Communications Trailer

 

Gwinnett ARES Communications Trailer Equipment and Features

Trailer Specifications

  • Horton 8’ x 16’ V-Nose trailer with dual axles and electric brakes
  • Roof mounted HVAC and vent units
  • Side entry door to operating areas and dual rear doors for equipment storage area
  • Configured for main operating area, rear equipment storage and front management, meeting area

Power System

  • Honda 3000W Inverter generator that will run all radios, lights, battery chargers and cooling/heating systems (additional 3000 and 6500 watt generators available).
  • 135 Ah 12 VDC AGM battery system (to be updated to LiFePO4 230 Ah)
  • Three bank multiprocessor-based battery charging system
  • 12VDC power distribution system supplying power to all radio, network and LED lighting systems

 Equipment

  • Yaesu FT-450R 160m-6m 100W HF Transceiver with LDG YT-100 Tuner
  • Icom ID-5100 VHF/UHF Analog/D-Star Transceiver
  • Yaesu FTM-400DR VHF/UHF/System Fusion Transceiver
  • Motorola XPR-4550 UHF DMR Transceiver
  • Yaesu FT-8800 VHF/UHF Analog Transceiver
  • Icom ID-1 1.2Ghz Transceiver with High Speed D-Star Data
  • Kenwood TM-V708 VHF/UHF Analog Transceiver
  • Kantronics KPC-3+ TNC
  • AREDN (internal node – HAP 2, external node – 5Ghz Rocket) with connections for IP cameras and VOIP phones
  • SignaLink and DRA-50 USB sound card interfaces for digital modes
  • Dual Dell Windows 10 computers (i5 CPU, 16GB RAM, 256 GB SSD) with Dual 22” LED displays configured with software to access Winlink nodes, FLDIGI stations , D-RATS and packet BBSs. 
  • 2 LCD HDTVs for weather and local news

 Antennas

  • Roof grid system featuring four VHF/UHF, 1.2 GHz and 5GHz antennas with spare antenna positions
  • Antenna patch panel for flexible configuration
  • Expandable stacking mast system for HF and vertical antennas to 30’ height
  • Amplified HDTV antenna for weather and local news

 Equipment Usage

  • HF Transceivers are used for contacting stations for local, statewide, national and international.
  • VHF/UHF transceivers are used for accessing local repeaters or contacting stations over simplex.  They can be used with the KPC-3+ to access the Gwinnett digipeater network and Winlink RMS nodes
  • The ID-1 would be used to connect to the internet through a D-Star gateway using the high speed data mode or to connect point-to-point with another ID-1.
  • An Ethernet, telephone and video network runs throughout the vehicle with ports accessible on the outside for additional equipment or connection to other networks.
  • AREDN network can connect to other local nodes running IP cameras or VOIP phones.  It can also connect to distant AREDN nodes through directional antennas or an internet hotspot.