Arm Your Team With the Latest Communication Technology

If you work in construction, emergency services, for the government or any other organization that requires quick and precise communication, you will benefit from P25 digital radios. P25 represents the latest digital communication technology. While other forms of communication are heavily flawed in regard to transmission consistency, battery life and other features, P25 is reliable in every sense. This is the technology you need to keep you and your team safe regardless of environmental threats. It will also help maintain the safety of those who need assistance from law enforcement, emergency personnel and government workers.

Radios That Always Work

Take a moment to think about all of the problems with conventional radio communications. Most organizations have various radios and other communications devices that fail to function in unison. The failure to transmit messages in real-time without flaw is essential to your team’s ability to get their job done in the most effective manner possible. Anyone who works in emergency situations will testify that time is of the essence. Oftentimes, seconds make the difference between life and death for civilians as well as service providers. Arm your team with P25 radios and they will be able to communicate with one another in an immediate manner without any sort of interference or audio drop-outs.

P25 technology was created with the input of an array of groups including the Telecommunications Industry Association, the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International and the National Association of State Telecommunications Directors. As a result, P25 radios are compatible with every single emergency device and even some non-emergency communication devices. It doesn’t matter if your team is using a base station, a trunked line or direct radio communication, P25 technology will allow for crystal clear communication at all times.

The post The P25 Difference first appeared on BK Technologies.

The post The P25 Difference appeared first on BK Technologies.

P25 Radios for Heightened Efficiency

Anyone who requires clear communication on a job site will obtain considerable utility from P25 radios. From construction workers to firefighters, police officers, public safety professionals and government workers, uninterrupted communication is essential to working in an effective manner. Think of all the instances in which your team has had to communicate with one another regarding the transportation of materials, logistics concerns, delegation of responsibilities and other matters. Such communication is simplified with the use of P25 radios that provide perfectly clear audio transmissions regardless of one’s position.

The Superiority of P25 Radios

Our radios allow you to communicate in a direct manner without outside interference, audible drop-outs or other snafus that commonly plague cell phones and other communication equipment. P25 radios even function in inclement weather, during hurricanes, tropical storms, blizzards and other extreme circumstances. This is the reliable form of communication you need to pass the word on about power outages, damage, road closures, disaster relief efforts and so on.

Flawless communication is especially important for emergency relief service providers who need to stay up to date on all the latest developments. Rely on P25 radios to stay in constant communication with your team and you will be empowered to help those who desperately need assistance in times of crisis. These radios really do save lives. Arm your team with P25 radios today and they will have the communication tool they need to do their job to the best of their ability. It just might make the difference between enduring a lengthy weather/traffic-related delay and arriving on time. P25 radios even have the potential to be the difference between life and death.

The post Why You Need P25 Radios Today first appeared on BK Technologies.

The post Why You Need P25 Radios Today appeared first on BK Technologies.

Whenever an officer is on a call, he needs his radio for communication. Contact with dispatchers to receive critical information about the people they may be coming into contact can be lifesaving. Using their radios to call for backup in dangerous situations can also be a lifesaving decision.

In 1989, the FCC asked public safety two-way radio users for recommendations on how to improve public safety radio systems. They took these recommendations and created a new standard for the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials-International, which was dubbed Project 25.

The first phase of P25 systems was an important step to providing the type of communication needed for public safety officials. Now manufacturers like Relm Wireless are producing state-of-the-art digital portable radios using P25 phase two technology.

Phase two of the P25 standard is for narrow band communications. This type of communication is an important next step in emergency communication because it means that an agency can use less of its allotted bandwidth allowing for more agencies to use the availability. This offers a greater ability for interoperability with different agencies and from different jurisdictions. If there’s an emergency where agencies from other jurisdictions are required to support, this makes the communication between the agencies much easier.

As more and more products become available using this continuously updating technology, it’s important that our public safety officials have the use of these technologies both for their own safety and that of those they have sworn to protect.

The post Importance of Phase Two P25 Radios for Public Safety first appeared on BK Technologies.

The post Importance of Phase Two P25 Radios for Public Safety appeared first on BK Technologies.

Obstacle: The cost of P25 radios is prohibitive.

Reality: While it is true that making the switch to a P25 radio system may involve an investment, the payoff is a reliable communication system that is interoperable with the P25 radio systems of other public safety departments. Having the ability to function efficiently in times of disaster or distress is peace of mind that you can afford.

Obstacle: It’s a lot of hassle and planning to experience the benefits of P25 radios – including full compliance and interoperability.

Reality: A successful transition to P25 radios does require coordination and planning to be most efficient. But as the industry moves toward P25 as a standard, the resources and tools available to make the migration become increasingly available. And once the planning and transition phases are complete, your system will function more efficiently, with increased reliability and ability to serve your department under all circumstances.

If your department is considering upgrading to a P25 land-mobile radio system, don’t let the obstacles steer you away from making a wise choice. Investigate all the factors involved and don’t choose short-term convenience at the expense of long-term success.

The post Identifying and Overcoming Perceived Obstacles to P25 Radio Systems first appeared on BK Technologies.

The post Identifying and Overcoming Perceived Obstacles to P25 Radio Systems appeared first on BK Technologies.

Quality Indicator – DAQ

DAQ, or ‘Delivered Audio Quality,’ is the common measurement used to assess signal quality. The DAQ scale includes a scale ranging from 1 to 5, with 1 being unusable audio output and 5 being perfect.

A DAQ rating of 3.4 is the threshold rating considered acceptable for P25 radios in a public safety system. At this level, speech is understandable, with minimal repetition necessary and only some noise or distortion present.

Predicted Reliability

Another important consideration to ensuring quality P25 radio coverage is predicted reliability. This calculation involves determining two things:

1. How much of the network area receives coverage.
2. What percentage of the time the system performs to the expected level.

So to determine reliability, you need to assess how much of the coverage area receives signal at the projected DAQ and how consistently this signal is present. For instance, if the P25 radio system delivers a DAQ of 3.4 to 90% of your coverage area, 90% of the time, then your coverage statement would be: 90/90 @3.4DAQ.

Public safety agencies should strive for a system that is designed to provide reliable coverage 95% of the time.

If your current radio system is producing inconsistent audio quality or spotty coverage, it may be time to upgrade system components or invest in new equipment. Contact your Relm representative to address your department’s specific needs.

The post Measuring P25 Signal Quality and Coverage first appeared on BK Technologies.

The post Measuring P25 Signal Quality and Coverage appeared first on BK Technologies.

When developing a new LMR standard, several important needs had to be addressed. These included:

• Interoperability between equipment from various manufacturers
• Reliable performance to support public safety operations
• Ability to perform across urban, rural and undeveloped environments, and with older equipment.
• Coverage across wide-areas with minimal towers.
• Reduce bandwidth use, while maintaining audio quality and improving encryption.

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) published the first set of standards, known as TIA-102 in 1989. The TIA operates under the jurisdiction of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Supporters and collaborators in the formulation and implementation of these standards include public safety organizations on the international and federal level.

Since the first incarnation of the standards over 25 years ago, refinements and adjustments have been made as technology has evolved. Today, P25 radios prove to be versatile communication devices with a high level of interoperability. So when disaster strikes or interagency communication is needed (as described last week), P25 radios can bridge the gap between agencies or departments that use P25-compliant devices. Does your department have the equipment to speak this universal language? If not, consider integrating P25 radios today.

The post From Our Files: A Brief History of P25 Radios first appeared on BK Technologies.

The post From Our Files: A Brief History of P25 Radios appeared first on BK Technologies.