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The dispatcher's most vital link with the world outside the hardened shell of the NOC is his radio console, such as this PENTA touch-screen computer. There are two different radio consoles in use in the NOC: PENTAs and AVTECs. Most of the former Santa Fe desks use the AVTEC system, while most of the former BN desks have a PENTA. Although each system has its own unique advantages and disadvantages, the basic concept is the same for each of them: a touch-screen allows a dispatcher to answer calls, select radios on which to transmit, and make outgoing phone calls, all by simply touching the screen.
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