http://www.tyr-solutions.com/communications-equipment/thuraya-satsleeve

We are pleased to say that we have added this new product to our number of technology solutions that we offer, therefore if you are interested in purchasing one or obtaining further information, please do let us know.

Firstly you have to consider what it is you want to achieve – a process we call requirement definition. Do you want to enable operators on the ground to have a navigation tool with fringe benefits of knowing where they are at the control centre or a bespoke, dedicated panic button that starts to track when activated as a safety tool? Or do you want to deliver a real time situational awareness tool to coordinate assets on the ground in a wide area and ensure they work together? Or do you simply want to ensure that your vehicles or aircraft are being run as environmentally efficiently as possible as a fleet and keeping your overheads to a minimum? Maybe you need to keep tabs on a high value asset from the warehouse to the drilling rig at the bottom of the ocean floor. The potential applications are endless, and our approach is to sit down with you and take the time to understand your business and potential requirement fully prior to offering any form of solution.

There is a huge range of technological solutions available depending on the application and planned use. Aircraft, vessels, people, assets in a warehouse, phones, vehicles – even underwater – there is pretty much a device or software solution to meet most tracking needs. It normally comes down to the following factors:

1. What you want to track
2. What you want to achieve by knowing where that asset is
3. Communications bearers available
4. Power sources
5. How often you want to ‘see’ the asset being tracked

These form the fundamental basis of any tracking consultation – once you get this right, the rest is on the right track to getting you the right solution.

TYR Solutions are pleased to provide you with the following overview relating to facilities and training areas available to our clients for 2012. This facility is aimed at companies wishing to hire the various elements available.

We have the following facilities immediately available to you to use exclusively during any training evolution or corporate event, within an hours drive from Prague Airport.

Accommodation & Main Training Venue

15 minutes drive from the ranges and 25 minutes from the airfield training areas, the Château would form the base for any training package and has all the facilities required on site to conduct the most adventurous training evolutions. We also have permission to land our Mi8 or R44 there for any helicopter serials you may need to deliver. This is an isolated venue 40 minutes from the city and lends itself well to keeping a course contained without any unnecessary administration issues.

The Château is a magnificent Baroque gem of Czech architecture situated only 40 kilometres from Prague. The property is surrounded by beautiful French gardens with a ceremonial courtyard. Attached to the garden there is a deer reserve, consisting of the former château forest. The central section of the deer reserve contains a protected nature reserve.

The recent restoration has transformed the Château into a contemporary conference centre equipped with the latest conferencing equipment and technical facilities. The unique union between the Baroque architecture with state-of-the-art conference premises offers an exceptional environment for the holding of domestic and international conferences, workshops or training courses.

At the same time, the Conference Centre includes luxury accommodation facilities in the premises of château. The total accommodation capacity amounts to 80 beds and is separated into the main building, and east & west wings complete with spa facilities.

Airfield & Training area

This is available with bunkers, buildings, and the runway as well as surrounding woodland and open fields. These facilities can be utilised as an entire package or as individual components to suit your needs.

At this location we can also offer BMP’s in various configurations for familiarisation and driving training, T55’s, Quads, 4X4’s, various eastern bloc vehicles & uniforms all available for hire for you to use in a variety of evolutions.  We can also offer defensive and evasive driving as well as paintball, expedition, team building and hostile environment training.

An off road driving facility is also available here along with vehicles at additional cost. The airfield is also available with various helicopters hired by the hour if required.

All of the facilities can be made available to you at short notice and interactions delivered in English, Czech, Slovak, French, German and Swiss languages. Other languages can be delivered on request.

Ranges

Dedicated Ranges in a professionally run facility – Shotgun (Trap/Skeet), 25m Pistol, 50m, 100m Rifle at the same venue. Various target sets including steel & falling plates. As well a basic introductions to firearms and experiences, we can offer as standard a 10 operator course shooting at any one time, however can cater for more dependant on the weapon system and evolution.

We offer .22, 9mm, 5.56 and 7.62 available as full bore calibres, both semi and controlled automatic bursts of 2 to 3 rounds subject to operator aptitude and weapon system.

The ranges are predominantly outdoors, however they are open all year round, 6 days a week and most have shelters so you can shoot comfortably in all weathers. Night-time shooting is also possible however hours vary and is dependent on time of year. Fire and movement is also possible, however currently limited to a maximum of two operators advancing/retreating in an evolution.

Vehicles are not permitted currently due to the layout of the butts/firing points, however if this is a requirement, this could be catered for in the future. With concurrent activities, such as medical training, dry drills, tactics etc. in addition to range time, we could feasibly train a maximum of 80 operators per day in groups of 20. Minimum attendance is 10 operators per days training.

Currently we offer this with TYR Solutions instructors and mentors due to licensing laws however for long term contracts would be able to offer this facility to companies wishing to utilise their own directing staff and weapon systems.

Courses

We can also offer bespoke courses using these facilities in the following areas (POA)

• Shout Nano – practical guide
• Iridium 9555 & 9575 – practical guide
• Gryphon – Aviation, Maritime and Land based deployment
• FastView tracking portal – organisation managers
• RBGAN
• GPS Practical guides
• Travel Awareness
• Hostile Environment Training
• Situational awareness
• Introduction to Firearms
• Basic weapon system accreditation (Please ask for your specific weapon system)
• Off Road driving (4X4)
• Off Road Driving (Armoured BMP)
• Off Road Driving (Quad Bike)
• Embuss & Debussing rotary aircraft
• Heli fast roping/Abseiling
• Defensive Driving
• Evasive Driving
• Effects of Ammunition
• Arrest & Restraint
• Remote Area First Responder

 Experience

• Firearms Taster – from .22 pistol, through .45 Magnum to 7.62 AK47
• Off Road driving Experience (4X4)
• Off Road Driving Experience (Armoured BMP or T72 tank)
• Off Road Driving Experience (Quad Bike)
• Helicopter Stunt Flight
• Evasive driving taster – High speed airfield passenger ride
• Evasive driving hour – learn J turns, Y turns, Handbrake turns & precision driving techniques
• Paintball packages
• Ice Hockey
• Bespoke professionally organised events at some of the countries most iconic venues
• ‘The Game’ Ultimate experience

All of the above can be tailored to suit your individual needs in a bespoke experience package and some courses have restricted attendance criteria.

Logistics and Support

We offer luxury 18, 28 or 49 seated bus transfers direct from Prague Airport to the Chateau as well as cars for individual transfers or specialist vehicles on request.

Food and beverages are available on site at the Chateau, as are tea & coffee facilities and we can arrange packed meals to ensure training continuity during evolutions. Accommodation is comfortable, modern and well appointed. We will arrange suitable vehicle hire for the duration of the course if required along with local mobile phones and SIM cards if required.

For further information please contact us at info@tyr-solutions.com

For further information, please visit http://www.tyr-solutions.com/training/media-security-advisor-course

http://www.rorypecktrust.org/3039/Approved-Course-Providers

We continue to work closely with the Freelance Industry and Rory Peck to ensure that freelancers receive the correct support and training to aid them whilst working in challenging and hostile environments.

As a result, the demand for international press and media has been phenomenal, as the rest of the world grows ever more anxious for up-to-date news from these volatile regions. Journalists and film crews are, both on a freelance basis and as part of a larger news network, increasingly being sent to some of the most hostile regions on earth on a regular and sometimes long-term basis.

These situations beg an obvious and pertinent question; just how safe are foreign journalists in war-torn and hostile regions? How many members of the free press and media have been lost while covering international conflicts?

The following infographic looks at media deaths around the world in 2012, including how many have passed, where they died and how they died. So without further ado, here’s our Media Deaths 2012 infographic:

Click for larger version

As a specialists in hostile environment training, it’s a concerning trend that so many press and media personnel have lost their lives this year, particularly when we know that many of those deaths could have been prevented with proper training and risk assessment. If you’re planning on visiting a potentially dangerous region in the near future, get in touch with us via the contact form to see how we can help ensure you’re properly prepared.

By utilising open source  programs and increasing our knowledge, we can implement measures to minimise these risks and in turn protect ourselves and our data.

In today’s electronic age, large numbers of us carry numerous electronic devices on assignment. This equipment can be accessed, jammed, hacked or intercepted easily by correctly trained personnel. Therefore, it is of extreme importance that we take advice and put in to place, basic security measures to prevent or at least decrease the chances of this occurring and provide ourselves with a basic level of IT and Communications personal security.

Below are some basic methods to assist you.

If using Satellite phones

a. If possible, only have it switched on when you require the use of it

b. Attempt to only use SMS text messages to communicate with people wherever possible

c. If using the phone to make a voice call, try to keep it short and concise and then power down the phone(If you are making a long call and the connection stays live, the longer you on the phone, the easier it is for interception and direction finding).

d. Remove the battery when not in use

e. Thuraya requires the use of GPS to register and function, whereas Iridium does not.   Iridium calls and data transfer are inherently more secure than GSM, Thuraya or Inmarsat traffic.

f. Use a PIN to lock the phone whenever possible

g. Store the SIM separately wherever possible

h. Delete unwanted SMS

If using BGAN

a. Attempt to only have the system switched on when you actually require the use of the equipment, again the longer it is transmitting, the easier it is for interception and direction finding.

b. If you need to have the link up for a long amount of time, ensure you move locations if applicable. Again, due to interception and direction finding methods, the signal is extremely easy to locate, but by moving locations you lessen your chances of setting a pattern.

c. If you have a wireless BGAN, attempt to connect any laptops via a Ethernet connection rather than wireless as wireless networks are easier to hack.

d. Use traffic encryption and low bandwidth IT security measures wherever possible

e. Any laptops used to connect to a BGAN should be ideally dedicated communications laptops, at a minimum password protected, and ideally encrypted

If using GPS

a. Remember, GPS hand helds are only a receiver; therefore it is not transmitting and should not be an issue.

b. Loss of GPS signal may be an indication of localised jamming activity

c. Do not store particularly sensitive locations on the GPS as memory or waypoints

d. Delete previous locations prior to deploying to a new area or country

e. Use tracks rather than overlayd mapping wherever possible

If using mobile phones

a. Extremely easy to jam, intercept and direction find

b. Cell towers can be jammed quite easily, however as one cell only covers a particular area, they other cells in the area may not, therefore if safe to do so, attempt to locate a different cell tower.

c. Keep your voice calls to a minimum, if you require to make a call, keep it short and concise to minimise transmission time

d. Keep phone switched off and battery removed if applicable

e. Keep the phone locked with a password

f. Store the SIM separately wherever possible

g. Delete unwanted SMS

h. Do not pin point secure or safe locations through speech or text – use code word/s or phrase to identify them rather than real world locations

If using Laptops

a. Keep antivirus software up to date

b. Keep Operating systems up to date

c. Use Ethernet connections rather than wireless networks

d. Ensure you enable a password to access your laptop

e. Keep important documents safe

f. If possible use a secure method of accessing data, for example, SECURE EDGE

g. Encrypt contents wherever possible

h. Use separate, dedicated communications laptops wherever possible

By implementing basic security measures, you will increase your knowledge and decrease the chances of a perpetrator accessing, hacking or intercepting your electronic devices.

If you have any questions relating to IT or Communications security please get in touch!

Your BGAN satellite terminal is the new breed of small, portable satellite broadband terminals. BGAN can work up to peak burst speeds of 468KB’s, average speeds using the STANDARD DATA connection are usually around 250 to 350 KB’s. Compared to the world of land based Internet connections these would not be considered to older style satellite terminals generally running no faster than 64K. Please make sure you should be aware of the costs for the plan you have signed for.

Standard Data

Standard data connection is charged by the amount of data you send and receive, per Megabyte. This is the most commonly used data connection and suitable for almost all customer needs.

Streaming Data

Streaming Data connections are charged by the time you have a Streaming Data connection open, regardless of the amount of data you send or receive. The Streaming Data connections guarantee you a particular throughput of data, 32k, 64, 128k and 256k (Higher Speed Streaming Data connections are Terminal Dependent). Streaming Data is more suited to video or audio streaming, and use with customer programs that may require a constant steady flow of data.

Cost and Saving Measures

Fastwave consider you TURN OFF Windows Automatic Updates until you can connect your computer to a land based Internet system. Windows updates can be quite large and costly. Windows Updates can be turned off from your computers Control Panel.

Virus Program Updates

It is probably more important to receive these updates, as down time and IT costs to “heal” a virus infection can be more costly than paying to download the updates. If your Virus program allows you to customize your updates and turn off program updates but leave virus definition updates you may do this to cut costs down again. You may however find at some time there is a program update for your virus program that MUST be downloaded… you should be warned though, and if you’re close to being able to connect your computer to the Internet on a land based system, you could consider delaying the download for a few days.

Other Program Updates

From time to time you may see Windows open offering you to update an installed program. These programs usually “know” the computer is connected to the Internet and will ask you before downloading updates. Do this only from a land based Internet system to keep costs down. Better still you can search in the programs “Preferences” or “Options” and turn OFF automatic updates. An example of a program that will check for updates is ADOBE READER.

Internet Explorer 

You can set your Internet Explorer home page to something like www.google.com. This way every time you open Internet Explorer you are not going to download a large Internet site.

In Internet Explorers Options you can stop quite a few items from being downloaded.

We recommend you turn OFF Animations, Sounds and even consider turning off pictures. If you turn off pictures, Internet sites will show blank squares where pictures would normally be. Definitely make sure you TURN OFF animations and especially sounds.

General Browsing 

If you so some internet browsing and find files/information you want to download, try and make sure you know how large the download is and thus be able to make an estimation on how much it would cost to download.

Other Programs – General 

Some programs on computers can constantly talk over the Internet and rack up large costs. The two worst program types are V.O.I.P programs like SKYPE and also messenger programs like MSN or WINDOWS MESSENGER. While it is Okay to have these programs installed make sure they are not automatically starting up and also automatically logging into the Internet once you are connected. You’ll need to check the programs PREFERENCES or OPTIONS.

Watching Your Data Usage 

The BGAN software, Launchpad has a useful feature called the “USAGE MONITOR.” The usage monitor allows you to keep a track of the data you send and receive over a particular data session, and also the cumulative data over many sessions. The usage monitor can be reset at anytime, which would generally be done say at the beginning of a month, or maybe at the beginning of a usage period.

Other Questions? 

If you have any other questions about using your BGAN or wish to enquiry about purchasing one, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@tyr-solutions.com or visit our BGAN communications page at http://www.tyr-solutions.com/communications-equipment/bgan