International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 26-29, 1998 / Town & Country Resort Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California / Instrumenting the operational B-2 Strategic Bomber presents some unique problems. For example, the requirement to remain operational dictates that the aircraft must retain its stealth characteristics. This means traditional antennas cannot simply be attached to the airframe. A solution to this problem is an antenna designed with stealth, or Low Observable (LO), attributes. Stealth is not an absolute; it is relative. Therefore, antenna design becomes a balancing act between the LO relativity, antenna directivity, and antenna gain. Weapons testing is an additional concern, where instrumented ordinances transmit data that must be monitored real-time prior to launch. Stealth vehicles must carry weapons internally, restricting the Radio Frequency (RF) transmission of telemetered data from the weapon. With the development of future stealthy conveyances, such as the F-22, Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), ground, and ocean-going craft, these concerns will become even more prevalent.

Operational testing of railroad trainmen on federal government safety rules is a daily occurrence on every railroad in the United States. This constant testing and resulting discipline distracts trainmen from the task at hand, causing a loss of focus which could lead to injury or accidents. Using the social construction framework, this research sought to gain an understanding of trainmen's perception on how operational testing impacts their workplace safety, as well as how they perceive the U.S. federal government influences regulation and discipline. This phenomenological study investigated a segment of railroad employees, the trainmen, because they are operationally tested more than other employees. A representative sample of trainmen (n = 20), managers (n = 7), retirees (n = 4), and U.S. federal government officials (n = 4) who oversee railroad safety, were interviewed using a semistructured interview protocol. The transcribed interviews were analyzed for patterns and trends of safety and testing outcomes. The software analysis provided frequencies of qualitative features in the participants' responses such as stressor words and fear of discipline. Government reports regarding incident rates across U.S. railroads demonstrated that private rail companies are about equal in their incident rates. Considering incidents occur equally, the interviewees indicated that some companies test more frequently than others. This study concluded that excessive operational testing does not positively impact safety nor reduce incidents, but creates a potential for distraction among trainmen. By taking the opinion of employees into consideration, railway managers can create a safer work environment, as well as a more coherent and less stressful workplace for their employees.