Clear-Com’s HelixNet and FreeSpeak II rise to the challenge at the National Paralympic Games XVI
Clear-Com’s HelixNet and FreeSpeak II rise to the challenge at the National Paralympic Games XVI
As the host for the 16th National Paralympic Games, Indonesia staged a packed 12 days of sport into Papua’s Mandala Stadium in Jayapura. For the Opening and Closing Ceremonies (OCC), 86 Inc was contracted to assist with the show management and live broadcast communications by the Organising Committee. A partner for Clear-Com, 86 Inc based a solution around the HelixNet Partyline digital network and FreeSpeak II digital wireless intercom.
“The OCC, the Paralympics COVID Task Force and the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT) of Indonesia all had different concerns needing to be addressed by the comms system,” explained 86 Inc CEO, Dino Gonggalang.
The OCC’s concerns related to logistics given the overall scale of the event. The MCIT was further tasked with securing sufficient spectrum frequencies in a limited RF zone and the COVID Task Force was charged with enforcing increasingly strict national safety protocols. “Basically, they told us their concerns and left everything to us to run it as seamlessly, reliably and as safely as possible, which is why we went with Clear-Com for the event,” continued Gonggalang.
Despite being a far from simple task, the HelixNet and FreeSpeak II system configuration facilitated the required communication channels for the performances and the broadcast.
“We deployed 46 drops of Clear-Com, where the main channel was designated for show director, Asthie Wendra, who connected directly with all aspects of show management,” added project manager at 86 Inc, Putut. “At the height of the performance, 950 dancers appeared with their props, making various configurations accompanied by lasers, fireworks, various multimedia, sound, lighting, broadcast and 500 drones to light up the Papua sky. Considering the size of the venue and the elaborate performances, Clear-Com displayed excellence in terms of ease-of-installation, flexibility and reliable connectivity, while satisfying the requirements of all the organisations involved.”
HelixNet’s interface and ease of deployment proved ideal during the rapid pace of the OCC. Familiar partyline channels provided an easy transition for all skill levels of intercom users, allowing team members to be focused entirely on the task at hand. FreeSpeak II proved ideal for the scale and complexity of the events, allowing team members to be untethered and talking in any configuration of channels with exceptional performance in both the 1.9GHz and 2.4GHz bands.
The combined use of HelixNet and FreeSpeak II addressed the OCC’s logistical concerns in addition to the number of individuals needing to be on comms and the limited frequency spectrums. With the systems pre-configured with the appropriate channel settings, all parties could communicate effectively using the system, bypassing the need for close-proximity side conversations and last-minute huddles.
OCC technical director, Ezar P Darnadi, further praised 86 Inc and his experience with the Clear-Com system. “We knew that communication could make or break this event, and 86 Inc delivered tremendously for us.”