FEATURE

COMMUNICATIONS & TRACKING

TTE the key to LockheedMartin's MagneLink

CULMINATING years of development workborne from its background in waveformsand signal processing, Lockheed Martin hasunleashed to the industry its MagneLinkMCS through-the-earth wireless two-wayemergency communications system.

Work on the system, which receivedMSHA approval in July, initially commencedfollowing the 2006 Sago mine explosion inWest Virginia that killed a dozen workers.

A Lockheed Martin retiree took his ideaback to the company, and an engineer got towork on an intrinsically safe, wire-free andlow-power battery operated system, whichunderwent research and development withthe National Institute for Occupational Safetyand Health and, later, through successfultesting in 2009 and 20 I0 before market.

MagneLink earned a portion of its namefrom the magnetic technologies at the heart ofthe device, which have the ability to penetratedeep rock without the need for high levels ofpower. Lockheed Martin's Dr Dave LeVan,MagneLink MCS inventor, said that he chosea self-contained TIE wireless system overother popular technologies because of itsability to provide survivable voice and textcommunications independent of in-mineinfrastructure.

In fact, MagneLink provides not onlydigital voice and text but also beacon signal/

location, portability at the surface andtransportability within the mine.

The in-mine unit is housed in an MSHA-certified explosion proof enclosure, and thesurface unit is housed in a light weight, man-portable enclosure.

"The operational concept envisions atrapped miner activating the automaticbeacon signal and alerting responders ofan emergency and approximate miner'slocation," LeVan explained.

"To establish communication with thetrapped miners, responders would placethe surface unit in close proximity to thelocation of the transmitting in-mine unit.Once communications are established,the responders and trapped miners cancommunicate using digital voice or text,passing vital information such as the numberof survivors, injuries and mine conditions."

MagneLink can also be equipped tointerface with miner emergency radios topermit rapid communication with the surfacejust by switching to a pre-selected emergencychannel.

With the system's approval by MSHA inJuly, it has the distinction of being the firstand only through-the-earth two-way voiceand text-capable wireless communicationsystem approved by federal regulators.

In June, the Maryland-headquartered

The MagneUnk MCS system

company signed a distribution agreementwith Carroll Technologies Group forthe MagneLink MCS system. LockheedMartin will provide the technology andmanufacturing of MagneLink MCS andCarroll, through its two operating subsidiariesCarroll Engineering and Delta Electric, willbe the distributor, sales and service supplier.

"Lockheed Martin's technology, pairedwith Carroll Technologies Group's presenceand experience in the mining industry,provides trapped miners the means tocommunicate with rescuers when no otherform of contact is possible," Lockheed Martinmission and unmanned systems business vicepresident Richard Holmberg said.

"It's gratifying to apply our advancedcommunications and signal processingexpertise in a new way to save lives." I!!D

Through-the-earth interest going through the roofPENNSYLVANIA-based communicationssupplier Becker Wholesale Mine Supplyhas brought onboard through-the-earthcommunications technology through itspartnership with Vital Alert Communication.

The deal, finalized in April and announcedin September, makes BWMS exclusivemaster distributor of the Vital Alert CIOOOTIE communications system to the NorthAmerican mining industry.

Vital Alert's TIE design, intended to bea cost-effective back-up to leaky feeder andwireless mesh communications systems,does not depend on line of sight for effectiveoperations and negates the need for numerouswireless access points and repeaters.

CoalUSA I December 2011

Also, because the easily-placed wirelessdesign has absolutely no expensive cablesto install or maintain, the CIOOO can workwith and extend the reach of existingcommunications and warning systems ineven the most complex and hard-to-reachareas - such as a drill face - where leakyfeeder systems do not exist.

"Part of what makes the CIOOO reallyuseful for the min ing and tunneling industriesis its flexibility," Vital Alert marketing andtechnical sales vice president Sandi Jonessaid.

"Instead of locking you into a specificconnection method, the C1000 offers a solidlink that can interconnect with many proven

mining and tunnel communications productsboth above and below ground."

Both chat and voice functions cansuccessfully be achieved via directly-connected headsets with Ethernet, WiFi,RS485 and many other audio and data options."You can also connect your existing two-way radio, RFID personnel and equipmenttracking, gas and environmental sensors andmore to the C1000, extending those solutionsinto areas currently unserved by traditionalline-of-sight or wired connections andconnecting them in real time to above-groundapplications," Jones added.

The system bas IEC 60950 approval and isundergoing MSHA certification.

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