IMET Equipment and Communications

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IMET Equipment and Communications
Computer Comms BGAN(Broadband Global
Area Network)/INMRSAT,
etc FX NET Introductions

• Larry Van Bussum - National Fire Weather
  Operations Coordinator
• Greg Murdoch - IMET

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Greg MurdochWFO Midland, TX - IMET

• IMET since 2000
• Primarily work in TX, NM, AZ - but other places
  also
• 23 assignments 3 non fire
• Columbia Shuttle Recovery Aviation, ground
  troops
• Katrina Recovery Logistical Ops for PODs
• Rodeo/Chediski - AZ largest Fire
• Tx Forest Service Fire Season 05/06 - 69 days
• Research with SR on HI-RISE Project
• 07 AMS Student Conference

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Complete IMET Equipment and Comms

• Laptop and accessories purchased by NP
• Printer - NP
• Replaced every 3yrs
• Travel Bag - NP

• Cell Phone SR

• BGANS/INMARSAT (2 at MAF) NP
• Verizon wireless card NP
• Wireless Adaptor Local Office ?
• Thumb Drive personal funds

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IMET Requirements

• System must be mobile (i.e. weigh less than 100
  lbs, be smaller than 41x24x18 and able to be
  set up by 1 person in 1 hour or less)
• System must be fast enough to download data in a
  reasonable time
• System must have nationwide coverage with
  upgrades
• Provider must show sustainability (some assurance
  that the provider will be doing business 5 years
  down the road).
• IMET program is tasked with being able to respond
  anywhere, anytime to anything.
• Satisfies requirements for federal response from
  the National Response Plan (Emergency Support
  Functions (ESFs)) and the Presidents Lessons
  Learned from Hurricane Katrina)

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Options
6 Incident may or may not have communications 7
Dependent on cell phone coverage, which is
sparse across much of the U.S. 8 Contiguous
U.S. coverage, AK and HI coverage. 10 Billed
per megabyte. Based on 70 mb of data per day.
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Conclusions

• Cheapest solution is to depend on incident to
  provide communications but severely restricts
  where, when and what incidents an IMET can
  respond to.
• Only Verizon Card and BGAN/INMARSAT are mobile
  enough for IMET operations.
• Verizon Card and BGAN/INMARSAT can handle the
  data needs.
• Of those only BGAN/INMARSAT is capable of use
  anywhere in the United States (or the world).
• Not using BGAN/INMARSAT would result in NWS
  turning down 67 of all IMET requests

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Final Comms Plan

• Incident LAN or Comms - when available
• Verizon Wireless Card - when available
• INMARSAT BGAN - last option

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Incident LAN or Comms

• Your First Choice
• Your Cheapest for Taxpayer and easy

9
Verizon Wireless Card

• Your Second Choice
• Out of necessity
• Out of Convenience (with a roaming caveat)

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BGAN INMARSAT

• BGAN - Broadband Global Area Network
• Your Last Resort
• Be Frugal

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BGAN Coverage
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Tips and Hints

• You will have to become comfortable working in
  the guts of Windows and the Network
  Connectionslearning how this all works.
• If you can get along fine with the cheapest
  solution, use that, but dont sacrifice your
  ability to do your job for a painfully slow
  connection. Ask Plans Chief/IC first before
  hooking BGAN up if other avenues available.

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Broadband Global Area Network Set-up

• DoD equipment
• Installing the launch pad software most difficult
  part
• Emits RF energydo not stand or place objects in
  front of unit
• Speech capable telephone
• Multi-user for sharing unit
• Always on but only charged for data sent and
  received
• Contains integrated GPS receiver for registration
• Point to the sky to see 3 satellites
• Best to have clear view
• Load speed affected by signal strength
• Once GPS is obtained location is stored

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BGAN Set-up continued

• Terminal then can be moved to convenient place
  facing BGAN satellite
• Extensive BGAN Users Manual is available?
• WFOs should have one part of comms back-up
• Can be permanently fixed outdoors for extended
  time
• NoteField Service Bulletin has been releasedGPS
  antenna not contacting circuit. Easy fix with
  star wrench to tighten screwscareful torque
  wrench needed

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Once we have comms

• Forecasters favorite thing - look at data
• Internet stuff personal favorites, etc
• However primarily use AWIPS emulator FX NET
• Regional versions - SR, WR, AK, PR
• Work in progress annual updates
• If used AWIPS- Program is very intuitive

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FX NET

• Zoom functions
• Build procedures
• Images - RH, etc
• Soundings
• Text browser
• Satellite
• Load speed depends on connection
• No auto updates on frames radar, sat

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Regional Versions

• Served by regional HQ
• SRH serves SR FX NET version, etc
• Sometimes server has problems and must call SRH
  to resolve
• Initially was sort of secretnow is proliferating
• Not for use at home though
• Otherwise Ive found it to be very reliable
• Nice archive feature onsite accidents/studies
• Well now spend sometime using it - Groups
• Then go hook up to BGANS