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Communication Department Brings Outside-the-Box Thinking Inside

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100831-24
8/31/2010

By Chief Mass Communication Specialist Jesse Sherwin, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 Public Affairs

FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, Calif. (NNS) -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3's Communication Department, (S-6) created and field-tested a new way to deploy an antenna (Ant) farm and tactical data network (TDN) in a contingency environment Aug. 11.

The test was to modify two TRICON's in order to create a mobile communication suite that includes shelves, climate control and pre-wired communication systems in order to allow for quicker and easier camp communication set up. A TRICON is an 8'x8'x6.5' metal box typically used for transporting materials.

"This is an Ant farm in a box," said Electronics Technician 1st Class (SW) Gregory Bonnichsen, S-6 department's lead designer for the project. "It has six VHF voice circuits, one UHF data circuit and a switchboard prewired to a junction."

The concept was to allow operators and technicians to drop off the modified TRICON boxes, open the doors, set up antennas, run cables and start operating.

"We wanted to keep all of the equipment level and minimize trip hazards in the Ant farm," said Chief Information Systems Technician (SW/AW) Tim Crockett, NMCB 3's Communication Chief. "In the communications world we have these COM (communications) vans. These vans have UHF, VHF, SATCOM (satellite communications) and air conditioning all in one unit. The attempt was to emulate that.

According to Bonnichsen, the benefit of this set up is that it not only reduces set up time to start operating, but it bypasses much of the delay associated with setting up a traditional ant farm and TDN.

NMCB 3 is part of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command's warfighting support element, providing construction operations and security in support of overseas contingency operations.