Feeder cable reduction

A wireless communication system, comprising:

• a first antenna operable to receive a first receive signal centered about a first center frequency;
• a second antenna operable to receive a second signal centered about the first center frequency, the second signal being distinguished from the first signal;
• antenna-remote electronics remote from the first and second antennas;
• antenna-proximate electronics proximate to and in communication with the first and second antennas and located remote from and in communication with the antenna-remote electronics, the antenna-proximate electronics configured to:
• receive the first receive signal from the first antenna;
• receive the second receive signal from the second antenna;
• translate the first receive signal to a be centered about a second center frequency;
• combine the first receive signal centered about the second center frequency and the second receive signal to form a composite signal;
• and
• send the composite signal to the antenna-remote electronics.

A method for operating a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system comprising first and second antennas, antenna-proximate electronics proximate to the antennas and antenna-remote electronics remote from the antennas, the method comprising:

• receiving a first receive signal centered about a first center frequency at the first antenna;
• receiving a second signal centered about the first center frequency at the second antenna, the second signal being distinguished from the first signal;
• translating the first receive signal to be centered about a second center frequency at the antenna-proximate electronics;
• combining the first receive signal centered about the second center frequency and the second receive signal to form a composite signal at the antenna-proximate electronics;
• and
• sending the composite signal from the antenna-proximate electronics to the antenna- remote electronics.

Base station electronics for preparing signals for transmission between a first location adjacent to a plurality of antennas and a second location remote from the plurality of antennas, the base station electronics comprising:

• a) a first input operable to receive a first receive signal centered about a first center frequency from a first antenna;
• b) a second input operable to receive a second receive signal from a second antenna, the second receive signal being distinguished from the first receive signal and being centered about the first center frequency;
• c) first translation circuitry operable to translate the first receive signal from the first antenna to being centered about a second center frequency;
• and
• d) combining circuitry operable to combine the first receive signal centered about the second center frequency and the second receive signal to form a composite signal for transmission to the second location.

A method for combining signals for transmission between antenna-proximate electronics and antenna-remote electronics in a wireless communications system, the method comprising

• a) receiving a first receive signal centred about a first center frequency from a first antenna;
• b) receiving a second receive signal centered about the first center frequency from a second antenna, the second receive signal being distinguished from the first receive signal;
• c) translating the first receive signal from the first antenna to be centered about a second center frequency;
• and
• d) combining the first receive signal centered about the second center frequency and the second receive signal to form a composite signal.