A sponsored presentation dove into the differences in current radio technology and what school districts should know to select the best options for their buses.
Hytera Marketing Director Ty Estes began by saying the webinar would shed light on the many options available for radios, which are integral to education.
Land mobile radio (LMR) narrowband radios guarantee spectrum and call capacity but require FCC frequency licenses and can be difficult to acquire in densely populated urban areas. Digital mobile radios (DMR) have become the industry standard, offering longer battery life, better range and coverage, double the call capacity, superior voice quality and futureproofing.
Estes explained DMR radios support analog and digital modes so digital radios enable simple and cost-effective migration from legacy systems. Group, individual and emergency calls are supported as well as text messaging to ensure only affected parties are contacted. Districts can send messages to one school or a set of schools based on area, department, job title or situation.
He shared characteristics of ruggedized but sleek handheld radios, mobile radios that are legal to use while driving, hardware setup and mechanics, dispatching software, channel options and calling capacity, and range considerations that depend on terrain. He explained that robust antennas and radio quality are paramount, as signal is based on the line of sight.
Estes reviewed the three connection options. Repeater systems expand range and capacity for a single school. IP Connect expands range by connecting multiple repeater sites. Trunking systems expand range by connecting multiple schools and increase individual and group calling capacity.
Staff in different schools can talk across the entire district through a digital interconnect that uses Internet Protocol to link multiple DMR Tier II repeater sites together, creating a wide-area network. Some large districts like Simi Valley have their own SMR Networks, which are private radio networks that use multiple frequencies and a wide-area network infrastructure.
“DMR systems, if they’re built right, are bulletproof,” he declared.
Julie Ann Baker, PoC product manager for Hytera, next discussed Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) radios, which were invented in 1987. They use the existing cellular infrastructure of mobile network operators like T-Mobile and AT&T to access the internet like other wireless devices, providing nationwide coverage and high data capacity. SIM cards are used for devices that are on the move. She advised districts to perform tests that ensure connection and server needs are met.
Benefits of PoC radios over DMRs include high coverage and bandwidth, no infrastructure or system maintenance costs, no FCC licenses, fast deployments, calling flexibility, and end-to-end encryption for private communications.
Baker noted the need for U.S. Department of Transportation compliance with how radios are installed and used in buses. She reviewed the differences between PoC devices, mobile and handheld radios.
Today’s PoC smart devices boast excellent audio quality with digital noise cancellation, built-in cameras for hi-def pictures and videos, Bluetooth and GPS positioning. They can look like smartphones but are ruggedized with Gorilla Glass screens and can be limited so unauthorized apps are not added.
PoC mobile radios have aspects useful to school bus drivers, including: tactile buttons and handheld mic for eyes-on-the-road operation, loud audio and speaker quality required in noisy vehicles, an emergency call button, speeding and driver fatigue notifications, and built-in Bluetooth for hands-free audio accessories.
Purpose built for professional radio communications, PoC handheld radios may have LCD display screens for status and call functions, a camera for pictures and video calling, a flashlight, full keypad, an emergency call button, and an installed car kit or dock for safe in-vehicle operations.
Operationally, web-based dispatching applications enable centralized control with instant group voice and video calling, texting, and sharing images. This allows more targeted security responses, emergency management, maintenance calls and detailed reporting.
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PoC devices have built-in GPS for location tracking with breadcrumbs and geofencing, such as if a school bus enters a restricted area. Baker reviewed how DMR and PoC radios can be used with a bridging system if a district has both.
When districts look for a good PoC system, Estes advised examining hardware quality, system reliability, audio quality, warranty, ruggedization, battery life, and variety.
“You want to get the right products with the right features,” Estes said. “You want to get what’s best for your district.”
