Communication is key to any workplace, and especially in mines where the operating environment can be quite harsh.
Underground tunnelling requires workers to be able to communicate with one another, especially in case of major incidents or accidents. This is where underground mine radio systems are crucial.
A sophisticated workplace communication system increases efficiency and productivity. Becker Communications offers a variety of portable underground radios and radio systems from Motorola and Kenwood, as well stationary leaky feed systems.
Becker Communications provides solutions to North America’s 800+ mines. They are supported 24/7 by Carroll’s MinerCare team.
Portable Underground Mining Radios
Kenwood manufactures and supplies both analog and digital portable mine radios. These radios are built to withstand the harsh conditions in a mine, and allow for instant communication between units. The ATEX-certified devices can be used in all areas of mining operations around the globe. They are protected against dust, gas and other hazards.
These radios can be easily transported and have a long battery life. The NEXEDGE(r), on the other hand, has GPS capability.
Motorola also offers a range of two-way radio solutions, the MOTOTRBO series. These range from simple voice-only models to data-rich voice radios with data and feature-rich voices. These accessories are designed to optimize the performance of your device. They have also been subject to Accelerated Life Testing (ALT), to ensure that they can withstand five years of field usage.
Stationary Mine Communication Systems
A leaky feeder system is a reliable and secure way to communicate underground and aboveground with a mine facility. Becker Communications offers the PB2 112 Pages Boss Phone. This is a two-way radio that can be used with pager-type systems. It can also be integrated into leaky feeder systems.
Leaky feeder systems are more reliable than traditional wired telephone systems and can be integrated into tracking and monitoring technologies for a complete solution to daily mining communication.
This system uses a cable to run through a mine. It acts as an antenna that allows a variety of devices to pick-up a radio signal. Radio devices don’t have to communicate over long distances with one another, which may be impossible or not practical. Instead, they can communicate with the cable. The antenna can be used to connect workers ten miles below the ground with colleagues ten miles above the ground.
This post was written by Justin Tidd, Director at Becker Mining Communications! For over 15 years, Becker Communications has been the industry’s leader in radio communication in tunnels and electrical mining communication systems. As they expanded into surface mining, railroads, and tunneling they added wireless communication systems, handheld radios, tagging and tracking systems, as well as gas monitoring.
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