Highlights
MAR 8 – 10, 2011 — The PSCR program presented at the College of Technology on MAR 8 and hosted sessions MAR 9 and 10 at IWCE 2011.
Equipment suppliers can participate in the voluntary Project 25 Compliance Assessment Program to formally demonstrate their products’ compliance with a select group of requirements within the P25 suite of standards. Those who participate submit SDoC documents (format requirements here) and Summary Test Reports (format requirements here) to the Responder Knowledge Base (four steps for viewing SDoC documents here) for DHS/OIC review and approval of eligibility for grant procurement. Once approved, SDoC documents and associated Summary Test Reports can be viewed publicly at the RKB.
This PSCR-hosted P25 CAP overview course, which included PSCR panelists:
Reviewed which P25 standards have been incorporated in the CAP and explained why others have not
Discussed how the CAP works
Described how the P25 Governing Board uses the CAP in their procurements
Discussed the P25 Governing Board’s vision for the future of the CAP
NPSTC presented its viewpoint on four important public safety topics, from narrowbanding to the 700 MHz D Block. PSCR participated as a panelist in this session. Topics included:
NPSTC recommendations for the FCC to facilitate narrowbanding preparations for state and local service providers.
NPSTC follow-up on the PSWAC Report and discussion of public safety user communications requirements through 2020, including: identifying the spectrum and required technology, creating spectrum policy, funding, and standards development.
NPSTC presentation on the implementation of LTE and NPSTC recommendations to the PSST.
Review of current PSST activities, including the effort for Congressional designation of the D Block for public safety users, and funding and support for the D Block effort.
Interoperability is about more than just open standards. PSCR hosted and was a panelist for this session that:
Reviewed reasons why sometimes different manufacturers’ equipment does not work on a P25 system
Discussed the issues encountered in implementing a multi-vendor P25 network
Highlighted agencies’ practical gains and experiences sourcing terminals from multiple vendors
Described the challenges vendors face with becoming certified on statewide networks
Explained how LMR users can help themselves by embracing multiple vendors to get a cheaper price on P25 LMR equipment
This PSCR-hosted and moderated session described advancements in the past year to help improve audio communications in high-noise environments, and included practitioners’ perspective on the audio quality advances. View the presentation. (This PDF slide deck includes embedded audio examples (slides 6 and 8) that require Adobe Reader to play.)
Part 2 of this digital radio for firefighters session discussed the impact of a new technology once it’s in use and asked:
Does it help or does it hinder?
What is the learning curve of end users?
Can the new digital vocoders differentiate between background noise and voice, or is it a simply a user issue?
Should departments continue with a traditional analog network which may provide better intelligibility, or move to a digital system that may provide better coverage?
This PSCR-hosted and moderated session examined the PSCR program’s 700 MHz Public Safety Demonstration Network designed to test and demonstrate the behaviors of a first-responder network supporting high-speed data for GISs, video and many other applications. The demonstration network provides public safety and industry a vendor-neutral environment in which to test and observe how equipment in the 700 MHz band operates.
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