Blog authored by Sandi Wendelken – Strategy & Insights Manager | Tait Communications
During an educational session at a recent industry conference that I attended, the presenter asked a public safety communications manager from a rural state in the western United States what he needed most from a mission-critical communications network.
His answer: Coverage, coverage, and coverage.
It makes sense.
If first responders cannot communicate, they cannot coordinate—and without coordination, critical response efforts stall. The same is true for workers in utilities, transit agencies, and mining operations. If utility field crews cannot communicate, for example, they cannot restore power—and without power, everything comes to a standstill.
It does not matter what technology protocol you use, what frequency band you operate in, or what live-saving features you might have on your device if the RF signal does not get through. During daily operations and emergencies, a lack of coverage can quickly become a life and death problem.
Premier System Design
Achieving strong coverage is not easy. Effective coverage begins with a well-designed system. Many engineers at Tait work alongside our customers to understand coverage needs and then design a system to ensure the network works wherever the customer needs it. In addition, selecting the most effective technology from conventional to trunked to simulcast networks is critical as well.
The Tait Services team employs several components to achieve the critical objective of designing an effective network: RF site selection, site and RF surveys, capacity planning, frequency planning, antenna system design, and combining and multicoupling system design, along with interference mitigation. Coverage modelling can help plan and predict network performance.
A new PSN LMR Tower Site
After the network is in place, the engineering team verifies the coverage using TSB-88 based methods. Tait uses specialized tools to plan, assess and verify actual radio coverage, validating coverage on a live operating system.
Interoperable Infrastructure
Once the system is properly designed, reliable, interoperable equipment must then be deployed. The Tait TB9400, with 2x50-watt or 1x100-watt power options, delivers on cost-effective deployment and operational efficiency. P25 Phase 2 provides spectral efficiency, Linear Simulcast Modulation (LSM) offers improved coverage, and remote network management enhances operations. All three features are built into the base station.
The Tait TB9400
A customer who lives in a U.S. state with mountainous terrain called the TB9400 “versatile and modular,” with everything in one package, providing an easy upgrade path. “It’s a great solution,” he said.
But the fact is, there are always areas where an RF signal is hard to reach. Tait recently acquired RFI Technology Solutions, which develops numerous products for coverage enhancement. The solutions include DSPbR channel-selective bi-directional amplifiers (BDAS). The Trunking Extender (TRex) is an option for a DSPbR or DSPbR EDGE rebroadcast repeater to rebroadcast P25 Phase 1 and Phase 2 networks. TRex transcodes the P25 network donor site’s control channel, rebroadcasting it on a different set of frequencies so subscriber terminals see the DSPbR rebroadcast site as another site in the network. These are excellent options to fill in coverage in areas where maintaining an RF signal is difficult, along with in-building coverage.
Deployable Solutions
Professionals in the mission-critical industry understand that when natural disasters occur, communications networks can be wiped out. In these situations, deployable solutions are easy to set up and can quickly supply communications for first responders and other essential groups such as utilities or transportation agencies.
The Tait TB7300 transportable repeater
The Tait TB7300 transportable repeater is designed for easy deployment, operating as a single conventional RF channel or as a trunked site with both control and traffic channels. The multimode product supports P25, DMR, and analog technology and can provide a quick expansion of a private network.
The Tait TA3633 transportable repeater
The Tait TA3633 operates as an analog conventional repeater and offers some DMR Tier 2 and P25 capabilities in digital mode. The TA3633 delivers 6.25 kHz equivalent channel efficiency in DMR Tier 2 mode, using 1-slot TDMA to support both voice and data services. It offers selectable output power from 1W up to 5W, depending on the frequency band.
Housed in rugged, waterproof Pelican cases, these solutions are easy to transport and deploy. For extended battery life, Tait deployable solutions include an internal battery with built-in charging capability, while optional external battery packs can be added for extended operation. All Tait transportable receivers come with options and accessories for operational efficiency.
Foundational Requirements
Coverage should be the foundation of every mission-critical communications network. Without reliable RF signal reach, even the most advanced technologies fall short when lives are on the line. Prioritizing coverage is essential.
With many tools to enhance and ensure reliability for critical communications systems, Tait Communications is ready to help build and sustain a standards-based network that solves any coverage problem. As you plan and build the coverage you need for your mission-critical communications network, consider Tait Communications as a trusted partner.
Kristen Stryker, Barry Crates, Dan Draughn, and Ian Graham contributed to this article.
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