Ground Control To Open New Office In Las Vegas, Nevada.
Ground Control will be opening a full service facility near the Las Vegas airport by the end of March 2013. Our line of satellite equipment will be available for demonstration as well as a support staff for technical issues in and out of the region.
VSAT Solar Outage on March 4th, and 5th 2013
Twice a year our VSAT teleports experience a 3 minute solar outage when the sun is directly behind the geostationary satellites. During the time when both the satellite and the Sun are in the ground station's field of view, the energy from the Sun can overpower the signal from the satellite. It is this loss or degradation of data traffic from the satellite that is referred to as sun fade, sun transit or sun outage. Below are the predicted outage start times for two of our satellites.
Galaxy 18 - March 4th at 12:22 PM Pacific Standard Time for 3 minutes
Galaxy 18 - March 5th at 12:23 PM Pacific Standard Time for 1 minute
AMC 9 - March 4th at 10:12 AM Pacific Standard Time for 3 minutes
Ground Control Introduces the Toughsat TS2 ACU Controller
With Dual Matrix Service
Our next generation of mobile satellite ACU (Antenna Control Unit) for our Toughsat XP and SP systems will be available in January of 2013. The new ACU provides a unique dual satellite service dubbed "Dual Matrix" where one of two satellites may be chosen at any time with the same service plan. Excellent for redundant communication requirements. Visit the Dual Matrix blog.
Visit Ground Control at the International Disaster Conference and Expo
January 8 - 10, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana
Ground Control will be in booth #556 at the IDCE Expo Fall seminar located at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Link.
For information about the IDCE Expo please visit:
http://www.internationaldisasterconference.com/
Ground Control will be introducing powerful new technologies for our Toughsat line of mobile satellite systems used by 100's of emergency organizations throughout North America and the world.
The IDCE2013 Exposition Floor will displaying cutting edge tools, equipment, machinery, supplies, resources, technology, and services. From T.H.O.R. (a 100' x 80' mobil command unit) to helicopters, emergency fuel trucks, temporary housing, portable hospitals and more, the IDCE2013 exposition floor should not be missed.
IsatPhone Pro Mandatory Firmware Upgrade
The IsatPhone Pro upgrade 5.2.0 is a mandatory upgrade due to an enhancement made over the network and ground stations. All phones must have the new firmware installed by June 30, 2013. After this date, users may experience problems connecting to the Inmarsat Network The new upgrade will allow for more efficient network utilization, as well as make the IsatPhone Pro the only satellite phone on the market to offer full twitter integration.
Link to updating the IsatPhone Firmware at Inmarsat
Commercial communications satellites are geostationary and therefore have orbits that lie in the equatorial plane. During the spring and fall equinoxes, the Sun also passes through this plane. As seen from the ground, the Sun seems to pass behind the satellites once per day. During the time when both the satellite and the Sun are in the ground station's field of view, the energy from the Sun can overpower the signal from the satellite. It is this loss or degradation of communications traffic from the satellite that is referred to as sun fade, sun transit or sun outage.
The exact point at which sun outage begins and ends is difficult to determine as it is a gradual transition. Also, due to the many differences in ground station equipment, some stations may experience a complete loss of signal while others may only experience a tolerable degradation of signal.
It is important to note that our hub will be affected during the following times:
07-Oct-2012 19:58 GMT (11:58 PST) 3 minutes
08-Oct-2012 19:58 GMT (11:58 PST) 2 minutes
List of Cities and Predicted Solar Outage Schedual
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Ground Control Partner, Quantum Research Int'l, provides support following the Alabama Tornado Disaster. |
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 will forever hold a place in Alabama history as the day one of the worst, if not the worst, tornado outbreaks ripped across the state. Cities and rural areas from as far south as Tuscaloosa all the way to the Tennessee state line suffered extensive property damage and 236 deaths. More.
Visit Ground Control at the EMS World Expo in Las Vegas
August 29 - Sept 2, 2011
Visit Ground Control at booth #1109 at the EMSWorld Expo/Firehouse Central at the Las Vegas Convention Center http://emsworldexpo.com/index.html
We will be showcasing our T-100 Satellite Communications Trailer and our popular Toughsat Flyaway Antenna, as well as information on our Premium Satellite iDirect Network Service specifically taylored for Emergency organizations.
EMS World is the largest EMS show in North America - a national show that travels around the country. This show attracts EMT’s, paramedics, firefighters, fire chiefs, ambulance companies, law enforcement, military, HazMat, rescue squad, and many other classes of first responders.
For the 6th year in a row, Firehouse Central will be featured along with EMS World Expo, bringing an additional 1000 fire & emergency services professionals to the convention center. And now for the 3rd year, the law enforcement segment of public safety will participate through the Enforcement Expo occurring in the same hall.
New BGAN Service Rates
Ground Control has recently lowered our service pricing for our BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network) network. We've cut prices over 25% to be some of the lowest service rates on the Internet. More informaiton on BGAN and BGAN services.
Inmarsat/Ground Control Launch New Satellite Phone Service
Inmarsat has been a leader in Global Internet and Phone for years, but until June of 2010, they never created a handheld satellite telephone to compete with the handheld low-earth orbit satellite phones from Iridium. Their new phone the IsatPhone Pro is not only about the third of the price ($595 per phone) but the service rates per minute are significantly less than Iridium.
The best part about the IsatPhone Pro that does not seem to get a lot of press coverage is the fact the phone connects with a Geo-stationary satellite that is a fixed location in the sky.
Unlike Iridium with moving satellites, and coverage that is sometimes hit or miss, the Inmarsat satellites once connected will not drop the call because the satellite is not moving.
More information on the IsatPhone Pro Satellite Phone
Test Your Iridium Satellite Phone
Before an emergency strikes, test your satellite phone to make sure it functions properly. In fact, we highly recommend testing your phone on a regular basis to stay prepared.
Testing Your Satellite Phone is Easy!
Simply call 00-1-480-752-5105
Successful callers will hear a recorded message confirming the call was completed with quick tips on proper handset use. Please note that while this call is free for Iridium customers, there may be a charge for customers using other satellite networks.
For more information, please visit www.testyoursatellitephone.com
Ground Control Exhibits at IWCE
Las Vegas
March 10-12
Come visit Ground Control at this year’s IWCE show in Las Vegas – March 10-12, 2010 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. We will be showcasing our TripleA Auto Acquire Antenna along with our service partners to demonstrate our live video capabilities over our network. We will be located outside the main entrance to the Convention Center. If you would like to schedule an appointment, please contact us at sales@groundcontrol.com.
IWCE is the pre-eminent convergent communications systems event for the working world. You will be able to network with partners and peers, while collaborating with industry thought leaders in an educational environment that provides new insight into how to do your job more effectively.
More info on IWCE
Ground Control Exhibits at Texas DHS Conference
San Antonio, Texas
February 15-18
The 2010 Texas Homeland Security Conference will be held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio February 15-18. The conference is sponsored by the Texas Division of Emergency Management, Texas Department of Public Safety.
Ground Control will be exhibiting, showcasing our flagship mobile, the Toughsat XP, in a 3-piece Flyaway with optional Fly-And-Drive mounting. CEO Jeff Staples and Sales Manager PL “Oje” Ojeda will be at booth #902, during regular exhibit hours. Attendees are encouraged to stop by to discuss their equipment and connectivity needs. To schedule an appointment, contact Oje at 1-805-783-4610 or p.ojeda@groundcontrol.com
Attendees include more than 5,000 representatives of law enforcement, border security and port security, transportation and cyber security, as well as firefighters, emergency medical personnel, Texas Military Forces, voluntary organizations and private sector partners. Attendees also include officials from higher education, public education, health and medical care and public officials from the local, state and national governments. Representatives of more than 30 state agencies on the Governor’s Emergency Management Council and federal officials also will attend. More
Streaming VSAT Services
Ground Control provides daily streaming services for live broadcasting for news or other live events. VSAT Satellite systems are a cost effective way to guarantee a live signal from no matter the location of the event... more
Ground Control Systems, Inc., Awarded Oregon Satellite Contract
ATASCADERO, CA, – Ground Control Systems, Inc., a leading satellite internet and phone provider, has been awarded a contract from the State of Oregon to provide Satellite Services... more
Rogue Pictures Stays Connected with Ground Control
The Ground Control TOUGHSAT is keeping the Rogue Team in touch and online as they tour the United States on and off the grid. Rogue’s requirements for passengers and visitors is to be able to upload video, surf the web and stay connected prompted... more
Using the Sailor 250 Satellite Systems at TDI-Brooks International
Ground Control Systems and strategic partner GeoData Publishers, Inc. have teamed together to provide TDI- Brooks International (TDI-BI) with state of the art communications at sea with Inmarsat’s Fleet BroadBand network... more |
