Skycasters sales and marketing team joined together this week to attend the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, TX! At this show we had the opportunity to meet with 2,700 exhibiting companies from over 110
different countries in offshore resources that specialize in drilling, exploration, production, and environmental protection.
OTC provides Skycasters with the access to leading-edge technical information, the industry’s largest equipment exhibition, and valuable new professional contacts. Communication is vital to these offshore industries like subsea exploration and mining, safety and environmental management systems, deep-water well construction and project management. It is important for us to get our products and services known and recognized in these industries, so they can begin and continue to lean on us to help them complete their dally business routines.

Skycasters has been selected as a 2013 Leading EDGE Honored Company, and will be joining an elite group of mid-sized companies in Northeast Ohio.

Now in its seventh year, The Leading EDGE seeks out great companies who feel are deserving of recognition for the value they contribute to their local community. Through spin-off businesses, meaningful job creation, civic engagement and spending with local vendors and driving a sustaining force of the local economy, Skycsters has landed this award.

Skycasters will be listed in the 2013 Leading EDGE Magazine which will be included in the June edition of the Smart Business Magazine. It is a great opportunity for Skycasters to be mentioned in EDGE, in order to expose the region to our company, who continues to add value in Northeast Ohio.

Congratulations to Skycasters!

The Skycasters’ Capability marketing brochure created by GMD Creative Group and printed by AGS Custom Graphics, Inc. took silver on Tuesday, April 23rd in the category for “Corporate Communications Four Colors or More”.

The award was presented by The Printing Industries of Ohio and Northern Kentucky.

Congratulations to our advertisers and printers!

Fifteen minutes. That’s all it took for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) to get up and running on the ground in southern Indiana on the evening of March 2. Earlier that day, tornadoes had ripped through the area, causing widespread devastation, property loss and crippling communications failures.

IDHS rolled into the small town of Henryville in the early evening hours that same day with its 35-foot incident response vehicle (IRV) equipped with a Skycasters VSAT (very small aperture terminal) System. Roughly 15 minutes later, the first responders in the area had phone and data connectivity where none would exist for another two or three days through conventional ground-based communication methods.

Soon thereafter, IDHS held a videoconference with the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Indianapolis and began feeding video, photos and firsthand accounts of the destruction back to the command center. The process of rebuilding shattered lives was well underway in about the time it takes to eat dinner at your local fast food establishment.

A second portable unit was dispatched to Clark County’s temporary EOC, and lines of communication were quickly established for the emergency crews working in that area as well.

Amazingly, the only training for most of the personnel involved in the operation came in a planned IDHS exercise earlier that very same day. That ease of use gives new meaning to the term “user friendly.”

None of this technology may have been available to IDHS were it not for the flooding that took place in the state in the spring of 2008. Due to damage to the existing communications network, IDHS responders on the ground were unable to communicate back to the EOC.

Fortuitously, the solution was already in place in a location you’d least expect: the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. At the urging of the Indiana Office of Technology (IOT), the BMV had purchased a Skycasters portable system to establish a secure link back to the main office as a means of processing registration and licenses at remote locations.

In June of 2008, that same technology was put into play at a Homeland Security exercise in which 15 IP phones and 35 laptops were connected flawlessly via a Skycasters VSAT system. Then, in 2011, IDHS utilized its 53-foot mobile command center (MCC) to provide surveillance as part of the security plan implemented for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Final Four held at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Just this past February, the MCC was put in place at a remote location to effectively relocate the EOC during Super Bowl XLVI. Due to the fact that the state government campus location is just a mere two blocks from the stadium, it was deemed necessary to “move” the EOC as part of the preparedness plans should an attack occur at the stadium.

These successful deployments gave IDHS the confidence that its Skycasters based communications solution would stand up in any number of difficult situations. Little did they know, it would be put to the test less than a month later in tornado-ravaged southern Indiana.

Luckily for the residents of Henryville and other locales, help came from the same sky that just hours earlier had turned day into night and spawned the devastating funnel clouds. Help came in the form of the first responders who were able to communicate quickly and effectively in no small part due to the technology provided to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security by Skycasters.

Today’s advanced monitoring technologies allow business, industry, and government to control remote site operations from a centralized location using broadband Internet. These systems require consistent download and upload speeds to provide the information needed to ensure proper functioning. But when the Internet connection is lost, service is interrupted, which can disrupt functions and compromise safety.

That is why more and more users are turning to satellite Internet to optimize SCADA and Smart Grid operations. Unlike land-based communications systems that are vulnerable to local infrastructure failures, satellite Internet is independent of landlines. Headquarters stays connected with their remote sites, despite weather, disaster, or line failure, guaranteeing a connection that terrestrial ISPs (Internet Service Providers) cannot. More importantly, satellite Internet allows companies to keep their entire infrastructure on a single network, which means that changes to the infrastructure can be made by just one management system.

Satellite Internet also offers more flexibility. With portable, stationary, and mobile options, an Internet connection can be set up anywhere, even in remote locations where SCADA systems and smart grids operate. Some portable and mobile units can be set up in under 10 minutes, providing reliable narrowband and broadband Internet wherever and whenever it is needed.

Not only does satellite Internet go anywhere, but it allows data transfer to be done anywhere. Users can stream video, make a phone call using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology, and fax, all at the same time, for optimum productivity and profitability.

Many of us associate SOHO with the hip area of New York City known for the latest trends in art and food. But in the world of business, SOHO stands for small office/home office and it’s a trend in home-based businesses that in some parts of the world is even known as s lifestyle.

Take the Scotts Tower in Singapore for example. It’s a 231-unit SOHO-style apartment property that combines the convenience and facilities of office space with the privacy and functionality of residential living, featuring shared concierge service and WiFi-enabled meeting “pods.”

Working from home used to be associated with cottage industries that focused on manufacturing. But thanks to today’s technology and applications like the Web, email, e-commerce, videoconferencing and VoIP, a service-based business can operate out of a residence and deliver the same high level of professionalism as another business located in a traditional office setting.

Key to delivering professional service is operating on a SOHO network that uses an Internet connection to power everything an office needs including computers, printers and even phones using VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) technology.

It may be very tempting for SOHO professionals to tap into their residential Internet service provider (ISP) to support their small office/home office network—relying on a standard router they picked up at a big box store. The problem is, an ISP like that usually only offers service and products that are made for delivering entertainment, not for supporting the suite of IP protocols necessary to run a business.

For Internet service that’s designed for doing business, business-grade satellite Internet delivers the speed and reliability needed to operate all of the latest business applications. While it used to be considered an expensive option, it has come down in price significantly so it’s growing as a popular choice among businesses and agencies.

Probably the biggest benefit is reliability. Land-based communications networks reply on local infrastructures to deliver service. When there is a natural or manmade disaster and service goes down, it stops business from getting done—plus, there’s no telling when service will be re-established. In addition, business-grade products are made for that just that—doing business. Therefore, they provide the speed, durability and functions needed to support a SOHO network.

Business-grade satellite is also faster for uploading and downloading, which is important for data transfers and video streaming. And unlike consumer-grade ISPs, business-grade satellite Internet service is customizable—no one-size-fits all plan.

If privacy is a concern, an ISP can offer encrypted links that provide security using a VPN (virtual private network) while maintaining speed and performance.

In January 2009, the state of Kentucky was hit by a devastating storm that crippled the state’s communications infrastructure for weeks. Trees and freezing rain damaged power lines and resulted in the state’s largest power outage on record. According to Drew Chandler the IT Communicatiions Manager with The Kentucky Department for Public Health, the loss of ability to communicate compromised the state’s critical systems and impaired the ability of public health and medical response teams to respond with emergency services

http://chfs.ky.gov/dph/info/phps/

The department knew redundancy was going to be key to making sure history doesn’t repeat itself and set an overall communication goal to create multiple layers of redundancy. Recognizing satellite Internet service was the best vehicle to accomplish that goal, the department set out to find an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

As a public entity, the state is required to review proposals from multiple providers. However, we’re pleased to say they ultimately chose Skycasters as the ISP with the best solutions to ensure the state could maintain its communications networks. When asked why they specifically chose us among all of the ISPs being considered, Chandler says it was clear from the onset that Skycasters was eager to get to know the department’s specific needs. One of those needs was to support teams as they are deployed to disaster situations.

The department needed to keep public health and medical responders connected to critical systems, no matter where a crisis would take them. To give them the flexibility they needed, even in the most remote locations, the department went with a mobile VSAT solution from Skycasters. The VSAT connection provides sufficient bandwidth so that an entire team can have access to email, WebEOC, the Health Alert Network, providing access to a variety of media resources, as well as the ability to use the Internet as a phone line with VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology.

Chandler also said he was impressed by how much information we provided him, both on the phone and our website, to answer his questions. But what stood out the most is that when a site visit was proposed, it wasn’t just an option to visit, we actually encouraged him to come out and see the teleport and network operations center (NOC) in person. We’re glad that stood out to him because we’re especially proud of our state-of-the-art facility in Akron. We love to show it off any chance we can and welcome anyone to call us for a tour to see all of the careful planning and engineering that goes in to providing the very best in satellite Internet service.

The department was especially pleased with the service Skycasters offers. When there was a tornado outbreak in March 2012 and they quickly realized that their satellite connection could also be used to restore communications. A sister agency of the department lost use of their facility and had to relocate their operations to a temporary location. With all of the infrastructure damage, they were cut off from communications. However, the agency was able to tap into the Skycasters connection and used it for nearly three weeks to provide essential community services to residents.

We realize the critical role our service plays in providing essential services to people in need. And, in some cases, even saving lives. We appreciate the trust the Kentucky Department for Public Health placed in us by selecting Skycasters as their satellite Internet provider.

Skycasters sales and marketing team have converged together this week to attend Satellite 2013 conference and tradeshow in Washington D.C.! At this show we have the opportunity to meet with thousands of communications professionals and explore all of the next generation products and technology in the satellite community. After talking with these experts, leaders and veterans from the field, hopefully we come back with more solutions to fix the challenges we face today! To learn more about this show click here.

Because the FCC routinely interviews employees to ensure regulation compliance, and will shut down satellite Internet service providers that do not exhibit regulation compliance and RF safety procedures, there are certain things that you must know prior to installation or maintenance of communication equipment. Read on to learn the most important things you must know for satellite Internet service installation.

The most important things to know are FCC regulations compliance, how to avoid radiofrequency (RF) exposure, and RF radiation warning signs.

FCC Regulations Compliance
According to the FCC, the most important use for RF energy is in providing telecommunications services. It has been known for many years that exposure to very high levels of RF radiation can be harmful, due to the ability of RF energy to heat biological tissue rapidly (this is the principle by which microwave ovens cook food). While some studies have also examined the possibility of a link between RF exposure and cancer, results to date have been inconclusive.

Exposure standards for RF energy have been developed by various organizations and countries. These standards recommend safe levels of exposure for both the general public and for workers. In the United States, although the Federal Government has never itself developed RF exposure standards, the FCC has adopted and used recognized safety guidelines for evaluating RF environmental exposure since 1985.

The FCC guidelines for human exposure to RF electromagnetic fields were derived from the recommendations of two expert organizations, the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Both the NCRP exposure criteria and the IEEE standard were developed by expert scientists and engineers after extensive reviews of the scientific literature related to RF biological effects. The exposure guidelines are based on thresholds for known adverse effects, and they incorporate prudent margins of safety.

The NCRP and ANSI/IEEE exposure criteria and most other standards specify “time-averaged” maximum permissible exposure (MPE) limits. This means that it is permissible to exceed the recommended limits for short periods of time as long as the average exposure (over the appropriate period specified) does not exceed the limit.

The FCC limits for occupational/controlled exposure are as follows:
• Frequency: 0.3 – 3.0 MHz, Electric Field Strength: 614 V/m, Magnetic Field Strength: 1.63 A/m, Power Density: 100 mW/cm2, Averaging time: 6 minutes
• Frequency: 3.0 – 30 MHz, Electric Field Strength: 1842/f V/m, Magnetic Field Strength: 4.89/f A/m, Power Density: (900/f2) mW/cm2, Averaging time: 6 minutes
• Frequency: 30 – 300 MHz, Electric Field Strength: 61.4 V/m, Magnetic Field Strength: 0.163 A/m, Power Density: 1.0 mW/cm2, Averaging time: 6 minutes
• Frequency: 300 – 1500 MHz, Power Density: f/300, Averaging time: 6 minutes
• Frequency: 1500 – 100,000 MHz, Power Density: 5, Averaging time: 6 minutes

How to Avoid RF Exposure
The best ways to avoid RF exposure are:
• Know where the danger is
• Limit your time in the area
• Keep your distance from the presence of RF radiation
• De-energize the transmitter

RF Radiation Warning Signs

Radiofrequency warning or “alerting” signs should be used to provide information on the presence of RF radiation or to control exposure to RF radiation within a given area. When signs are used, meaningful information should be placed on the sign advising affected persons of:
(1) the nature of the potential hazard (i.e., high RF fields)
(2) how to avoid the potential hazard, and
(3) whom to contact for additional information

• A blue notice sign generally means: you are at the perimeter of an uncontrolled area
• A yellow caution sign generally means: you are at the perimeter of controlled limits
• An orange warning sign generally means: there is danger at the location/the location is in excess of peak limits; it identifies acute burn hazards
• A red danger sign generally means: there is danger at the location/the location is in excess of peak limits; it identifies acute burn hazards

We have surpassed the time of year when our teleport and our customers experienced a short solar outage. These solar outages are caused by radiation from the sun which over powers all signals when the sun is perfectly aligned with the satellite and receive antenna. The sun fade is affecting all satellite communications this week for a short period of time, C-band, KA-band, X-band, L-band and whatever else is up there communicating with the earth.