This post is written by Sean Sweeney, Public Safety Communication Specialist for Telecom Communications, Inc.

First an earthquake and now a major hurricane in the Atlantic?  Are your communications prepared?  Redundant communications are a key component of emergency preparedness and without it you could find yourself using smoke signals to communicate.  This is important not only for public safety entities but also any organization dependent on communications for the safety and functionality of their employees.  However for purposes of this blog, we will be concentrating on Public Safety in this discussion.

Here is a list of the "Top 6 Questions" you should ask yourself so that you are prepared if the lights go out.

1- Do you have redundant communications?

Do you have radios that do not rely on repeater systems?  If so, great.  They may only work in smaller areas, but it's better than nothing. Operating in direct mode, or Simplex, is an easy way to maintain communications during a power outage without a repeater.

2- Is your radio room on generator power?

If you aren't sure, it probably isn't.  Your main base station needs to be on redundant power to maintain continuity of communications

3- Are your repeaters on battery back-up?

If you lose power, you lose your repeater system.  If it isn't on an auxiliary power system, it should be.  Even if the system is on power back-up, most repeaters go into "fail-safe" mode when a surge is detected.  Do you know how to properly reset your repeater?

4 - Do you know how long your back-up will last if the power is out for days?

Auxiliary power systems are only designed to last a few hours, 18 hours in most cases.  What is your plan if the power is out longer than this?

5- Do you have lightning protection for your antenna systems?

Most people forget about their antennas when planning on protecting their communications.  A lightning strike to the antenna system can wipe out your communications.  To  minimize the risk and damage, you should have the proper protection, such as lightning arrestors and grounding, in place for this.

6 - Does your Mutual Aid have the ability to activate you and vice versa?

If you go down, who will activate your pagers and handle radio transmissions?  Having a mutual aid agreement in place with surrounding departments and your county control points is an excellent way to ensure your communications continue.

These are not questions you should be asking yourself right now with the storm brewing, but if you haven't been thinking of these things, Telecom can help.  We have a staff of qualified engineers who can evaluate your system and get you these answers.  Arm yourself with Uninterrupted Power Supplies and redundant power supplies that transition seamlessly into your current system. 

Be prepared because the public safety is our number one priority.

To set up an appointment to analyze your communication system preparedness click here

*Telecom Communications is a full-line Motorola dealer and most of the equipment mentioned above is available via the state or county contract

Photos used under creative commons from taigasylvan

Press Release:

(Plainview, NY) May 10, 2011 -

Telecom Communications, Inc. is proud to announce our sponsorship of the New York State Fire Department Drill Teams as the 2011 Primary Series Sponsor and Exclusive Communications Sponsor.  2011 will be the biggest New York State Racing Season ever with firefighters from departments across Long Island and New York State competing in challenges designed to test their skills in the pillars of firefighting such as climbing ladders and positioning hoselines.  

“We’re happy to announce our partnership with Telecom Communications, Inc. in making the 2011 FD Drill Team season the biggest ever.  Telecom Communications, Inc. continues to show their commitment to the firefighters of Long Island and across New York, with the number one reputation in the state for professional radios and installations, we can think of no better company to call the Exclusive Communications Sponsor of the NYS FD Drill Teams, and our 2011 Primary Season Sponsor!” – Paul Susskind, President Suffolk VFP+DTCA  

Telecom Communications, Inc., a leading Motorola dealer of two way radio sales and service, with offices located in Plainview, NY and New York City has been serving the wireless communications industry since 1959.  Generations of firefighters have relied on Telecom Communications, Inc. and Motorola radios when lives are at risk; radios that deliver interoperability on demand; superior audio, and simple, intuitive operation.  Telecom Communications delivers communication solutions that allow fire departments to focus on their mission, making technology second nature.

“We are excited about our partnership with the 2011 NYS FD Drill Teams.  Volunteer firefighters are an integral part of the community, devoting their time and selves to protecting others.  Firefighters and Motorola go hand in hand so this sponsorship was a natural fit.” – John W. Bos – President, Telecom Communications, Inc.

 

Coverage issues are not just limited to cell phones.  There are many reasons why some companies two-way radios will be able to talk a lot farther than the ones at your company.  To put it simply, they are most likely operating on a higher power.  "Well that's not fair" you are probably thinking.  What makes them so special that they can operate on a higher power.  Well you can too, that's where a repeater would come in.

Portable radios normally operate somewhere between .5 and 5 watts.  It's hard to say for sure what distance this would cover because of interference issues such as buildings, mountains, etc. but a rough estimate is for every watt of power you would get approximately one mile of coverage in a flat, open area.  What a radio repeater would do is take that weak or low signal and retransmit ("repeat") it at a higher level which would then enable the radio signal to cover a greater area.  The repeater would be installed in a location that would maximize its effectiveness.

There are many different types of repeaters available.  There are low level repeaters, high level repeaters, vehicle repeaters, cross band repeaters and one of the newer types which are digital repeaters.  Motorola MotoTRBO (XPR8300, XPR8400) repeaters supports two simultaneous voice or data paths when used in digital TDMA mode.  This provides for twice the calling capacity, as compared to analog radios, for the price of one license.  It also provides clearer communications, in digital mode, throughout the coverage area as compare to analog radios and it is 100% continuous duty.

Sometimes radio systems will require the use of a repeater to increases the range and capabilities of your portable or mobile radios.  If you think you may need to use a repeater with your system, contact your two-way radio professional for a consultation and system testing.

Do you have a repeater at your organization?  How has it increased your communications range?  Comment below, we would love to hear about it

Selecting the right two-way radio for your business is important.  The features available can help ease your job and streamline your business.  Before you can choose the correct radio to suit your needs, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself.

1- How many users and channels do you need?

The number of users that will be operating on the radio system will help determine the number of channels necessary for your organization.  For instance, if you have 5 people in maintenance and 12 in security you may want to have a maintenance channel and a security channel. If two of those users in security need to be able to speak privately then you can add a third channel as well.

2- What frequency band should you operate on?

There are three different frequency bands that are commonly used for communications.  VHF which stands for "Very High Frequency" 136-174 MHz is better suited for outdoor applications without much interference.  These frequencies will communicate a further distance.  UHF ("Ultra High Frequency") 403-512 MHz work better with indoor applications in which there may be some obstructions.  The 800/900 MHz band is generally used for trunking two-way radio system.

3- What features are necessary for your organization?

This can vary from safety features like intrinsically safe to telephone interconnect of even integrated data applications. 

Motorola has designed a spectacular radio selection guide to help you see what is available and what different terms mean.  You can download this guide here.  Also, don't be afraid to ask your local radio rep.  They are able to assist you in the selection of the proper radios for your operation.  They will help you evaluate your needs and decide which frequency band, how many channels and what features are necessary for you to operate at peak performance.

Throughout the ages businesses have always been looking for ways to cut costs and save money.  What makes todays world different is that they now have the added responsibility to conserve the environment.  Did you know that your communications can help you do both?  Below are five ways to use your communications to help your company "go green"

1) Distributed Antenna Systems (D.A.S.)- Through high efficiency and properly designed D.A.S., the demand on equipment is lowered therefore lowering the consumption of energy required, while keeping the amount of power transmitted from radios, cell phones, blackberries and others to a minimum with relation to exposure.

2) GPS- GPS greatly reduces miles driven, excessive idling, wear and tear on vehicles and maintenance while also slowing down drivers.  This will decrease the amount of gas used through better routing and planning.

3) Two Way Radio- Radios save time and energy through efficiency of instant communications without recurring costs.  They also allow for improved routing which will cut fuel costs and energy use.  According to the EPA (www.epa.gov), by saving just 1 gallon of gasoline the eco-savings are 19.4 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent.

4) Mobile Computing- Mobile computers allow for field workers to decrease the amount of paperwork created.  They also help in managing inventory and assets thus avoiding over purchasing and improves utilization and lifespan.  This will help in saving natural resources and trees while cutting waste and paper spend.  By saving 1 pound of paper you can claim eco-savings of 11.1 gallons of water, 2.9 pounds of carbon dioxide, 0.95 pounds of solid waste (Environmental impact estimates were made using the Environments Defense Fund Paper Calculator. For more information visit www.papercollector.org)

5) Battery Maintenance Systems- These allow your batteries to be charged properly and optimized for maximum usage allowing you to save money, have longer lasting batteries leading to less waste and easier working radios.

 How do you use your communications to help you "Go Green"?

Does it really matter how you charge the batteries for your two-way radios?  To answer that, yes it does.  Thanks to Motorola for the proper battery charging instructions below.

These battery tips will help you obtain optimized performance and a longer life cycle from your Motorola rechargeable battery.

1. Charge your new battery overnight before using it. This is referred to as INITIALIZING and will enable you to obtain maximum battery capacity. a. Nickel Cadmium or Nickel Metal Hydride: 14-16 hours. b. Lithium Ion/Polymer: 1 to 2 additional hours after the charger light turns green.

2. New Motorola impres batteries, when inserted into a Motorola impres charger, will indicate a calibration cycle by displaying a steady Yellow indication on the charge status indicator. Allow this calibration process to complete by not removing the battery from the charger until it has completely charged and displays a steady green indication.

3. In order to minimize capacity loss and cycle life reduction, new, NON INITIALIZED batteries must be stored in well ventilated, cool and dry locations. Batteries stored in these conditions may be stored:

a. Nickel Cadmium up to 2 years.
b. Nickel Metal Hydride up to 18 months.
c. Lithium Ion/Polymer up to 18 months.

4. If used batteries are to be removed from service for extended periods (greater than 30 days) they should be discharged to about 50% of their capacity before storage in a cool, dry location.

5. Batteries which have been in storage for more than two months should be fully discharged and recharged.

a. Nickel Cadmium or Nickel Metal Hydride: 14-16 hours.
b. Lithium Ion/Polymer: 1 to 2 additional hours after the charger light turns green.

6. When using a Motorola rapid charger, leave the battery in the charger for an additional 1 to 2 hours after the steady green light appears. (Applies to non-impres batteries only.)

7. Do not leave your radio and fully-charged battery in the charger when not charging. Continuous charging will shorten battery life. (Do not use charger as a radio stand.)

8. Only charge a battery when it needs it. If it is not fully discharged, do not recharge it. We suggest that you carry a spare. This is the most cost effective solution for users requiring longer operating time.

9. Do not return fully charged non-impres batteries to the charger for an "extra boost." This action will significantly reduce cycle life. Repeated short cycle charging of non-impres batteries will shorten battery life. (Do not use charger as a radio stand for non-impres batteries.)

10. Stabilize batteries to room temperature (72ºF) before charging. Charging below 40ºF and above 104ºF will decrease cycle life.

If you have been on the internet, read the newspaper lately or even just through word of mouth you have most likely heard about the FCC Narrowbanding Mandates.  To understand the changes first you need to understand how two-way radios operate.

When two-way radios are operated, they do so in licensed bands called UHF and VHF.  Inside those bands are radio channels that the FCC regulates.  This is where radio licensing comes in.  In the past, each channel for commercial two way users used 25 kHz of spectrum per channel.  Throughout the years the number of radio users has increased and since there is a limited amount of radio spectrum available, the availability for new users has decreased.  Enter the FCC and Narrowbanding.

The FCC has mandated all business and public safety users operating on channels between 150 and 174 mHz and 421 and 512 mHz in the United States to transition from 25 kHz to 12.5 kHz.  What this will do is increase the amount of channels available to two-way radio operators.

So the next question becomes why should I - the FCC would never know.  In short, Yes they would.  By not converting to Narrowband, not only will you experience increased interference but you also risk loss of radio communications, substantial FCC fines and/or the revocation of your FCC license.

Okay, okay you know you need to do it but when does this all happen?  You've been hearing about this for years.  Well the time for conversion has finally arrived.  Key dates for the transitions:

January 1, 2011: The FCC will not grant applications for new voice operations or applications to expand the authorized contour of existing stations that use 25 kHz channels.  Only narrowband authorization will be granted

The FCC will prohibit manufacture or importation of new equipment that operates on 25 kHz channels.  This will reduce the availability of new equipment for legacy radio systems and will affect how agencies maintain and upgrade older systems.

January 1, 2013: All existing licenses must operate on channels with a bandwidth of 12.5 kHz or less

So now you have the who, what, where, when and why but what about the how?  To prepare for the migration, users should begin by assessing their current radio system.  This will allow them to see what can be reprogrammed to meet the requirements and what needs to be replaced.  Because radio manufacturers have been aware of the mandates since 1997, most equipment purchased in the past 5 years should be able to just be reprogrammed.  Once the assesment is complete, radio operators need to obtain new or modified FCC licenses.  The final step is to set a date to begin your narrowband operations and make sure all your radios are tuned to the new bandwidth prior to that date. 

If you would like more information of the FCC Narrowbanding Mandates you can check out the sites below:

National Institute of Justice Communications Technologies

Federal Communications Commission

Telecom Communications, Inc.

 

 

Television turned digital, music turned digital and now two-way is going digital as well.  As a user of two way, you may ask yourself "why should I go digital? Why should I invest in the new technology when my analog radios are working just fine?"

Well, there are many features and advantages that digital radios can offer that your run of the mill analog ones can't.  Digital radios work with a greater spectrum efficiency which in turn allows for a higher calling capacity.  They provide enhanced signaling for user-friendly operation, they enable flexible privacy between individual users and groups, and they combine voice communication and wireless data applications in the same device. 

Digital radios can save you money.  Because of the technology used, there is a calling capacity double that of analog radios.  This creates two virtual channels while allowing a company to only pay the price of one "real" channel license.  It also elminates the need for an additional repeater or combiner system for the second call.  With digital radios battery life is also increased by approximately 40% leading to less costs incurred for replacing batteries.

With analog radios, signals are often distorted creating audible static.  Some digital systems have the ability to surpress background noise at the transmitter which are therefore not heard at the receiver.  They can also provide voice and privacy without requiring extra hardware or altering the quality of the transmission. Motorola has a great example of the sound quality difference between analog and digital radios. Click Motorola hear the difference to check it out.

Converting your radio fleet from analog to digital is simple and can be done over time.  There are devices that can offer both analog and digital modes in a single unit.  By choosing these units, companies can gradually convert to a digital system when the time is right for them.

Have you tried digital radios yet?  Leave a comment below to let us know what you think of them.

To find out more about the future of professional two-way radios, download this white paper "The Future of Professional Two-way Radio: Digital"