Gentlemen,
MOTOTRBO was introduced at IWCE last Spring. Kenwood and ICOM are
partnering on a competing product and rushed theirs to the floor of the
auditorium to hastily set it up between their booths to show that they
were in the "hunt" as well. The Motorola product is TDMA and the
Kenwood/ICOM product is FDMA. Both are exciting in their own rights, but
definitely non-compatible, and thus each appears proprietary as opposed
to P25's "open architecture" standard.
What I like about the TDMA format is that the repeater can run at full
rated output and 100% duty cycle. FDMA won't do that. Also, the TDMA
format allows for two channel (audio or data) paths within the same
bandwidth of 12.5 KHz. The FDMA offering uses 6.25 KHz bandwidth, and
at least as of last Spring's IWCE, two channels weren't being offered at
the time, but it was suggested over at the Kenwood side that they would
be; however, likely in another 6.25 KHz carrier, both sidebands of the
carrier center. Not real clear yet.
MOTOTRBO was touted as not requiring any licensing changes to plug and
play install (not too sure how that is in reality).
And, the BEST PART, both offerings represent the beginnings of IP based
radios. Mobile / Portable radio addressing via IP protocols as well as
repeater/system interconnectivity via IP protocols and the internet or
LAN/WAN.
I was disappointed that both major manufacturers were relying on Trident
to come up with the IP solution instead of thinking outside the box and
going with a Cysco or other more up-to-date computer savvy vender for
this part of the puzzle, albeit, contracts and legalities, etc...
Again, my information is current as of last Spring's IWCE, so others may
have more current information, but that's what I remember from the
show. I don't get to go this year as we trade off in our shop every
other year, but I am sure there has been progress.
my 2 cents,
thp
- Re: [Repeater-Builder] Motorola MOTOTRBO Tom Parker
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