The Alberta First Responder Radio Communications System is one of the most advanced communications projects in Canada’s history. There has been a fair amount of misinformation regarding the system itself, who qualifies for access, what the various technological and administrative requirements are, and how to best begin the migration process. I’ve taken the time to…
Category: AFRRCS
Radio Consoles: CSSI v Native P25
The APCO P25 Console Subsystem Interface (CSSI) standard allows dispatch consoles from different manufacturers to be connected to the controller/core of other manufacturers’ P25 radio systems. CSSI is a subset of the ISSI standard interface. For example, a Zetron console could be connected to a Motorola P25 radio system, or an Avtec console could be…
3 Key Capabilities: Why Westcan was Named the AFRRCS Official Preventative Maintenance + Break-Fix Supplier
The highly sought-after AFRRCS maintenance contract was awarded to Westcan ACS in May of 2016. The award was the result of an exhaustive public tendering process in which numerous factors were considered including: demonstrated ability to perform, capabilities, price, and qualifications – among many others. In addition to demonstrating superior value, Westcan ACS elevated itself…
Antennas: A Crucial Component of Successful System Design
When designing a radio system, the antenna is a crucial component. You want to maximize the RF energy from your radio to be radiated from your antenna. The antennas are specified with some of the following considerations: Maximum Power – The amount of RF that they can typically handle without failing. An antenna that is rated…
8 Key Factors That Influence The Design of Firefighter Radios
One of the essentials of Firefighter Safety is having the right equipment. Whether that means the latest in protective gear, the most efficient tools, or effective communications, a Firefighter must be confident that their equipment is going to work as expected, under extreme circumstances. Radio communications are essential to Fire Services. The radio is a…
Planning: Essential to Success
The success of a radio system deployment, like many other operational systems, depends on good planning. From the initial needs analysis, to the creation of a detailed bill of materials, to design and logistics including the in-building location of the radio system’s core infrastructure components, to definition of communications groups and users, and finally the…
Do you Need Emergency Response + Repair Services? 10 Questions to Consider
There are a variety of users that require 24/7/365 Emergency Response & Repair Services (ERRS) in many “Mission Critical” contexts. Our clients include the Government of Alberta AFRRCS system, upon which first responders across Alberta rely. However, our ERRS service is also available to commercial and industrial clients who require high levels of radio system…
Push to Talk (PTT) Over Broadband
Voice is still the killer app. That being said, there is still a growing industry need to extend commercial and mission critical LMR coverage beyond the geographic areas that LMR radio systems extend. Furthermore, many agencies and businesses require the ability to keep their personnel connected across disparate networks and devices. Since the 2016 decommissioning…
Legacy Radio Systems vs AFRRCS for First Responders
AFRRCS will deliver significant benefits to the First Responder, primarily including cross-agency communications capability. Although there is no user fee to the First Responder Agency, approved AFRRCS P25 radios can cost substantially more, and there is an administrative overhead to consider through the transformation process. However, First Responder Agencies will not be paying for the…
AFRRCS Service: Triple Technician Redundancy, Triple Peace of Mind
The real value of a great service provider is hard to measure, until there is an urgent need for service or the need for catastrophe response. The largest single risk to any communications network is interruption, especially if the communications are mission critical in nature. Most people do not consider the complexity and cost…
AFRRCS FAQ #3: The 23 Keys to Selecting a Technical Administrator
When a public safety agency outsources AFRRCS radio support, programming and servicing to an outside vendor, they need to enter into an agreement with an AFRRCS Technical Administrator and/or Trust Technician for those services. So what are the criteria an agency should follow for selecting a Technical Administrator? Your AFRRCS Technical Administrator and Trust Technician…
AFRRCS FAQ #2: 7 Questions Regarding Radio Programming + Enablement
The implementation of the Alberta First Responders Radio Communications System is already well underway, however many agencies are unclear as to the process and prerequisites required for AFRRCS participation. This is the second in series of three FAQ’s that provide some clarification on the key aspects of the AFRRCS application, adoption, and implementation process. The…
Insights from Advanced Communications Integrators 