As the company responsible for the largest satellite-based emergency messaging network in North America, Communications Laboratories is dedicated to providing our customers with friendly, efficient and capable installation experiences. Along with other areas of Comlabs, as the Emergency Management Network (EMnet) continues to grow we will continue to provide and improve upon installing and maintaining the reliable, advanced technology that has made Communications Laboratories the industry leader that it is today.
From the novice user of our site to our current technicians in the field, this page is designed to provide resources to those technicians already working with Comlabs, and provide information about the EMnet installation process to those who are considering helping us expand our network.
New EMnet Sites This section pertains to those states that have recently purchased the Communications Laboratories (Comlabs) product known as EMnet. Short for the Emergency Management Network, EMnet is a satellite-based messaging system designed specifically to meet the needs of the Emergency Management, broadcast, and AMBER communities. For more information on exactly what EMnet is and can do for your site, please click here.
In the case of most EMnet sites, Comlabs will also be coordinating the installation of the system at all individual sites, as agreed upon in the purchase order. If this pertains to your site, please review all the material in this section and below in the download sections for general information about the system, installation information, and installation tools and documents that you, as the site, need to complete. Most locations will be getting a receive only system unless you have been notified otherwise. This means that the satellite will be receive only and you will send messages through your highspeed internet connection.
Once the system has been installed at your location, Comlabs Training will provide a username and password to access the main website for the rest of the documentation and troubleshooting. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact our Logistics Department at (321) 409-9898 option 2.
Directions for the site survey form and communications test: Please complete the appropriate site survey form as mentioned above and the communications test (both found in the Installation Tools and Documents for New EMnet Sites subheading) and send them as attachments via email to Installations@comlabs.com. Once you click on the link for the appropriate survey form, save a copy of the file to your desktop and then complete it and email the completed form. On the site survey form there is a field for EMnet address, this has been pre-assigned and you can either leave that section blank or call Comlabs for that information. You will need to open the communications test below in the download section and let the test run on the default. When you get a result of "all items pass" you can select the email results option, identify your site name, and the test is considered done. If you can not download the test or get a failing result you will need to talk to your IT department. Completing the communications test and site survey form accurately is vital to the complete and timely installation of your EMnet system.
You may need to refer to your building / facilities manager and IT personnel to complete these items. You are also responsible for the material presented in the Installation Information document and the Checklist Before Installation document. To download these documents, please reference our Downloads section or click here. You will also need to suply a network connection to the new EMnet system, this needs to be in place prior to the installation. If you have any questions or concerns when completing these items please contact Comlabs logistics at (321) 409-9898 option 2.
Prospective EMnet Technicians In order to run the largest satellite-based emergency messaging and warning network in North America, Communications Laboratories is continually looking for new satellite technicians to help us as we expand the Emergency Management Network (EMnet) through out the United States and Canada.
EMnet is a satellite-based messaging system developed for the Emergency Management, broadcast, and AMBER communities. Currently serving 11 states and protecting approximately 80 million people across the United States and Canada, the network is the digital upgrade for the National Warning System (NAWAS), which is also maintained by Comlabs. EMnet is the nation's leader for interoperability solutions, EAS upgrades, and enhanced AMBER Alert capabilities. To learn more about the network, please click here.
If you are a qualified satellite technician and would be interested in working with Comlabs, we require the following information: a completed W9, 2 references, area of coverage, and proof of insurance. Comlabs requests that the references provided be contact names and numbers of those that you have installed satellite dishes for in the past.
Please make sure to familiarize yourself with the website and downloads including the policies, procedures, and forms, many of which can be found in the Downloads section of this page. If you would like any further information about working with Communications Laboratories, please contact our Logistics Department at (321) 409-9898 option 2 or via email at Installations@comlabs.com.
Technician Policies & Procedures For those interested in working with Comlabs, and for those contractors currently handling active projects, in this section you can find information concerning policies and procedures for the installation of EMnet. For a complete list of procedures, please reference our Downloads section for both the Install Procedure (pdf) and Technician DOC (pdf), or click here. Current installers will find more information in the login section, along with all the ViaSat information. ViaSat is Comlabs two way system that we are currently installing.
Policies For technicians considering working with Communications Laboratories and those in the process of fulfilling existing contracts, please be aware that Comlabs has a defined set of policies for all individuals representing our company in the face of our clients. For information such as technician responsibility, rate of pay and additional and incidental items, please reference the Technician Policies document in the Downloads section below or click here.
Aiming Procedures The EMnet system uses either a receive-only .9 meter satellite dish (KU Band) pointed at AMC-1 or a .96 meter 2-way system pointed at Galaxy 13/Horizons 1 satellite. In typical EMnet configurations, a satellite dish is connected to a receiver which is in turn is connected through a Local Area Network (LAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN) to a PC with the EMnet client software installed. For more information on EMnet, AMC-1 or Horizons-1, please click here.
TO ALL CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE TECHNICIANS: Please note that Communications Laboratories has recently made a procedural change: all technicians are now required to have a Birdog, or a Spectrum Analyzer. This change has occurred because recently Comlabs has moved to a receiver that does not have an audible tone to assist with alignment. To obtain the Azimuth and Elevation for the dish please use the following link and type in the zip code of the site location. If you would like to copy the link for your records, the full address is as follows: http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Installation/Satellite-Heading-Calculator.htm
Grounding Procedures Comlabs requires that all installers use National Electric Code (NEC) standards for grounding in sections 250 and 810. For more information on NEC standards, please click here. We also require the use of #8 green stranded grounding wire at the installation sites. For more information on basic grounding procedures, please click here.
Current Technicians For all technicians currently working with Comlabs, please log in using the screen below. Those installers who have not been given a Username and Password, please contact the Logistics Administrator at (321) 409-9898 option 2 or via email at a.koubek@comlabs.com.
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