8. Geolocation Features

Call records can now be tagged with location metadata and that data can be used to visualize where calls are coming from. The location data can also be used as criteria for searches.

8.1. Geo-Display

The View menu includes an option called “Enable Geo-Display.”

Fig. 8.1 Geo-Display

On a system with a Geolocation add-on license and location metadata, when Geo-Display is first enabled it will open the Geo-Display popover window, shown in the above figure, featuring a map and pin marks for call records in the current timeline that are tagged with location data. Note that Geo-Display is supported in all tabs except Evaluations and Channels.

The + icon will expand the Geo-Display to cover as much of the browser page as possible, and the – will bring it back to the default smaller size. With the X, the window can be minimized to a Globe button just above the call record grid in all tabs that support Geo-Display, as seen in the figure below, next to the “5 records, 0 selected”:

Fig. 8.2 Geo-Display Button

The Geo-Display defaults to showing you pin points for each call record, on a street map. These pins can be clicked on to select the record in the call record list and in the timeline, double-clicked to play, and right-clicked to access all the context menu options you have when right clicking from the timeline or call record list. Much like on the timeline, selected records are displayed as blue pins and the currently played call is green.

Additionally, the Geo-Display offers other display options, if you click the white + in a blue box near the top right corner:

Fig. 8.3 Geo-Display Options

The Base Layer options allow you to toggle between Google’s Satellite and Streets views. The Satellite view shows you the actual terrain, whereas the Streets shows you a street map.

The Heatmap option shows you your data in shades of color generalized by density of results. It is more useful when looking at a lot of data at once; with enough call records, individual pins will pile up into a mess, but a heatmap will show you hotspots where more of your calls are coming from. It’s easier to understand with a picture:

Fig. 8.4 Geo-Display Heat Map

The dark blue areas show you one or two calls, but the bright green areas show you where calls came in repeatedly during the time covered by this search.

8.2. Geo-Fence

The Search tab includes a Search Filter option called Geo-Fence:

Fig. 8.5 Geo-Fence in Filters Menu

The Geo-Fence allows you to draw shapes on a map, which will be used to filter search results to just that territory:

Fig. 8.6 Geo-Fence with Polygon Selection in progress in blue

For better ease of use, you can pop this Geo-Fence out into its own window inside the MediaWorks DX™ browser page:

Fig. 8.7 Geo-Fence (with a polygonal and a circular search area in orange)

There are five tools and an Options menu in the upper right corner of the Geo-Fence:

Fig. 8.8 Geo-Fence Tools and Options

These tools are, from left to right:

1. Circle: Draws a circle on the map, with the initial click being the center and then the circle’s size is determined by dragging away from the initial click.

2. Polygon: Each click becomes a point of a polygon, allowing for customized shapes. Double click a point to finish the polygon.

3. Point: This creates a circle of pre-determined size. The default is 3 miles but that is configurable in the Geo-Fence options.

4. Hand: The Hand tool is used to drag the map around.

5. Clear: This X icon will clear existing shapes and allow you to start over or search without the filter active.

The Geo-Fence options are the same the Geo-Display options, but also include Search Settings:

1. Single Mode: This restricts the search area to a single area at a time; making a new search area will delete any previously created search area in favor of the new one.

2. Point Search Miles: This is the size for the Point tool. It defaults to 3 miles.

3. Save Location and Settings as Map Default: This saves current settings and location as the default, so that every time you open a map it’ll show the area currently shown with the settings as they are.

Here is an example of a search made with the point tool:

Fig. 8.9 Geo-Fence Made With 3 Mile Point

8.3. Radio ID Display for Instant Recall

The Geo-Display feature Show Radio IDs only works with Instant Recall tabs:

Fig. 8.10 Geo-Display in Instant Recall

This feature allows you to see Talker ID and Group ID (or really any Metadata field) on the associated call pin as calls come into the recorder. The recall minute setting controls how long this data shows on the map, fading over time so that the latest calls are the most prominently displayed.