Satellite specialists expand knowledge of battlefield equipment

Photo By Lance Cpl. Daniel Todd | Lance Cpls. Quincy Bouie (left), Matt Powell (center) and Pfc. Dustin Short work together to put together a Lightweight Multiband Satellite Terminal Oct. 10.  

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, JAPAN

10.10.2006

Story by Lance Cpl. Daniel Todd 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

by Pfc. Daniel R. Todd
III Marine Expeditionary Force PAO

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan -- Floating thousands of miles above the Earth's surface are hundreds of satellites. Most people today associate the signals they produce with cell phones and satellite television.

Marines with 7th Communication Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, have a better purpose for those satellites. They use them to bring a means of communication to units in the field.

Marines with the battalion trained with a Lightweight Multiband Satellite Terminal Oct. 10-13 to ensure their efficiency with setting up the system, which uses satellite signals to communicate.

The Battalion has a shortage of LMST operators, and many of the Marines training with the LMST this week, and in coming weeks, will become certified operators.

The LMST is a communications pipeline that passes electronic signals from telephones, video-teleconferencing, Internet, and e-mails to where they need to go via satellite access, said Sgt. Adrian Cardenas, a satellite communications operator with 7th Communication Bn.

Marines learned how to set up the satellite and run the cable to bring communications to Marines in the field. They also learned how to correctly send signals using the LMST.

Mark Cox, a test engineer with Harris Corporation, made sure the Marines knew how to keep communications flowing smoothly if a problem were to arise. Cox created errors in the system that the Marines had to troubleshoot.

Some Marines had never worked with the system before and found that the most important quality to have when working with the LMST is patience.

"Setting up the entire system usually takes about three hours," said Cpl. Russell Williams, a satellite communications operator. "I was surprised by how quickly our team was able to set up."

The battalion has been using the LMST since 2003, and it has proven to be a great asset, according to Williams.

"Since we started using the LMST we have been able to set up communications faster and with less manpower than we could with older equipment," Williams said.
The LMST also has a greater range than older equipment and reduces the time required to push messages through to the receiver, he said.

With these enhancements, information can be passed along at a much quicker rate and at a higher quality.

Although it has a very hefty price tag, the LMST holds high value to unit commanders since communication is one of the key components of battlefield strategy.

"What we do with the terminal is the command's number one priority because every piece of communication to the rear goes through us," said Cardenas.

Because communication is so vital to completing any mission and the LMST provides so many ways to communicate, it is important Marines not only set it up quickly but also keep the system running through an entire operation, Cardenas said.

• Date Taken: 10.10.2006
• Date Posted: 10.24.2006 08:45
• Story ID: 8117
• Location: CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, JP