[FADCA] RE: FADCA Digest, Vol 34, Issue 11

[Chuck Hast]

On 11/13/06, Harvey, Robert <rharvey at harris.com> wrote:
>
> The P-25 standards are fraught with problems.  Several major public
> safety communications manufacturers successfully stymied the development
> of the standards so they could sell their radios with proprietary
> interfaces.  This is a large part of the "interoperability" problems we
> read about in the news.  While all of the systems may operated in the
> same band and use the uncertified P25 Common Air Interface (CAI)
> waveform between the mobile/portable and the base each manufacturer has
> a unique trunking system.  In addition, their base station interface
> used to interconnect various fixed sites is also proprietary.  This is
> why systems such as the JPS 1000 are so successful.  They provide an
> interface between disparate radio systems.
>
> The public safety people are beginning to see that the real
> interoperability solution will use the 802.XX standards because they are
> standards supported, tested and fielded by the commercial communications
> industry.
>
> Click on the following link and then read the whitepaper "Report Calls
> for Common Emergency Communications"
>
> http://www.homelandsecurity.org/bulletin/Dual%20Benefit/DualBenefit_curr
> ent.htm
>

Robert, thank you for that info, I have not been that near it for a while, but
from your comments I see that it is STILL the same mess it was 5 years
ago, and actually sounds worse.

Too bad that even in this field, the companies put money so high above
the common good, this is one where, of course they need to make money
so they can function, but the differnentiation should be in the bells and
whistles not the base system.

I hope that 802.xx does win out, indeed I have always felt that a hand
held computer with a 802.11 card in it could be the base for developing
just such products, of course the next step is to come up with radios
that operate on other bands and at lower data rates to cooperate with
the other band loading, of course SS allows for more tricks and better
usage of those bands too.

-- 
Chuck Hast  -- KP4DJT --
To paraphrase my flight instructor;
"the only dumb question is the one you DID NOT ask resulting in my going
out and having to identify your bits and pieces in the midst of torn
and twisted metal."