Getting a wide area data system to remotely control and monitor a number of pole mounted Joslyn High Voltage swithes was a challenge for the Northfork Rural Electrical Cooperative, until they discovered the benefits of the Radius PDR 121 wireless data radio modem. For phase 1 of their system they have installed remote control at 20 sites in an area covering roughly 30 miles by 40 miles (1,200 square miles or 3,000 square km). Due to the message routing built in to the PDR 121, their Modbus data packets are transferred from the master system to the Josyln switches, via other PDR sites effeciently and reliably.

Furthermore the Northfork Coop can montior the real-time status of the system via the web based RND 100 network management tool, that gives them up to date performance of the radio system including signal strength, main and standby power supply and the local temperature. Phase 2 of the system will see further PDR 121 wireless data modems being deployed to allow DNP3 messages to be routed via the same data radio network to Schweitzer relay controllers.