As amateur radio operators, we often take for granted our ability to easily reach out to the far corners of the globe. A late evening QSO with Europe, while exhilarating, is by no means uncommon. We’ll regularly trade ‘fish stories’ about that crazy contact that we made on low power with a ramshackle antenna but rarely stop to think about just how strange a notion this would be to someone not familiar with our hobby. Double this effect for anyone not familiar with the principals of RF communication, and HF communication in particular.
IP Radio Coverage on Cruise Ships
Cruise vacations are a popular choice for families looking to avoid the high price of fuel for long-distance road trips. These types of vacations offer a complete package aboard a floating vacation paradise – ranging from family fun events for parents and kids, to individual activities so that each member of the family gets the most out the time spent on the boat.
To stay in contact during individual activities aboard a massive cruise vessel, many cruise-goers opt to purchase FRS radios (or similar devices) to communicate with each other. The unfortunate problem is that other families also buy their own communication devices; the result is an overcrowded channel lineup with very little quality of coverage. The frequencies used in FRS radios are not intended for good penetrating coverage aboard a floating metal vessel, thus frustrating parents and kids to the point of no use. If the cruise ship has a cell site aboard, the charges for use are normally very high per minute and not cost-effective.
K-12 Security Communications
Icom recently attended an exciting conference that gathered top decision makers in K-12 school security. The overarching message from all of the attendees and speakers is the importance of relationship and communication with students, service and solutions providers. Communications technology plays a significant role in enhancing the ability to mitigate and quickly communicate root causes for incidences that unfortunately occur in our schools today. Instantly connecting all staff and security ensures that situation awareness is shared throughout the school and even the district. Communication response time confirms that an incident is managed at the lowest level of escalation.