Lately, in the lab, we have been tinkering with Radio Over IP Gateways. Since we love standards, we spent a significant amount of time with Icom America’s VE-PG3, because it “speaks” the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).
Just like most other Radio Over IP Gateways in the marketplace, the VE-PG3 can connect two or more radio sites over an IP network. In this configuration, received radio audio is bridged to opposing radio sites of the network. This bridge mode can connect dispersed radio sites over the network and can provide cross band, cross category communication.
This technology is already in use by the Virginia State Police. They call it COMLINC (Commonwealth’s Link to Interoperable Communications). It enables adjoining jurisdictions totally different radio systems (such as Hanover County’s 800 MHz system and Powhatan County’s VHF system) to be connected. This is how they are going to catch you if you go speeding from Hanover into Powhatan!
I believe that we will see this technology being used even more in the near future. One example I can think of is Virginia’s electric cooperatives. If Northern Neck Electric Cooperative (IDAS on 153MHz) needs to talk to Rappahanock Electric Cooperative (TaitNet MPT 1327 on 217MHz), this is a great way to make it happen.
But, going beyond connecting two or more radio sites is where the VE-PG3 really starts to shine, because it can convert radio audio into SIP.
These were some of the immediate benefits that we were able to see in the lab:
- Eliminate EXPENSIVE virtual radio/dispatcher software on PCs by using any SIP softphone/hard phone. (Hint, here are 20 FREE SIP Softphones.)
- Use a SIP softphone on any device (think Android, iPhone, etc.) to talk to your radios.
- Use a SIP Trunk to talk to your radios. Anyone with any phone can call a telephone number and talk to your radios.
- Use all of the features of Asterisk on your radio system. Imagine the literally endless possibilities:
- Get Call Detail Records for all of your radio traffic
- Record all of your radio traffic
- (Conference Bridging.) Bridge any mix of any number of PCs, Androids, iPhones, analog phones, radio systems, paging systems, etc.
If you couldn’t tell, we are excited to see standards coming to the Radio over IP marketplace.
If you are looking to take advantage of Radio over IP, please contact us at (804) 625-4233 or sales AT richmondrf DOT com.
So you are saying I can take two separate radio systems, say P25 and NXDN, and link them together even if they are in separate locations. Don’t you need controllers to set audio levels and other expensive equipment to make it work? I am told proprietary radio formats make it difficult to link separate systems.