Lessons of 9/11

The days following September 11, 2001, helped establish mobile satellite systems as essential communications tools for local public-service agencies. Stratos was among several companies that responded immediately, by providing Iridium systems to the FBI in lower Manhattan for clear voice communications. Inmarsat GAN units were also provided for voice and data communications.

One of the limitations to satellite systems in urban areas such as New York City is the "canyon effect" and the challenge of obtaining a signal when line-of-sight considerations (i.e., an obstructed view of the southern sky) hamper satellite transmission. To overcome this problem, Stratos deployed a fixed Iridium EuroCom unit (with an RJ-11 interface) and GAN units, enabling the FBI to conduct necessary communications at a staged central command station. The EuroCom, featuring a fixed-mount antenna, was mounted on a rooftop, allowing an unobstructed view of the sky and, thus, a strong satellite signal. The RJ-11 interface allowed Stratos to run a phone wire into a standard phone for voice calls.

The events of 9/11 also showed how difficult it is for police, fire and EMS headquarters personnel to command volatile situations from a distance. Without the ability to see and hear what's happening with their own eyes and ears, senior officials are often blind to unfolding events and forced to rely on information they get via two-way radio.

When 9/11 was in progress, there were no live video feeds from the scene being sent to fire department headquarters. Therefore, those at the command level didn't have a picture of what was going on. As a result of these experiences, the FDNY tested satellite videophones in 2003 and purchased them later that year.

The satellite videophone system deployed by FDNY provides a secure communications path that's largely immune to disasters. As long as an FDNY officer at the scene has a portable satellite terminal and the department's MetroTech headquarters in Brooklyn has access to its own satellite terminal, the two-way video path between these sites will be intact.

In addition, the videophones selected by FDNY are both simple and robust-similar to the systems used by tank-riding camera operators in Iraq. FDNY uses a LiveWorks LiveLink unit for video in the field and a Polycom unit at its operations center. The FDNY's headquarters deploys roof-mounted EMS Storm GAN antennas and EMS Cyclone GAN units on the vehicles. They also have backup antennas for field deployment. As well, FDNY has implemented Vocality V100 units at both its HQ and in the field for backup voice communications over GAN.

The FDNY's videophone system allows people at both ends to see and hear each other in real time using cameras and microphones built into their earth stations, which can be carried inside briefcase-sized portables or moved inside vehicles equipped with mobile transceivers and rooftop satellite antennas.

Mounted in a ruggedized, waterproof plastic suitcase, the 15-lb. LiveLink unit contains all the necessary components. Inside there's a built-in camera, built-in microphone and built-in LCD video screen and speaker, along with the controls to initiate the call.

The LiveLink delivers video at up to 128 kb/sec. and can transceive video-conferencing signals using the H.263, H.261 and H.320 standards. It also can transmit low-speed video when high-quality audio (7.5 kHz) is desired. With the videophone, FDNY can send and receive images from an incident using the Inmarsat GAN satellite system.

By using an external video camera connected to the LiveLink, headquarters can get a wide-angle view of the scene. The camera locks into an external mount and is wired back to the videophone. In fact, FDNY has developed custom brackets that allow its personnel to mount the camera on either the roof or the side of the vehicle-whichever provides the best angles. FDNY is also working to equip the camera with remote control, so that the driver or someone back at headquarters can control where it's pointing.

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Scott Hoyt is Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Stratos Global Corp. in Bethesda, MD. He can be reached at 301/214-8800 or scott.hoyt@stratosglobal.com.