Sagadahoc County, Maine Simulcast System Installation OverviewSimulcast System Installation Overview

Keith PageCommunications Technician – RCM, Inc.

158 Rand RoadPortland, Maine 04102

(207) 797-7503kpage@rcm2way.com

Company ProfileCo pa y o e

Radio Communications Management, Inc. was gfounded in 1983 to provide two-way radio sales and service for Southern Maine's businesses and municipalities. Since then we have grown to become one of New England's largest two way radio one of New England s largest two-way radio companies offering a wide array of communication products and services.

We are a full service two-way radio company offering products by Kenwood Communications, Harris Corporation, Zetron, RAD Data Communications and many others We are a factory Communications and many others. We are a factory authorized service center performing repairs at our locations in Portland and Chelsea, Maine.

Sagadahoc CountySagadahoc County

Sagadahoc County is a located in the southern Sagadahoc County is a located in the southern portion of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 35,293. Its county seat is Bath. In total area, it is the smallest county in Maine with a total area of 370.19

lsquare miles.

Sagadahoc County Communications Center is l t d i th S d h C t C t B ildi i B th located in the Sagadahoc County Court Building in Bath. It employs a Communications Director, 3 Supervisors, and 12 Full-Time Public Safety Dispatchers

Responsible for dispatching Police, Fire and EMS services to all towns within Sagadahoc County; Arrowsic, Bath, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Georgetown, Phippsburg, Richmond Topsham West Bath and WoolwichRichmond, Topsham, West Bath and Woolwich.

Pre simulcast System ConfigurationPre-simulcast System Configuration

Pre-simulcast System IssuesPre-simulcast System Issues

• 2 separate sites with different transmit frequencies. 1 site added to fill in poor coverage area. Fill site uses same frequencies as one of the main sites, so it can not be used at the same time as the main.

• Law enforcement has to change channels as they drive thru service area to maintain contact with dispatchdispatch.

• Volunteer fire personnel have to change channels on their pagers to receive calls if they leave their primarytheir pagers to receive calls if they leave their primary coverage area (work in a different zone).

Solution:Solution:

Simulcast!!!Simulcast!!!

Existing Microwave BackboneExisting Microwave Backbone

• Licensed 4.9 GHz Public Safety Band

• 18 Mbps full duplex

• Transmission range up to 50 milesup to 50 miles

• Easy installation and operation

• Very cost effective solution

•High reliability and availability!

Airmux-400LAirmux 400L

R l Ai 200• Replaces Airmux-200

• Licensed 4.9 GHz Public Safety Bandy

• 50 Mbps full duplex

• Transmission range up to• Transmission range up to 75 miles

• Easy installation and operation

• Very cost effective solution

•High reliability and availability!

Existing Audio over IP EquipmentExisting Audio over IP Equipment

• Up to four 4-wire channels

• Supports E&M signaling

• Easy configuration• Easy configuration and operation

• Very cost effective solution

• High reliability

Existing Voter EquipmentExisting Voter Equipment

• Used on both County Law and Fire systems

The plan:The plan:

• Move current multicast courthouse site to new site• Move current multicast courthouse site to new site at West Bath.

C f• Consolidate new West Bath site with fill-in Phippsburg site into simulcast system.

• Leave room to integrate multicast Richmond site at a later date.

Plan in action: Simulcast SolutionsPlan in action: Simulcast Solutions

• Contacted Ed to discuss simulcast system design andContacted Ed to discuss simulcast system design and equipment solutions.

• Ed was able to give us multiple solutions to choose from gwith a variety of price points.

• Based on a system RCM assisted with in Cumberland County, we decided on a Harris Intraplex SynchroCast3 / MASTR III / Spectracom solution for the simulcast portion•.

First big question: Microwave systemFirst big question: Microwave system

• Will an IP based microwave system work with simulcast?y

• We asked this question to a variety of industry professionals and got mixed answers.

• RAD Data Communications assured us that the existing equipment would work, but in the end we only used the RAD

lti l f i di t t i i l t dimultiplexers for receive audio, not outgoing simulcast audio.

• In the end, it was decided that as long as the network latency remained relatively constant the system should work fineremained relatively constant, the system should work fine.

Coverage from the 2 existing sitesCoverage from the 2 existing sites

Coverage Study - SimulcastCoverage Study Simulcast

• Used Harris RAPTR software to project simulcast system coverage

S di h i d• Set up test radios at each site and did drive testing to ensure software projections were accurate.

• Customer was satisfied that coverage would be adequate for their needsneeds.

• Simulcast timing study was also done. Found no significant gadjustments would be needed.

System BuildSystem Build

• Built in shop 4 weeks prior to installation.

• Equipment racking, cabling and initial testing took 1 week.

• System was fully tested in shop for 1 week after build.System was fully tested in shop for 1 week after build.

• While build was relatively straight forward, there were some issues:

• Intraplex would not pass audio – card sent back to Harris for firmware upgrade.

• Intraplex timing had to be exact to minimize phase issues.

Special ConsiderationsSpecial Considerations

• MASTR III had complete alignment done to insure operation to factory specs.

P d ith MSEDIT t bl• Programmed with MSEDIT to enable EXT LSD.

• TX audio from each station had to be within +/- 0.2dB.

• RX level for system was set for -10dB.

MASTR IIIMASTR III

• Alignment done with Harris MASTR III Module Test Set using procedure foundModule Test Set using procedure found in Station Maintenance manuals.

• After personality is programmed, p y p gMSEDIT must be used to allow for external CTCSS input from CTCSS filter unit.

• TX audio measured with external receiver connected to line tester with 1/10th dB resol tion all stations m st be1/10th dB resolution – all stations must be within 0.2dB of each other at full system deviation

•Fine tune TX audio adjustment done in MASTRUTIL

System InstallationSystem Installation

• Approximately 3 hours from start to finish.Approximately 3 hours from start to finish.

• Most of that time was to move / reconfigure existing equipment.

• No down time as existing equipment was on the air until the simulcast system was ready to be turned on.

• RX only sites continued to use RAD IPMUX equipment to bring audio into voter, simulcast transmit sites used Intraplex muxes.

Once simulcast system was on air no adjustment was needed!!!• Once simulcast system was on air, no adjustment was needed!!!

Simulcast System ConfigurationSimulcast System Configuration

Site photos: West BathSite photos: West Bath

Site photos: West Bath – ContinuedSite photos: West Bath Continued

Site photos: PhippsburgSite photos: Phippsburg

Site photos: Phippsburg - ContinuedSite photos: Phippsburg Continued

QuestionsQuestions