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Emergency services and satellite communications

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  • 10-08-2011 5:48am
    #1
    themanwashere
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭


    Hi guys, my name's Jay and I just wanted to ask what's your opinion on satellite communications in terms of emergency responses?


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    #2
    BrianD
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,221 ✭✭✭BrianD


    Bit of a broad question! Can you be more specific?


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    #3
    999nobody
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭999nobody


    If it costs money we won't be getting it.


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    #4
    civdef
    Registered Users Posts: 3,057 ✭✭✭civdef


    We use satcoms (an Iridium system) as part of the Local Authority (incl Fire Service) major emergency co-ordination system, as a back up for mobile phone and landline comms.

    Pros include the fairly stable coverage outdoors and resilience.

    Cons include poor or no signal indoors from handheld units, long lag times on calls, complicated dialling due to different country codes, and of course costs.

    They play no role in day to day responses where standard comms are fine, but they provide excellent resilience for situations where communications infrastructure could be compromised.


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    #5
    themanwashere
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭themanwashere


    Oh I'm sorry. Well, you know, what do you think are the opportunities for sat technology? What risks or disadvantages do you see?


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    #6
    themanwashere
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭themanwashere


    civdef wrote: »
    We use satcoms (an Iridium system) as part of the Local Authority (incl Fire Service) major emergency co-ordination system, as a back up for mobile phone and landline comms.

    Pros include the fairly stable coverage outdoors and resilience.

    Cons include poor or no signal indoors from handheld units, long lag times on calls, complicated dialling due to different country codes, and of course costs.

    They play no role in day to day responses where standard comms are fine, but they provide excellent resilience for situations where communications infrastructure could be compromised.
    Thanks for the answer. I'm doing a research on potential satellite service providers for emergency services so I was hoping your ideas would help me out (this one is in Melbourne). I've been researching on the pros and cons as well.


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    #7
    mistermiser
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭mistermiser


    999nobody wrote: »
    If it costs money we won't be getting it.

    Satellite communication, indeed costs a lot Jay. Have you tried researching on Intelsat Jay? They provide good coverage as satellite service providers. And since you're from Melbourne, try Newsat. It's a relatively new comp...but I've seen videos of it as well. I think it doesn't have to be complicated technology though. Maybe you can opt for this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrnb_cQlvgs&feature=related

    Satellite Navigation's been helpful in most instances and recently, I read that satellite imagery has done wonders to disaster relief, so perhaps improvements in the technology behind such will be crucial to emergency response.

    But how much you're going to shell out, would be another story.


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    #8
    Zambia
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,333 ✭✭✭Zambia


    themanwashere wrote: »
    Thanks for the answer. I'm doing a research on potential satellite service providers for emergency services so I was hoping your ideas would help me out (this one is in Melbourne). I've been researching on the pros and cons as well.
    What exactly is the device you are talking about ? A phone a sat nav , an MDT?


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    #9
    themanwashere
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭themanwashere


    Zambia wrote: »
    What exactly is the device you are talking about ? A phone a sat nav , an MDT?

    Sat Nav, mobile satellites/vehicle mounted antenna


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    #10
    Zambia
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,333 ✭✭✭Zambia


    An important piont is updating the devices, new estates an roads pop up all the time in the outer suburbs.

    Ideally one that was hooked into the MDT so if the Unit is despatched to a job at the press of a button the MDT tells the sat nav the intended address. This is not fantasy stuff Wilson Security here actually uses this (its a bit buggy) to respond to burglar alarms. They have a combined MDT/Sat nav

    Sat Navs are also useless in Central Melbourne/Sydney etc


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    #11
    themanwashere
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭themanwashere


    Thanks for the answer Zambia.


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    #12
    themanwashere
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭themanwashere


    mistermiser wrote: »
    Satellite communication, indeed costs a lot Jay. Have you tried researching on Intelsat Jay? They provide good coverage as satellite service providers. And since you're from Melbourne, try Newsat. It's a relatively new comp...but I've seen videos of it as well. I think it doesn't have to be complicated technology though. Maybe you can opt for this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrnb_cQlvgs&feature=related

    Satellite Navigation's been helpful in most instances and recently, I read that satellite imagery has done wonders to disaster relief, so perhaps improvements in the technology behind such will be crucial to emergency response.

    But how much you're going to shell out, would be another story.

    Hey thanks, I checked out NewSat, pretty interesting but looks quite expensive.


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