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Chicomm Blog

THE CONNECTED RESORT with MotoTrbo Applications

Posted by Kendra Newlon on Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Getting the right information to the right person at the right time can mean the difference between a returning guest and a dissatisfied customer; that’s why guest satisfaction is at the top of the priority list for any organization in the Hospitality sector. Rapid response, attention to detail and well-informed staff are key to ensuring the experience is memorable for all the right reasons.

Hotel staff often uses a variety of disjointed independent communication tools such as cell phones, pagers, WiFi phones, paper work tickets and email to stay on top of customer requests. Large facilities and remote areas result in poor coverage, missed notifications and delayed responses to guest requests when it matters most. Furthermore recurring monthly fees and a constant desire to reduce operational expenses has pushed more and more hotels to explore the benefits of two-way radios.

Guaranteed coverage on a private network, durable portable devices, and integration to current building infrastructure systems and guest management systems via data applications make Motorola’s MOTOTRBO an excellent option for hotels of all sizes.

Tags: Two Way Radios, Chicago Communications, Motorola Solutions, Wireless Communication, MOTOTRBO, Hospitality, Cellular Technology

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Meet Dan Wolski, Technician at ChiComm

Posted by Kendra Newlon on Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Always busy at his work station, Dan Wolski has fixed radios, accessories, televisions, and security equipment for Chicago Communications since 1994.

Originally from the Chicago land area, Dan grew up interested in electronics and their functions after a friend introduced him to radios. He ultimately decided to make it his career. He attended a technical school in Indiana, in the vicinity of Valparaiso College.

Dan’s career in radios began in a small CB store his friend owned, located in Kankakee, IL. There, he would repair all sorts of radios, ranging from small hand held two way radios to entire radio systems installed in vehicles. He decided to then move back up to the Chicago area, where he landed a position within ChiComm.

Tags: Two Way Radios, Chicago Communications, Motorola Solutions, Wireless Communication, Meet our Technicians, Employee Spotlight

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Technical equipment isn't all boring!

Most people in the commercial world have little knowledge of the two way radio industry and how it works. I can relate to this because I used to be on the outside myself. Even just mentioning the word 'two way radio' to me, I would have probably said, "huh?" And there are days I still get asked what kind of company Chicago Communications is; I usually go for the same explanation when I answer. Two way radios are walkie-talkies, but not the ones little kids play with across their backyards or in the neighborhood woods. I'm talking about the professional kind that police officers use to communicate with each other while on duty, in their cars or in pursuit. But  it doesn't stop with police officers. There are many, many more uses for two way radios just like there are many more products and services available from ChiComm. Here are a mere 8 situations radios are used that reminded me just how "cool" it is to be a part of this industry. 

Tags: Chicago Communications, Motorola Solutions, MOTOTRBO

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Nextel's Network has been Decommissioned. What's Next?

A common concern we expect to hear would be: "So now that Nextel has shut down, what do I do with my trucks? The cell phone bills will kill me!!"

For those of you not in the know, Nextel shut down its operations at the end of last month. Sprint will be converting many of the current Nextel users to their Sprint network, while many will be left thinking, “I really don’t want to put cell phones in the hands of my truck drivers!"  So, Now what?!

The answer to that first depends on the coverage required to run your operations. Is it local to a town or County? Is it regional like Chicago? Is it area wide like Chicago and the surrounding collar counties or is it statewide? For all of those answers you have options. As you know you have the Cellular carrier. For those as fortunate you get a cell phone on the Sprint system or another, but your drivers are allowed to communicate ONLY when NOT operating the vehicle.

Tags: Two Way Radios, Motorola Solutions, MOTOTRBO

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Plus the Top 10 Losing Warehouse Strategies And How To Avoid Them    

 There are many types of manufacturing sectors out there, from transportation (airplanes, cars, trains, etc.) to raw materials (steel mills, rubber, etc.), but the two leading factors driving ALL manufacturing companies and warehouses is Productivity and Efficiency. From the warehouse floor to product delivery, workers need access to information in real time to help automate operations and ultimately create a seamless, error-proof work environment.

Because the production line CAN'T stop...reliable communication is critical. Here are a few scenarios where two way radios prove they're valuable place in the warehouse. (Followed by the guide for 'How to Avoid the Top 10 Losing Warehouse Strategies', as promised.)

Scenario #1:

Tags: Motorola Solutions, MOTOTRBO, Manufacturing

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Chicago Communications gets involved with Ronald McDonald House's: 'Meals From the Heart'     

Last June, I got the opportunity to tag along on an important visit to the Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children’s Hospital in downtown Chicago. You see, the charity was nearing its Grand Opening (to become the world’s largest) and we were making a special delivery. Motorola Solutions was kindly donating some new two way radios (walkie-talkies) for the staff to use at the Ronald McDonald House and Chicago Communications had programmed them. The Motorola Digital SL7550 portable two-way radios they received were to become the key communication tool at the facility. Having instant communication assists the RMHC team within the house and also allows the hospital to communicate back and forth in times of need, when family members aren't able to be reached on their cell phones.

Tags: Two Way Radios, Chicago Communications, Motorola Solutions

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The Ultimate Power Source for Wireless Is...

Batteries! Can’t live without them in today’s world. Their importance lies in connecting us to our fellow man through walkie-talkies, cellular devices, tablets, and even to grounding Boeings newest 787 Dreamliner. And battery technology has come a long way. When I first started as a technician, the NiCd (Nickel Cadmium) was the battery of choice for our two way radios. Back then charging allowed two speeds: Standard Charge and Rapid Charge. Standard charge ran a low stream of current into the battery that took about 8 hours to get the battery to full capacity. Rapid charge ran a high stream of current into the battery. This speed would typically recharge in 3 hours.

Tags: Motorola Solutions, Two Way Radio Accessories

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Communication interoperability is a well-recognized imperative for public safety, homeland security, law enforcement, or any other organization that has a need to share intelligence, coordinate plans, and mount successful joint operations with others operating on disparate systems. Nationally, emergency equipment operability is becoming a priority.

So wouldn't it be great if you could access your radio system from a Smartphone? Or what if you were able to remotely create interoperable radio communications, enable basic dispatch functionality in remote locations, remotely control radios, or connect your phone into your radio system? Federal, state and local agencies with incompatible voice systems can communicate with a MOTOBRIDGE radio over IP interoperability solution.

The MOTOBRIDGE solution, by Motorola Solutions, enables you to add these capabilities and more to your existing analog, digital, conventional or trunked radio system.

Tags: Motorola Solutions, Wireless Communication, Interoperability

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Tom's Tech Talk #17: How to Troubleshoot Mobile Radios

WARNING: This article assumes you have an intermediate understanding of RF and two way radios.

Every so often you may experience a problem with your mobile radio, regardless of its manufacturer. I've heard one of our technicians once say “a radio is a radio; it transmits and it receives. I don’t care if it is Motorola, Johnson, Kenwood or Vertex.” It doesn't matter what type of radio you have because they all need the same basic components to work properly. Because of this, we can point out a few problems that typically occur among all mobile radios.

   In order to address a mobile radio problem you first need to know which part of the radio isn't working properly. Before we get to troubleshooting, let me define the pieces that make up a mobile two way radio:

Tags: Two Way Radios, Chicago Communications, Motorola Solutions, Tech Talk

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3 Trends Shaping the Future of Law Enforcement

Posted by Jill McNamara on Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Technologies in Next Generation Patrol Vehicles

Motorola Solutions has done more than 5 years of focused research, with hundreds of ride-a-longs, focus groups, simulations and usability studies to help understand the need for police cruisers to bring critical information together in an automatic and intuitive way. Research shows users want vehicle controls that are integrated and easy to use so that actions flow quickly and intuitively when responding to an incident.

Tags: Public Safety Communications, Motorola Solutions, Technology, Next Generation Public Safety

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