British Columbia-based Ocean Floor Geophysics Relies on Clear-Com & GerrAudio for Rock-Solid Communications

Clear-Com’s digital wireless and IP products stand up to an environment that can be “extremely severe and unforgiving."

In Ocean Floor Geophysics’ (OFG) work as a provider of underwater analysis and exploration services, rock-solid communications are critical. If your task takes you out into the middle of the ocean, a reliable solution is critical, which is why OFG chose to implement a Clear-Com DX210 Digital Wireless System to guarantee quality communications across all operations. Recently, OFG also added Clear-Com’s LQ® Series of IP Interfaces the Agent-IC® Mobile App to their existing DX™ wireless system to better facilitate remote communications between offshore crews, onshore crews and globally dispersed staff during the pandemic, making their Clear-Com solution even more invaluable than they originally thought.

“I come from the Remote Operated Vehicle industry and the communications systems used between the ROV pilot, the people on deck, and the bridge of the ship, are universally known as the ‘Clear-Coms,’ regardless of who they’re made by,” says OFG’s Offshore Project Manager, Tony Wass. “You know we use the word Kleenex for facial tissue? And, in Britain, they use the word Hoover for a vacuum cleaner? It’s like that.”

“What we do is extremely diverse,” Alison Proctor, COO explains: “geohazard reconnaissance, oil, gas, and archeological surveys, engineering work, pipeline inspections, detailed magnetics… we use the system to facilitate communication between physically apart people. And everything we get through GerrAudio and Clear-Com – the integrated belt packs, base stations, headsets – they’re super convenient. With its low latency, the signal is perfect. It’s very powerful.”

Typically, the Clear-Com kits OFG deploy consist of DX-wireless intercom systems (with 4-6 wireless belt packs), a wired two-channel MS-702 main station, RS-701 single-channel belt packs, and tabletop intercom stations.
“Usually, we have two main stations on board,” Proctor continues. “We use the wireless belt packs on deck or wherever our operating area is. With the MS-702, one channel is attached to wireless to facilitate communications for OFG’s working group, and the other channel is for the entire vessel. So, when we’re doing a joint operation, we bring everybody together on a party-line.”

Wass is responsible for assembling the people and gear that go out on the ships and has been instrumental in putting together the comms systems for OFG. And, although he doesn’t want to brag about what the Clear-Com gear has gone through over time, suffice to say, it stands up to the rigors of the job in an environment that can be extremely severe and unforgiving, and in a situation where losing time to faulty communications gear is not an option.

“Some of these projects are running $150,000 a day,” he explains, referencing a job off the coast of Japan in 2014 on a ship using a non-Clear-Com system, “and the comms system we had at the time was inadequate and elongating our time out there. “

In 2015, he adds, “We started bringing our own Clear-Com gear in. So now I can communicate directly with the bridge. I’m not yelling. I can talk hands-free and not have to push a button to transmit. I know what’s going on at all times. In a critical application like this, that’s invaluable.”

According to Proctor, it’s become even more crucial since the pandemic. “During this past year we’ve had to change our way of doing things and GerrAudio helped us to take this off-shore system we’ve come to rely on as a sturdy communication hub on a vessel and access it remotely through their LQ and Agent-IC mobile technology,” Proctor explains.

Now, using the LQ and the Agent-IC Mobile App downloaded onto personal Android and iOS devices, they’re communicating more widely, fluidly, reliably and with far more people than ever before –facilitating conversations between offshore crews and other team members who are scattered around the globe.

“The company is in Burnaby, British Columbia, but we have a very widespread global team,” Proctor notes. Adding that during the pandemic, expanding the capabilities of their communications systems has become even more critical to effectively connecting everyone involved on any given project –as has their need for the ongoing, responsive and knowledgeable support provided by GerrAudio.

“We introduced this new technology on a job where we needed to have a remote team participate in the offshore survey. But because of all the restrictions on travel, we couldn’t get all of our normal crew out, so the people we could get there needed to be really well-supported by an onshore team that was globally distributed,” she continues. “we went to GerrAudio and asked them how we could do this using Clear-Com, and they pointed us to Agent-IC and the LQ Series.”

Ultimately, adding Agent-IC has dramatically improved their overall workflow. Proctor says, “Basically, we have two LQ boxes linked together. They go out over the satellite internet, our shore-based people connect to the onshore box and our vessels connect to the offshore one. And the advantage is that I don’t have to ship hardware to anyone. The onshore people download the app and we connect. Compared to a hardware-based system, it’s really simple.”

Wass adds, “we just added Agent-IC on to the system we bought in 2015 – the same headsets, the same workflow, but now we’re talking to Alison in Victoria and everyone else wherever they are in the world.”
The expertise that GerrAudio Distribution brings to the table, particularly that of Shawn Hines (GerrAudio’s west coast representative), makes them an extremely important partner meeting OFG’s evolving needs, Wass says: “If Shawn says, ‘This is going to work for you,’ I don’t even question it. I just do it.”

SCROLL POSTS

A Few Kind Words...

Kapil Gadhire, Head of Marketing, Magnifi

From the word go, team Bubble was super detailed, efficient, and exhaustive in their approach. They are true partners and make an effort to understand the ideology and end goal to plan the perfect media pitch and strategy.

Lauren Myers, Director, Integrated Marketing – Ross Video

Working with Bubble during and after IBC 2022 for PR and press support was exceptional. Their professional approach, strategic communication, and extensive media network generated significant exposure for our brand. Bubble's on-site support was outstanding, ensuring our story was accurately told to a global audience. Their post-IBC efforts further amplified our reach and provided valuable analytics. An experienced, professional team and a total joy to work with.

Andrew McKinlay, Marketing Director, Avolites

All amazing, just grateful I know I can rely on Bubble to get the job done brilliantly.

Tanya Rai, Marketing and Communications Manager, Pebble

Team Bubble are an extension of our own team. They are wonderful to work with, reliable, get the job done and gain great exposure for our business in key publications.

Mike Ward, Head of Marketing, Singular.live

Since we first started working with them, our team at Bubble have acted very much like an extension of our team. They work with us to try and help us achieve our goals and we very much feel that they have our interests at heart as well as having our backs when we need it!

Gavin Bunker, AE Live

Bubble were fantastic throughout the whole process and helped us deliver a successful event to celebrate our 30th corporate anniversary with industry peers.

Robert Cloudt, Synchronized

Bubble has been tremendously helpful to bring our marketing communication to the next level, very responsive and thinking with us together on the rightful messaging and timing across different media’s. Definitely a recommendation in case you need a well balanced media agency to help you out.

Carla Molina Whyte, Farmerswife

Working with Bubble Agency for a tradeshow has been truly amazing. The bubble team is incredibly helpful and talented. We are very happy with the results and with all the coverage we got prior and during the tradeshow!

Silvia Candido, Ateme

As usual, we were super busy before and during a tradeshow this year. What a luxury to have Bubble take care of our media relations and our social media accounts! We saw a surge of followers on LinkedIn and got good coverage in a number of publications.

Meg Travis, Iron Mountain Entertainment Services, Director, Global Head of Marketing & Communications, Entertainment Services

The Bubble team made everything easy at MPTS! From advising before the show, to facilitating client and press conversations during the show, to making recommendations on how to make the most of the connections we made there - we rely on Bubble as a key strategic partner for our sales and marketing teams.