How Technology Has Impacted 9-1-1 Dispatch Centers     

     Over the last thirty years, I have actually counted over 200 radio dispatch consoles that Chicago Communications has installed. A dispatch console is actually an interface for a dispatcher to talk to various radio systems. Similar to a 9-1-1 telephone system, the radio dispatch console acts as an audio switch to connect various people to various radios or telephones.

Last week the ETSB of DuPage County formerly announced the launch of their $30 million interoperable radio system made possible by a statewide radio network, STARCOM21.  STARCOM21 is Illinois’ statewide digital public safety radio system and provides coverage for over 98 percent of the State of Illinois. The network currently provides public safety communications for state and local public safety agencies. The STARCOM21 network is a public-private partnership between Motorola Solutions and the State of Illinois.

 Upcoming Public Safety Conference Preview from the President of ILAPCO 

  The 28^th annual Illinois Public Safety Telecommunications Association (IPSTA) Training and Conference will be held from October 21^st to October 24^th this year in Springfield.  This joint venture of the Illinois chapters of APCO and NENA is intended to provide excellent educational opportunities, the ability to meet with numerous vendors and a phenomenal networking experience.  Attendance at the conference typically exceeds 600 people and is considered one of the premier state conferences in the United States.

     Illinois APCO has been extremely busy this year.  Our efforts to educate public safety and beyond regarding narrowbanding has been highly successful and praised by chiefs, sheriffs and city management throughout the state.  A concept of video taping, editing and duplicating the narrowband presentation was brought to the association by Treasurer John Mostaccio.  His vision allowed over a thousand videos to be sold and distributed around the country and to attendees at the MABAS and ILEAS Conferences.

 Digital Radio Will Make Your Job Easier, Trust Me!

     There isn’t a day that goes by that I’m not looking for a communication puzzle to solve. I’ve got decades of technical expertise and I’ve got no problem telling you like it is. And for many, many years I would have told you to stick with analog radio, all the way. It’s always been the simple choice for reliable communication. But there’s a new technology in town, and it’s paving a path that’s here to stay.

     Whenever new products and technologies make an entrance in the market, I’m sure to do extensive investigating.  With technology moving as fast as it does these days, I’m not about to hop on a fad that’s about to be replaced next month. But the thing about digital radio is, that even though it seems like the smart phone equivalent of a radio (which it is) it’s got a reputation for solving communication problems that speaks for itself. Sure there are several new flashy  features, such as texting or it’s capablity to hold dozens of newly developed applications like both GPS tracking and work ticket entry/update, which is enough to grab my attention. But the important consensus I’ve come to with digital radio, is that it solves just about all the common issues you hear from radio users. 

 The Importance of a Proper Installation 

What happens when you attempt to install high tech equipment on your own or by inexperienced technicians? Installations can go wrong and end up costing more than you bargained for. There are 2 common scenarios I've seen happen more than once that are worth sharing.

Pointer from the Principal: Perseverance and hard work ….. it really does pay off.

     Anyone who’s ever been in a job that involves serving customers has had one of “those” meetings.  You know the one I’m talking about.  The one where the customer tells you he or she is disappointed with your service.

     Well, I had one of “those” meetings a couple of years ago with a customer who we asked to meet with because he was anxious about doing business with us following an experience he had with us several years prior where he was less than pleased with our company’s service level (a lesson in itself ….. unsatisfactory service experiences stay with people for a very LONG time).

     During the meeting I tried my best to convey to the customer that we were a different company than the one he dealt with years back, and that I was confident we wouldn’t let him down if he gave us another try.  I promised him that everything would go well and gave him my direct line should he have any concerns along the way.  Thankfully in the end he agreed to give us another try.

     If we are to remake the movie The Graduate today, what one-word advice would you give to Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman’s character)?  Obviously not “plastics”.  Most people would probably say “wireless” or “mobile”.

     Indeed, the technology of wireless communication has profoundly changed the way we work, live, and interact with each other.  Along with it comes the expectation that people should be able to use their wireless devices whenever and wherever.  Commercial wireless providers (cell phone carriers) want to maximize revenue from their customers and encourage them to use their phone/tablet/laptop as much as possible.  At the same time, public safety agencies are also demanding reliable radio coverage wherever their personnel may be called upon to perform the mission critical tasks. Since the vast majority of the people spend the vast majority of their time indoor, it’s natural that RF in-building coverage has become a fast growing market in the recent years. 

Employee Appreciation:A Little Extra Goes A Long Way

     Every person wants to feel part of something – a family, a group of friends, a team, or if an employee, the company they work for.  As an owner of a company, the challenge is, and always has been, how to make employees feel part of a team.  Many of the articles written on the subject say it’s the “little things”.  And you know what?  It is.

Communication Equipment Keeps Production Team Running

     Our rental department has the pleasure of assisting customers from a wide variety of businesses and events.  On a daily basis our customers are on the go, in the field, on the auditorioum floor, moving across campus or throughout the city. Whether they're keeping a concert atmosphere secure or making sure attendees have a flawless special day, it's essential to keep everyone connected to their teams, everywhere they go. Chicago Communications has been renting two way radios and other communication equipment for many years, to events ranging from concerts to commencements, conventions and coroporate meetings to sporting events and competitions. Coming up this weekend ChiComm's rental representative will be renting portables to a video production team, Dobson Entertainment, in order for them to get exclusive coverage at the Tour of Elk Grove. 

     Dobson Entertainment, Inc. has been one of the Midwest's most established video production companies for over 23 years, providing services with state of the art equipment, breakthrough concepts, and a unique creative team. They work with private and public companies, in addition to working at sites both locally and internationally (the City of Chicago, Comcast Sports Net - NBC, and Yamaha Motor Corporation, are a couple examples of their diversified clientele). They can be hired to film and produce multi-camera coverage for events and promotional material, in addition to feeding live video over to multiple areas, jumbotrons and/or LCD TV screens while also being able to broadcast the signal remotely.