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TETRA takes the taxi, incognito


butaxi, a taxi association in the city of Burgos, Spain, has a new TETRA radiocommunications system, one of the fi rst TETRA applications in this type of business. Local supplier Bernabe


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Comunicaciones has suppled the system in partnership with Teltronic – the same team that provided Abutaxi’s analogue radio system back in 1991. The partners have been working together since 1983. With Abutaxi’s TETRA system, a single radio carrier can support over 300 vehicles with simultaneous voice and data, full-duplex calls and GPS location as well as other services.


Special hardware Working closely with its customer, Bernabe Comunicaciones decided against using Teltronic’s MDT-400 mobile unit MMI, but instead designed a special hardware unit to avoid the vehicle having any visible part which could be removed. The specially- manufactured on-board terminal has a 5·7-inch touchscreen and runs the Windows CE operating system. These developments have led to


a taxi with a concealed TETRA radio, hands-free communications, taxi- meter connection and hardware-based emergency button, all installed discreetly and without the need for a hand- microphone – thus reducing the possibility of damage and traffi c fi nes for drivers.


Tangible benefi ts Angel Bernabe, general manager of Bernabe Comunicaciones, said: “Our goal is to satisfy our customers’ needs as they are the ones who know how to do their job the best, how to optimize resources and maximize benefi ts. “In our country, we say that we get used to good things straight away. The taxi-drivers got used to the new TETRA solution with all its tangible benefi ts. We believe that TETRA has climbed aboard the taxi never to get off again and that the sector generates good business around the world, making TETRA an attractive commercial proposition.”


Issue 5 2011 TE TRA TODAY


Music fans at July’s Sonnenrot Festival, one of several public events in southern Germany at which TETRA radios have been employed. Users included volunteer health and safety workers


Festival time in Bavaria T


he large crowds attending festivals and concerts around the world each year are often unaware of the seamless co-


ordination required to ensure the successful and safe running of such events. T e Bavarian Red Cross (BRK), in charge of


health and safety at two major summer festivals in Bavaria, southern Germany, experienced fi rst- hand the outstanding performance of TETRA radios. At the Sonnenrot festival, which took place in


the town of Eching in mid-July, radios by Sepura radios were delivered to BRK volunteers by Sepura’s German partner Selectric. In addition, Selectric completed the on-site installation and trained the users in a record time of less than three hours. “Our users were extremely impressed with


Sepura radios”, commented Martin Bengler, project manager for BRK. “T e hand- portables’ outstanding audio quality enabled clear communication as it fi ltered out any background noise and the loud music from the 23 bands performing at the festival over two days. In addition, the fast call set-up time and the ease with which talkgroups can be created and changed enabled smooth and effi cient operations”.


Doug Gray D


oug Gray, a former chairman of ETSI Project TETRA and author of the book ‘TETRA: the Advocate’s Handbook’ (2003), died on August 25, 2011. During 23 years with Motorola he held a series of senior posts, from system engineering planning manager to director of TETRA marketing. Latterly he was an ardent campaigner for more to be done in relation to prostate cancer screening – as can be seen at the informative website he has left, http://loveyourprostate.co.uk


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‘Dramatically better’ BRK also used Sepura radios to cover another of Bavaria’s outdoor events, the 11-day Schützenfest Kronach in August. More than 300 000 visitors participated. “Our users were so impressed with the digital


radios that they didn’t want to part with them!”, said Ralf Schmidt, responsible for volunteers’ management and co-ordination for the BRK. And Andreas Kristek, deputy manager of


BRK Rescue Services, explained: “Sepura radios’ audio quality was dramatically better than that of our old analogue radios. For instance, talkgroups prevented any miscommunication. In particular, dynamic talkgroups proved to be a very useful function at events like this where groups often need to be created and modifi ed. “In addition, the radios’ emergency button


was vital in incidents dealt with by single rescuers, who were able to have both hands free while communicating. Although security is not strictly our area of responsibility, knowing that communication was secure at all times gave us great confi dence and peace of mind.”


n Sepura radios were also used, for the third year running, at the world-famous Oktoberfest in Munich.


Picture: Sonnenrot Festival


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