ContentsDigital radio at workEdi<strong>to</strong>r: Richard Lambleyrichard@landmobile.co.ukDeputy edi<strong>to</strong>r: David Taylordavid.taylor@markallengroup.comAdvertisement manager: Charles Sheppardcharles.sheppard@markallengroup.co.ukTel: 01722 717015Circulation direc<strong>to</strong>r: Sally Boettchersally.boettcher@markallengroup.comProduction direc<strong>to</strong>r: Richard HamshereGraphic designer: Matt Brad<strong>for</strong>dPublishing direc<strong>to</strong>r: Jon BensonChief Executive Officer: Ben AllenReader enquiry and subscription ser<strong>vice</strong>s: callfree 0800 137201 (<strong>for</strong> addresses outside theUK, +44 1722 716997). Annual subscriptionrate <strong>for</strong> non-qualifying readers is £50 (UK andworldwide). For further in<strong>for</strong>mation pleasecontact the subscriptions department.Views expressed in this magazine do not necessarilyrepresent those of the edi<strong>to</strong>r or publisher.The publisher can accept no liability <strong>for</strong> anyconsequential loss or damage, howsoever caused,arising from any in<strong>for</strong>mation printed.MA Business & Leisure Ltd is part of theMark Allen Groupwww.markallengroup.comLand Mobile is published by MA Business &Leisure Ltd, Jesses Farm, Snow Hill, Din<strong>to</strong>n,Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 5HN, UKTel: +44 (0)1722 716996Website: www.landmobile.co.uk©2012 MA Business & Leisure Ltd. All rights reserved.The paper used within this publication has been obtainedfrom Chain-of-Cus<strong>to</strong>dy certified manufacturers, operatingwithin international environmental standards, <strong>to</strong> ensuresustainable sourcing of the raw materials, sustainableproduction and <strong>to</strong> minimise our carbon footprint.© MA BUSINESS & LEISURE LTD, 2012NOTICEAll rights reserved. No part of Land Mobile or itsassociated supplements may be reproduced, s<strong>to</strong>redin a retrieval system, or transmitted in any <strong>for</strong>m orby any means, electronic, mechanical, pho<strong>to</strong>copying,recording, or otherwise without prior writtenpermission of the publisher.Foreword 03Whinfell Forest 04-06Thames pageant 07Tier III trunking 9-11TrakRanger 12Strengths of DMR 13Control room 14-152Sponsored by
ForewordFocus on innovationG S <strong>Kok</strong>, Hytera’s <strong>vice</strong>-<strong>president</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>subscriber</strong> <strong>terminals</strong>, <strong>talks</strong> <strong>to</strong> Land Mobileabout digital migration, trunking and other developments in mobile radioDigital reality is coming <strong>to</strong> PMR. Forthose cus<strong>to</strong>mers who are still undecidedwhether digital is going <strong>to</strong> stay,I think it’s very obvious this year that there hasbeen tremendous growth, with all the players indigital PMR already putting out their systems.And of course at Hytera, having invested <strong>for</strong>the past five years heavily in digital, our currentproduct plat<strong>for</strong>m has matured. The PD series[DMR handportables] is already fully loaded interms of features, in terms of bands, in terms ofcapabilities. We’ve got the base station out andwe are still working on the conventional trunking,which is lower-cost compared with the systemtrunking that we have.Our digital Tier III trunking was launchedin March of last year. The first system went <strong>to</strong>Guatemala and then subsequently this year wehave got multi-system setups going <strong>to</strong> Harrisand <strong>to</strong> some of our East Coast cus<strong>to</strong>mers. Andwe’re seeing good growth in the UK in terms ofconventional, DMR and of course Tetra.With Tetra, because we’re new <strong>to</strong> this game,we are still learning and at the same timeimplementing new features. Don’t <strong>for</strong>get, Tetrawas first released in 1999 and the first terminalwas available probably in 2001. So we’ve got 11years <strong>to</strong> catch up and there are a lot of featuresthat we still need <strong>to</strong> put in<strong>to</strong> our <strong>terminals</strong>. Soin terms of Tetra we are a little bit behind, butwe are not sitting down. We are trying <strong>to</strong> do aneight-second 100-metre dash!User-friendlyWe do pay a lot of attention <strong>to</strong> make sure thatthe UI [user interface] in the DMR and Tetraare similar, so that when users are familiar withour DMR and they migrate <strong>to</strong> our Tetra, theyknow how <strong>to</strong> operate the radio straight away.The features may be slightly different, but theway you use the <strong>terminals</strong> will feel the same, sowe focus on those points. It’s very importantthat when the user picks up the radio, he is able<strong>to</strong> operate it immediately without looking at themanual.The fundamental thing about DMR was<strong>to</strong> assist with the migration from analogue <strong>to</strong>digital. MPT has been a very good solution <strong>for</strong>many, many years but it is becoming a little bi<strong>to</strong>ut of date. Just <strong>to</strong> get clearer voice, digital is theway <strong>to</strong> go.What we try <strong>to</strong> encourage is <strong>to</strong> have a systemthat is able <strong>to</strong> function as an MPT trunkedsystem, and that vision is still true. We neverclaimed that we will be able <strong>to</strong> do everythingthat MPT does, because, really, is there such abig need? What you want is the important part,which is the voice call. When you want <strong>to</strong> makea call on your MPT system <strong>to</strong> go in<strong>to</strong> a DMRTier III trunking system, it will accept your calland then translate it <strong>to</strong> DMR and then radiatedown <strong>to</strong> another DMR Tier III radio and facilitatethat conversation.In the same way as the <strong>terminals</strong>, when itcomes <strong>to</strong> an MPT base station, all the user has<strong>to</strong> do is <strong>to</strong> select MPT mode and then the terminalwill register on <strong>to</strong> the MPT system. Thenhe can talk <strong>to</strong> the MPT radios. So that will allowcus<strong>to</strong>mers <strong>to</strong> slowly migrate.Time <strong>for</strong> changeFor any cus<strong>to</strong>mer, the way they change will differ,but the most important thing is when thereis a need <strong>to</strong> have more capacity. That’s the placethat you should target first. It’s cheaper <strong>to</strong> do itnow, because you don’t need <strong>to</strong> invest any moreon equipment that you know is going <strong>to</strong> beobsolete.We think we have very effective and af<strong>for</strong>dableproducts – but it seems that the market islooking <strong>for</strong> even more af<strong>for</strong>dable products. I’vebeen very busy <strong>for</strong> the past few years lookingat the new generation of DMR and at futuregenerations of DMR with broadband facilities,and also looking at low-end DMR. How are wegoing <strong>to</strong> solve the market problem? That has occupiedthe bulk of my time.Hytera is now very focused on innovations,on cus<strong>to</strong>mer satisfaction. So we listen <strong>to</strong> ourcus<strong>to</strong>mers and try <strong>to</strong> implement solutions <strong>for</strong>them so that they can go <strong>to</strong> market and theycan solve their problems. That’s in line with ourcompany objectives of Respond and Achieve.We respond <strong>to</strong> cus<strong>to</strong>mers’ requests andachieve our goal of getting the best <strong>terminals</strong>out <strong>to</strong> the world.Hytera’s X1e, the smallest full-powerDMR handportable radio, is designed<strong>for</strong> covert applications but is suitablealso <strong>for</strong> managerial users who do notwant <strong>to</strong> carry a full-size handportable.The radio is comparable in size with theiPhone seen on the right. By the endof 2012, Hytera will also introduce fullkeypad and limited keypad versionsThis compact TETRA handset was shownby Hytera at the Tetra World Congressearlier this year. The antenna integratesGPS reception <strong>for</strong> improved positionfindingper<strong>for</strong>mance, and the controlknobs are deliberately made differentin size <strong>for</strong> easy operation by <strong>to</strong>uchSponsored by3