Patent ID: 7656957

Claim:
A system comprising: a base transceiver station configured to: generate a radio frequency communications signal; generate a transmit/receive control signal based on an operational mode of the base transceiver station, wherein the transmit/receive control signal is a DC signal that is in a first state when the base transceiver station is in a transmit mode and the DC signal is in a second state when the base transceiver station is in a receive mode; generate a timing control signal on a predetermined control frequency that is on a different frequency than the radio frequency communications signal, wherein the timing control signal is modulated by the transmit/receive control signal; and multiplex the radio frequency communications signal with the timing control signal; a coax cable having one end coupled to the base transceiver station and configured to carry the multiplexed radio frequency communications and timing control signals; and a remote device coupled to another end of the coax cable and configured to convert the timing control signal back to a DC signal, and activate a transmit power amplifier of the remote device when the DC signal is in the first state.