U.S. FOREST SERVICE – RADIO REPEATER

Problem

Rangers and field personnel need functioning radio repeaters that boost weak signals over long distances. These sites are monitored by instrument telemetry, but the Forest Service wanted to manage their operating status spatially in an integrated dashboard through a web application.

USFS Builds Performance Monitoring and Geospatial Reporting Tool to Track Sites.

Solution

First GCS developed a process of collecting, transmitting, and importing instrument data into a database. Hourly records from multiple sources are compiled and analyzed in a standard database storage structure.  GCS then spatially enabled the database, created a web service that distributed “health” metrics derived from the data, and consumed the service in our web mapping application to display the health data spatially.

The US Forest Service application was built using Esri JavaScript API for ArcGIS, Esri ArcGIS for Server map services and Microsoft SQLServer database.

It included a map interface accessed through a browser, with data layers compiled from the real-time instrument data. The application provided up-to-date instrument statistics for each site and radio repeater unit at a site, along with historical data search and visual charting. Custom map layers generated on the fly from the most recent data show whether radio repeaters were healthy (green) or unhealthy (red) according to the most recent metrics.

GCS enhanced the system with four user levels, an enhanced dashboard with quick searches, savable bookmarks, favorites list, map tips, and additional map layers. An administrative interface offers control functions such as enable/disable repeater locations and define alerts.

The system supports mobile devices and optimizes FTP access and the data import process for new repeaters.

GCS enhanced the system with four user levels, an enhanced dashboard with quick searches, savable bookmarks, favorites list, map tips, and additional map layers. An administrative interface offers control functions such as enable/disable repeater locations and define alerts.