BDBOS Tests TETRA Network at Sea

In August 2017, BDBOS, with the support of the Federal Network Agency and the Federal Police, concluded a campaign: "Measuring the 12-mile-mile zone" along the maritime borders of the Federal Republic of Germany was finalized. The aim of the measurements was to determine the quality of radio transmission of the BOS digital TETRA network in the North Sea as well as in the Baltic Sea.

During the activities, staff had taken a total of 2,000 nautical miles since November 2015 and recorded data in a total of approximately 90 working hours. During this period, team members of BDBOS and the Federal Network Agency's became members of the crew of the Federal Police and received insights over a period of several weeks.

The teams recorded radio data on board of class P60 ships. When mounting the receiving and transmitting antennas on the 66-meter-long ships, they were keen to ensure the most realistic reception conditions possible. It was thus possible for them to make practical use of the use of the BOS digital radio network by the police officers of the Federal Police.

The measurement technicians installed the measuring instruments on the main deck to ensure the best possible data collection. For this purpose, they first had to lay several 20-meter high-frequency cables along the side of the landing stage. For the attachment of the antennas, the measurement teams use special brackets in order to carry out measurements even under adverse weather conditions. A highly modern network scanner, radio device and a spectrum analyzer had to be fixed in a seaworthy way.

The measurement results

The data obtained with the measurement campaign are used to optimize the BOS digital TETRA radio network. The comprehensive measurement data, e.g. the speech quality, the cell-switching behavior of the terminal and the field strength will be analyzed in the next months and compared with the guidelines of the radio network planning.

Possible weaknesses in the radio network can thus be identified and corrected. In this way, the means of deployment of forces at sea, such as the coast guard, maritime police and customs, are constantly being further improved.

Picture: Courtesey of BDBOS