At the centre of any research centre is its ability to function safely and reliably; especially so where nuclear research is involved. Based in the south of France and established over 50 years ago by Charles de Gaulle, the Cadarache research facility has led nuclear energy research for France, and sets the pace for the field worldwide.

In building a new communications system the management team decided on a dPMR Mode 3 single site trunked system to carry its onsite communications into the digital age. In 2005, Cadarache was selected to be the site of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the world's largest nuclear fusion reactor; this remains in progress at the site with dPMR providing the daily communication requirements in the background.

System Features

• Single site 8 channel digital trunking system
• IPBX (SIP) telephone interfaces
• Backup system with conventional radio channels and “suitcase” style portable repeater sites for emergencies or if the main system goes down for any reason
• Dedicated data channel (status, short messages, GPS localization etc.)
• Safety functions such as man down, stun/kill, ambient listening and radio alarm management
• System management and Dispatch components including asset tracking application

Information kindly provided by Icom France S.A.S