First EXPLORER 8100 VSAT demo unit to land in the US diverted to support emergency services following record-breaking rainfall and flooding in South Carolina
Orlando, Florida - Mobile
satellite communication technology developer Cobham SATCOM sprang
into action this October to provide a much needed communication
link for the American Red Cross and local first responders in the
aftermath of unprecedented rainfall and serious flooding in South
Carolina.
The company sent its Chevrolet Suburban demo unit, with a brand
new, cutting-edge EXPLORER 8100 VSAT satellite system installed to
provide high-speed broadband Internet and voice calling over
satellite. The system was a vital tool for organisations helping
flooding victims in South Carolina as it can provide flawless
communication even when terrestrial and cellular services are down,
as they were in many parts of South Carolina this month.
The record breaking rainfall, as much as 14 inches in 24 hours,
threw South Carolina into turmoil, closing over 300 roads and
causing the evacuation of residents in the worst hit areas. On
recognising the need for extra communication support in the region,
Cobham SATCOM Inc., the US arm of Denmark headquartered satcom
antenna specialist Cobham SATCOM, diverted its demonstration SUV,
just as it was leaving for an exhibition in Baltimore to show off
the very first EXPLORER 8100 VSAT system in the US.
Nick Upchurch, Sales Engineer at Cobham SATCOM Inc., said: "We
could see the situation developing in Carolina, and knew that our
products are used to support first responders and emergency
services all over the world in similar conditions, so after talking
with the American Red Cross, we decided the first outing for the
only EXPLORER 8100 VSAT in the country was going to be helping
people in a live situation, instead of the planned exhibition
trip.
"Our first two days in South Carolina were spent helping the Red
Cross at their temporary HQ. We then moved to Georgetown in Rural
South Carolina to provide communication facilities at the staging
point for fire-rescue, swift water rescue teams and Army National
Guard soldiers picking evacuees up in boats."
The EXPLORER 8100 VSAT is the most
advanced satellite antenna system available for installation on
vehicles. It is the only stabilized land-based VSAT antenna on the
market. It overcomes the challenge of transmission interruptions
when the vehicle experiences sudden movements or rocking on its
suspension when people enter and exit. 'Dynamic Pointing
Correction', which uses technology developed for Cobham SATCOM's
Maritime Antennas, ensures uninterrupted transmission to the
satellite when similar antennas would experience a loss of
signal.
"The system's core user-base is mobile news gathering and first
responders, and by helping the Red Cross and evacuation teams in
South Carolina this month, EXPLORER 8100 VSAT has been shown as a
versatile system for communication even in the harshest
conditions," adds Nick.
Cobham SATCOM's demo SUV was also equipped with an EXPLORER 727
system for use on Inmarsat satellites and a high-tech satellite
Push-to-Talk system that works just like a two- way radio, but
without the need for line of sight or repeater stations. Both
systems were used to support recovery operations in South Carolina.
Cobham SATCOM's EXPLORER 710 system also played a vital role, as it
is the standard form of communication for the FEMA Urban Search and
Rescue teams, which have also been deployed in South Carolina.
The scale of the flooding has led to President Barack Obama
signing a disaster declaration for the State of South Carolina,
with federal aid to supplement state, tribal and local recovery
efforts in support of the affected populations.
About Cobham SATCOM
Providing dependable communications and internet access
anywhere under the most demanding conditions.
Our satellite and radio communication terminals perform in the
most challenging and remote environments on land, at sea and in the
air.
We design and manufacture these high performance products under
the AVIATOR, EXPLORER, SAILOR and Sea Tel brands providing
customers with outstanding performance, value and support through
our global sales and service network.
About Cobham
The most important thing we build is trust.
Cobham offers an innovative range of technologies and services
to solve challenging problems across commercial, defence and
security markets, from deep space to the depths of the ocean.
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Contacts:
Cobham SATCOM
Morten Rishoej
Market Development Manager
Land Mobile Business Unit
+45 39 55 83 97
morten.rishoj@cobham.com
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