A point-to-point, wireless, millimeter wave communications link providing
data transmission rates of over 1 billion bits per second (more than 1
Gbps) at ranges of several miles during normal weather conditions. In a
preferred embodiment a communication link operates within the 92 to 95 GHz
portion of the millimeter spectrum. A first transceiver transmits at a
first bandwidth and receives at a second bandwidth both within the above
spectral range. A second transceiver transmits at the second bandwidth and
receives at the first bandwidth. The transceivers are equipped with
antennas providing divergence of less than 10.sup.-4 steradians so that an
almost unlimited number of transceivers can use the same spectrum. In a
preferred embodiment the first and second spectral ranges are 92.3-93.2
GHz and 94.1-95.0 GHz. During very bad weather conditions this data link
will not provide a 10.sup.-10 bit-error rate and 99.999% availability.
Therefore, a second transceiver pair operating in the 3 to 30 GHz
microwave range acts as a backup to achieve the above bit-error rate and
availability requirements, but at a temporarily lower data rate.