A communications solution tailored to each operation

Outback Communications developed the solution site by site, matching the communications setup to each operating environment.

The Christchurch Gondola uses six Tait TP9310 portable radios through a dedicated repeater at the top station, while the trams and punts operate on the shared Nexus DMR Tier 3 network. Set up by Outback Communications and other South Island communications dealers, the network provides a mixture of UHF and VHF coverage through more than 65 sites extending across the island, making it the largest Tait VHF DMR Tier 3 commercial network on the South Island. 

Connecting the Christchurch Tram and Punting on the Avon to the Nexus network replaced patchy, single-channel communications with structured coverage across the operation, without the cost and complexity of standing up dedicated infrastructure. Just as important, Outback Communications used the Tier 3 system to build several operational functions directly into the radios, making them a practical tool for safety and control.

Key elements of the solution included: 

• Increased coverage via the shared Nexus Tier 3 network

• Five to six talk groups, adding considerable capacity compared with the previous single analog channel

• Logic Connect integration for tram, punt, and host teams, providing GPS tracking, emergency reporting, and staff welfare monitoring

• Operational controls built into the radios using status messaging with an emergency key that shuts down power to the tram line so all trams on the circuit stop, plus function keys that control track points and tram lights

• A radio-as-a-service model for some areas of the business, giving them greater flexibility to lease hardware and airtime