climbing to the radio towers. In addition, the system is cost-effective and collect
information in real-time based as it is integrated with a mobile application in a smart device
that is linked to the embedded system which is installed in a specific tower to monitor
parameters such as forward power, reflected power, electrical units, fuel level, temperature,
humidity, and smoke. This study has used a mixed-design approach of quantitative and
qualitative methods using focus group discussions with 20 stakeholders to evaluate the
developed system. The result of the evaluation shows that 90% of the respondents agreed that
the developed system is robust and appropriate to manage the existing challenges at the radio
towers.
Sustainable Development Goals
A Final Project Report Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Embedded and Mobile System of the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology
Keywords
Research Subject Categories::TECHNOLOGY