Comms Connect preview: Coastguard Nelson enhances marine rescue comms

At Comms Connect New Zealand next month, conference attendees will receive an insight into how Coastguard Nelson upgraded its radio dispatch system to provide greater-area radio coverage and private radio communications. A preview of this conference presentation can be found below — for the full version, make sure you register to attend Comms Connect.

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Coastguard Nelson, a nationally and internationally awarded volunteer organisation, is one of 62 units providing essential marine search and rescue services, vessel assistance and boating safety programs in New Zealand year-round. Its highly trained volunteers respond to over 80 missions annually, covering a rescue area of 10,400 km² and a survey area of 44,000 km² — the largest for any single coastguard unit in New Zealand.

The problem

Coastguard Nelson had identified that its existing analog radio system was lacking modern features and was unreliable, often encountering black spots. The dispatch system at the Nelson base consisted of three analog radios, each monitoring a different channel. There was no option to dispatch from remote locations, to patch radio calls or to broadcast to multiple channels simultaneously.

Using public channels meant critical and sensitive information during a mission was available to the public while a rescue was underway. Furthermore, third-party weather bulletins often blocked a channel for up to 20 minutes, during which Coastguard Nelson was unable to communicate during an incident. Instead, the team used mobile phones with interrupted coverage in the remote locations they frequently operate in.

Recording was only available over one radio located at base; communications and incidents were recorded using a paper-based system. The existing solution also lacked backup systems for security, power, archiving and redundancy, and it relied on aging desktop computers and a slow 4G internet connection.

The requirements

To efficiently save lives, clear and reliable communication is a must-have, especially in difficult-to-reach locations. Coastguard Nelson wanted to be able to dispatch remotely via duty officers’ tablets and a recording solution was desired. The new system needed the following:

• For rescue units to communicate via VHF in private
• To operate the radios remotely (in event of earthquake, slips, etc)
• To record/play back all monitored radio transmissions
• To operate all radios from one position on a console
• To separate comms and admin activities with separate stations at base
• No-regret architecture — a futureproofed solution
• To link into any future CNZ comms strategy
• To patch in cell phones, add VoIP phones/contacts
• To provide GPS location of handheld DMR units

The solution

Coastguard Nelson selected Mount Campbell Communications as its upgrade and network provider, taking advantage of the Tait DMR T3 system with improved conversation clarity and greater coverage.

During a marine incident, communication with the distressed vessel is mainly line-of-sight over a public network. Three legacy ICOM radios on the Coastguard Rescue Vessel (CRV) were retained, while a fourth was replaced with a Tait DMR radio, linking to the unit’s two DMR groups. The rest of the communication system was upgraded to the Tait DMR T3 system with an Omnitronics dispatch console.

A Coastguard talkgroup, including duty officers, the base and the CRV, can talk together privately now without interruption or prying ears. A second talkgroup for search and rescue includes Coastguard Nelson, the Harbour Masters from Nelson City and Tasman District Councils, and Nelson Surf Lifesaving to coordinate a multi-agency response.

The new system gives Coastguard Nelson the privacy of a dedicated channel not shared with the public. This means the team can openly discuss critical information and doesn’t have to worry that other users block a channel when they are undertaking a rescue mission.

The base is typically unmanned, with duty officers only attending for active incidents. The new solutions allow them to use the omnicore Express Console on tablets from home, enabling remote dispatch and saving critical response time. The Coastguard Nelson Project Leader delivered training on how to use the console and the operators found the system easy to learn and a great improvement of their working conditions.

The future

Mount Campbell Communications has devised the system infrastructure in a way that makes future expansions easy, including for integration of telephony, or with other rescue organisations and the New Zealand P25 Public Safety Network (PSN).

Lloyd Wensley, MD at Mount Campbell Communication, said: “The transition to omnicore Express dispatch marks a significant step forward for Nelson Coastguard, ensuring they remain at the forefront of marine rescue operations both in their daily work and when it becomes time to integrate this radio system with the New Zealand PSN.”

Allan Cambridge, Coastguard Nelson Communications and IT Project Leader, added: “The transition to omnicore Express dispatch on a Tait DMR T3 network marks a significant improvement for enhancing our ability to respond to emergencies efficiently and effectively, ultimately improving safety for all who venture into the waters around Nelson.”

Jerame Ashton from Mount Campbell Communications and Michael Clarke from Omnitronics will be presenting a more detailed version of this case study at Comms Connect New Zealand on 5 June.