Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2006 18:00:25 GMT
For those of you that are interested, I have managed to get a few screen shots of the dispatcher terminal and will try to explain their functions. HOME SCREEN (28kb) After all the logging on malarkey you are finally presented with the above screen. Highlighted in green at the bottom a talkgroup (The ELL Control), picking up the handset now and transmitting will transmit to all people logged on to this particular talkgroup. So in this example, it will transmit to every train on the ELL, and any stations that have their Connect equipment logged on. The large area in the middle is the call stack, at present there are no incoming calls. At the top, a variety of options which I will come on to later. CALL REQUEST (31KB)Here, a driver (train 757) has hit the LC call request button and is awaiting a call back. Shown here, next to the train number is its car number 5065, and the drivers hand portable radio number (32506). Next to this is the cell the train is currently in, (SHA = Shadwell). and next to this is the Signallers Talkgroup (New Cross). 1-2-1 CALL (33KB)I have now hit the 1-2-1 button on the bottom right, this then displayed ringing in the bottom left. The driver has answered this call, and we are now showing 'Call connected'. I am also transmitting to the driver, because the PTT (Push to Talk) is highlighted in green. This is different to a group call, because no-one else can hear me transmitting apart from the T/op of 757. CALL STACK (63KB)This shows all the different calls that can come up. I am monitoring every possible talk group so this wouldn't happen in the real world. PIA = Personal Incident Alarm (the red button on the top of a radio) Intercom = a call from another dispatcher terminal RMD = Restricted Manual Driving (For the Central Line) MIMIC SCREEN (45KB)This is the mimic screen, it shows which trains are in what cells. If I highlight a train and hit the 1-2-1 button I can initiate a private call. Also, if I highlight a cell name and press group I can make a group call to everyone in that cell. DIAL SCREEN (35KB)Here you can dial a train, and find out more details about it (see below) or call a train on a 1-2-1 basis. FIND SCREEN (26KB)Here, we are finding details about train 175. All very self explanatory really. |
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Phil
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RIP 23-Oct-2018
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Post by Phil on Dec 16, 2006 23:19:55 GMT
Fascinating. So long as it all works it looks very user-friendly.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2006 23:52:13 GMT
Fascinating. So long as it all works it looks very user-friendly. Having used it twice today, i have to admit its rather good.  |
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Post by connected on Jan 5, 2007 12:08:27 GMT
Its a bit late - but there are some user guide and training aid on the Connect intranet site. The location is intranet.lul.co.uk/cpo/pfi/connect/training and support.asp. If anybody has a look please let me know if they are of any use.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2007 21:58:28 GMT
Fascinating. So long as it all works it looks very user-friendly. It seems to work until you really need it. If the controller doesn't want to answer he just cancels all the call requests. |
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Colin
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Post by Colin on Jan 5, 2007 22:22:09 GMT
There seems to be two massive mis-understandings going round at the the moment.
The first is where drivers simply lift the handset/press the PTT button, and start calling the controller like we used to - AFAIA this is futile as the line controller can't actually hear anything. Drivers are assuming they are being ignored.........well they are, because no one can hear 'em!
The other one is when drivers correctly use the 'LC' button. They assume that when the 'queued' message disappears, the line controller has removed them from his 'list'. This is untrue - that message automatically disappears after 30 seconds regardless of what action (if any) the line controller has taken.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2007 2:33:15 GMT
The other one is when drivers correctly use the 'LC' button. They assume that when the 'queued' message disappears, the line controller has removed them from his 'list'. This is untrue - that message automatically disappears after 30 seconds regardless of what action (if any) the line controller has taken. We should have been made aware of that. I have not been given that information. |
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Colin
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Post by Colin on Jan 7, 2007 2:45:43 GMT
We should have been made aware of that. I have not been given that information. Indeed  IMHO 'they' took away the "floor walker" I/O's too early - changes were made after Connect's initial introduction, but no one has bothered to pass that information onto the drivers  |
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Post by District Dave on Jan 7, 2007 9:20:01 GMT
There seems to be two massive mis-understandings going round at the the moment. The first is where drivers simply lift the handset/press the PTT button, and start calling the controller like we used to - AFAIA this is futile as the line controller can't actually hear anything. Drivers are assuming they are being ignored.........well they are, because no one can hear 'em! The other one is when drivers correctly use the 'LC' button. They assume that when the 'queued' message disappears, the line controller has removed them from his 'list'. This is untrue - that message automatically disappears after 30 seconds regardless of what action (if any) the line controller has taken. Colin, I'm intrigued to know where that information has come from! It flies in the face of what I know, and I'm supposed to be a trainer for Connect! And also neither of the things you say accord with my practical experiences of the system; a Group call (i.e. press the PTT button and talk) is just that and you can be heard; it's how the stations use the system and I'm not aware that the despatcher equipment can be altered to block those calls - defeats the object of the whole system. If you prefer to PM me with the name of who told you that's fine. |
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Post by connected on Jan 7, 2007 12:45:15 GMT
As somebody who has been involved with Connect for several years I can say with certainty that if you PTT from a train cab your voice will go out on the talk group your train is on. However, by default a train will always be on a signal operators talk group (that is why it bleeps as you move along - to notify a change of signal operators talk group). In the early days controllers monitored all of the signal operators talk groups so if you talked on any of them the controller would hear. This is no longer the case. However when (and if?) the sig ops are all using their connect terminals PPT will once again be heard by somebody, but this is not how the system was designed to work.
As to the "queued" message disappearing off your display - this has nothing to do with the controller. It is just the display updating. The only was a controller (or any dispatcher user) can make a call request "go away" is to answer it. In the absence of somebody properly answering the call the system will keep on trying to get an answer. This is why some circle T.Ops may have experienced either the Met or District controllers contacting them and asking what they want when in fact the T.Op had been after the "other" controller something like half an hour earlier. This is just the system recognising the train is now under a different controller and trying to get a answer to an earlier call request.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2007 14:12:42 GMT
As to the "queued" message disappearing off your display - this has nothing to do with the controller. It is just the display updating. The only was a controller (or any dispatcher user) can make a call request "go away" is to answer it. But te other way round, the call only lasts for about 15 seconds, then it cancels off the system and you have to call again. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2007 16:58:18 GMT
With all the conflicting comments on this I'm still confused.
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Post by connected on Jan 7, 2007 17:09:52 GMT
Yes, this does seem like a bug. The problem is that the radio in the cab is ringing. If you leave it for longer, for instance 90 seconds will it be a distraction? I don't know what the answer is, but it seems obvious that something needs to be sorted out.  |
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Post by yellowsignal on Jan 8, 2007 17:34:17 GMT
connected, thanks for showing these things!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2007 20:44:14 GMT
I'm a touch confused now as well ... It does seem to me that if the "call queuing" message dissapears from the screen and you haven't been called called back ...you don't then get called back However with the open calls using the PTT button, it certainly seems that anyone calling up via that method can be heard by all the other trains but not the controller ...since the controller never answers such calls. Also whilst my train cab system picks up these direct PTT calls, my handheld does not pick them up at all. (i always have both on when out, it is interesting to note for no obvious reasons, some calls are picked up by just the train, some just the handheld and some by both  ) |
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Colin
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Post by Colin on Jan 10, 2007 23:04:51 GMT
However with the open calls using the PTT button, it certainly seems that anyone calling up via that method can be heard by all the other trains but not the controller ...since the controller never answers such calls. Also whilst my train cab system picks up these direct PTT calls, my handheld does not pick them up at all. (i always have both on when out, it is interesting to note for no obvious reasons, some calls are picked up by just the train, some just the handheld and some by both ) I think we can at least agree that because the cab unit works on signal groups, and the hand held dosen't; that's the reason why they operate differently. As for the question of my sources, the bit about the call request automatically disappearing regardless of the line controller's actions was based on a conversation I had with someone who works in a line control office. The PTT / line controller hearing nothing thing, came from several DMT's - main supporter of this being 'A M' at Earls Court. Like I said earlier though, if the I/O's had been around for longer we would get more consitent information - instead we're having to rely on experience and rumours |
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Post by connected on Jan 15, 2007 10:03:51 GMT
I'm a touch confused now as well ... It does seem to me that if the "call queuing" message disappears from the screen and you haven't been called called back ...you don't then get called back However with the open calls using the PTT button, it certainly seems that anyone calling up via that method can be heard by all the other trains but not the controller ...since the controller never answers such calls. Also whilst my train cab system picks up these direct PTT calls, my handheld does not pick them up at all. (i always have both on when out, it is interesting to note for no obvious reasons, some calls are picked up by just the train, some just the handheld and some by both ) Hmmm - reminds me of that old line from the TV program "soap" - "Confused? - you will be" In short the PTT from a train goes out on the Signal Operators talk group. I suspect your hand portable is on the Line Controllers Talk Group - hence you not hearing anything on your hand portable. As to other trains hearing the PTT that depends on whether the dispatcher user (in this case the Sig Op) Has the repeat function turned on or off. Personally, I don't understand why repeat isn't left on all of the time so that all train ops can hear all of every group message between trains and control. I would have thought it would improve situational awareness among T.Ops no end. Still, as I am neither a T.Op or a controller I am sure there is a simple reason that I am unaware of. |
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