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Communicate During Wind Farm Maintenance

Ways wind farm technicians can share maintenance signals, compare tools, and check OperatorLink with other communication options.

By 2Dig ยท

2Dig is published by the makers of OperatorLink, which is compared here alongside other tools.

During wind farm maintenance, technicians need a clear way to share signals and messages between phones or other communication tools. OperatorLink shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew, and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones in a phone browser. [1]

OptionWhat it doesFeeCard fee
OperatorLinkShows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones in a phone browser. [1]Currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [1]not published
Phone video call appnot publishednot publishednot published
Two-way radionot publishednot publishednot published

What you need before you start

Before maintenance starts, decide how the crew will share instructions, warnings and updates during the work. Check that each phone has a working browser and a data signal when using OperatorLink, because button presses, chat and voice pass between phones in a browser. [1] The person who starts a jobsite shares a link or QR code, and the crew joins from it. [1] Check which phones will be used for the crew session and whether the page should be added to the phone's home screen as a standalone app. [1] Remember that a jobsite link stops working 12 hours after the first person joins it. [1] A jobsite with nobody in it is wiped after 3 idle hours, so a new session may be needed before the next maintenance task. [1]

Step by step

  1. Check that each technician has the communication tool needed for the maintenance task and that any phone-based tool has the required data signal.
  1. If using OperatorLink, the person starting the jobsite opens it in a phone browser, with no app install needed. [1]
  1. Share the OperatorLink link or QR code with the crew, and have each person join from it. [1]
  1. Confirm that everyone is in the same jobsite session before work begins, because OperatorLink passes button presses, chat and voice between phones in a phone browser. [1]
  1. Use the signals that match the work. OperatorLink shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew. [1]
  1. Use STOP when the crew needs an immediate stop signal, because STOP releases every held direction on every phone and shows a full-screen alert to everyone else. [1]
  1. Remember that HOLD and SLOW stay on for everyone in the jobsite and are cleared when the last person leaves. [1]
  1. Keep a move button held when sending that move through OperatorLink, because holding a move button keeps sending that move to the other phones and the other phones drop it if it stops arriving for 2 seconds. [1]
  1. Use quick call messages when short confirmations are needed. One-tap radio-style calls such as Go Ahead, Copy That and All Clear are sent as chat messages. [1]
  1. Anyone who joins can take part in a voice call run from the phone browser. [1] At the end of the task, leave the session when it is no longer needed because an empty jobsite is wiped after 3 idle hours. [1]

Tools that can do it

OperatorLink is made by the team that publishes this site. It shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones in a phone browser. [1] [1] The page runs in a browser with no app install. [1] The person who starts a jobsite shares a link or QR code, and the crew joins from it. [1]

A phone video call app is another option. Check whether the crew can keep the call open during the maintenance work and whether the communication method matches the task.

A two-way radio is another option. Check that the crew agrees on how messages will be shared and that everyone involved can use the chosen channel.

A direct phone browser tool such as OperatorLink can also provide signals and voice through phones when the crew joins the same jobsite session. [1] Match the option to the site and the work before starting maintenance.

Common mistakes to avoid

Starting work without checking that every technician knows which communication method is being used can cause confusion during maintenance. Checking the phone before the task helps confirm that the browser session is ready when using OperatorLink. [1] Assuming every phone alerts in the same way can cause missed signals because Android browsers make signals such as STOP make the phone buzz, while iPhone Safari ignores the buzz. [1] Leaving an empty OperatorLink session open for the next shift can remove the session because a jobsite with nobody in it is wiped after 3 idle hours. [1] Forgetting that HOLD and SLOW stay active until the last person leaves can leave the crew with a signal that needs to be cleared. [1]

Frequently asked questions

Is OperatorLink free to use?

OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [1] It runs in a phone browser, so the phone needs a working data signal for the communication session. [1]

How does OperatorLink show maintenance signals?

OperatorLink shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones in a phone browser. [1] STOP releases every held direction on every phone and shows a full-screen alert to everyone else. [1]

How does a crew join an OperatorLink jobsite?

The person who starts a jobsite shares a link or QR code, and the crew joins from it. [1] A jobsite link stops working 12 hours after the first person joins it. [1]

Do OperatorLink signals buzz on every phone?

On Android browsers, signals such as STOP make the phone buzz. [1] iPhone Safari ignores the buzz, so the crew should check the screen and phone settings before work starts. [1]

Can OperatorLink crew members talk during maintenance?

Anyone who joins can take part in a voice call run from the phone browser. [1] One-tap radio-style calls such as Go Ahead, Copy That and All Clear are sent as chat messages. [1]

OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [1]

Try OperatorLink

Sources

  1. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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