Passive radio frequency components with voltage standing wave ratio monitors

A method for monitoring passive components of a passive public safety distributed antenna system, comprising the steps of:

• monitoring, by a processor, signal characteristic information of at least one passive component of the system and transmitting the signal characteristic information of the at least one passive component to a public safety monitor,
• generating, by the public safety monitor, system performance information based on a signal at a bi-directional amplifier and the transmitted signal characteristic information of the at least one passive component, and
• receiving, at the public safety monitor, signal information monitored by a first smart node and relayed to the public safety monitor by a second smart node in communication with the public safety monitor,
• wherein at least one of the first smart node or the second smart node includes a system timer defining a first time interval when the smart node is operated in an active mode and defining a second time interval when the smart node is operated in a low current mode.

A system for monitoring passive components, comprising:

• a bi-directional amplifier,
• a public safety monitor coupled to and in communication with the bi-directional amplifier, and
• at least one smart node coupled to and in communication with the public safety monitor,
• wherein the at least one smart node monitors signal characteristic information of at least one passive component of the system and the public safety monitor generates system performance information based on a signal at the bi-directional amplifier and the monitored signal characteristic information of the at least one passive component transmitted from the at least one smart node,
• wherein the at least one smart node is operable to relay signal information monitored by a second smart node in communication with the at least one smart node to the public safety monitor, and
• wherein the at least one smart node includes a system timer defining a first time interval when the at least one smart node is operated in an active mode and defining a second time interval when the at least one smart node is operated in a low current mode.