poland With the introduction of TETRA, the airport benefited
from a huge technical leap, not only in terms of radio coverage, which was much improved, but also in the clarity of voice connections, the use of short data messaging (TETRA SDS) and new capabilities such as individual (person-to-person) calls, which were not possible with the analogue systems.
Diversity antennas To ensure total radio coverage of the airport buildings and surrounding areas, the system is based on two antenna sites, mixing conventional analogue and TETRA. “Te first base station is in the old terminal with three diversity antennas on the roof”, Krzysztof explains. “And this is connected via IP to the second base station which is in the new terminal, in the basement.” Setting off for a tour of the airport buildings, including some of the backstage areas unseen by the public, we find the antennas of this station mounted overhead in a seemingly endless corridor which runs the full length of the new terminal. On this subterranean level they provide reliable radio coverage for several important centres such as equipment rooms, operational areas for border guards, a check-in zone for airport staff and a secure area where pallets of goods destined for the airport shops can be tested before being allowed in. “From the beginning, they required us to cover
everything, every space”, Dariusz Adamczyk recalls. But he comments: “We know that sometimes people say, ‘One base station is enough’. But when the system is commissioned and the radios are given to the users, the users will go into places where they usually work – sometimes in the tunnels and in the corridors and below- ground levels, or in lifts – and immediately problems appear. So it’s very important to design a proper project in the beginning. It has an effect on the budget because the cost of covering the corridors and basements can be much higher than the cost of covering the airport generally. So it’s a very important decision. And in an emergency situation, coverage may be needed in unexpected places.”
“If there is no communication in the airport, it is like no electricity”, says Krzysztof Wnek, seen here at his system management terminal. “It is the main nerve linking the processes and people. No communication, no flights!”
Dispatcher terminals A key contribution from Aksel was the specially-developed ConSEL dispatch console. “Tis is our own product for dispatchers, which is able to be connected to TETRA, MPT and conventional, all in one”, says Dariusz. “So the dispatcher is able to patch a group from different air technologies. Of course we are also giving them SIP, so they have also the possibility to connect to their own PABX; plus one VHF additional channel to be able to connect to the city fire brigade’s headquarters; plus catering, plus gasoline, plus handling companies. “Te consoles are connected directly to the switch – not with a radio between but directly to the switch, through IP. When you are hearing the voice in the UHF radio, the voice is not the analogue voice because it is digitized. So in fact you are listening to digital, even in the analogue radios.”
Radio coverage serves important areas all over the airport such as its advanced baggage handling system
Issue 14 2013 TE TRA TODAY
Te link to the city fire brigade allows additional help to be summoned in the event of a big emergency. It is made via a fixed radio in the airport control room coupled to a server module developed especially by Aksel. Te radio is a DMR type, but running in analogue mode: although equipped with DMR, the city brigade continues to operate in analogue for compatibility with other Polish fire services. Icons on the ConSEL screen indicate at a glance who is speaking to whom, and the operator can patch calls together or activate modes such as ambient listening and ‘district listening’ – an unusual solution, according to Dariusz. “With ambient listening, you are listening just to one radio and the user of the radio doesn’t know that you are listening to him”, he says. “District listening is more complicated because if you see that somebody is speaking to somebody, you are able to listen to both. As far as I know this is not even standardized in ETSI.” But he adds: “Tere are some companies that do that. We’re not the only one!”
23
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44