Ohio Officials test aerostats for repeater communications

[blantonl]

Program officials from Ohio's Multi-Agency Radio Communications System – a statewide 800-MHz digital trunked radio system -- sent a weather-proofed radio repeater up to 1,000 feet. At that altitude, the system locked onto a tower about 50 miles away, said Steve Garwood, a MARCS telecommunications system analyst.

http://www.gcn.com/online/vol1_no1/47583-1.html

 

[hoser147]

Interesting concept, I think that Ohio weather would be somewhat of a draw back, compared to other states. I believe that one other state is doing research on the Blimp also from another article I though was posted on here, but couldn't find it. Growing up in a town that had a Big Goodyear plant, we had frequent visits from the Goodyear Blimp, many times it was docked in a field at the plant or alt the local airport. Hoser

 

[comsec1]

License?

How would this be licensed, tower height? coverage? interference to other systems. if it is part of a system how would the microwave or T-1 work? the idea is great, the navy has been doing this with radars in the gulf of mexico. this would probably only be practible with conventional repeaters.

 

[DaveNF2G]

Another concern for northern states should be the Line A issue of interference with Canada.

 

[MtnBiker2005]

I like the tethered blimp idea better.
I saw the tethered blimp being used down in Florida Keys north of Key West used by the US Customs/DHS/other.

San Diego County RCS - 2004 Report. (Used a Airplane)
Airborne Repeater Proof-of-Concept Final Report
https://www.rcs800mhz.org/web/generalreports_aerialfinalreport.pdf

 

[DaveNF2G]

Errrr.... Did I miss something? A tethered blimp is an aerostat.

 

[hoser147]

Errrr.... Did I miss something? A tethered blimp is an aerostat.

Dave that is what it is, It would be great for emergency temporary replacement of downed towers.

 

[SLWilson]

Gov't....

How would this be licensed, tower height? coverage? interference to other systems. if it is part of a system how would the microwave or T-1 work? the idea is great, the navy has been doing this with radars in the gulf of mexico. this would probably only be practible with conventional repeaters.

They ARE the government aren't they? Just "State" not Federal....So, as far as licensing, I'd say (for an emergency) the FCC wouldn't even care....

As far as at a tower site with a downed tower, (this is a guess on my part) they could use the blimp to temporarily replace antennas for use by the existing equipment at a tower site that lost its tower. Or, they could use it to get traffic into an area that has lost everything (relayed by a tower that it CAN reach) to link it to another working site.

Very interesting prospect. They DO have mobile tower sites to tow into an area for use in emergencies....

Steve/KB8FAR

 

[N_Jay]

They ARE the government aren't they? Just "State" not Federal....So, as far as licensing, I'd say (for an emergency) the FCC wouldn't even care....

All depends, but they are in no way free from FCC requirements.

Maybe keep an STA ready to send.

 

[hoser147]

Need one for my Scanner antenna..............

 

[crayon]

Need one for my Scanner antenna..............

rgr that.

 

[SLWilson]

Well....

All depends, but they are in no way free from FCC requirements.
Maybe keep an STA ready to send.

I'm guessing that if something had happened where it was bad enough to get that out of the shed, the FCC wouldn't even be going to work or whatever it is they do! No one there to answer a complaint about the thing if it is actually "that bad"....

We'd probably (in Ohio) be on our own anyway. Kinda like another hurricane in New Orleans....

Steve