Houston Rodeo saddles up with CrewCom
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For the 125,000sq.ft stadium, it was crucial for Martin and Cheramie to deploy a coms system that could provide dependable wireless communication and extensive range throughout the three-week long event, which is streamed live to FOX.
“When searching for a coms system for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, no other solution compared to CrewCom,” adds Martin. “It was a no-brainer to deploy the Pliant system as other systems we tested failed to perform in the large stadium with its high, domed ceiling. The competing systems also presented multipath interference issues, so they couldn’t provide the range we require for this large-scale event - only CrewCom could handle the job.”
For the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Martin and Cheramie deploy a combination of 27 two-channel and four-channel Radio Packs (RPs), 14 transceivers, two copper hubs and three fibre paths to provide a reliable and extensive coverage zone. Additionally, they utilised two four-channel bases in a primary-secondary configuration with a total of 10 party lines (eight four-wire and two two-wire).
For the upcoming 2020 season, which will take place from 3-22 March, Martin and Cheramie will integrate Pliant’s CrewCom 8-Port Fiber Hub - expanding the system’s capabilities and allowing for additional coverage zones via fibre optic connections.
“The integration of CrewCom has allowed us to expand our coverage zone greatly,” adds Martin. “Compared to our previous intercom system, we were able to use four additional radio packs and one additional party line thanks to the flexibility of CrewCom. Now, with the addition of Pliant’s CrewCom Fibre Hub, we have the ability to grow the system out even further to reach places via fibre optics that cannot be reached via copper. The addition of the fibre hub is a big deal - it allows us to easily put transceivers anywhere we need them.
“At NRG Stadium, we often have over 50,000 people connected to Wi-Fi, and it’s extremely beneficial that the 900MHz frequency doesn’t conflict with the signal,” adds Martin. “The 900MHz CrewCom gives us the ability to cut through corners and concrete, greatly expanding our range.”
(Jim Evans)
