ARCIA Professional Development Training Workshop is a separate stream and will be running concurrently with the Comms Connect program. Workshops can be booked separate or as a 1 day package.

ARCIA Professional Development Training — Mapping and GIS fundamentals for communications systems

GIS and mapping is a science. So it is therefore very understandable why it can be so confusing in its application within radio communications. Most modern day radio management systems and GPS tracking applications are map based. This permits the GPS display of radio terminals along with other points of interest. Some of the most common questions asked of mapping and GIS consultants are;

• What maps can I display in my radio management system?
• My client wants to use Google maps; can they?
• What are the costs of mapping engines?
• My client wants to display their own points of interest on a mapping engine. How can they do this?
• What is a Tile Mapping Service (TMS) and how can it be customised?
• What free TMS are available?
• What aerial imagery format does my client require to generate a TMS?
• What is the difference between vector and raster data?
• How can I incorporate GPS information from my radio network into my own GIS server or mapping application?

If you have ever asked or been asked any of these questions then this workshop if for you! The “Mapping and GIS fundamentals for critical communications” workshop will examine all aspects of the requirements for mapping and GIS to help cater for you or your client’s needs.

The workshop will be facilitated by ARCIA and presented by Chris Stevens, Managing Director, CartGIS

Important note: These are industry accredited training sessions hosted by ARCIA as part of their Professional Development Training series. Attendees will be required to complete a workbook which will be collected at the end of the session for verification of the understanding of the training contents. The workbook will then be returned to the attendee together with a certificate of attendance and completion from ARCIA following the conference.

ARCIA Professional Development Training — Lightning protection and earthing for communications towers 

One of the serious issues facing all communications providers is the protection of sensitive equipment from power surges caused by electrical storms. This workshop will explain the causes and effects of lightning events, as well as outline the earthing requirements for communications towers and protection devices. Topics to be presented include:

• Is there such a thing as lightning protection?
• What exactly is lightning and what causes it?
• What mechanisms lead to the damage caused by a lightning strike?
• How to take control and mitigate this damage
• How to identify protected zones at a radio site
• Lightning strike waveform characteristics
• Calculation of typical tower voltages created by a lightning strike
• Lightning pulse characteristics in coaxial cables
• The use of lightning protection devices
• The importance of an adequate grounding system
• How to implement an adequate grounding system

The workshop addresses the common misconception that nothing can really be done to protect your sensitive radio equipment from the forces of Mother Nature. An understanding of the basic principles behind the nature of lightning events will show that it is in fact possible to mitigate the damage caused by a lightning strike through the use of appropriate protectors in conjunction with an adequate grounding system.

Important note: This workshop is a industry accredited training session hosted by ARCIA as part of their Professional Development Training series. Attendees will be required to complete a workbook which will be collected at the end of the session for verification of the understanding of the training contents. The workbook will then be returned to the attendee together with a certificate of attendance and completion from ARCIA following the conference.