The Rebirth of LMR A Presentation for the Radio Club of America 100th Anniversary Symposium, Novembe

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The Rebirth of LMR A Presentation for the
Radio Club of America 100th Anniversary
Symposium, November 21, 2009
Presented by Peter Moncure, VP RadioSoft 8900
Dicks Hill Parkway Toccoa, GA 30577 PMoncure_at_Radi
oSoft.com
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In this presentation, I will

• Describe NXDN
• Discuss its latest advancements
• Explore the possibilities for local radio shops
  of true IP-based LMR
• Suggest strategies

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What is NXDN?
From Wikipedia NXDN is a Common Air Interface
(CAI) technical protocol for mobile
communications. It was developed jointly by Icom
and Kenwood. A NXDN Forum was formed in order to
promote the NXDN protocol in North and South
America. There are currently eleven members,
among which are Daniels, Icom, Kenwood, Ritron,
Trident and a software provider,
Etherstack. NXDN is implemented by Icom in their
IDAS system and by Kenwood as NEXEDGE.
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What is NXDN?

• Developed from Amateur Radios D-Star
• Bitrate (DV mode) improved from 2.4 kbps to 4.8
  kbps
• Underlying IP connection protocol
• Allows simultaneous digitized voice and data (950
  bps)

Image courtesy Icom
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What is NXDN?

• The digital NXDN can be either 12.5 kHz or 6.25
  kHz wide.
• Two NXDN 6.25 kHz systems can fit within one 12.5
  kHz channel.

Image courtesy Icom
Note in this example, the frequency centers are
3.125 kHz offset from FCC designated channel
center frequency
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What is NXDN?

• Channels can be allocated as voice/voice,
  voice/data, or data/data.
• NXDN also supports mixed analog FM and digital
  NXDN equipment and direct radio-to-radio
  communications.
• Systems may be gradually migrated to digital
  narrowband.

Image courtesy Icom
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What is NXDN?

• 4-level frequency-shift keying (FSK) modulation.
• Digital audio uses the AMBE2 vocoder.
• Better weak-signal voice than analog FM.
• Has wider range and slightly better multipath
  than analog FM
• Data transmission bit rate 4.8 kbps.

Image courtesy Icom
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What is NXDN?
Technical Characteristics The following FCC
emissions apply to NXDN transmissions 8K30F1E
12.5 kHz single channel digital voice 8K30F1D
12.5 kHz single channel digital data 8K30F1W 12.5
kHz single channel digital voice and data 4K00F1E
6.25 kHz single channel digital voice 4K00F1D
6.25 kHz single channel digital data 4K00F1W 6.25
kHz single channel digital voice and data 4K00F2D
6.25 kHz single channel analog CW ID The author
has personally observed greater than 75 dB
isolation from two adjacent NDXN 6.25 kHz-spaced
channels, which essentially makes them
location-independent.
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The Icom IDAS system

• Icoms implementation of NXDN CAI
• Permits IP packet switching without going to
  baseband audio
• Allows PC nodes
• Any PC can serve system-IP trunking
• Requires 13 kbps per connection

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IcomIDASintra-buildingradio service
Image courtesy Icom
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IcomIDAScross-band IP radio service
Image courtesy Icom
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IcomIDASsystemenables votingvia IP
Image courtesy Icom
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Whats so great about NXDN?
Networked LMR over IP pricing

• IP access cost already paid by user
• Pricing locally determined
• Only local maintenance costs required

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Whats so great about NXDN?
Networked LMR over IP Territory

• Ubiquitous, can use dialup for IP and satellite
  for RF
• Can network any radio channel
• Matches local propagation characteristic to
  available spectrum
• Instantly reconfigurable

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Whats so great about NXDN?
Networked LMR over IP Hardware

• Any smartphone with a push-to-talk application
• Any radio with a connected base station
• Any PC
• Packets well understood

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Who can I talk to?
The LMR over IP Advantage

• Any participating user
• Any smartphone user with a push-to-talk
  application
• Any location with any radio channel
• Any PC

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Why do I want it?
The Push-to-talk Advantage

• Immediate, no dialing, ringing etc.
• Conference calling always included, with balanced
  audio levels, no setup required
• Setup may be done by LMR dealer, user or any
  third party
• Familiarity in LMR situations

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Hardware Software
Conceptual Convergence

• Smart repeaters can now interface with all
  other smart devices
• Smartphones (iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile)
• PCs, netbooks
• Smart devices may now act as radio nodes
  providing IP access
• Bluetooth, WiFi, etc.

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Hardware Software
Conceptual Convergence

• Radios and repeaters will be automatically
  upgraded via IP and/or radio new standard at
  http//RadioSoft.com/ETSI-RRC.pdf
• Channelization and modulation controlled
• By input radio signal
• By software updates
• By talkgroup server

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Other Benefits of LMR-IP
Convenient

• Immediate, no dialing, ringing etc.
• Conference calling always included, with balanced
  audio levels, no setup required
• Talkgroups can be assigned by LMR dealer, user or
  any third party
• Familiarity in LMR situations

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How to Build LMR-IP
Strategy

• Create umbrella organization
• Develop smart cards for repeaters
• Enlist spectrum stakeholders
• Market, market, market

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Thanks

• Thanks for taking a look at the possibilities and
  promise of NXDN LMR over IP
• Thanks for not falling asleep during the last
  eighteen minutes and
• Thanks to all the folks at the Radio Club of
  America, who did all the behind-the-scenes work
  to this presentation possible.

Questions? Interested, or know someone who would
be? Call 706.754.2725 or write PMoncure_at_RadioSoft.
com to discuss any time, or check out
Push-to-talk.org