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CMA newsletter logo

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FRIDAY — DECEMBER 30, 2011 - ISSUE NO. 488

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Paging and Wireless Messaging Home Page image Newsletter Archive image Carrier Directory image Recommended Products and Services
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Reference Papers Consulting Glossary of Terms Send an e-mail to Brad Dye

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Dear Friends of Wireless Messaging,

Please accept my best wishes for a healthy and happy new year.

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— Special Technical Tutorial —

DIGITAL RADIO COMMUNICATIONS

I have found an interesting discussion of digital radio communications. Although written for the Amateur Radio operator, it should be of interest to all radio communications engineers and technicians. Remember the term “amateur” only means that these FCC-licensed radio operators and experimenters are not paid for their work. It does not refer to their ability or expertise — much like olympic athletes who are not supposed to paid for their training and competition.

They provide a tremendous public communications resource in times of crisis — a volunteer back-up messaging service that works when nothing else does.

An excerpt from: A Digital Communications Guide for Amateur Radio Operators published by YAESU — the Amateur Radio Division of Vertex Standard — follows below.

Motorola bought a controlling interest in Vertex Standard and Yaesu back in 2007 or 2008 for somewhere around US $108 million.

After January 1, 2012 Motorola will keep the Vertex Standard Land-Mobile Division, while the amateur, marine, and air-band products will be under the Yaesu Musen banner. The new company will be known as Yaesu USA here in the US.

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Check out the newsletter archive!

If you click on the “Newsletters” button at the top of any newsletter, you can find copies of all past (487) newsletters, listed by year. I have gone back and added the news headlines of each issue for the years of 2010 and 2011. Each year is on one long page and clicking on a link will take you to an individual issue.

It's an easy way to go back and review the news of the year or find an article that you need to revisit but can't remember which issue it was in.

If that doesn't work, you can use the site-specific search engine from Google that you will find in the directory. It will search www.BradDye.com and all the past issues of the Wireless Messaging Newsletter, without bringing up all the Internet stuff from outside of my web site.

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Apple iOS, Google Android new device activations skyrocket

Google says 3.7 million Android devices activated last weekend

By Gregg Keizer
Computerworld
December 28, 2011 02:03 PM ET25

Computerworld — Activations of new iOS and Android devices soared on Christmas Day, jumping by 142% over the same day last year, a Web metrics company said.

Meanwhile, Google's head of mobile claimed that 3.7 million new Android smartphones and tablets had been activated last weekend.

According to Flurry, which provides metrics services to app developers, total activations of new iOS and Android devices reached 6.8 million on Sunday, Christmas Day. That was 142% above the previous one-day record of 2.8 million activations on Dec. 25, 2010, and a 353% increase over the average of 1.5 million activations daily between Dec. 1 and Dec. 20, 2011.

Not surprisingly, Flurry attributed the massive jump in iOS — iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch — and Android phone and tablet activations to holiday gift giving.

In a Tuesday blog post, Flurry said that its metrics services — used by more than 140,000 iOS and Android apps — "detects roughly 100% of all new iOS and Android devices activated each day."

Google added to the activation number discussion today.

"There were 3.7M Android devices activated on 12/24 and 12/25," said Andy Rubin, senior vice president of mobile at the Mountain View, Calif.-based company, in a tweet early Wednesday.

Rubin's timespan of both days last weekend — Christmas Eve as well as Christmas Day — differed from Flurry's Dec. 25-only period.

Earlier this month, Rubin claimed that more than 700,000 Android devices were being activated daily, up from approximately 300,000 devices each day in December 2010.

Apple does not discuss activation numbers for iOS devices, although some mobile carriers do. Last October, for example, AT&T said it had activated 2.7 million iPhones in the quarter that ended Sept. 30, 2011, or about 29,300 per day.

Last year, Apple sold 16.2 million iPhones in the fourth quarter, and 7.3 million iPads. However, most analysts are betting that Apple will nearly double the iPhone number this year, and sell more than 12 million iPads during the period.

[source]

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Last chance to use the rest of your 2011 advertising budget.

Click HERE for more information.

Now on to more news and views.

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MESSAGING

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This is the CMA's weekly newsletter about Wireless Messaging. You are receiving this because I believe you have requested it. This is not a SPAM. If you have received this message in error, or you are no longer interested in these topics, please click here , then click on "send" and you will be promptly removed from the mailing list.

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iland internet sulutions This newsletter is brought to you by the generous support of our advertisers and the courtesy of iland Internet Solutions Corporation . For more information about the web-hosting services available from iland Internet Solutions Corporation, please click on their logo to the left.

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A new issue of The Wireless Messaging Newsletter is posted on the web each week. A notification goes out by e-mail to subscribers on most Fridays around noon central US time. The notification message has a link to the actual newsletter on the web. That way it doesn't fill up your incoming e-mail account.

There is no charge for subscription and there are no membership restrictions. Readers are a very select group of wireless industry professionals, and include the senior managers of many of the world's major Paging and Wireless Messaging companies. There is an even mix of operations managers, marketing people, and engineers — so I try to include items of interest to all three groups. It's all about staying up-to-date with business trends and technology. I regularly get readers' comments, so this newsletter has become a community forum for the Paging, and Wireless Messaging communities. You are welcome to contribute your ideas and opinions. Unless otherwise requested, all correspondence addressed to me is subject to publication in the newsletter and on my web site. I am very careful to protect the anonymity of those who request it.

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EDITORIAL POLICY

Editorial Opinion pieces present only the opinions of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the Critical Messaging Association, or its sponsors.

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Please help support the CMA Wireless Messaging News by clicking on the PayPal Donate button above.

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SUBSCRIPTIONS

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Newspapers generally cost 75¢ a copy and they hardly ever mention paging. If you receive some benefit from this publication maybe you would like to help support it financially? A donation of $25.00 would represent approximately 50¢ a copy for one year. If you are willing and able, please click on the PayPal Donate button above.

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If you would like to have information about advertising in this newsletter, please click here . Your support is needed to keep the newsletter going.

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happy new yeaer

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CRITICAL MESSAGING ASSOCIATION

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cma logo Critical Messaging Association

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cma

This premier international event (formerly the Global Paging Convention) is co-hosted by the Critical Messaging Association and the European Mobile Messaging Association . The two day convention is essential for anyone in the critical messaging industry. Join us — we'll exceed your expectations with informative educational presentations and plenty of social networking opportunities.
star Click here to register . star

The Hyatt Regency Austin provides the perfect location for guests to walk to Austin's attractions or to relax along the shore of Lady Bird Lake. To make reservations use the online reservation form or call 888-421-1442 or (non-toll-free) 402-592-6464, and reference the Global Critical Messaging Convention to receive the significantly discounted rate of $167/night (inclusive of internet). Reservations must be made before February 27, 2012.

Austin, the capital of Texas and home to the University of Texas, is a progressive city recognized as a haven for artists, writers, and musicians. In fact, with more than 200 live music venues, it is known as the Live Music Capital of the World®. While Tex-Mex and barbeque abound, the diversity of Austin cuisine reflects the diversity of the population.

boot Austin is home to several large employers across various industries and sectors. Along with government, education, and tourism, Austin is a high-tech hotspot. Major employers in the Austin metro area include: Texas Instruments, Dell Computer, IBM, Solectron, National Instruments, Applied Materials, and Advanced Micro Devices. In addition, the Brookings Institute ranked Austin 1st in the US and 26th in the world for jobs and income growth during the current economic recovery.

Austin is easily accessible. The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA), recently named the “best domestic” airport in the U.S., has more than 150 daily commercial flights including 40 non-stop flights.

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CMA Executive Director
441 N. Crestwood Drive
Wilmington, NC 28405
Tel: 866-301-2272
E-mail: info@criticalmessagingassociation.org
Web: www.criticalmessagingassociation.org
CMA Regulatory Affairs Office
Suite 250
2154 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20007-2280
Tel: 202-223-3772
Fax: 202-315-3587

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ADVERTISERS SUPPORTING THE NEWSLETTER

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Advertiser Index

CMA — Critical Messaging Association
Daviscomms USA
Hahntech-USA
Hark Technologies
Ira Wiesenfeld & Associates
Ivycorp
Leavitt Communications
Preferred Wireless
Prism Paging
Ron Mercer — Paging & Wireless Network Planners LLC
PSSI — Product Support Services
TPL Systèmes
Critical Alert Systems d/b/a Northeast, UCOM & Teletouch Paging
VCP International
WiPath Communications

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Yaesu’s Amateur Radio Division Breaks with Motorola, Changes Name to Yaesu Musen

12/28/2011

After four years under the Motorola umbrella, Yaesu has split from that company. According to Vertex Standard President and Chief Executive Officer Jun Hasegawa, effective January 1, 2012, Motorola will keep the Vertex Standard Land-Mobile Division, while the amateur, marine and air-band will be under the Yaesu Musen banner. The new company will be known as Yaesu USA here in the US.

“This reorganization will allow us to concentrate in amateur, marine and air-band business, which will better leverage and align the strengths of our entire business operation,” Hasegawa said in a press release dated December 27. “We believe that there is an exciting opportunity to evolve our organization to meet the needs of the Amateur Radio, Marine equipment and air band telecommunication industries by continuing to provide specialized services and the highest quality products.”

Hasegawa explained that the new company’s name will be Yaesu Musen, “a name our business partners have been familiar with for over 50 years. We are delighted to bring you the legacy of trust, quality and solid customer service that has always been associated with the Yaesu Musen company name.”

While Yaesu Musen will have a new Japanese address, the address and phone numbers — as well as the US operations and sales organization — for Yaesu USA will not change. Dennis Motschenbacher, K7BV, will remain in charge of Yaesu USA’s sales division.

Source: ARRL

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advertise here

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The 10 biggest stories of 2011 in mobile tech

By Amy Gahran, Special to CNN
Updated 11:11 AM EST, Wed December 21, 2011

(CNN) — For Americans who own cell phones or other mobile devices (at least 85% of the adult population, according to a new survey), 2011 ushered in a whirlwind of news.

Some of the year's top mobile stories were mostly hype (QR codes and cell phone radiation) or vaporware (those persistent iPhone 5 rumors). But other developments were genuinely important to the U.S. mobile landscape.

Here's a quick — and entirely subjective — list of my picks for the 10 most important stories and trends for 2011 in U.S. mobile news:

1. Goodbye (mostly) to unlimited data plans; hello throttling. The digital divide between those with high-speed Internet access and those without remains a huge problem in the United States and elsewhere, leading to significant inequities of opportunities and services.

Good mobile devices and networks can help bridge this gap — if you can afford them. For smartphones, the biggest part of the total cost of ownership is the data plan, which in the United States typically requires a pricey two-year contract with a steep early termination fee. When smartphones first came out, unlimited data plans were the norm. But wireless networks couldn't keep pace with skyrocketing demand for data, so most carriers took down their "all you can eat" signs.

This summer Verizon, the largest U.S. carrier, stopped offering unlimited data plans, following AT&T's move from 2010. T-Mobile still offers what it calls "unlimited" data plans, but it caps high-speed data access — and if you hit your cap, your data speeds may slow to a crawl until the next billing period.

As of now, Sprint is the only remaining major U.S. carrier that still offers an unlimited, uncapped, no-throttling data plan for a flat monthly fee. If you happen to live in a city where Sprint's network is fast, that may be a good deal; but according to Rootmetrics, Sprint's data speeds vary widely by location. Also, Sprint is reportedly testing throttling on its Virgin Mobile brand.

2. Growth of mobile streaming media. It seemed to be the year when streaming media for mobile really took off. According to The Nielsen Company, 14% of U.S. mobile users (about 31 million people) now watch videos on their smartphones and feature phones, a 35% increase over last year. Also, 29% of U.S. smartphone users stream music or Internet radio to their phones, up 66% from 2010.

This year's U.S. debut of Spotify — along with new and updated mobile streaming music and video services from Facebook, Amazon, Google, Apple, Netflix, Hulu and video chat/calling services like Google Plus hangouts — are helping to fuel the demand for streaming mobile media. And behind the scenes, technology from companies like MobiTV are helping streaming video consumers seamlessly shift their viewing experience from one device to another.

The catch: Streaming media uses a lot of data bandwidth, which puts a heavy burden on carrier networks. This is probably a key reason why carriers have mostly abandoned unlimited data plans, which brings us to the next big trend, 4G.

3. 4G network rollouts. This year, all major U.S. carriers and several of the discount regional ones were busy rolling out their faster 4G networks. This label comprises three major technologies: long-term evolution (LTE, used by Sprint, Verizon and MetroPCS), HSPA+ (used by AT&T and T-Mobile), and WiMAX (provided by Clearwire and resold by Sprint in some cities). These technologies offer different speeds, strengths and weaknesses — so what the 4G experience means to consumers will vary widely by carrier and location.

Over time, the move to 4G networks should relieve the growing burden on existing 3G carrier networks. They'll also enable new services, such as better and more sophisticated voice calling. But consumers must purchase new 4G-compatible phones to use these networks — and those will mostly be hitting the U.S. market in 2012. For instance, the new iPhone 4S is only 4G-capable on AT&T's HSPA+ network; Verizon and Sprint users have to settle for 3G speeds, for now.

4. BlackBerry outage and continuing RIM decline. For several years, even after the first iPhone launched, Research in Motion's BlackBerry line of phones was the 800-pound gorilla of the U.S. smartphone market. This was driven mainly by business users, who were attracted to the phone's advanced messaging and encryption features.

But BlackBerries also grew popular with U.S. consumers as a lower-end "smart-ish" phone that generally was more affordable than iPhones and higher-end Android phones, and widely available on no-contract plans.

Then, on October 10, 2011, RIM experienced its longest and widest outage. Users lost access to their e-mail and BlackBerry Messenger, and some lost Internet access, too. It began in Europe but soon spread elsewhere, eventually affecting the United States.

The company had already fallen on hard times, and was struggling to retain its market share and increase its relevance by attempting to update its technology. But as Imperial Entrepreneurs notes, this particular outage has probably cost RIM several large corporate accounts. Also, RIM may have to pay back some fees to carriers as its users jump ship to other platforms. RIM's stock price dropped severely in 2011 and shows no signs of rebounding.

5. Android commands half the U.S. mobile market. According to ComScore, as of October 2011 the Android operating system was used on more than 46% of U.S. smartphones. If this growth continues, then by now Google's open mobile platform may already be on about half of all U.S. smartphones in use. This leaves Apple's iOS in second place with nearly a third of all smartphones, and all other platforms (Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, etc.) occupying far smaller market segments.

However, there is intense and growing fragmentation in the Android market. In November, tech blogger Michael Degusta noted a sad legacy of Android orphans, Android users who lag far behind on operating system updates. In March the Electronic Frontier Foundation criticized carriers for blocking some mobile OS updates.

Granted, many older iPhones that cannot be updated to the latest iOS are still in use. But Apple's centralized distribution of updates means more Apple users are running the latest software, which increases security as well as compatibility with apps and services.

6. Mobile payment infrastructure begins. There were predictions, as by Forrester Research, that 2011 might be the year when using your phone to pay for stuff in stores would become commonplace. That hasn't quite happened yet — except at Starbucks, whose mobile app has processed 26 million transactions since its January launch.

But this year several major U.S. banks, credit card processors, wireless carriers, online and brick-and-mortar retailers, and online service providers did make considerable progress on putting together the infrastructure to allow U.S. consumers to "tap or wave to pay" at many stores in the coming years. Much of this will be enabled by near field communications technology, such as the Isis network (a joint venture of AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile), which plans to launch in the test markets of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Austin, Texas, in 2012.

Expect this trend to take quite a while to unfold, with lots of bumps along the way. Deploying mobile payments requires collaboration between huge companies, all of which are trying to stake out and protect transactional "turf." For instance, Verizon was recently accused of blocking the Google Wallet app on the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus phone, a charge Verizon denies. The FCC is investigating.

7. The debut of smaller, cheaper e-reader tablets. This new category of mobile devices actually began in 2010 with the launch of the Nook Color, which costs about $250. But in October, the launch of the Kobo Vox and Kindle Fire — both of which cost about $200, and even less with some holiday deals — signaled a watershed moment for affordable tablets.

These devices aren't really intended to replace Apple's iPad. They're smaller, more limited in functionality and they're reported to have some problems with usability and build quality. But the Kindle Fire, at least, is selling quite well; by some estimates it's already the world's No. 2 tablet.

Meanwhile, the least expensive iPad model costs about $500, and it's only available as a full-size tablet. There have been rumors of an iPad Mini, but so far they're just rumors.

8. Mobile privacy concerns increase. Most people consider their cell phones to be personal and private devices, and they react strongly when that privacy is threatened.

From the Carrier IQ flap to California allowing warrantless cell phone searches by law enforcement to the geolocational privacy and security bill making its way through Congress, 2011 was a year when mobile-device privacy became a big issue.

Most significantly, as campaigns heat up for the 2012 presidential election, Congress this month decided to abandon a bill that would have allowed telemarketers to "robocall" mobile phone numbers. Last week Rep. Lee Terry, R-Nebraska, co-sponsor of the contentious Mobile Informational Call Act, withdrew the bill.

9. Voice interface progress continues. Android phones have long had pretty useful and popular voice control options, as well as turn-by-turn voice navigation. But this year Apple made a big splash in the field of mobile voice interface with "Siri," a much-publicized new feature of the latest version of the iOS mobile operating system. It allows you to ask questions, get directions or execute certain tasks (such as setting a reminder) with simple natural-language voice commands.

So far Siri only works on the iPhone 4S, though — and many reviewers question how useful Siri really is. But just this week Nuance (the company that powers Siri) acquired Vlingo, its top rival. This move may lead to substantial improvements in Siri's interface.

In the long run, better voice-interface technology will probably revolutionize how we deal with all sorts of devices — computers, phones, cars and home-automation systems. But for now, it seems we're still a long way from really being able to talk to our phones.

10. Steve Jobs' mobile legacy. There was a lot of hyperbole after the death of Apple's founder — perhaps only rivaled by North Korea's public grief this week over the death of dictator Kim Jong Il. But Jobs was a brilliant visionary who revolutionized the very concept of what mobile devices can do and the roles they can play in our lives.

In 2008 I had a brief, torrid affair with a Nokia N-95, one of the first true smartphones on the U.S. market. It ended swiftly and very badly. My $600 smartphone turned into a useless brick two days after I bought it when I attempted to update the firmware. It ran the clunky Symbian operating system, which Nokia finally abandoned this year for the North American market. When I got my first iPhone later that year, it was an eye-opener — and a relief.

Had Jobs lived longer, I've no doubt he would have continued to push the envelope of mobile devices, expanding their vision and scope. I would love to see what he would have done with augmented reality, near field communications, flexible displays and other emerging technologies making their way onto cell phones and tablets.

It's quite possible Jobs stashed away a long list of future designs in a vault at Apple, a legacy of technological Easter eggs for the future. His continuing impact on mobile technology will probably be felt for several years. Mobile technology moves so rapidly that not even Jobs could possibly foresee all its emerging opportunities and pitfalls. But a mobile world without his vision is definitely a bit less rich and exciting.

Source: CNN

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Product Support Services, Inc.

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Based in Coppell, Texas, a suburb of Dallas/Fort Worth, and located just five minutes north of the DFW Airport, PSSI receives, repairs and ships approximately 4,000 discrete units each day.

  • PSSI is ISO certified and has comprehensively integrated robust lean manufacturing processes and systems that enable us to deliver timely and benchmark quality results.
  • PSSI is certified for Levels III and IV repair by a wide variety of OEMs including, for example, Motorola, Nokia, Sony/Ericsson, Samsung, Stanley and LG.
  • PSSI ’s service center is a state-of-the-art facility, complete with multiple wireless test environments and board-level repair capabilities.
  • PSSI ’s state-of-the-art and proprietary Work-In-Process (WIP) systems, and its Material Planning and Warehouse Management systems, enable PSSI to track discrete units by employee, work center, lot, model, work order, location and process through the entire reverse logistics process. Access to this information can be provided to our customers so that they can track the real-time movement of their products.

Pager and Electronics Repair

Product Support Services, Inc.

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Contact:
Product Support Services, Inc.
511 South Royal Lane
Coppell, Texas 75019
Phone:
877-777-8798 (Toll Free)
972-462-3970
info@productsupportservices.com
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www.productsupportservices.com left arrow

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Self-healing electronics could work longer and reduce waste

self-healing chip
Graphic by Scott White

Self-healing electronics. Microcapsules full of liquid metal sit atop a gold circuit. When the circuit is broken, the microcapsules rupture, filling in the crack and restoring the circuit.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When one tiny circuit within an integrated chip cracks or fails, the whole chip — or even the whole device — is a loss. But what if it could fix itself, and fix itself so fast that the user never knew there was a problem?

professors
University of Illinois professors, from left, Nancy Sottos, Scott White and Jeffrey Moore applied their experience in self-healing polymers to electrical systems, developing technology that could extend the longevity of electronic devices and batteries.
Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

A team of University of Illinois engineers has developed a self-healing system that restores electrical conductivity to a cracked circuit in less time than it takes to blink. Led by aerospace engineering professor Scott White and materials science and engineering professor Nancy Sottos, the researchers published their results in the journal Advanced Materials.

“It simplifies the system,” said chemistry professor Jeffrey Moore, a co-author of the paper. “Rather than having to build in redundancies or to build in a sensory diagnostics system, this material is designed to take care of the problem itself.”

As electronic devices are evolving to perform more sophisticated tasks, manufacturers are packing as much density onto a chip as possible. However, such density compounds reliability problems, such as failure stemming from fluctuating temperature cycles as the device operates or fatigue. A failure at any point in the circuit can shut down the whole device.

“In general there’s not much avenue for manual repair,” Sottos said. “Sometimes you just can’t get to the inside. In a multi-layer integrated circuit, there’s no opening it up. Normally you just replace the whole chip. It’s true for a battery too. You can’t pull a battery apart and try to find the source of the failure.”

Most consumer devices are meant to be replaced with some frequency, adding to electronic waste issues, but in many important applications — such as instruments or vehicles for space or military functions — electrical failures cannot be replaced or repaired.

The Illinois team previously developed a system for self-healing polymer materials and decided to adapt their technique for conductive systems. They dispersed tiny microcapsules, as small as 10 microns in diameter, on top of a gold line functioning as a circuit. As a crack propagates, the microcapsules break open and release the liquid metal contained inside. The liquid metal fills in the gap in the circuit, restoring electrical flow.

“What’s really cool about this paper is it’s the first example of taking the microcapsule-based healing approach and applying it to a new function,” White said. “Everything prior to this has been on structural repair. This is on conductivity restoration. It shows the concept translates to other things as well.”

A failure interrupts current for mere microseconds as the liquid metal immediately fills the crack. The researchers demonstrated that 90 percent of their samples healed to 99 percent of original conductivity, even with a small amount of microcapsules.

The self-healing system also has the advantages of being localized and autonomous. Only the microcapsules that a crack intercepts are opened, so repair only takes place at the point of damage. Furthermore, it requires no human intervention or diagnostics, a boon for applications where accessing a break for repair is impossible, such as a battery, or finding the source of a failure is difficult, such as an air- or spacecraft.

“In an aircraft, especially a defense-based aircraft, there are miles and miles of conductive wire,” Sottos said. “You don’t often know where the break occurs. The autonomous part is nice — it knows where it broke, even if we don’t.”

Next, the researchers plan to further refine their system and explore other possibilities for using microcapsules to control conductivity. They are particularly interested in applying the microcapsule-based self-healing system to batteries, improving their safety and longevity.

This research was supported as part of the Center for Electrical Energy Storage, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science. Moore, Sottos and White are also affiliated with the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the U. of I. Co-authors of the paper included postdoctoral researchers Benjamin Blaiszik and Sharlotte Kramer and graduate students Martha Grady and David McIlroy.

Source: Illinois News Bureau

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LEAVITT Communications

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its stil here

 

It's still here — the tried and true Motorola Alphamate 250. Now owned, supported, and available from Leavitt Communications. Call us for new or reconditioned units, parts, manuals, and repairs.

We also offer refurbished Alphamate 250’s, Alphamate IIs, the original Alphamate and new and refurbished pagers, pager repairs, pager parts and accessories. We are FULL SERVICE in Paging!

E-mail Phil Leavitt ( pcleavitt@leavittcom.com ) for pricing and delivery information or for a list of other available paging and two-way related equipment.

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Phil Leavitt
847-955-0511
pcleavitt@leavittcom.com

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7508 N. Red Ledge Dr.
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253

www.leavittcom.com

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TPL Systèmes

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tpl

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TPL Systèmes

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Preferred Wireless

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Terminals & Controllers:
1 Motorola ASC1500
2 GL3100 RF Director 
9 Glenayre GLS2164 Satellite Receivers
1 GL3000L Complete w/Spares
1 GL3000ES Terminal
2 Zetron 2200 Terminals
  Unipage — Many Unipage Cards & Chassis
Link Transmitters:
2 Glenayre QT4201 & 6201, 25 & 100W Midband Link TX
2 Glenayre QT6201 Link Repeater and Link Station in Hot Standby
1 Glenayre QT6994, 150W, 900 MHz Link TX
3 Motorola 10W, 900 MHz Link TX (C35JZB6106)
2 Motorola 30W, Midband Link TX (C42JZB6106AC)
2 Eagle Midband Link Transmitters, 125W
5 Glenayre GL C2100 Link Repeaters
VHF Paging Transmitters
1 Motorola VHF PURC-5000 125W, ACB or TRC
6 Glenayre GLT8411, 250W, VHF TX
14 Motorola VHF 350W Nucleus NAC Transmitters
13 Motorola VHF 350W Nucleus Cnet Transmitters
1 Motorola Nucleus, 125W, VHF, TX
UHF Paging Transmitters:
20 Glenayre UHF GLT5340, 125W, DSP Exciter
6 Motorola PURC-5000 110 & 225W, TRC & ACB
2 QT-7795, 250W, UHF TX
900 MHz Paging Transmitters:
3 Glenayre GLT 8600, 500W
2 Glenayre GLT8200, 25W (NEW)
15 Glenayre GLT-8500 250W
35 Glenayre 900 MHz DSP Exciters
25 Glenayre GLT-8500 Final PAs
35 Glenayre GLT-8500 Power Supplies

spacer SEE WEB FOR COMPLETE LIST:
spacer www.preferredwireless.com/equipment left arrow HERE

Too Much To List • Call or E-Mail
Rick McMichael
Preferred Wireless, Inc.
10658 St. Charles Rock Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63074
888-429-4171 or 314-429-3000
rickm@preferredwireless.com
left arrow CLICK HERE
www.preferredwireless.com/equipment
left arrow OR HERE  

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Preferred Wireless

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IVYCORP

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ivy corp

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IVYCORP

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CONSULTING ALLIANCE

Brad Dye, Ron Mercer, Allan Angus, and Vic Jackson are friends and colleagues who work both together and independently, on wireline and wireless communications projects. Click here for a summary of their qualifications and experience. They collaborate on consulting assignments, and share the work according to their individual expertise and their schedules.

 

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Tech trends you'll see in 2012

by Megan Geuss, PCWorld Dec 29, 2011 4:55 pm

We're living in an exciting time in technology: From consumer products such as phones and tablets to the way your home computer accesses the Internet, everything is changing, and mostly for the better. We predict that next year the following 10 developments will change the way you interact with the digital world.

1. Dual-core processors become the norm in smartphones

In 2011, the Motorola Atrix and the Droid Bionic were the first commercially popular smartphones to sport dual-core processors. In the fall, Apple's iPhone 4S followed suit—and now it seems unlikely that any smartphones unveiled in 2012 will be competitive unless they can offer the same processing power that Apple's phones do.

As a result, you should expect to see a surge in dual-core mobile devices. ARM executive James Bruce, whose company licenses the designs of chips that find their way into almost every mobile device in the world, said in a May interview that dual-core processors would be a huge part of making smartphones not just powerful but also battery-efficient.

"If you look at handsets today, we've seen dual-core handsets reduce power consumption," he says. For example, if you're sending a text message, dual-cores have the potential to effectively streamline the lower-power functions of the phone through one core, while reserving the other core for more power-intensive functions, like gaming or navigation."

And don't expect chip development to stop at two cores. In December, Nvidia announced its first quad-core processor for tablets and smartphones, the Tegra 3.

2. Optical-disc drives disappear from new laptops

If you could download a movie in two minutes at any airport or coffee shop, or access hundreds of family photos from any network connection, how often would you use your laptop's optical drive? For most people, the answer is "not often."

That's why, in 2012, you'll see fewer laptops with optical drives. And the superlight classes (such as MacBook Airs and Ultrabooks) won't be the only ones abandoning them—larger-screened portables will, as well.

Ali Sadri, president of the Wireless Gigabit Alliance, which is working to propagate 7GBPS wireless on the 60GHz band of the spectrum, says that faster wireless will certainly change the way that laptops look, for good. "Multi-gigabit connectivity gives us all sorts of uses. Suddenly you don't need to have all these bulky devices. A very light laptop doesn't have room for an HDMI cable port, or a docking station."

In 2012, regular-size laptops will be able to ditch their disc drives—and even many of their ports—without losing too much functionality. MacBook Airs don't include optical drives, and larger MacBook Pros will likely follow suit this year. Laptops from other manufacturers, such as Asus, Dell, and Toshiba, will join the trend. Of course, some laptops will retain drives, but in 2012 new laptops with optical-disc drives will become harder to find.

3. Data-only and reduced-voice cell phone plans proliferate

You probably spend way more time sending email and checking Facebook updates than you do making calls on your cell phone these days. And cell phone carriers are taking notice. In 2012, when you're shopping for a phone plan, you'll see data plans emphasized and calling minutes marginalized. Already, T-Mobile and Walmart have partnered to create a prepaid plan that offers 5GB of data and a measly 100 voice-calling minutes for just $30 a month.

PCWorld Associate Editor Patrick Miller tested the plan, doing most of his calling via VoIP on Skype's app. Although his calls sometimes suffered from lag or occasionally cut out, ultimately the voice quality and reliability of his VoIP calls were no worse than on calls he made through a traditional cellular voice plan.

And new carrier Republic Wireless announced a plan that charges just $19 a month for unlimited data, text, and calling. The plan assumes that you'll spend most of your time using Wi-Fi networks in your home, office, or around town, but provides cellular access for those occasions when you're not around a hotspot. Use the cellular service too much, and you get kicked out of the Republic Wireless plan.

4. Facebook accounts become necessary to do more stuff on the Web

Want a Spotify account? You'll need to get a Facebook account first. When Facebook announced its partnership with Spotify in September 2011, the big objection that most people had to the partnership was that everyone could see what songs you were listening to, no matter how embarrassing your musical choices were.

Since then, Facebook and Spotify have decided to allow you to make your sharing private. (Or, for some people, secret. There's a difference.) But one thing that Facebook and Spotify have not backed down on is the requirement that all new Spotify users sign in with Facebook before they can access any free tunes.

Turntable.fm is another new music-sharing service that requires the user to log in with a Facebook account — do so, or take a hike. While many websites aren't quite so stringent with their login demands, it's becoming more and more common to see "Sign in with your Twitter or Facebook account!" in big letters across a website's login area. Only in the small print can you find the option to make an account without linking to your social media pages.

In 2012, it's safe to assume that you'll see more of this. The setup is good for small sites—they can largely weed out fake accounts and abusive users with the filter of a Facebook login, all while making sure that genuine customers don't forget their login information. And the arrangement is good for Facebook—it can keep track of the sites that users visit, and encourage them to share more thoroughly (which is better for Facebook's ad sales).

5. NFC facilitates mobile payments, peer-to-peer networking

Imagine tapping your phone to a receiver at a register, and instantly paying for an item without fumbling for your wallet. Or getting into a movie theater with a similar tap of your phone. Or being able to load your transit card onto your phone, using a simple tap to deduct money for every trip on the subway.

All of that is already possible with the help of near-field communication chips, which transfer small amounts of data through a short-range, low-friction connection.

Currently, you can buy the Google Nexus S phone, which carries an NFC chip and the Google Wallet companion app for syncing your credit cards to your phone and making mobile payments at participating vendors. Meanwhile, RIM is baking NFC chips into newer phones such as the BlackBerry 9900, and recently it introduced Tag, a RIM-specific feature that allows BlackBerry users to transfer contact information and documents.

The latest version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, is built to let app developers take advantage of the many uses for NFC, such as setting up peer-to peer connections between phones simply by tapping the phones' backs to each other. So without a doubt, in 2012 you'll see more phones with these chips built into them, as well as more apps that employ the technology.

6. Processing enters the cloud

Makers of devices such as smartphones, tablets, and even cameras are pushing the boundaries of mobile computing by thinking outside of the chip. In 2012, "cloud processing," or the ability to process complex information on remote servers, will make considerable advances.

The most evident indicator of this coming trend is every iPhone 4S owner's new best friend, Siri. This virtual assistant is made possible because your iPhone 4S doesn't have to analyze your request on its own processors—it sends your voice request to Apple's data centers, which process the audio, find a response, and then send that response back to your phone.

A year before Siri debuted, Google Goggles did the same thing: You could snap a picture of a book, a logo, or a notable landmark, for instance, and Goggles would analyze the image at one of its Google server centers and return a search page relevant to the image. So apps that take advantage of cloud processing already exist—but you should expect to see a slew of voice recognition and face/object recognition apps appear for mobile devices in 2012. (A Google exec recently revealed that the company is working on a Siri competitor, called Majel.)

7. HTML 5 takes the stage

Markup languages rarely make headlines, but the HTML 5 upgrade will change the Internet in 2012 more than any cool new website will. That's because it's the foundation that all cool new websites will be built upon. By bringing XHTML under the same umbrella as HTML, and by allowing Web programmers to use brand-new video and audio commands to integrate media into sites more gracefully, HTML 5 will become the key tool for making sites act a lot more like native apps on your phone.

And in some cases, HTML 5 websites might even replace apps. All the major mobile operating systems have adopted the new Web standard. HTML 5 promises to make it easier and more affordable for developers to introduce interactivity in browsers because they no longer need to buy and install proprietary plug-ins to create click-responsive graphics or to embed video.

Facebook is one of the major companies that have committed considerable resources to developing their sites for HTML 5. Pandora redesigned its site with HTML 5, too. Then, in November, Adobe announced that it would no longer continue to develop its mobile Flash Player because HTML 5 has been so much better received than its Flash plug-in.

Watch for redesigned sites in 2012, and be prepared to see companies forgo building new apps in favor of creating a unified HTML 5-based site. There's even an Occupy Flash movement intended to encourage developers to stop using Flash and start using HTML 5.

8. IPv6 starts rolling out

To send and receive data on the Internet, every connected device needs an IP address--and 2011 was the year we finally started running out of IPv4's unique, 32-bit sequences.

For the time being, Internet service providers can assign groups of devices a single IP address using network address translation, or NAT, to break down where traffic should travel among the group of devices. We can't use NAT forever, but for the average consumer, that won't be a concern for quite a long time.

In 2012, however, the issue will affect websites that are hosting their content on IPv4-only servers, and smart businesses will want to get an IPv6 address in addition to an IPv4 address so that when the transition to IPv6 does come, they'll be prepared. IPv6 isn't backward-compatible with IPv4, but companies can "dual stack" their servers to offer content on both "versions of the Internet."

It will be important for companies to keep their IPv4 addresses for some time, as households might not be equipped for IPv6 (increasingly, however, routers and device operating systems are offering support for both versions). When the time comes for websites to relinquish their old IPv4 addresses, many average consumer devices will be ready.

9. Consumers borrow more books, movies, and music

The Internet has done wonders for media sharing, and in 2012 it will become easier than ever to borrow media rather than buy it. Spotify and Rdio already let you listen to the music of your choice for free, and Google announced in November that its music-storing service will permit users to share songs with their friends.

E-readers such as the Amazon Kindle and the Sony Reader Wi-Fi PRS-T1 let you rent ebooks from public libraries. And you'll find no shortage of movie streaming services that let you watch flicks at a moment's notice without filling up your hard drive with downloaded copies.

Devices that help you consume multimedia are boosting the trend. Amazon's Kindle Fire, for instance, ships with only 8GB of storage, less than an entry-level iPhone 4S. That means Fire users will likely be streaming movies rather than downloading them, and listening to music from Rdio rather than keeping thousands of tunes on their tablets.And Barnes & Noble's Nook Tablet is hardly more than an e-reader with media-streaming capabilities, as only 1GB of its storage is available to hold non-Barnes & Noble downloads.

10. Fewer (but better) tablets arrive

Clearly, tech companies want to sell tablets. In 2011, however, no tablet could truly compete with the iPad. From the genuinely disappointing (Fusion Garage's Grid 10 tablet, based on a proprietary version of Android called GridOS) to the mildly dissatisfying (the Kindle Fire), there's clearly a market for tablets, but someone other than Apple has yet to get it right.

In 2012, you'll almost certainly see some tablet makers dropping out of the game, but the ones that stick around will finally start to understand what tablet consumers want: not a big phone, but a media consumption and creation device that can stand up to heavy use.

New tablets will use the Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS, the tablet-optimized Windows 8, or the new RIM PlayBook 2.0 operating system. Perhaps 2011 was the warm-up, and 2012 will see real competitors to the iPad.

Source: Macworld

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Paging & Wireless Network Planners

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Technical Tutorial — Excerpts from:

A Digital Communications Guide for Amateur Radio Operators

Kinds of digital communication systems

As mentioned earlier, Digital communications may not be familiar to those of us In Amateur radio, making It difficult for us to understand how it works. Digital has three specific categories that we need to understand. These are Modulation type, Communication type (multiplexing) and Protocol.

The first category is the Modulation type .
This is the modulation scheme used to convert the analog voice to Digital signals. There are three Modulation types; GMSK (MSK), 16QAM, "'4 DPQSK and C4FM (4-level FSK). Each modulation type has benefits and disadvantages.

The second is the Communication type.
This Is the method of transmitting or multiplexing the modulated Digital signals. There are two Communication types, FDMA (Frequency Domain Multiple Access) and TDMA (Time domain Multiple Access). We should learn how each Communication type operates.

The third is the Protocol.
The protocol is the processing scheme used to relay the data from the transmitter to the receiver. A superior protocol is the most important issue in the design of a Digital radio, and determines the performance of the Digital radio, even If the modulation and the communication types are similar. The Protocol contains the logic that the error check/correction feature depends on. If the error correction is not realized in the receiver, the communication Is suspended and the service range In mobile operation will be reduced.

As previously mentioned, in the analog system, we need to pay attention to the modulation type, but in the digital system, we also need to consider the modulation type, the communication type and the protocol.

Let us begin by considering the advantages of each method of digital communication!

GMSK modulation

fig 1 The GM5K modulation circuit Is relatively simple. and this method was utilized in earlier cellular telephones as well as the older LMR TETRAPOL system that was used from the 1980's to 1990's. Now this method is considered old fashioned and no longer used LMR. Currently GMSK is still being used by D-STAR. Because C4FM (4-level FSK), (which we will discuss later) has provided superior performance from 1990's forward, it has become the mainstream protocol for professional digital radios.

Π /4 DQPSK modulation: (called four-minute pie DQPSK)

This is known as the higher-grade modulation method. The Π/4 DQPSK modulation's biggest advantage is that it produces very low distortion. However, it requires linearity (the same as SSB amplifiers) and very complicated electrical circuitry; this also results in very low transmission efficiency. For these reasons this method is not widely used for LMR systems, except for special applications. A good example of this method is the European TETRA system.

fig 2

C4FM (4-level FSK) modulation

Compared to the GMSK and Π/4 DQPSK modulation systems above (when using the same bandwidth), the C4FM (4-level FSK) circuit can be DMR Is used primarily In the European and Asian markets, and Is also simplified and the BER (Bit Error Rate) made much better. For this reason, C4FM (4-leval FSK) has replaced GMSK as the main modulation method utilized in the latest LMR radios in the market. Radios using this modulation method are known as APCO P-25. APCO P-25 radios are primarily used in the Public Safety market, such as Police and Fire. An additional type of Digital radio system that uses C4FM (4-level FSK), and is very popular in professional commercial markets, is known as DMR (Digital Mobile Radio). DMR is used primarily in the European and Asian markets, and is also known as dPMR.

We need 10 pay attention to the C4FM (4-level FSK) method because we believe this Is the most important technology in digital communications. This method will definitely find increasing use in Amateur radio communications within the near future.

fig 3

Digital Communication Types

As explained before, there are two multiplex methods, FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access) and TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access).

FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access)

fig 4 This technology divides the available frequency band into narrow bandwidth channels. When compared with TDMA the circuitry is simpler. Many communication systems utilize this method, like APCO P-25. Previously, GMSK was predominantly used, but now C4FM (4-level FSK) is dominant.

TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access)

Just as FDMA divides the spectrum into narrow bandwidth channels to accommodate many signals, TDMA utilizes time slots; so many signals can share the same frequency, permitting multiple communications. This method has a large advantage in Amateur radio operation because it allows multiple groups to use one repeater on the same frequency. Additionally, when the spectrum is shared by time division, the actual transmission time will be reduced by one-half or more. Thus, battery life will be longer. The TDMA method offers some big benefits to portable radios and repeater users.

fig 5 Compared with other digital communication types, the service coverage is wider; the transmitted voice quality is better and clearer, the security performance is more reliable and the battery life is longer. In addition, a single repeater can repeat two communications on one channel. The cost to install one digital TDMA repeater is significantly less than the installation cost of two current technology analog repeaters. The cost merit is very important and a significant reason we should give this method our attention.

As explained above, TDMA has a lot of merit, but the circuit design is difficult and requires a high level of development ability, when compared with the FDMA systems. Presently there are only three companies that have developed and released DMR radios into the market. One is Motorola and another is Vertex Standard.

Digital communications misunderstandings

Misunderstanding 1: "Digital Communication is superior to Analog Communication."

It may be easy to say, “Digital Communication is superior to Analog communication,” but there are various methods of producing Digital signals. Each method has advantages and disadvantages. One of the main themes of Digital communication discussion is the amount of current consumption needed and its affect on battery life. In order to convert the voice input to a digital signal, the modulation circuit is more complex and requires a large current drain. This affects battery life, and may cause it to be shorter than the analog FM radio battery life. In addition, when the received digital signal falls below a certain sensitivity level, the audio output will shut down. In these circumstances, we cannot say that Digital is better than Analog. The important thing is to select the method that is best suited for Amateur radio communication purpose. For example, if the main purpose is to use a handy-talky transceiver for voice communication with another station, then an analog communication transceiver may have the advantage.

Misunderstanding 2: "Digital Communications systems have better sensitivity and wider coverage area than Analog Communications systems"

With analog FM modulation, 12 dB SINAD is considered the standard sensitivity point. In Digital communications, the standard is different. It is the point that can realize a 1% bit error rate. In comparison, the Analog signal strength of 12 dB SINAD sensitivity is 3 dB higher than the digital mode 1% bit error rate level. In Digital communication, if the signal level is stronger than this point, even by a small amount, it is possible to produce clearer RX audio with better S/N. However, if the Digital signal is lower than this point, the audio from the speaker will be intermittent and not understandable. In this case, the analog FM signal has the advantage, even if the signal becomes weaker, by opening the receiver squelch, you may be able to hear and understand what is being transmitted.

fig 6

Misunderstanding 3: "Digital Communications systems have faster communication data speeds than the Analog Communications systems"

One big advantage of digital communication methods is the ability to convey large amounts of data. However, if the bandwidth is narrowed, the data transfer speed is rapidly diminished. In contrast, our VX-8DR/DE or FTM-350AR/AE analog transceivers can exchange data at 9600 bps in the VHF/UHF frequency range. Compare this to D-STAR, which is limited to sending data at only 4800 bps in the same frequency range; the analog radio definitely has the advantage. This means that the data speed of the Digital radio is actually slower than current Analog transceivers. It is preposterous to say this is the long awaited high-speed communication system.

fig 7

Misunderstanding 4: "The ultimate function of Digital Communications is the narrow bandwidth"

Current digital transceivers are using 6.25 kHz or 12.5 kHz bandwidths. Now consider that Hams have been using SSB for 2.5 kHz narrow bandwidth voice communications for more than 50 years.

fig 8

Misunderstanding 5: "D-STAR is the standard Digital Communication for Amateur radio"

This is not true. We are not sure why D-STAR, which uses GMSK, is recommended. However, It is neither good nor appropriate to limit the Digital radio selection to only one method for all Hams worldwide. If only one manufacturer is developing only one type of Digital radio for all Hams, the digital technology would not advance and Hams would be forced to use inferior equipment at higher costs. A good example is the continued use of the older GMSK technology. We see no advantage in pursuing outdated technology when better technology exists. Remember, the spirit of Amateur radio is encouraging Hams to improve their radio skills and knowledge by experimenting and studying new technology.

Misunderstanding 6: "When thinking about the future, it is better to purchase the digital transceiver now."

Digital radios cannot communicate effectively if the modulation methods, communication types and protocols are different between the transceivers. If the fast pace of progress made in the LMR Digital products is any indication, the odds are low that the Amateur Digital radios sold in today's market will be compatible in the future. A good example is the GMSK radios that were very popular not too long ago; they have been decreasing in popularity. This trend will continue as Digital amateur radio enthusiasts pursue the new technologies.

Misunderstanding 7: "All of the digital methods have similar performance.”

The performance of the various digital communication systems is very diverse, and depends on the modulation modes, multiplex methods and protocols. Currently, the most reliable error correction performance, superior audio, top-level service area coverage and longest battery life, are found in the latest C4FM (4-level FSK) FDMA or TDMA protocol DMR radios.

yaesu

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The above article was taken from the A Digital Communications Guide for Amateur Radio Operators , published by YAESU — the Amateur Radio Division of Vertex Standard. After January 1, 2012 Motorola will keep the Vertex Standard Land-Mobile Division, while the amateur, marine, and air-band products will be under the Yaesu Musen banner. The new company will be known as Yaesu USA here in the US.

Source: YAESU

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PRISM PAGING

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Intelligent Solutions for Paging & Wireless Data

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Mobile Data Terminals & Two Way Wireless  Solutions

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Contact
Postal
Address:
WiPath Communications LLC
4845 Dumbbarton Court
Cumming, GA 30040
Street
Address:
4845 Dumbbarton Court
Cumming, GA 30040
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E-mail: info@wipath.com left arrow CLICK
Phone: 770-844-6218
Fax: 770-844-6574
WiPath Communications

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Hark Technologies

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Wireless Communication Solutions

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USB Paging Encoder

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Paging Data Receiver (PDR)

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Other products

  • Please see our web site for other products including Internet Messaging Gateways, Unified Messaging Servers, test equipment, and Paging Terminals.
Contact
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717 Old Trolley Rd Ste 6 #163
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Over 70% of first responders are volunteers.
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CRITICAL RESPONSE SYSTEMS

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Notice for sealed proposals [UPDATED]

Published 2:56pm Thursday, December 29, 2011
Updated 2:58pm Wednesday, December 28, 2011

First Publication December 29, 2011

Public Safety Radio Paging System
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
SEH No. OTTEC 114294

Notice is hereby given that sealed Proposals will be received by Otter Tail County until 4:00 p.m. CST, Tuesday, January 31, 2012, at the Otter Tail County Law Enforcement Office, 417 Court Street South, Fergus Falls, MN 56537, for the furnishing of all labor and material for the Otter Tail County Public Safety Radio Paging System. Major components of the Work include:

  • Installation of analog control station with tone remote adapter and antenna system at the Otter Tail LEC.
  • Installation of a new and county owned paging equipment and antenna systems at 5 locations throughout the county.
  • Interface of radio paging equipment with existing dispatch console equipment.
  • Removal of some of the old radio equipment and antenna systems.

The Request for Proposal Documents may be seen at the issuing office of Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc. located at:

3535 Vadnais Center Drive
St. Paul, MN 55110-5196
651.490.2000

Digital copies of the Request for Proposal Documents are available at http://www.sehinc.com. These documents may be downloaded by selecting this project from the DOCUMENTS link and by entering eBidDocTM Number 1813517 on the SEARCH PROJECTS page. For assistance and free membership registration, contact QuestCDN at 952-233-1632 or info@questcdn.com.

Paper copies of the Request for Proposal Documents may be obtained from Docunet Corp. located at 2435 Xenium Lane North, Plymouth, MN 55441 (763-475-9600).

Bids shall be directed to the PSAP Supervisor, securely sealed and endorsed upon the outside wrapper, “PROPOSAL FOR OTTER TAIL COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO PAGING SYSTEM.”

The County reserves the right to reject any and all Proposals, to waive irregularities and informalities therein and to award the Contract in the best interests of the County.

Judy Siggerud
911 Communications Supervisor
Otter Tail County, Minnesota

Publication Dates December 29, 2011,
January 5, 2012.

Source:

Fergus Falls Journal.com

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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On Dec 22, 2011, at 11:02 AM, Carter, John wrote:

Brad,

In your opinion, what is the service life of a pager?  We have units that are approaching 5 years old, and I am trying to prepare for next year's budget.

Merry Christmas!

John

John Carter, Communications Manager
Department of Public Safety Communications York County Government
149 West Black Street
Rock Hill, SC 29730

803-909-7504 - Radio Services
803-329-0911 - Communications
803-328-6225 - facsimile

john.carter@yorkcountygov.com

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From: Brad Dye
Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 1:51 PM
To: Carter, John
Cc: Robert Cook
Subject: Re: Pager Lifespan

Hey John,

Merry Christmas to you too.

Well in my opinion ... here goes ... having worked in radio communications for over fifty years now, equipment failure follows the typical "bathtub" curve. Lots of (relatively)  failures at first followed by a long time of reliable operation, then lots of failures near the end of their lifespan. Motorola used to compensate their dealers with an extra 2% commission to cover standard warranty. In the case of pagers this doesn't hold totally true because, as you know, pagers get dropped a lot. The other issue with pagers is that users often want something newer because it looks better or has some cool new feature. The big thing with pagers used to be changing protocols and speeds, e.g. POCSAG 512, 1200, & 2400 bps, FLEX, Golay, etc. but that's not happening anymore.

But your question is how long will they last? *IMHO* 5 years isn't too terribly old, if the pager still looks OK and works well then there is no reason to replace it ... yet. I believe the manufacturers are supposed to make spare parts available for ten years, but they all don't comply. I recommend that you track their failure rate and then get concerned when it starts to rise. I have equipment over twenty years old that is still working fine.

My friends at Product Support Services can surely give you better advice than I can since they are in the repair business. They might even tell you which ones last longer than others.

Contact:
Product Support Services, Inc.
511 South Royal Lane
Coppell, Texas 75019

Phone:
877-777-8798 (Toll Free)
972-462-3970

Best regards,

Brad Dye
Editor, CMA Wireless Messaging News
P.O. Box 266
Fairfield, IL  62837 USA
Telephone: 618-599-7869
Skype: braddye
http://www.braddye.com

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From: Robert Cook
Subject: Pager Lifespan
Date: December 29, 2011 11:20:06 AM CST
To: "Carter, John"
Cc: Brad Dye

John,

Greetings.  I think we can contribute to your subject.

We've been repairing messaging devices for almost 15 years.  We repair devices for primarily the carriers but also hospitals and first responders as well - and we repair approximately 5,000 devices each week - and all manufacturer/models!  Because we are a 'Factory Authorized Warranty' repair center, we are required to track history on the devices we repair.  And although we no longer perform warrantable repairs - because of the age of the devices - our systems still track the history of each device.

So the short answer to your question is that we're consistently repairing devices that were manufactured over 10 - 12 years ago.  In fact, it's not unusual to repair a device that was manufactured in the early to mid-90s.  And we're in the 'repair' business so we seldom have issues when it comes to sourcing parts and components.

Relative to the repair vs. buy new question, our customers typically chose to repair with us because:

a.) the quality of the repairs (out of box failures less than .06%);
b.) the low cost of repairs (typically 15 to 20% of the new price);
c.) the repair turn-around-time (3 - 5 business days); and
d.) our support assistance (we accommodate unique requests for reprogramming, labeling, configuring, order handling, drop shipping, etc.).

I'd be happy to answer any additional questions you might have so please call me at any time.

Regards,

Robert Cook
CEO
Product Support Services Inc.
511 S Royal Lane
Coppell, TX 75019
Work: (972) 462-3970 ext. 222
Cell: (214) 478-1367
Fax: (972) 393-7144
rcook@productsupportservices.com

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UNTIL NEXT WEEK

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Brad Dye
With best regards,

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Newsletter Editor

73 DE K9IQY

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Wireless Messaging News
Brad Dye, Editor
P.O. Box 266
Fairfield, IL 62837 USA

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Skype: braddye
Telephone: 618-599-7869

E–mail: brad@braddye.com
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THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

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Have A Happy New Year – It’s All Up To You

Would you like to be happier, and more often? Here are two truths to remember (and two myths to forget) about happiness.

Recently, browsing at Barnes and Noble bookstore, I noticed a number of books about happiness on display. Apparently, hearing “have a happy new year” hundreds of times in the first few weeks of January is not sufficient to bring it about.

As I see it, there are two fundamental truths to being happy.

Truth 1: We are responsible for our own happiness.

I know, that one is always hard to swallow: Why should I have to take responsibility for my own happiness? Why can’t it just happen? Like, right now, and more often! (On the other hand, would you rather rely on the vagaries of fate to determine when and how much you can be happy?) Accepting this truth is the first, and perhaps most difficult, step.

Truth 2: Happiness is a skill.

As Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard, dubbed “the happiest man in the world” based on MRI imaging of his brain while meditating, writes in “Happiness: A Guide To Developing Life’s Most Important Skill” happiness is something to be learned, like playing tennis or reading. That’s empowering, don’t you think? Because it means that, rather than something that just “happens,” happiness is something I can practice (like my backhand!) — and on the days when I just can’t seem to get there, it’s more akin to my tennis game being off than it is about not being able to “find” happiness.

Still, I often forget these truths when I get caught up in the hectic day-to-day and find myself reverting to the good ol’ familiar myths many of us have been conditioned to believe.

Myth 1: Once I get what I want, I’ll be happy.

The new sports car, six-figure job and window office, or dream relationship may bring an undeniable excitement and satisfaction into your life but it won’t be long before a new desire takes its place. That’s all right, it’s the human condition to be in a constant state of wanting. The trick is to savor the feeling of desire and the process of moving toward its satisfaction — not to equate it with unhappiness. (Not convinced? You only need pick up the latest tabloid to see celebrities demonstrating how limitless money, adoration and excitement do not guarantee happiness.)

Myth 2: If life weren't so hard, I’d be happy.

Somewhere along the way (probably from watching quick-fix TV sitcoms), we developed the expectation that the default setting of life is “easy”, and we are taken aback when it isn’t. Break-ups, layoffs, injuries — these are all bizarre aberrations that aren't supposed to happen! During those times when life is hard, we tend to think, “Okay, as soon as [this difficult thing] passes, then I will be happy.” The good news: we don’t have to put off happiness. The not-so-good news: it takes practice.

It’s up to us. Just like the tennis fanatic playing in freezing temperatures without a net, we can make a decision to be happy regardless of circumstances — to commit to a state of well-being, fully engaged in and living life — whatever it brings.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Peak performance strategist Renita T. Kalhorn is a Juilliard-trained classical pianist with an MBA from INSEAD and a first-degree martial arts black belt. Leveraging the power of “flow,” she helps entrepreneurs and corporate professionals to achieve extreme focus and reach the top of their game at work.

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