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Word on the Street: Part 1
There was a time when old-fashioned analog radios, rotary-dial telephones and hand signals were enough for most first responders. In the 21st century, that's no longer the case. Today's emergency providers require the latest, most advanced and most capable communications hardware and software available. Here's a sampling of what's out there.
Comms Inside the Suit
As any first responder will tell you, portable radios and hazmat suits are definitely not a match made in heaven.This is why the DWIS (Digital Wireless Intercom System), developed by Communications-Applied Technology (C-AT), is such an interesting product. It's a radio system that's been configured specifically for in-suit use.
Here's how DWIS works: The user is given a portable radio contained inside a wearable belt pack, which they put on inside their hazmat suit. They also put on an open-ear headset (to allow ambient audio to get through) and a throat microphone worn around the neck. In addition, the wearer is given a "big button" for push-to-talk audio, although DWIS can be set to run on automatic "hot mic" (open channel) duplex mode. The audio feed from the throat microphone is also fed into a small VPU (voice projection unit), allowing casualties and others nearby to hear what the responder is saying.
The DWIS's in-suit radio signals are broadcast to a 2.4GHz radio repeater. Housed inside a weatherproof plastic case, the repeater can be located up to 750 feet from the hazmat team. It is designed to connect to a land mobile radio and a commercial telephone line; this allows the DWIS intercom to connect directly into the department's dispatch system in real time. As well, the repeater has a jack for a headset microphone, to allow the incident commander to patch in directly.
One point to note: In either "hot mic" or push-to-talk mode, the DWIS's radio battery will last up to eight hours.
Effective C&C
As 9/11 proved all too well, maintaining effective command and control during a major crisis is extremely difficult. That's why communications coordination software like Coach2100's Command & Control platform can be such a lifesaver. Designed to work over the Web and be accessible to authorized personnel with access to wired, wireless or mobile Internet connections, Coach2100 C&C allows commanders to implement and track the progress of their emergency contingency plans.
Here's how Coach2100 C&C works: Before trouble hits, the person in charge of emergency planning creates a "project" on the software platform. In this project, they set out the command and control system to be used during an emergency. This includes the chain of command and each rank's responsibilities; procedures to be followed; and resources to be accessed by personnel, including those that will help them keep commanders updated as to their progress and actions.
When an incident occurs, the responder calls up the relevant emergency plan on a handheld wireless phone, PDA or in-car laptop. This briefs them on their duties, resources and how they are to keep the system updated as to their locations, actions and progress in achieving their assigned tasks. As they perform these tasks, Coach2100 lets them electronically record each completion. Back at Command, those in charge can track who's doing what on a minute-by-minute basis. The result: They know how their plans are progressing, while those in the field know what to do.
Remedy By Reinvention
M/A-COM is tackling the problems of public-safety communications at the macro level by introducing an integrated all-in-one network system called VIDA (Voice, Interoperability, Data and Access) Select.
A cost-effective IP-based interoperable radio communications choice, VIDA Select is ideal for small jurisdictions, but will support up to 24 interoperability talk paths. It also provides users with an immediate migration path to more complex, robust systems, such as M/A-COM's P25IP or OpenSky voice/data systems.
VIDA Select supports single-agency/single-region deployment, meaning responders in smaller communities can establish their own communications and permissions. In addition, the system includes M/A-COM's Interop Assist interface application, a graphical user interface for dispatch-patching. Interop Assist uses network-efficient patches, like the ones used in trunked systems. However, it also utilizes IP connectivity, unlike audio patches. In plain English, VIDA Select aims to remedy public-safety communications by essentially reinventing them.
Six Channels To Go
Over the past few years, JPS Communications has made a name for itself with its ACU-1000 Intelligent Interconnect System, a 12-port unit that can interconnect up to 24 different devices (HF, VHF, UHF, P25, 800MHz and Nextel phones) and conventional telephone sources. Now JPS has come up with a portable six-channel unit called the ACU-M that weighs less than three pounds, yet has the capacity to connect up to four incompatible radios and telephones into its four audio ports, plus support two Voice over IP (VoIP) channels.
In addition, the ACU-M can be upgraded to connect directly into an IP network, and to interconnect with other ACU-Ms and ACU-1000s as well. The system can be controlled using JPS's Wide Area Interoperability Controller software; this allows operators to create and disband talk groups on the fly, and monitor voice traffic as well.
The ACU-M can be installed in a vehicle, in a rack or into a tough Pelican case for easy transport. It's rated to Military Standard 810-D for shock and vibration resistance.
No Hands, No Problem
Clip-on wireless microphones are great, as long as the transmission path between the mic and portable radio is clear. Unfortunately, we live in a world of radio interference, which is why FreeLinc's wireless microphone solution is a smart alternative. The reason: FreeLinc relies on magnetic fields to connect wireless mics to the radios, thus eliminating the danger of radio interference.
Specifically, FreeLinc's Near-Field Magnetic Communication technology creates a magnetic "personal communications bubble" around the user. Voice data is then transmitted between the microphone and the radio by modulating the magnetic field at the primary frequency of 13.56MHz. The bubble itself is five feet or less in diameter, making eavesdropping virtually impossible.
Perhaps the best part is that FreeLinc will work with existing portable radios. Just plug the FreeLinc adaptor into the portable, then clip the battery-powered wireless speaker mic on your uniform.
Semi-rugged, All Tough
Built to meet Military Standard 810-F thresholds for vibration, humidity and temperature range, Itronix's GoBook VR-1 has ruggedization appropriate for an in-vehicle environment and offers outstanding drop protection for up to 30 inches on each side.
For protection's sake, the VR-1 is built into a magnesium alloy shell case, and comes with a shock-mounted hard drive and a spill-resistant keyboard. As for performance: The Windows XP-based VR-1 has an Intel Centrino 1.86GHz Pentium M processor with 533MHz FSB, 2MB L2 cache, 512 MB of RAM (which can be expanded to 2 GB) and a 40GB hard drive (which can be doubled to 80 GB). One nice feature: The VR-1's ambient light sensor automatically adjusts the brightness of its 12" color LCD screen, so you can see it in sunlight or shadow.
For maximum connectivity, the VR-1 can be equipped with Wi-Fi (WLAN), cellular data (WWAN), GPS and Bluetooth radio links. If you add the GPS radio option, the VR-1 will track its mobile location, transmitting this data back to dispatch (via the car's radio system) in real time. You can even get it decked out in a 'Hummer'-themed model.
New VOIP Interfaces
C-AT's Incident Commanders' Radio Interface (ICRI) is a low-cost portable interoperability bridge capable of linking five different radios and one telephone line.
For 2006, C-AT has developed a number of VoIP interfaces for the ICRI, to allow it to patch directly into IP networks. As well, the company has added a "Bridge Unit ID and Remote Control DTMF" to ICRI to prevent interference between radios sharing the same frequencies when multiple audio bridges are activated. Meanwhile, C-AT has come up with an expanded version of the ICRI called the ICRI-4T. It can serve up to four separate talk groups and connect up to 10 different radios at a time.
An Extra Layer
When you need to add an extra level of wireless communications at a scene, the new Earmark wLINK provides a ready solution. It's a base station/portable unit solution that allows personnel to extend the range of their wired intercom and/or land mobile radio systems.
The concept is simple: The wLINK base station is connected directly to a wired intercom or mobile radio. Then responders are equipped with wLINK portables-each featuring big red push-to-talk buttons—which can be used up to 300 feet away from the wLINK base station. In this way, incident commanders can add an extra layer of communications at their scenes without tangling their officers in intercom wires and clogging up their departments' airwaves.
New Repeater Band
A quick news brief: EF Johnson has added the 380MHz UHF frequency band to its 2600 Series Repeater/Base Stations and 3800 Series Repeaters. "The 380 MHz range on the UHF frequency band is used by first responders in the federal government," explains Michael E. Jalbert, chairman and CEO of EF Johnson's parent company, EFJ, Inc. With this addition, "Our 380MHz portfolio is now complete."
The Possibilities
Clearly, there are many advances in communications technology to improve the lives of emergency responders today. However, the best news is that they are available in a wide range of prices. Keep an eye out for the next issue of EMS, when we bring you more of the latest in communications technology.
James Careless is a freelance journalist who covers public-safety communications issues.
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