Operate Communication Systems& Equipment

1. Operate Communication Systems& Equipment CERT IV Benjie Williams Benjie Williams

2. Operate Communication Systems& EquipmentThe topics within this unit are: • Types of Communication Systems & Equipment • Examples of communication systems. • Transmitting and receiving in communication systems. • Other information processes in communication systems. • Issues related to communication systems. • Characteristics and Protocols of communication systems. Benjie Williams

3. Types of Communication Systems • Personal Computers and modems • Mobile phones • Landline phones • Satellite phones • 2 way radios • CB radio • HF radio • GPS • EPIRBs • PLB • Beacons • Other useful devices Benjie Williams

4. Personal Computers and modems • PCs have become a standard feature of today’s communication channels. • networked into the internet via a modem • can be connected to other PC, smart phones, tablets, business and individuals Benjie Williams

5. Personal Computers and modems • Positives • - ability to store enormous amounts of data • - sharability of data • - multiple platforms of communication – text, visual (pics and video) and audio • Negatives • - Portability – can break, battery life Benjie Williams

6. Mobile Phones • 2 Digital types: • GSM - good for 30km from tower, and • CDMA - good for 250 km from tower • Range on any mobile phone will also depend on the accessories used such as in car kits with high gain antennas, or base station mobile phones with fixed directional antennas. •  Smart phones have revolutionized the way we communicate. Email, messaging, video and audio, short messages and long. Social and professional networking. •  Smart phones are only limited by the carriers reception and range and battery life. • Cover about 92% of the population but limited in location to the coastal areas. Benjie Williams

7. Positives and Negatives • - easy to use • - variety of ways to send communication • -High mobility • -International roaming with GSM • -Adaptable to fax and data • -Personal communications • -Low equipment cost • - can break, battery life, vulnerable to moisture • - Reception by carrier • -Congestion can occur • -Limited by battery capacity • -Coverage is limited in some areas • -Wide variations in equipment • -No broadcast capability Benjie Williams

8. Other telecommunications • Landline • Landline based communication still remains the primary form of communication while in the office. • But with the ever increasing mobile office situation, mobile phones are becoming the standard form of communication • Satellite phone • Many varieties aval • Carriers: • Globalstar, • Iridium, • Inmarsat and • Optus • lacks the ease of use of a standard smartphone Benjie Williams

9. Two-way radio • Can: • transmit and receive • operates on the same radio frequency (channel). • Available in: • mobile, stationary base and hand-held portable • push-to-talk most common = half-duplex • Mobile phone = full duplex = send and receive at the same time. Benjie Williams

10. CB radio • Built in stations or mobile form. It is class licensed which means that users do not have to apply for a license or pay a license fee. All users are subject to the same license conditions Benjie Williams

11. HF radio • works basically anywhere • can speak over a distance of 3 metres up to many thousands of KM's • HF Radios range from between $500 second hand to around $5000 new. • HF Radios in Australia come from four major players: • Codan • Barrett, • Q-Mac and • Icom. Benjie Williams

12. Global Positioning System (GPS) • a satellite-based navigation system • made up of a network of 24 satellites • placed into orbit by the U.S. Department of Defense. • was originally intended for military applications, but in the 1980s, the government made the system available for civilian use. • GPS works in any weather Benjie Williams

13. EPIRBs • EPIRBs are a radio transmitting device that when activated transmit to a signal to a satellite and to overpassing aircraft. • need to be out in a clear open area to get a good signal and a position fix to the satellite. • great out in the open arid land, but less than idealin places like narrow canyons where the view to the sky is limited. • EPIRBS are around $300 - $1000 new and have a battery life of approx 10 years. Benjie Williams

14. Other useful devices • Smoke & Fire • Pen Flares • Mirror and Shiny Objects • Torch or strobe light • Clothing • Natural Material • Sea Dye Markers • Audio Signals • Whistles • Gunshots Benjie Williams

15. 5 Basic Components • Every communication system has 5 basic requirements • Data Source(where the data originates) • Transmitter (device used to transmit data) • Transmission Medium(cables or non cable) • Receiver (device used to receive data) • Destination(where the data will be placed)

16. 5 Basic Components

17. Transmission Direction - simplex: One direction only Benjie Williams

18. Half Duplex Transmission half duplex: Both directions but only one direction at a time Benjie Williams

19. Full Duplex Transmission full duplex: send and receive both directions at once Benjie Williams

20. Transmission Media • twisted pair – telephone cable • coaxial cable –Thick black cable used for higher bandwidth communications than twisted pair (i.e. Optus cable) • fibre optic – data transferred through pulses of light. Extremely fast. • Non cable methods such as satelite, microwave, wireless and bluetooth Benjie Williams

21. Verbal communication procedures may include • pro-words • phonetic alphabet • call signs • coded messages • use of abbreviations • emergency procedures Benjie Williams

22. Pro-words • Prowords are pronounceable words or phrases, which have an assigned meaning for the purpose of expediting message transmissions. Examples of common prowords and their meanings are as follows: • a. ‘Roger’—Message received and understood. • b. ‘This is’—Used in conjunction with an identifying radio call sign. • c. ‘Over’—My transmission is ended and I expect a reply (Never used in • conjunction with OUT). • d. ‘Out’—My transmission is ended, I do not expect a reply (Never used in • conjunction with OVER). • e. ‘Say again’—Repeat all of your transmission again (Or identified portion • of the message). • f. ‘Wait’—I must pause during my transmission. Benjie Williams

23. phonetic alphabet Benjie Williams

24. call signs • The usual prefix for Australian amateur call signs is VK. The numeral that separates the prefix from the suffix indicates the state/territory in which the operator is licensed Benjie Williams

25. Voice procedures may include • rhythm • speed • volume • pitch • sentences Benjie Williams

26. Occupational health and safety issues • Occupational Health and Safety arrangements may vary between organisations but • must always be taken into consideration when using communications equipment. • Some hazards that may be encountered include: a. electrical storms; b. electric shock; c. electromagnetic radiation (EMR); and d. mechanical risk (eg antenna hardware). • Before operating any communications equipment, users should check with the • manufacturers’ handbooks and relevant occupational health and safety arrangements. Benjie Williams