Large ships often have a helipad, so they need to communicate with a landing helicopter. Ships used for search and rescue also need to talk to helicopters that are involved in the operation.

Therefor it is important that the ships bridge, and/or command and control centre, has access to an Airband radio. This can be integrated into a larger system with other communication onboard.

Please also read about the Command and Control system on the Coast Guards ships.

Wind farms at sea always have a helipad so that service personel can get there fairly quick. At the wind farm there is among other communication also a remote controlled Airband radio, so that the MCC on shore can talk to the helicopter.

The IP connection from shore to windfarm can be fibre, micro wave or satellite. All depending on the distance from shore.

Rigs at sea also have a helipad where transports can land. Here it is common that personel on deck need to talk to the landing helicopter, but this is an ATEX zone (explosion risk area) where the radios needs to be approved, and Airband portables are not available for ATEX environments.

The solution is to build a cross patch from the onboard radio systems, used with ATEX approved radios, to the Airband channel. This can be done in several ways, see below.

See separate page.