York PD Dispatch Console

Jamie has been putting in a good amount of time staging the new York PD dispatch console in the Communications Division Lab. The new system will replace a still functional but aging system that lacks some of the features the town wants. It is a two-station IP based system that can support the communication needs of the town’s Public Safety, Village Fire, Parks & Rec, and the remainder of the Town’s Departments.

The process has been time consuming. Each component of the system arrived separately. The racks were built, the components mounted, wired together, then configured … all to Motorola standards.  After several rounds of testing Jamie says all is looking good, and that there’s about another 40 hours of work required before the system can be broken down, delivered, and reassembled in York.

A quick count of what was on the racks: (2) PCs; (2) controllers; (1) server; (7) switches; (2) gateways; (9) Motorola XPR500e radios. Outside of the racks – the two dispatch stations and (6) Radio Gateway Units.

I asked Jamie where he had acquired the knowledge to complete such a mind-boggling (at least for me) task. He, and other techs, have spent several weeks at Motorola HQ training on this particular system. Additionally, Motorola mentors are available via phone as the need arises.

Recently Chief Bracy and LT Scamman visited the lab to review the work done to date. They were very impressed with the progress of the project and said they’re excited about the prospect of delivery.

Jamie slowed down enough so I could capture him on video. Take a look!

CHaD Battle of the Badges

One of the Spring events that always attracts attention around here is the CHaD Battle of the Badges …. Some of us have children, some of us like to spend time on the ice, some of us are firemen. This year the stakes are a bit higher than normal … who will get bragging rights for winning a milestone event – the 10^th competition?

If you’re new to New Hampshire, the CHaD Battle of the Badges hockey game benefits the children and their families that are in need of services from the Children’s Hospital of
Dartmouth (CHaD). It is a contest of skills on ice between NH Police and NH Firefighters from across the state. All money raised through the CHaD Battle of the Badges goes to support the programs and patients of CHaD.

This year the Battle is being held on March 19^th from 3 to 8 PM at the SNHU Arena on Elm Street in Manchester. It will be, as always, an energetic and fun-to-watch event for the family. 2-Way Communication Services has regularly supported CHaD in the past via this super-fun springtime event, and we hope you’ll consider doing so as well.

First Visit to Rice Library

 

 

Carl, Chris, and Robert went over to Rice Library in Kittery this morning for the initial visit of a new ongoing maintenance contract. The Network Department had been contacted by the library to resolve various issues that had built up over time. The library had been referenced to the network division of 2-Way Communications Service by Kittery’s Town Manager, a long-time customer of the company.

The guys took care of 5 virus infected laptops, aligned 2 others with local printers, replaced the battery in another two, and installed remote management software in 25 computers in the two buildings used by the library.

Carl said overall the visit was very successful and the library staff was very happy to have all their issues resolved. Lyle, departmental manager, currently in BoothBay to meet with customers regarding their network design, was unavailable for comment.

If you need help with your network for any reason, our team in the Network Division will be happy to discuss your concerns and propose an answer. Give them a call (603-431-6288) or send an email to NetworkSolutions@2-way.biz

 

Not Just Any Battery, Take 2

Here in northern New England, everyone from Sheriffs to Chiefs to business owners need to count on their technology to maximize personnel effectiveness and improve service. Cold temperatures (like yesterday, when you could count the number of degrees on one hand) significantly impacts battery cycle times so users are forced to spend time managing batteries that could be better spent on completing tasks. No surprise, designing high-performance, dependable two-way radio solutions for use in the cold chain environment requires deep technical expertise plus knowledge of environmental and user requirements. Enter Motorola Solutions.

Motorola’s rugged two-way radios offer wireless communications for “always on” voice communications across cold chain environments. The new Long Life, Cold Temperature battery has the benefit of working in extreme temperatures, and enables twice the charge cycles of other lithium ion batteries.

Key features of theses amazing batteries are the ability to go through up to 1000 full charge and discharge cycles,  they are rated to withstand extreme temperatures down to -30 degrees Celsius (-22 Fahrenheit).

We think to high number of cycles and low temp rating makes this battery a very economical choice.

The Long-Life, Cold Temperature Battery is compatible with the XPR 7000 and XPR 3000 series two-way radios.  These radios deliver exceptional voice, data communications
with integrated Bluetooth™ audio and data, integrated GPS, and best in-class audio. If you’d like more information, contact your 2-Way Communications sales account manager.
You can also visit the website for more information on these and other Motorola products.

Improving Business Security

I recently read the article “5 Ways to Improve Security of Your Business before a Breach” by A. Adetilewa in the Huffinton Post and thought the information worth sharing. With the rise of cyber crime, and international attacks against US businesses, it only makes sense to cover all the bases to keep your organization safe. Most attractive concerning the steps involved – being proactive and not reactive. No sense in closing the barn door after … you know. You can read the original article here.

The steps to take, as mentioned in the article, are:

1.    Enforce Secure Password Practices
2.    Look for Your Weakest Ares – Then Shore Them Up
3.    Create Protocols Beforehand to Handle Crises
4.    Cover the Basics – Firewalls, Anti-Virus Software, and More
5.    Keep Things Patched – Updates, Patches for All Your Applications

Yes, it’s not easy, and it is time consuming. If the task isn’t completed, though, imagine the heartache that an actual breach would cause.
If you feel these practices are right for your organization, but lack the IT expertise, or would just like a second set of eyes to review your security posture, give the Network Division at 2-Way Communications a call (603-431-6288). They’re a top-notch staff of people who truly care about your success , will fully invest in understanding how the technology allows you to do your job, how to keep you secure, and then make it happen!

Motorola’s XPR 3000e Series

Part of the Motorola Q-1 2017 promotion, theXPR 3000e series radio stands up to solid scrutiny. These radios were designed to allow your employees to be more connected and safer. With systems support and loud, clear audio, they promote more effective communications as well.

MOTOTRBO™ will transform your workplace!

 

Here’s what’s new in these next-generation radios:

• Integrated Wi-Fi – enables remote software updates (a new feature too)
• Bluetooth® 4.0 (future) – lets you talk without wires
• Enhanced audio quality – due to new noise cancellation technology and improved clarity
• Improved expandability – With support for basic trunking, as well as legacy analog technology
• Better battery life (up to 28 hours) – using the latest energy technology, providing 3-shift working
• Better range (up to 8%) – thanks to an improved receiver
• Better waterproofing (IP67)
• HazLoc models available – for use in areas where flammable or explosive materials are present

The XPR 3000e series radios include the XPR 3500e with monochrome display and a limited keypad, and the XPR 3300e, without display or keypad.

If you’re considering upgrading your radio fleet, these radios may be the best choice foryour organization … and with the Q-1 promotion, the less-expensive choice as well. Contact your 2-Way Communications sales account manager  for more information, and to arrange for an on-site demonstration. You can also visit the website for more information on these and other Motorola MotoTRBO products.

Samaritans, Inc. and the Boston Marathon

My Dad was a marathoner. He ran the New York City marathon, the Boston Marathon, the DC marathon. Started running after he retired at the age of 55 (yeah, it was that long ago).  I ran too, for a while. Four miles every day, rain, snow, or shine, in formation, shouting the favorite cadence of Staff Sergeant Eason …. which will not be repeated here because I enjoy being employed.

Having run a bit myself I asked my Dad a few times “Why?”. He said he liked being fit, making new friends, pushing himself out of his comfort zone, and the sense of accomplishment. After he joined a running group, he added another – raising money and awareness for a charity. His group had decided to use the inspiration and motivation of helping others to help get through the 26.2 miles. Also, Dad said with a grin, it’s difficult to quit when someone else has donated on your behalf.

One of the officers we know, Police Detective Mike White of Salem, NH will be running for a charity in this year’s Boston Marathon, too. It’s his first marathon, and he’s running for Samaritans, Inc., a non-profit suicide prevention organization. Mike is also running in the memory of his brother Shawn, who his family lost to suicide in November of 2015. Shawn was a long-distance runner himself, having qualified for the Boston marathon twice. You can review Mike’s story here: Mike’s Story

Samaritans, Inc. is a national-level non-denominational, not-for-profit volunteer organization dedicated to reducing the incidence of suicide by befriending individuals in crisis and educating the community about effective prevention strategies. Samaritans, Inc. serves more than 100,000 people each year. You can find more information about this group here: Samaritans, Inc.

2-Way Communications Service is proud to sponsor Mike for this year’s Boston Marathon. We think Samaritans Inc. provides an invaluable service not only to the individual, but to families and the community. We hope you consider giving Mike and the Samaritans your support as well.

Improving Guest Experience with MotoTRBO

Differentiating your property through exceptional service is one of the best ways to attract and keep regulars, as well as the occasional guest. Guests want to be delighted and feel comfortable in a safe and welcoming environment. They expect their requests to be quickly addressed. From the staff perspective, solid communications are a great benefit too. Good communications help keep accurate track of rooms, supplies and facilities, and ensure security.

 

You can improve the way staff work together with the right technology. The right communications technology creates a real-time flow of information between different departments and personnel. Connected staff are more responsive to guests, being able to act immediately when they are seamlessly connected, which provides a better experience for your guests. When hotels respond quickly to requests, they deliver the exceptional service that guests expect, and that keeps them coming back.

 

Many hospitality locations choose Motorola’s MotoTRBO as the backbone of an integrated digital two-way radio platform. MotoTRBO integrated communications coordinate different departments seamlessly with advanced voice and data applications. With a wide variety of solutions, designed for diverse roles and different departments, staff can count on clear, discreet communication throughout the site. This makes workflow more efficient and staff more productive, in turn keeping your guests happy.

 

To learn more about how a MotoTRBO solution can benefit your hospitality organization, give us a call (800-441-6288). 2-Way Communications is committed to developing long-term relationships and providing the best solutions for your needs.

The Advantages of Digital Radio

Digital two-way communications started revolutionizing the way mobile professionals communicate back around 2008. Digital radio offers many advantages over analog, including improved voice quality with greater coverage, better privacy, better battery life and more. That’s why it’s important to consider migrating to digital communications every time you review your two-way fleet – so when you’re ready to upgrade, you’ll choose a system with the greatest benefits for the long term. Here are a few of the “pros” in a bit more detail:

Better Voice Quality – Because a digital radio has automatic error correction, it rebuilds voice sounds and maintains the clarity of the voice, even if a signal is badly corrupted. And since speech is digitally-encoded, you benefit from smarter capabilities, such as advanced software algorithms that can deliver clear voice in the most extreme conditions. Machine clatter, the crowd noise around you, or radio interference have little or no impact on your transmission, so your message gets through.

Better Capacity – Digital technology has much greater spectrum efficiency so that it can, for example, accommodate two completely separate “channels” in one 12.5 kHz channel. As well as making more efficient use of radio spectrum, this also minimizes your licensing costs. With digital two-way radio communications, you can immediately double the capacity of your existing 12.5 kHz channel and enable many more people to communicate without worrying about privacy or interference.

Better Coverage – Digital radios have built-in error correction to eliminate static and make sure voice calls are heard clearly over a greater range. That’s why at the far edge of coverage, even with similar signal strength, digital radio will be clear while analog voice will be garbled and masked by static. There’s no interference, background noise or distortion.

Better Battery Life

Shift-long battery life is a challenge for mobile devices. Digital technology is much more energy-efficient than analog, though, which means it reduces battery drain and improves talk time. A two-way radio battery will last up to 40% longer when you use a digital radio. While both analog and digital radios consume about the same power in standby mode, once you start transmitting, digital radios are much more efficient. This is critical for frequent and heavy users who depend on their radios to last the entire shift and can’t stop to replace batteries or recharge radios.

If you’d like to learn more, please don’t hesitate to contact our sales team (https://www.2-way.biz). With years of experience, and a strong desire to develop a long-term partnership, you’ll get the information you need to help make a great choice for your organization.

The LT Christopher DeWolf Memorial Scholarship Fund

The LT Christopher DeWolf Memorial Scholarship Fund was established to honor a Newington firefighter who lost his life in a line of duty fatality. It provides an award to selected graduates of a New Hampshire or Maine High School who enroll in an accredited Fire Science or Paramedic college or university degree program. The Fund have an event coming up shortly that looks to be a lot of fun … golfing in the snow!

Chumley’s Frozen Pitch and Putt is an annual fundraiser event held to support the Scholarship Fund. This year the event will be held on Saturday, March 4th between the hours of 10am-3pm. It is an all ages event designed to celebrate and honor Chumley’s contagious fun nature and love of family. More information may be found on the Fund’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.co/LTDeWolfScholarshipFund/). If you have the chance, go!

2-way Communications Service is proud to support The LT Christopher DeWolf Memorial Scholarship Fund. We believe education is one of the keys to a successful future for all of us, and highly value the contributions to the community from our local firefighters and EMS personnel. We hope you take the time to look over the Fund and consider giving it your support.