This Is Guernsey

Links Commmunications owner Richard Bird with the Rhode & Schwarz two-way radio which was developed for use with the Typhoon Eurofighter. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0542858)

TEST equipment that was designed for the Typhoon Eurofighter has been bought by local firm Links Communications.

While it is highly unlikely that it will be called upon to perform a task as complex as those on board the Typhoon, it could put the company streets ahead of competitors. The piece of kit is a Rhode & Schwarz two-way radio monitor that has a couple of local connections.

Links owner Richard Bird said: ‘A Guernseyman called Martin Guille, who works in Rhode & Schwarz’s technical department, gave me his advice on the suitability of the equipment for my business.

‘My previous two-way radio was 20 years old and while it was OK, I needed a replacement.

‘Strangely enough I also found out that another islander, David Chan, of Cenkos CI, had been a test pilot for the Eurofighter in the RAF.

‘I continue to be amazed at the talents of islanders and how many successful Guernsey people one meets in so many different types of business.’

Links Communications was started as a part-time business in the 1980s by Mr Bird as electronics was his hobby.

In 1990 he left his job and turned it into a full-time business that has grown steadily since.

It provides two-way radio services to businesses such as taxi fleets and freight companies which need to stay in touch with their drivers.

The Rhode & Schwarz radio was bought from the Ministry of Defence at a discount after the government department realised it had a surplus.

‘While it may seem over the top, the high specification ensures my customers’ radios conform exactly to Ofcom regulations and are performing to their designed specification.’

The equipment has add-ons to allow for faster set-up of repeater systems with a high-accuracy digital spectrum analyser and can test and align ILS and VOR aircraft systems in addition to normal two-way radio systems.

Although it is still a one-man band, around a third of Links Communications’ business is in Jersey.

‘The industry has changed so much in recent times due to mobile phones becoming so small and people often don’t go for two-way radios,’ said Mr Bird.

‘But there are big benefits such as fixed prices and the ease of communicating with a wider audience.

‘The main change for me has been the prominence of long-term hire contracts.’

Article posted on 14th March, 2008 - 2.29pm