Model 37 Urban Assault Vehicle

jks19714 · #1 (**permalink**) 08-06-2009, 05:39 PM

Still very much a "work in progress",,,,, This is a new Mobile Communications Unit affiliated with the local ARES/RACES, Medical Reserve Corps, MARS, SHARES, etc. Amateur callsign is W3MCU, MARS/SHARES is AAT3CAD and on various Delaware 800 MHz talkgroups (National Guard, Fire/EMS, EMA, etc.) it is MCU37.

Mobile Communications Unit 37, New Castle County Delaware

73s,
john W3JKS/AAT3BF/AAM3EDE/AAA9SL

Radioman96p71 · #2 (**permalink**) 08-06-2009, 05:43 PM

Whoa...

Thats a lot of antennas! I'd be amazed if there wasn't some sort of interaction there. Unless they are mainly RX only of course.

Urban Assault Vehicle fits that nice, I know id be takin a hard look at it if it came rumbling down my street!

Reading thru the PDF on the website, that is one heckuva rig!!! Lots of time and money went into the planning and execution of that. Great work!

jks19714 · #3 (**permalink**) 08-06-2009, 05:57 PM

The interaction isn't too bad; it's a matter of using (mostly) commercial-grade radios, the lowest practical power level and placing the big offenders (such as the repeater antennas) on 30-50 ft polesets away from the vehicle.

I have a couple of external masts yet to be mounted in front of the box. If you look at the website, there is a 30kw diesel between the 24 foor "box" and the truck cab and another pulled behind (the primary) on a trailer. The trailer will also have a 50-ft crank-up mast mounted over the genset once I get some time to do a bit of welding.

The external antennas and services (Ethernet, CATV, telephone) are interfaced through a signal entry panel beneath the box and directly below the RF Patch Rack.

The truck began life with FEMA -- 10 years and less than 6000 miles on it.

We're having fun!

73s,
john W3JKS/AAT3BF/AAM3EDE/AAA9SL

Radioman96p71 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-06-2009, 06:01 PM

I bet you are! Jealous doesnt begin to cover it!! That is THE cleanest and most thought-out MCU i've seen!!

hippieman556 · #5 (**permalink**) 08-06-2009, 07:09 PM

wow thats a great setup

jks19714 · #6 (**permalink**) 08-06-2009, 07:12 PM

I'm working on a digital console system for it based upon Cirrus Logic's COBRAnet chipset. The first board is due next week. If I can get it working, most of the radios will be linked into six touch-screen computers (ARM9-based) and a dedicated LAN -- any headset into any radio into any port on the ACU1000 and VoIP switch. All home-brewed.

I had a serious case of lust for the NCS Radio folk's system, but it is way too expensive and doesn't scale at all well. If I can adapt COBRAnet to radios, it will be MUCH less expensive. As it is, an 8-radio system is costing me about $300 to prototype (so far).

It beats watching TV! :-)

john

mattyjaco · #7 (**permalink**) 08-06-2009, 11:54 PM

insanely awesome project... is this all privately funded?

jks19714 · #8 (**permalink**) 08-07-2009, 09:32 AM

Yes. It's mine, with the exception of three radios provided by Christiana Care Health System, Delaware National Guard and PEPCO Holdings (my employer!).

Some people have houses at the beach, boats, ... I have a comm truck. It's the set for the next reality TV show, "Geeks Gone Wild"! :-)

john

texasemt13 · #9 (**permalink**) 08-07-2009, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jks19714

Yes.

*picking jaw off floor*...

Nice rigs, and I really like that iPortable setup. Let me know if you ever need a driver...

jks19714 · #10 (**permalink**) 08-07-2009, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texasemt13

*picking jaw off floor*...

Nice rigs, and I really like that iPortable setup. Let me know if you ever need a driver...

Believe it or not, I am finding it very difficult to find volunteers to join the team. People who are willing to leave home and help others are few and far between. I was a volunteer fireman for many years and it is amazing how the membership of the local stations has dwindled.

The good news is that mobile communications units are exempt from CDL requirements in Delaware - this is a recent change (Feb 09, IIRC) as a result of legislation.

john

texasemt13 · #11 (**permalink**) 08-07-2009, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jks19714

I was a volunteer fireman for many years and it is amazing how the membership of the local stations has dwindled.

I hear that, though Texas never seems to have a shortage of volunteer firefighters... (maybe we're all pyros)?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jks19714

The good news is that mobile communications units are exempt from CDL requirements in Delaware - this is a recent change (Feb 09, IIRC) as a result of legislation.

That helps a lot, so on the off chance I am vacationing in Delaware during an emergency & we both happen to have an internet connection, then you can pm me with your address and I'll come drive.

emd001 · #12 (**permalink**) 08-07-2009, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jks19714

Believe it or not, I am finding it very difficult to find volunteers to join the team. People who are willing to leave home and help others are few and far between. I was a volunteer fireman for many years and it is amazing how the membership of the local stations has dwindled.

The good news is that mobile communications units are exempt from CDL requirements in Delaware - this is a recent change (Feb 09, IIRC) as a result of legislation.

john

No shortage of firemen here. (that pyro thing might be right lol)
If im ever up that way and i see you ill follow you and man a radio.

emd001 · #13 (**permalink**) 08-07-2009, 04:16 PM

again i have to say wow. I just read through everything on the site. Couple of questions. Was this your idea or did any of the agencies listed as supported put out for this type of response vehicle? Do you expect to have this vehicle requested in a location requiring flying it in or just include that in case? What has the response from the agencies listed been to the vehicle as it has come along? Great install, very organized what resources did you use to put the plan and execute?

jks19714 · #14 (**permalink**) 08-07-2009, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emd001

again i have to say wow. I just read through everything on the site. Couple of questions. Was this your idea or did any of the agencies listed as supported put out for this type of response vehicle? Do you expect to have this vehicle requested in a location requiring flying it in or just include that in case? What has the response from the agencies listed been to the vehicle as it has come along? Great install, very organized what resources did you use to put the plan and execute?

1. My idea. I have been doing this for a while and this is kind of the culmination of my accumulated experiences, wants and desires. I spent (mostly concurrently) about 25 years as a volunteer fireman/fire policeman and deputy operations officer (again as a volunteer) at Delaware Emergency Management Agency. And over 30 (and counting) as a commo/computer engineer at the local power utility.
2. No, I wanted to address the fact that it is NOT air-transportable except "in extremis". That said, we do happen to have a few C-5A's (and C-17's) stationed less than an hours drive from here. It definitely willl not fit in anything other than a C-5A (or maybe that monster Russian Antonov) due to the vehicle's height. But you've noticed that all of the antennas do happen to fold down. :-) (more to avoid tree limbs though!)
3. At first -- incredulous. Now -- I'm on the lookout for the guys in the white suits carrying the funny-looking jacket with extra-long sleeves. It has suffered from a lot of scope-creep due to my expanding interests and general comm engineering interests. I'm getting a lot of moral support from the Delaware National Guard and recently from the County EMA.
4. I just sat down and started writing. Some ideas (and text) came from stuff I picked up on the mobile command posts design Yahoo group. Some from work that I have done with/for various Federal agencies and the Army. And a lot from discussing design options with my good friend Frank, AD3M. He wraps a rope around my ankle on the weekends to bring me back to Earth and actually implement the stuff...

My Father always said that the worst thing about the things I do is that I've always been sober when I've done them. :-) (said one night in the ER as they were picking buckshot out of me after an ambulance run gone bad)

If you're ever on I-95 going through Delaware, look me up.

73s,
john

JimmyL1011 · #15 (**permalink**) 08-08-2009, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jks19714

Yes. It's mine, with the exception of three radios provided by Christiana Care Health System, Delaware National Guard and PEPCO Holdings (my employer!).

Some people have houses at the beach, boats, ... I have a comm truck. It's the set for the next reality TV show, "Geeks Gone Wild"! :-)

john

More like "Geeks Gone Broke!"

commscanaus · #16 (**permalink**) 08-08-2009, 07:54 AM

That truck and communications setup is beyond comprehension!!

Must admit to being completely stunned and in awe!

A fantastic effort and some magnificent work has gone into it. I hope it is a great success for you and it serves the community well.

There are so many ideas for radio mounting in there, especially the radio stacks.
Makes me want to re-organize everything in the shack.

It looks like great fun to be sure!

Regards, Commscanaus.

milf · #17 (**permalink**) 08-08-2009, 09:27 PM

OK Santa if your listeningggggg.... I WANT ONEEEEEE for Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would love to man a station on that bad boy! Wish we had a rig like that around here calling for volleess!

i_galbreath · #18 (**permalink**) 08-08-2009, 10:20 PM

Well, now I know where I'm going to live when I grow up.

KC2OBW · #19 (**permalink**) 08-08-2009, 11:19 PM

Does it have a bathroom?

jks19714 · #20 (**permalink**) 08-09-2009, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC2OBW

Does it have a bathroom?

NO! I made that decision very early on based upon an abundance of experience on my part:

A. It takes up space better used by commo gear.
B. The truck is housed outdoors. Although it is plugged-in (my employer provided me a nice 208-v 3-phase 60-amp circuit for it!), insulation and electric heat would be necessary for the water tank AND the blackwater tank.
C. After a few good summer days at a scene, the interior will have an odor resembling a porta-john -- yuck.
D. Once the tank fills or the water is empty, you're done unless you're able to get it pumped out or you arrange a trip to a legal drainage site. Dumping down the storm sewer is not well-received in these part(and the environmental guys know that I know better! :-)
E. I don't like cleaning up other people's messes.
F. In-vehicle heads attract vermin (including species Reporterus, Strapper Hangus, and Incidence Commandus), none of which are particularly needed in the Comm Truck. (We don't carry doughnuts either, as that invites several other species.) The fewer distractions the better.

I DO carry a privy tent in an underbody compartment along with a supply of "wag-bags". Much more sanitary and everyone is responsible for cleaning up their own "mess" and depositing the odorless remains into the appropriate Hefty bag. Team members have access to the replacable supplies. Other folks will hopefully "get the clue" and provide for themselves next time.

And we willl have a small water heater/cooler and microwave once we get closer to completion. I am getting older (and fussier) and prefer cold water and hot food like freeze-dried as opposed to MREs! Although after a few days of MREs, in my experience, the lack of toilet facilities becomes less of a problem...

73s,
john