NCJ Number
226217
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 36 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2009 Pages: 52-56
Date Published
February 2009
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article explains barriers that continue to impede interoperable communications among emergency officials and first responders and the effectiveness of multiband software-defined radio technology in response to these barriers.
Abstract
More and more missions now call for a joint response, where Federal, State, and local agencies are thrust together to work jointly. In an event requiring joint response from agencies operating on different frequency bands, communication is only possible through ad-hoc network bridges, gateways, or radio swaps. In situations involving damage to infrastructure and widespread loss of power, such as Hurricane Katrina, those network switching protocols become useless. Multiband software-defined radios are a superior solution to the Nation’s interoperability challenges. These radios support communications across multiple frequency bands as well as multiple modes. Multiband radios make it easier to build regional communication systems. A single multiband radio can communicate with any of the radio towers within a particular region. Mobile telephones are one example where multiband, multimode radios are being used today. Key to the success of multiband radios is the availability of compatible radios. These radios would allow users to connect to each system, regardless of frequency band. Because of communication’s need to be flexible to support critical and complex missions and to adapt to changing technical standards, multiband software-defined radio technology will be a key enabler for a powerful solution in public safety communications.