SyTech Corporation and communication interoperability, I

is, receive and transmit radio channels — and all transmissions may be recorded and played back, (911 requirement)

  • All channels are reconfigurable — all channels are reconfigurable on the fly; any radio maybe connected to any channel
  • Integrated Voice and Data — When using multiple RIOS, communications maybe via radio (voice) or a wireless data connection, for example, 802.XX or any wireless integrated network
  • Audio store and forward — Channels interface with radio trunking systems intelligently; the RIOS will wait for acknowledgement before passing the audio to non-trunking systems, thus no audio is lost
  • Built in digital recording and traffic analysis — The RIOS computer has a built-in digital recording capability; audio and data are recorded to the hard drive and archived on a permanent basis to archive media such as DVD
  • No limit on the number of talk groups — There is no limit on the number of Talk Groups; the number is limited only by the number of channels available on the system
  • Permanent archiving — Audio and data may be permanently archived to a 2 bay DVD array
  • PC remote client —This module allows remote users to control and communicate with the RIOS server via an 802.11 wired or wireless network; remote users can perform all functions
  • PDA remote client module — Same capability as the PC Remote Client but adapted to the more limited resources of a PDA
  • PBX — This option can be packaged in a separate box or integrated into the RIOS case to provide connections for standard analog, digital, or VoIP phones
  • Automatic report generation — The system has ability to produce reports automatically; reports will provide the time of all transmissions, incoming or outgoing, length of call, time.

    • The cost of interoperability
    The company says it understands that interoperability must be implemented at a reasonable price and on a reasonable time schedule. The use radio gateways at Public Service Answering Points (PSAPs) and at incident sites are the best solution, providing both affordability and a time schedule (installation can take as little as one day). The PSAPs and the incident sites are connected using IP networks utilizing VoIP technology. The problems of major incident sites where all communications are destroyed, or where multiple agencies using disparate radio systems arrive on site, may be addressed using a combination of mobile and transportable systems. SyTech has implemented complete voice interoperability solutions for PSAP’s, vehicle manufacturers, mobile vehicles, and for transportable shelters. In 2006 and early 2007, for example, SyTech designed, fielded, and trained twenty-six Joint Incident Site Communications Systems for the Army and Air National Guard. The systems are all operational and connectivity is provided via satellite bandwidth using the RIOS Wide Area Network (RWAN) mesh technology. The costs provided in the table below are thus actual system costs. The only variable would be the selection of more items, that is, portable radios to be included in the recommended radio “cache.”

    Assumptions:
    The following assumptions are being made to provide interoperability at a reasonable cost:

    1. The cost is based on a “standard state” with 100 counties (PSAP locations)
    2. Each PSAP uses a combination of installed base radios and ten mobile radios
    3. The mobile radios will be costed for each PSAP
    4. Each state will have six mobile vehicles. The mobile vehicles will have radios, VSAT, routers, switches, video server, RIOS server, antenna, video, internet, two laptops with 802.11 wireless, and two RIOS client licenses and EVDO broadband internet connectivity
    5. Each state will have three transportable shelters for incident commander command and control
    6. Each transportable shelter will have 6 mobile radios, 25 handheld UHF or VHF handheld radios, VSAT, routers, switches, video server, GIS server, RIOS server, antennas, repeater, video, internet, 15 laptops with 802.11 wireless, and five RIOS client licenses, EVDO broadband internet connectivity, 1.5 Mbps satellite bandwidth (on demand), tent, 3 diesel generators (13 KW, 6 KW, and 3 KW), 42 BTU A/C unit; transportable systems will also include one 2.5 ton short bed pick capable of being transported in a C-130 with the trailer
    7. Each state will have a radio “cache” of 100 VHF, 100 UHF, and 100 800 MHz portable radios; this cache of 300 radios is over and above the 25 portable handhelds provided with each transportable shelter

    -read more about communication interoperability in:

    • Gil Armendariz, “Interoperability and Infrastructure Planning: A Practical Solution to Public Safety Interoperability,” Pt. 1, Emergency Number Professional Magazine (March 2008): 59-64
    • Gil Armendariz, “Interoperability and Infrastructure Planning: A Practical Solution to Public Safety Interoperability,” Pt. 2, Emergency Number Professional Magazine (April 2008)
    • Guide to Radio Communications Interoperability Strategies and Products,” Report No. TE-02-02 (Rome New York: National Institute of Justice, 2003)
    • Jim Szalajeski, SyTech Systems Engineer, “Radio Inter-Operability, It’s Simply Planning,” MRT Magazine (January 2007)