Command & Control Vehicles

Coast Guard Command and Control onboard ship

The Swedish Coast Guard have equipped their three largest ships with radio command and control systems.

The systems includes Marine VHF, Airband VHF, Tetra (Rakel), Analogue UHF and POTS phone. All systems controlled from two operator PC´s with touch screens and headsets.

The ships have a command room separated from the bridge that is used during incidents. The personel there have a need to communicate on all systems available. For this purpose they use two operator consoles with either goose neck microphones or headsets.

Most of the radios are placed high up in a radio room in the ships mast. From there only a short arial cable is needed, so that the loss can be kept low. And down to the control room only a single TP cable is needed. Giving a very simple installation.

Two radios are also placed in the control room itself since they are not possible to make a remote channel change on. But still their audio and PTT is connected through the SoftRadio system.

Apart from the radios there is also a phone connection to the onboard PABX. Giving the radio operators a phone line to use from the same GUI and headset as the radios.

Future expansions may include remote operators as well as remote radio connections on other ships or on shore.

Many radio types and a phone all onboard the ship

Tipro operator PC running SoftRadio onboard the ship

Fire defence Command and Control Vehicle

The first Mimer SoftRadio systems was built for fire command and control vehicles. Since then, in 2004, we have built many more systems both in vehicles and for fixed use, connecting radios over LAN, WAN and the Internet.

The original vehicles described below has now been upgraded to Tetra running in the Swedish national system “Rakel” and also with new operator PCs. (2013-2014). In 2016 two of the vehicles were changed out and the system moved over to the new vehicles.

This is an excellent environment for Mimer SoftRadio systems. Many radios and phones to control by a few local operators.

The old typical way is to install radio control heads and microphones all over the vehicle. And when you need to answer a call you probably have to ask your colleague to hand over the microphone and switch the channel because you just can’t reach the right controls.

With Mimer SoftRadio all radios, phones and intercom are brought together in one or more touch screens and you use only one headset for all communication.

You can even use a portable computer with a WLAN connection to the vehicle and stand next to the vehicle with full control of all radios and phones.

Equipment rack in the back of the vehicle

Each rack unit holds two radios or two phones. At the top is an antenna switch and at the right is a 6m high mast with electric motor. To the left is the electric central with fuses and inverters. The bottom of the rack now holds mobile computers, they were not installed when this picture was taken.

Setup with radios, phones and intercom all in one vehicle

Equipment rack in the back of the vehicle

Many users of this type don’t want to mix the communication platform with other computer tasks. Partly because they always want the radios accessible and partly because they are afraid that a computer with lots of programs running will crash when the communication is needed the most.

So if a separate computer will be used for communication, a touch screen will be ideal. And of course you can have more than one in parallel.

Two touch screen PC´s running SoftRadio in a
Command & Control Vehicle

Intercom unit that can be used through a 2-wire line in for example tunnels were radio is hard to use. The intercom unit glows in the dark, so that you won´t loose it!
Read more.

Cable kit for access to POTS phone lines and intercom

Interior of the original vehicle, with workspace for two operators