Sevilleta Wireless Network

Overview:

The Sevilleta Wireless Network was deployed in June of 2004 with the support of  the National Science Foundation Division of Biological Infrastructure #0330429.  The initial deployment consisted of a sixteen mile wireless backhaul link from the UNM Sevilleta Field Station, which is connected to the UNM wide area network, to the peak of the Los Pinos mountains, which lie along the eastern boundary of the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge.  The Los Pinos repeater site consists of two 802.11 wireless access point radios that cover all of McKenzie Flats, where most research is performed.  Sites in southern and western parts of the Refuge also connect to this repeater. 

In order to reach LTER experiments on the eastern side of the Los Pinos, a twenty mile backhaul link from the Field Station to a peak on the northern end of the Los Pinos range was deployed in July of 2007.  During 2009 and 2010, we extended the network nearly forty miles beyond the eastern boundary of the Sevilleta NWR in order to reach LTER experiments near the rural towns of Mountainair and Willard, NM.  Additional repeaters exist on the Sevilleta NWR in order to reach areas beyond line-of-sight from the Los Pinos repeaters.

As of 2012, the network has expanded to include over thirty individual experiment sites, with some sites having multiple dataloggers and/or other devices hooked into the network.  Client sites include meteorological stations, flux towers, global change experiments, wildlife monitoring cams, and more. 

 Typical Site Configuration:

A typical client site consists of an outdoor wireless client radio with embedded antenna, a serial-to-ethernet converter which allows the datalogger to be hooked into the network, and power provided by solar panels and batteries if power for the wireless equipment was not included in the site's power budget.  A typical client site costs $1200-$1400, with power being the most expensive part.  Sites in areas beyond line-of-sight from a repeater location cost more due to the fact additional repeaters and/or external antennas may need to be installed.  Sites with multiple dataloggers, requiring webcams, and/or having other unusual circumstances can also cost more depending on the needs of the researcher(s) and the complexity of the site.

Contact:

For further information regarding the Sevilleta Wireless Network, or to inquire about "unwiring" your experiment, please contact Renee Brown.