The Sussex County Mobile Command Unit

 

   If you’ve ever helped out with one of our Sussex County DE AUXCOMM events or exercises (and we certainly appreciate it if you did!) then you may have had occasions to communicate back to the Mobile Command Unit (MCU) from the field while never actually seeing the unit at the other end of the conversation.

 

If so, then it’s time you had an opportunity to to take a brief tour.

 

The MCU was placed into service in 2018. This 42-foot long “industrial strength” RV-like vehicle is designed and equipped to provide on-scene incident management and coordination for public safety and emergency management personnel including multiple dispatch positions equipped with all of the telephone, radio, and computer resources necessary to support e-911
dispatch operations from a field location.

 

Included in the many capabilities of this
specialized vehicle is a dispatch position
equipped for AUXCOMM operations with
communications gear to support
operations on HF, FM, C4FM, with voice
and data. In addition to amateur radio
equipment, the position is also equipped
with public safety communications,
telephone and computer resources.

 

A closer view of the operating  position shows the radio control units   including a Kenwood D710 and Yaesu FTM-400 for 2m/70cm amateur-band  communications, and Motorola FM  and digital trunked radios to coordinate on Public Safety frequencies.  

 

 

 

 

HF communications are handled by a Yaesu FT-991A. No, the image isn’t sideways… the  radio is mounted onto the wall above the console.  

 

 

 

An HF “screwdriver” antenna with remote tuning and tilt-over mount  installed on the roof of the MCU near the front provides the “air-coupling”  forcommunications on the 80-10m  

bands. 2m/70cm antennas are mounted on the roof and atop the telescoping mast. 

We hope to see (or at least hear) you at future AUXCOMM events. The MCU will  be on display at Sussex County 9-1-1 Awareness Day scheduled to return this year on September 11th at the Public Safety Center in Georgetown.

 

Stay tuned for  more information. 73’s  

Bill, N3ID 

Images are courtesy of the Sussex County DE website and Norm Stein KB3OLX, and you can see  more of them via the following links…  

 

https://sussexcountyde.gov/emergency-mobile-command-post  

https://sussexcountyraces.com/photo-gallery/wppaspec/oc1/lnen/cv0/ab27