You can’t go underground without communication. The Brno collectors have their own radio system, look for them as well as the movement of the needle
Under the streets of Brno is a unique 21.5 kilometer network of buildings, the so-called collector. Bridges and 35 meters deep, a kilometer of pipes and cables bleed out, without them the infrastructure of the metropolis would not be complete. Every activity that takes place underground requires communication with the outside world. Lacking a mobile signal, it replaces its own remote control. Add a remote control and a camera system here.
The Brno collector consists of primary and secondary collectors. The primary collectors are only 25 and 35 meters below the surface, the secondary ones are located 5 and 7 meters deep. In total, today, under the Moravian metropolis, there are only about 21.5 kilometers of collectors, in which no more than 49 km of pipelines and over 190 km of cable are laid: water, steam and hot water pipes, sewage and sewerage, cables for the distribution of electrical energy, both metallic and optical telecommunication cables.
All the construction work, digging and own equipment that runs underground cannot be done without the ability to communicate with the ground on the surface, with other workshops and the supervisory central dispatch of the Brno station (TSB), which takes care of the collector. “The entire collector system is therefore equipped with its own radio station. Collectors have their own specific transmitting and receiving frequency, which is determined individually for them. Each worker and group is equipped with a personal radio station before entering the collector, which they always have with them during their entire stay in the underground.” describes Michael Bena from the TSB collector department.
Radio frequency, of course, is used when moving in collectors and parts of the Integrated Protection System. This is, for example, the fire brigade, which regularly practices under the streets of Brno in case of fire. In order to communicate with the TSB dispatcher, in such a case, he immediately turns on the radio station, in the case of planned exercises, there is also a technical station worker with them, who takes care of the connection.
In addition to the control system, communication options are also used in the collector system. One of them is sound signaling with the help of sirens, which are spread throughout the entire collector area. “These are mainly for central dispatch workers to warn people working and moving in the collector. It is a contract of sound signals for the immediate exit of the collector through the nearest entrance or a warning given to the group and the person who is not communicating to immediately speak up.” explains Michael Bena.
An essential part of the collector is the system of names and regulation “MaR”, i.e. the system of advance information from installed devices and other safety and surveillance equipment. Thanks to me, the employees of the central dispatch are informed about the current day underground. This includes information from temperature, buoyancy, humidity and movement indicators, end switches, names and monitoring of the level and operation of pumps.
“The last surveillance and communication equipment that can be installed in the collectors is the camera system, which serves to transmit a live image of the day inside them. This system is to be fully developed and supplemented in the following years in the shared collectors of the city of Brno. dovd Michael Bena.