Credit: NIST
NIST electronics engineer Hien Nguyen sets up test equipment to make cellular signal measurements, while NIST computer science intern Josh Hamel prepares to take a walk to measure signal strength and coverage characteristics.
The high plateaus of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, known for panoramic vistas, wildlife, old gold mines and sports of all kinds, are attracting new pioneers: engineers working to improve emergency communications.
First responders face many communications challenges, including a lack of cell towers in uninhabited places and incompatible equipment. Public safety agencies need to find ways to share voice, text, instant messages, video and data reliably while responding to wildland fires and other emergencies.
Researchers with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate, are mounting miniature mobile communications networks on pickup trucks and unmanned aerial systems to measure signal strength and coverage in mountain areas lacking wireless infrastructure.
The NIST experiments on federal land near Gypsum, a few hours’ drive west of Denver, showed that mobile networks still leave a lot to be desired. Initial experiments with ground-based systems indicated poor coverage in areas with rough terrain — hills and valleys — but airborne systems provided better coverage.
“Results so far from the test site have confirmed some of our expectations and identified several performance issues that were not evident in the lab,” said electronics engineer Samuel Ray of NIST’s Public Safety Communications Research Division.
“The terrain makes it difficult to provide coverage, especially at the frequencies required for cellular systems,” Ray added. “Responding agencies may also encounter forested areas or urban settings with structures. All of these factors affect coverage, increasing the need for elevating the communications platfor ..
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