Sag Monitoring for Overhead Transmission Lines Using 5G Radio Signals

The sagging of overhead lines (OHLs) affects both the transmission capacity and the safety. In this paper, a new scheme using 5G radio signals to monitor the sag of OHLs is proposed. In this scheme, a signal generator R&S
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SMM100 is used to emit 5G signals using an omnidirectional antenna from one side of the OHL. On the other side of the OHL, a signal analyzer R&S
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FPL1007 is used to receive signals reflected from different parts of the OHL. Based on the signal attenuation, we reconstruct the shape of the OHL to calculate its sag. Experimental results validate the feasibility of the proposed method. This study introduces a novel approach, providing valuable guidance for the safe and efficient operation of the power grid.