David A. Arcoraci ( from left), a principal engineer with Harris Corp., shows 2nd Lts. Robert J. Kimmel and Charles Rodgers , of the 442nd Signal Command , the RF-6010 radio telephone hub at the 31st Signal Regimental Symposium. Annette M. Drowlette/Staff

Exhibit gets connected

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Aggreko employee Chris Yates connects power lines on a temporary building for Fort Gordon's Signal Symposium. James Gallagher/Staff

Next time you get upset about a bad phone connection, look on the bright side : A t least no one is shooting at you.

Military communication technology, which must stand up to the rigors of the battlefield, is the ever-changing industry that will be the focus of the 32nd annual Signal Regimental Symposium at Fort Gordon next week.

The event, which will take place Nov. 29 through Dec. 3, will feature a communications technology exposition, along with an array of speakers, seminars, workshops and networking opportunities.

Last year's event brought in more than 3,300 participants, including officials from U.S. and foreign militaries, the Defense Department, private sector and general public, said Army Capt. Jonathan Stamberg, who is coordinating the event.

This year's event is titled "LandWarNet : Networking the Force in the Joint Fight , " and, unlike past years, it will bring together as many defense agencies and military branches as possible, instead of focusing only on the Army, he said.

"We have a joint theme this year, to have a synchronized vision and try to attack some of the challenges facing us today," Capt. Stamberg said.

A main component of the event will be the 54,000-square-foot tent that will house 170 exhibiting companies, many of them defense department contractors that will display their state-of-the-art products, said Bryan Tuschen, the exhibits manager for the event and the director of the Augusta-Fort Gordon Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, which sponsors the event with the U.S. Army Signal Center.

Many of the exhibiting companies manufacture communications equipment that the military uses, and will make the symposium an opportunity to show off their products to some of the attending military brass, Mr. Tuschen said.

The exhibition will be a chance to see what's on the cutting edge of military communication technology, Capt. Stamberg said.

"What a neat opportunity," he said.

The symposium brings in an estimated $3.7 million in spending locally, Mr. Tuschen said.

The association also raises about $130,000 from the symposium, which it uses locally for scholarships and grants and to support community events, Mr. Tuschen said.

Reach Adrian Burns at (706) 823-3352 or adrian.burns@augustachronicle.com.

--From the Tuesday, November 23, 2004 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle