CanTrol WC by Whelen Engineering

 

Monday’s shared video showed a cruiser using a Whelen light and siren controller that produced really eye-catching results. Here’s a 30,000 foot overview of that system.

Whelen Engineering’s CanTrol  WC  allows for integration and control of vehicle light and siren systems. With CanTrol users can create highly noticeable unified warnings by incorporating every light and siren on a cruiser into custom program configurations. Applications of CanTrol WC include:

• Vehicle integration provides added capability to lights and sirens such as:

• program and control all the lighting

• traffic arrows and siren function in you a vehicle

• flash pattern synchronization

• temperature monitor control

• radar and camera activation

• door or trunk opening

 

The abilities of CanTrol WC are limited only by the user’s imagination… Configuration is easy with a Windows® based computer program. A USB port allows for easy program transfer from a computer to the amplifier/control module.

Features of this system include:

• Full function amplifier/control module

• Supports one or two 100 watt speakers

• Programmable for Hands-Free operation

• 161 synchronizable, variable-phase

• programmable flash pattern

• Five-year warranty

To find out more about this Whelen Engineering product, and to discuss incorporating it into your next new vehicle build, give 2-Way’s Fleet Division a call at (603) 431-6288.

 

WAVE Work Group Communications

On Facebook the other day I shared a Motorola video on their WAVE technology. Incredibly cool  … push-to-talk (PTT) on any device, anywhere … here’s a brief overview of the technology.
This Motorola technology provides unified communications between your devices and networks, anywhere, anytime. By connecting your different networks to WAVE’s PPT platform, you can communicate between smartphones, radios, computers, and landlines.
The system allows you to leverage broadband, integrate networks, and use any device. This means you can now bring secure PTT to the smart devices your organization’s members are already using while connecting radio systems together for real-time coordination and better response. Your team members will be able to freely communicate on the device that suits them best, from virtually any location.
Motorola’s Broadband LTE solutions give you the ability to make the most of the data-rich, real-time information available through broadband LTE networks, smart applications, and intuitive devices. The result is anywhere, anytime access to multimedia information with the priority and security your organization needs.
The broadband PTT solution allows your organization to connect radio, cellular, WiFi, telephony, and more so that team members can communicate between these networks. Interoperability with broadband networks will keep your personnel connected despite the world’s rapidly changing communications environment.
Finally, Motorola’s WAVE Web Communicator enables PTT capabilities on any (that’s any) device via a web browser.
If you’d like more information about the technology, or how it can be applied to your organization, give the Communications Division Sales Team a call at (603) 431-6288.

New Ransomware in the wild

It should be obvious to all that hackers and cybercriminals are becoming more innovative and stealthy seemingly every day. New forms of cybercrime are regularly discovered, and, no surprise here, the cyber criminal’s techniques are more clandestine, coming with a myriad of attack vectors with low detection rates.
I read an article in The Hacker News regarding a new fileless ransomware with code injection ability. The article went into detail about the ransomware and how it infected enterprise servers and endpoints. The most important part of the article for me, though, was the section entitled “Ways to Protect Against Ransomware Attacks”. The entire article is here.
The three most important items on the list of to-dos for the SMB owner, or town admin organization were:

1. Keeping your system and network up-to-date.
2. Backing up your data regularly.
3. Adopting a cyber security-aware workforce.

If you haven’t gotten started on this yet, or have but feel you could protect yourself better with professional help, call the Network Division at 2-Way Communications Services (800-441-6288 x1746). Their remote manages services and security awareness training will help keep your organization’s network safe.

Whelen Pioneer Life

I recently posted on Facebook a video short by Whelen about a new product – the Pioneer Life LF35. Here’s take a closer look at this amazing new product.

OPTICS
The Pioneer LiFe™ LF35’s SlimLine™ optic is optimized for portable applications in order to control and focus light to work areas. Hard-coated lenses and solid-state electronics provide the durability you’d expect. A 3,500 usable lumens floodlight lens comes standard, and a 8° TIR spotlight lens is included.
DESIGN

Designed specifically for emergency responders, the light is easy to use with gloved hands. The impact resistant nylon housing is durable and the balanced design is easy to grab and go. The impact resistant glass reinforced nylon housing is available in Safety Yellow and the adjustable ratcheting mechanism allows for a 180° range of uninterrupted light. The LF35 meets NFPA 1901, 14.1.11.2 for all possible mounting orientations and the LF35 is IP67 rated for dust and water resistance.
BATTERY
The battery provides consistent 3,500 lumen output, and for long jobs the Battery Saver Mode will preserve output by running at a lower intensity. A full charge provides up to 3.5 hours of runtime at full intensity and up to 7 hours of runtime in Battery Saver Mode. Battery is built into the unit with short circuit and thermal protection and will fully charge in 4-5 hours, maintaining optimal lifespan. The battery is rated for more than 2000 charging cycles
INTELLIGENT INDUCTIVE CHARGER™
The LiFe LF35’s Intelligent Inductive Charger (IIC™) is specifically designed to work with Pioneer LiFe™ LF35 lights only. If foreign objects are placed on the charger, it will disable itself until the object is removed. There are no open contacts on the charger to compromise charging circuit and the IIC can be installed on a horizontal or vertical surface. The chargers are available in 12 VDC, 115 VAC, and 240 VAC for both U.S. and European markets.
SPECS
Height: 7.59in (192.7mm)
Width: 9.17in (232.9mm)
Depth: 9.20in (233.7mm)
Weight: 7.5lbs (3.4kg)
Five year warranty

And for you WeVision addicts (and those of you who enjoy the obvious bad pun …)

Motorcycle Radios

Motorcycles and two-way radios … makes sense, right? Using a cell phone is almost completely out of the question – you have to stay in control of the bike even while sending and receiving, and some states require “hands-free” operation of vehicles. Whether you are talking with another motorcycle rider or trying to communicate with a base station, two-way radios offer the perfect solution. Today’s digital radios are feature-rich, providing great benefit to the two-wheeler. Here are 4 features you should consider before buying in order to get the most out of your radio.

Headset Support

A two-way radio with quality headset support available will help you communicate with ease. Headsets come in numerous styles with a range of functions. It is worth taking the time to find one that works well while out on the road, protecting you and your team’s safety. It will also ensure you can communicate hands-free at any time.

Radio Range

Two-way radio range becomes more important when you are using radios to communicate between motorcycles. Motorcycles are usually used to travel a good distance which means you are going to need a radio system having a similar range. Also, if you are communicating between other bike riders you will need a greater distance of range under some circumstances.

Battery Life

Your battery must last at least a shift, or 8 hours … if your battery is short-lived it’s going to be difficult to rely on your radio throughout your travels. Motorcycles don’t typically come with power outlets meaning it’s impossible to charge your radio on the go. Check out earlier blog articles about quality Motorola batteries.

 Water & Dust Proof

Two-way radios used on motorcycles may be exposed to harsh elements. Having a two-way radio that is manufactured to IP standards is crucial. If not you might end up with a fully charged radio that is unusable because of exposure to dust or water. Which IP standard is right for you? Check out an earlier blog article for details about IP ratings.
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.

Migrating to 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.

Misconceptions about the migration include:

Making the Switch is Costly. Not so. Systems like MotoTRBO is a cost-effective way to reduce your expenses, while providing more features to your employees, making them more effective. Additionally, digital radios double the capacity of your existing 12.5 kHz channel which minimizes license costs and increases the flexibility of your currently licensed spectrum.

Two-Way radios are a Fading Technology. Not so. Digital technology  brings interoperability to two-way radios, with instant unified communications across locations, networks and devices including smartphones, landlines, and PCs. Combine that with better voice quality, capacity, coverage, and battery life, and you realize you’re not talking about a fading technology.

Transitioning to Digital is Complex. Not so. Moving from analog to digital is easy. Once you decide to make the switch, you don’t have to rip and replace. Make the move in stages and use your analog and digital radios simultaneously. It’s your choice whether and when you move one person, a business unit, or your entire organization.

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.