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Sam Benzacar, of Anatech Electronics, an RF and microwave filter company, has
published his
October 2024 newsletter that, along with timely news items,
features his short op-ed entitled "WiLo Combines the Best of Wi-Fi and LoRa."
His opening statement asserting that WiLo is so new that there is not even a
Wikipedia entry for it yet of course caused me to immediately verify the
veracity of the claim. In fact, there is an entry for WiLo, but it is not the
long new range wireless standard; it is about a company named
Wilo [SE], a European manufacturer of pumps and pump systems for the building technology, water and industrial sectors.
The "WiLo" Sam writes of is a long range wireless connectivity scheme which
combines features of Wi-Fi and LoRa. I took the liberty of creating an
AI-generated description of the
WiLo communications standard (and even created a logo for it). As always,
Sam's insights on the wireless industry are quite significant. His company,
Anatech, has a vested interest in keeping abreast of all new wireless
technologies since Anatech makes filters for them. Also included in the
newsletter are updates on industry happenings on Sat-to-Cell service, the
ongoing maximum of the sunspot cycle (#25), and DARPA's GRYPHON oscillator
program.
A Word from Sam Benzacar - WiLo Combines the Best of Wi-Fi and LoRa
 By Sam Benzacar
If you've never heard of WiLo, you're in good company. It's just emerging, and
very little about it is available on the Web. There's not even anything on Wikipedia
yet. All this should soon change because WiLo has some very interesting potential
capabilities.
WiLo, invented by a team of researchers from several countries, combines Wi-Fi
and the Long Range (LoRa) protocol to extend the range of Wi-Fi while maintaining
LoRa's advantages of low power consumption and long-range communication. While traditional
methods for connecting Wi-Fi and LoRa devices require multi-radio gateways that
add complexity and potential points of failure, offers a simpler, cost-effective
solution.
They achieve this, in part, by creating an algorithm that manipulates the frequency
of Wi-Fi's data transmission to match those used by LoRa. That is, they modify Wi-Fi's
Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) modulation scheme to emulate the
chirp signals employed in LoRa's Chirp Spread Spectrum (CSS) modulation. The result
allows Wi-Fi's short range to be enhanced to cover long distances using LoRa without
additional hardware, a concept called Cross-Technology Communication (CTC).
 The core of WiLo's innovation lies in its ability to manipulate Wi-Fi's Orthogonal
Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) modulation scheme to match the Chirp Spread
Spectrum (CSS) modulation used by LoRa. This allows Wi-Fi to transmit over much
longer distances using LoRa's communication capabilities without requiring additional
hardware.
The technology has been tested in various settings, including indoor labs, hallways,
and outdoor locations, with transmission distances up to 500 meters where WiLo achieved
an impressive 96% success rate. However, one challenge remains: increased power
consumption for Wi-Fi devices when they perform both communication and signal emulation
tasks. The research team is actively working on optimizing energy efficiency in
future versions of the technology.
 Survey: People Won't Pay More for Sat-to-Cell Service
A recent GSM Association (GSMA) report reveals that only two out of five mobile
phone subscribers are willing to pay for direct-to-cell satellite services. While
this suggests that 40% of users are hesitant to embrace the technology, it also
indicates that 60% may be open to paying more for the added service. The data comes
from the GSMA's Q3 Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) & Satellite Tracker report,
which outlines the growing collaboration between telecom operators and satellite
providers.
 Another Kia Exploit Has Been Exposed (and Fixed)
It's been about two years since the media first reported that some Kia and Hyundai
vehicles could be stolen with a few simple tools, and the manufacturer began to
issue software upgrades. Thieves exploited a vulnerability in some models that lacked
an engine immobilizer, a standard anti-theft device in most modern cars. Thieves
discovered they could break into these cars and start the engine using just a USB
cable. According to a report in The Register, all thieves need is a smartphone and
a license plate number. The problem has apparently been fixed, but the issue demonstrates
that another will surely appear when one security problem is solved.
 Sunspot Cycle Peaks, May Last Another Year
According to NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
the Sun has entered the solar maximum period of Solar cycle 25, which began in 2019.
This is problematic for anyone operating in the HF region of the spectrum, as communications
in this range can be significantly degraded or even rendered virtually impossible.
The solar cycle is a natural process the Sun undergoes, shifting between periods
of low and high magnetic activity every 11 years, where the Sun's magnetic poles
reverse, and it transitions from a calm to a more active and stormy state. Unfortunately,
NOAA predicts these conditions could persist for the next year.
 Program Focuses on Small, Better Oscillators
DARPA's Generating RF with Photonic Oscillators for Low Noise (GRYPHON) program
is developing compact microwave oscillators with exceptionally low phase noise that
could transform sensing and communication. Leveraging advances in nonlinear photonics
and photonic-electronic integration, the program aims to create microwave sources
that outperform current discrete oscillators while being much smaller in size. By
the program's end, these oscillators will also function as tunable synthesizers,
covering frequencies from 1 to over 40 GHz, setting a new standard in radar and
communication systems.
Anatech Electronics Introduces a New Line of Suspended Stripline and
Waveguide Type RF Filters
Check out Our Filter Products
Cavity Band Pass Filters
LC Band Pass Filters Cavity Bandstop/Notch Filter
About Anatech Electronics
Anatech Electronics, Inc. (AEI) specializes in the design and manufacture of
standard and custom RF and microwave filters and other passive components and subsystems
employed in commercial, industrial, and aerospace and applications. Products are
available from an operating frequency range of 10 kHz to 30 GHz and include cavity,
ceramic, crystal, LC, and surface acoustic wave (SAW), as well as power combiners/dividers,
duplexers and diplexers, directional couplers, terminations, attenuators, circulators,
EMI filters, and lightning arrestors. The company's custom products and capabilities
are available at www.anatechelectronics.com.
Contact:
Anatech Electronics, Inc.
70 Outwater Lane
Garfield, NJ 07026
(973)
772-4242
sales@anatechelectronics.com
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