1st Qtr 2006 - Newsletter

Connecting With Customers

Satcom Direct's Connecting With Customers Conference, scheduled for Feb 22 - 24, 2006 in Orlando, Florida, offers an agenda packed with the latest in satellite communications information as well as plenty of opportunities for networking.

Scheduled presentations include Inmarsat and Iridium; Troubleshooting Satcom and Existing Services; BGAN Land Mobile/Maritime; Manufacturer Updates from EMS, Thrane & Thrane, Chelton, Rockwell Collins, Aircell and more.
Don't miss Thursday's top-level "Inmarsat 101� by Satcom Direct's own Ed Moren, former Airborne Communications Liaison for the 89th Operations Group, Andrews AFB Maryland. It's everything you ever wanted to know about Inmarsat, but were afraid to ask.

For more information about attending the conference, hotel accommodations or the recently updated agenda, please visit www.SatcomDirect.com/SDconference or call +1 321-777-3000.

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Satcom Solutions

Introduction

Some customers have reported unintended Swift64 data connections. This is especially prevalent in aircraft with wireless networks.

These types of connections are caused by applications running on computers interfaced with the aircraft's network. Many applications have become "Internet aware�, which means that these applications periodically check the Internet for updates including real time stock quoting software, anti-virus software, MSN messenger, ICQ, Yahoo messenger, Weatherbug, ESPN motion and similar programs that require Internet updates.

Solution

Disconnect computer network connection when not accessing Internet (choose one of the following)

1) Right click on the Network Connection (Local Area Connection) icon in your system tray and choose "Disable�.

2) With a wireless connection, disable by right clicking on the wireless card system tray icon

3) Remove network cable when not accessing the Internet

To reconnect the Swift64 data connection simply reestablish the connection and log on.

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Satcom Direct Success Story...

On Dec 20th, Satcom Direct Communications (SDC) received a call with the request to support contacting a customer's aircraft after a serious power issue caused the mission communications system to fail. This aircraft was supporting one of SDC's highest-level government customers.

SDC immediately began troubleshooting and isolating the problem they were experiencing trying to conduct ground-to-air calls. As SDC soon found, the airborne terminal was showing a clear cause of "Called AES cancel via R channel� which meant all ground-to-air priority calls were being rejected because of the mission communications configuration of the aircraft and the failed condition.

SDC quickly changed the priority of ground to air (GTA) calls via its exclusive "Operations Center" software and a GTA call to the aircraft was successful on the first attempt. The airborne operator who was conducting minimal mission support from the cockpit—not from his console — was briefed.

The SDC team's extensive experience and specialized knowledge helped bring the situation back under control...another Satcom Direct success...