Project 25 Testing Update Report by Compliance Testing LLC
Details
The Project 25 Technology Interest Group welcomes Compliance Testing LLC as a new Commercial member of PTIG. Compliance Testing LLC has prepared a report detailing the the P25 Testing Update presented by DHS OIC and the Compliance Assessment Program Advisory Panel at their open meeting held during the APCO 2016 conference in Orlando.
The introduction to the report by Chris Lougee, Director of New Business Development, Compliance Testing LLC :
"The P25 Compliance Assessment Program (P25 CAP) Advisory Panel (AP) held it’s second in-person meeting on August 17, 2016, in Orlando, FL, during the APCO International Conference. The stated purpose was to implement P25 policies, identify priorities, establish the path forward, increase awareness of the P25 CAP AP and how it can positively impact P25.
The room was “packed” with 57 users, manufacturers, associations, Public Safety agency representatives, other interested parties and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) officials and staff who convened the meeting. The morning session included presentations by Sridhar Kowdley, DHS-S&T Program Manager, and by Fire Chief Gerald Reardon, City of Cambridge Massachusetts Fire Departments, P25CAP AP Chair. In the afternoon a lively and substantive Q&A session involved the P25 CAP panel members, those attending in-person and on the phone and questions submitted prior to the meeting were answered too.
Many thought the P25 CAP was “dead” a couple of years ago. After a transfusion of DHS-S&T leadership, new energy, additional staff, appointment of a well-qualified Advisory Panel and continued strong support from industry, the P25 CAP is out of the “ICU.” Showing strong signs of life now, P25 CAP has definitely moved to “Recovery,” but much work is remaining to get the patient fully back on its feet.
A full copy of the report can be downloaded using the Link below.
Project 25 Technology Interest Group Elects a New Board of Directors and Officers for 2016-2017
Details
The Project 25 Technology Interest Group (PTIG) held it’s Annual Meeting in conjunction with the APCO International Conference in Orlando on August 14th. At that meeting, a Board of Directors and Officers were elected. A number of new Board members were elected from the Public Safety Radio User Community to fill vacancies created as previous members moved on. These include:
Scott Wright
Scott Wright is a Telecommunications Engineer with the Connecticut Department of Emergency Service and Public Protection and has worked for the State for 26 years. In his role with the State, Mr. Wright supports the State trunked and conventional radio systems. He serves on a number of committees, including: P25 User Needs Study Committee (vice chair), State Interoperable Communications Executive Committee (technical committee chair), RPC19 (technical committee chair), the Federal Partnership for Interoperable Communications, and a number of others. Mr. Wright holds a number of public safety certifications and FCC licenses.
Brent Finster
Brent is the Communications Center Manager for the University of Hawai’i Department of Public Safety with 35 years of experience in law enforcement, fire, EMS and public safety communications. Trading one island for another, Brent most recently was the Director of Public Safety Communications for the Cayman Islands Government during the past seven years. Prior to his Caribbean assignment, he was the telecommunications manager for the Contra Costa County Fire District in the San Francisco Bay Area. Brent originally hails from Colorado where he served as the communications director in Aspen and as a communications supervisor/dispatcher in Boulder. He has been a deputy sheriff, EMT and fire chief. Brent has attended Aims Community College (fire science technology), Colorado Mountain College (law enforcement academy) and the University of Colorado School of Journalism. He has been awarded Life and Senior Membership in the Association of Public-safety Communications Officials International (APCO).
Christie Bielby
Christie has worked in Public Safety Communications for almost 30 years. She is currently responsible for the Administration of the Texas Department of Public Safety’s newly purchased P25 trunked system, subscriber programming templates, and coordination of encryption for The Texas DPS Communication Service and liaison for other state and local agencies. She has also been involved with the FPIC Security Working Group for the last few years.
Other P25 radio Users and practitioners returning to the PTIG Board include: Del Smith- Alaska ALMR, Brad Stoddard-State of Michigan; Brandon Diemer-BLM NIFC, Eric Davies- DHS; Karl Larson-City of Portland; Jim Junkins-Harrisonburg/Rockingham VA; John Richards-State of Maine; George Crouch-State of South Carolina and Vice Chair Project 25 Steering Committee; Eric Linsley-Mobile County Alabama; and Cindy Cast- Miami Dade County.
The PTIG Board also welcomes a new Commercial member, Todd Perdieu, representing Harris Corporation. PTIG Board returning Commercial Members include: Andy Davis-Motorola Solutions and TIA TR-8 Chair; Chris Lougee 5 x 9 Communications; Jim Holthaus RELM and TIA PRS and TIA TR8.25 chair; Cheryl Giggetts-AECOM; Neil Horden-Federal Engineering; Roy McClellan- Airbus DSC; Doug Chapman-Etherstack; Robin Grier-Catalyst; Sanjay Patel-IDA.
The PTIG Slate of Officers were also nominated and elected at the Annual Meeting. Chairman: Del Smith, Vice Chairman: Jim Holthaus, Treasurer: Chris Lougee, Secretary: Andy Davis.
Stephen Nichols was appointed to continue as Executive Director for the non-profit organization.
New P25 Standards Meeting TIA/TR-8 Summary
Details
The Project 25 Technology interest Group (PTIG) has published the latest summary of P25 Standards Meetings proceedings from the June Meetings held in Kansas City.
This document highlights TR-8 accomplishments and work in progress for 2016. The document is updated after every TR-8 face to face meeting occurring in 2016. The filename reflects the date of the latest update. After the first 2016 version, each update will use blue font to indicate changes from the most recent meetings.
The full report can be accessed using the link below:
PTIG Publishes New P25 Systems List with P25 Conventional for June 2016
Details
The Project 25 Technology Interest Group (PTIG) has published a REV03 June 2016 update to its list of known P25 Systems in the USA, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK. The significant change to this update is the addition of a new list of P25 Conventional systems. The P25 Conventional Systems total is 1299 systems; a surprising number as it is significantly more than the previously published P25 Trunking System list. The P25 Trunking System list has grown from 711 systems last November to 842 systems today. If we include the updated trunked system list total and the new conventional systems total the grand total is 2141 Project 25 systems from both lists combined.
The complete lists can be viewed and downloaded using the links below.
Both P25 systems lists are organized by state, and territory. The Information for each system includes: System name, System user type (Federal, Tribal, Public Safety, Utility, Campus Police etc.), and Frequency band. P25 Trunking systems are identified as P25 Phase1 or P25 Phase 2. P25 Conventional systems are identified as digital only or mixed mode analog and digital.
The new P25 Conventional list presented a challenge because definition of what represented a single stand-alone P25 system vs. a shared combined P25 system was required. The methodology used for this definition is included in the P25 Conventional System list.
When the Frequency bands in use are compared, VHF dominates the P25 Conventional System list while 800MHz and UHF dominate the P25 Trunking System list.
The User category breakdown is similar between the P25 Conventional System list and the P25 Trunking System list. The Public Safety category dominates both P25 System types followed by Federal Agencies and Military systems. Military P25 systems make up 4% of P25 Conventional Systems but a significantly larger 16% of all P25 Trunking Systems. Schools and Universities rate a category in the P25 conventional list with a 2% portion. Utilities (3%), Airports/Transportation (3%) and Industrial (2%) rate categories in the P25 Trunking list.
Now is a Good Time to Revisit the Use of P25 Technologies on the Fire Ground.
Details
The Project 25 Technology Interest Group (PTIG) has developed a new whitepaper on the benefits of P25 technologies for use in Fire ground operations. Many improvements to the P25 Standards, the P25 vocoder and the P25 products available make it a good time to revisit P25 as a technology for Fireground use. A summary of the key points is below. The complete whitepaper can be found using the following link.
Summary Benefits of using P25 mission critical radio equipment for the Fire ground include:
Improved P25 performance in background noise. P25 equipment can now achieve 10 to as much as 25 dB improvements in background noise reduction.
Tone Signaling – DTMF, Knox and single tone is now supported.
Paging – P25 Paging receivers are now available.
Improved Coverage – P25 Phase 1 technology is about +7dB better than 25 KHz Analog.
Enhanced Signaling – Talking Party ID, Group Calls, Unit-to-Unit Calls, All Calls, Emergency Alerts, Emergency Calls, Call Alerts, Radio Check, Radio Unit Monitoring and others.
Location Services – Integrated GPS receivers provide location information.
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