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Bi-Directional Amplifier with Remote Diagnostics

The Becker UHF Bi-Directional Amplifier is typically used in Mining, Shipping, Tunneling, Motorway and In-Building radiating cable systems to compensate for Leaky Feeder Cable longitudinal losses in both directions simultaneously.

Becker BDA specifications are optimally suited to maximize these performance criteria. The BDA serves to maintain the strength of RF signal levels along the Leaky Feeder coaxial cable. The amplifier is unique in that it offers the lowest possible noise contribution to an already weak RF carrier when operating in collocation with a strong carrier. The connectors of the inline amplifiers have been designed for ease of connection making installation and repair as convenient as possible. The Power Source required from the Leaky Feeder cable is 8V to 17Vdc.

The most important performance criteria of a BDA are:

  • Channel capacity - Number of simultaneous voice and data
  • Channel quality (clear voice channels, data channel and integrity)
  • Channel isolation (Freedom from inter-modulation distortion)
  • Distance achievable away from the cable. Reliability and Mean-Time-Between-Failure channels


Becker BDA specifications are optimally suited to maximize these performance criteria.

The Pantha Serial Service (part of the CATS Central Asset Tracking System) makes requests to the Remote Diagnostic Head-end. The Head-end then relays this request to the Remote Diagnostic Bi-Directional Amplifier (via Leaky Feeder Cable) which replies via the Head-end to the Pantha Serial Service. An assortment of information can be requested by the Pantha Serial Service. It includes requests on the Bi-Directional Amplifier diagnostic information, voltage, current and receiving and transmitting frequencies. Status on the CLC (Cable Length Compensation) can be retrieved. The information that is sent to CATS (with the Head-end as proxy) is also displayed on the unit. This is shown on an OLED display and indicated on LED’s on the face of the unit. Pantha saves this information into the CATS database, enabling users to view the data in tabular form, trend form or as a graphical display in a map system. Pantha can also set the unit’s thresholds and set the screen mode which the unit should display in. The RD BDA also has an Infra-Red (IR) modem that, via infrared serial communication, can set the OLED screen mode on the unit.