Narrowband Analog Simulcast WorkshopSimulcast Workshop

APCO/MinneapolisAugust 20, 2012

Ed O’Connor Simulcast Solutions LLC / Fairport NYEd O Connor – Simulcast Solutions LLC / Fairport, NYSteve Dubberstein – Communications Service / Portage, WI

• FCC requires 12.5 kHz channels by 1/1/2013

Your Towers Aren’t Able to Reach Everyone

• Some long standing “holes” still need to be g gfilled

• Consolidation has resulted in a larger geography than the past g g p y p

This Afternoon’s Workshop Topicsp p

• Simulcast Parameters & Narrowband “Coverage”

• System Providers & Available Products

• System Recap – Steve Dubberstein

• Open Discussion of Participant Systems• Open Discussion of Participant Systems

Simulcast

• Contraction of simultaneous broadcast

• Broadcast the same modulation on the same frequency from multiple transmitters q y pat the same time

25kHz Simulcast Technical Challenges for Intelligible Overlap

(+/- 10dB)( / 10dB)• Carrier Accuracy

+/- 0.1Hz @800/450/150MHz/ 0.1Hz @800/450/150MHz

• Audio and CTCSS Alignment+/- 30 degrees (= +/- 70usec)

M d l ti Adj t t R d A di• Modulation Adjustment – Recovered Audio+/- 0.2dB

12.5kHz Simulcast Technical Challenges for Intelligible Overlap

• Carrier Accuracy – same as 25kHz• Audio and CTCSS Alignment – “more critical” than 25kHz• Modulation Adjustment – Recovered Audio – “more critical”

Capture effect less pronounced (approx +/- 15 to 20dB)Narrow IF filters do not handle impulse noise as wellSignal to noise ratio may adversely affect audio recovery

Additional Considerations 12.5kHz Simulcast

• Make sure 12.5 mobiles and portables selected do not have reduced hum,Make sure 12.5 mobiles and portables selected do not have reduced hum, distortion or performance specifications

• Older test equipment may not have good resolution for narrowband deviation measurements (it is not as easy to measure 2.5 kHz deviation on scales of 2, 6, 20, or 40kHz)

• Narrowband area coverage of analog transmissions decrease due to reduced audio quality and signal-to-noise ratio are approximately equivalent to a 3 dB decreased power level. Range is reduced because it t k hi h i l l l t id th i lit Th t ltakes a higher signal level to provide the same voice quality. The actual received RF signal levels stay the same.

Radio Manufacturers who Provide Turn-key Conventional Simulcast

• Conventional Analog Simulcast•Harris PSPC•Motorola Solutions•Tait Radio Communications

Simulcast Systems Installed by Radio Dealers or

Self-Integrating End Usersg g

• Require specialized equipment• GPS Master Oscillators• Audio DelayAudio Delay•Voters

• Simulcast Capable Base Stations

VotinggTalk-InVoter ComparatorVoter Comparator

• A shelf handles up to 12 remote receivers • Idle tones of 2175Hz 1950Hz or E&M• Idle tones of 2175Hz, 1950Hz or E&M• Transmitter keying E&M (or EIA tones)

• Model SNV-12 from Raytheon

Frequency Controlq yTalk-Out

Master OscillatorsMaster Oscillators

• GPS / OCXO Master Oscillator• Precisely match carrier frequency• Synchronize outgoing CTCSS (=PL = CG)

• GPS / Rb available for longer holdover

S S f S t• SecureSync from Spectracom

Audio Delayy• rf linked Manual• hub and spoke digital uwave (not GE-MDS 900S) Manualp g ( )

• loop digital uwave M (2 values) Dynamic

• Telco T1 Dynamic• GE-MDS 900S-FT1 DynamicG S S y• SONET Dynamic• IP (VLAN, not public internet) Dynamic

• Telco 4-wire (not recommended) Man or Dyn• Analog uwave (NO)

Manual Audio Delay yTalk-OutAudio Delay - ManualAudio Delay ManualAudio Delay – Dynamic

• Remote Delay Line• For paging and rf linked two way systemsFor paging and rf linked two way systems• Local RS232 control • DTMF remote control • Individually addressable on common channel

• Model VDL-RS from Convex

Dynamic Audio Delay y yTalk-Out

Audio Delay - ManualAudio Delay ManualAudio Delay – Dynamic

• For single VF channels (no VoIP channels)• Cost-efficient for a few channels • Control Timing Unit is installed at Main Site • Requires a GPS Master Oscillator at all sites

• Automatic Delay Line (ADL) from Convex

Dynamic Audio Delay y yTalk-Out

Audio Delay - ManualAudio Delay ManualAudio Delay – Dynamic

• For IP, T1 microwave, telco T1, or SONET• Very cost-effective for multiple channels • Special “simulcast” control cards in muxes• Requires a GPS Master Oscillator at all sites

• SynchroCast3 from Harris Broadcast

Audio Booster Limiter Talk-Out

Audio ShapingAudio Shaping

• Amplifies low volume, does not overdrive channel• Does not boost noise floor • Designed for LMR, strips out 2175 and 1950 before

DSP and then reinserts tones after DSP

• Voice Optimizer Model NBL-4

Downloadable from www.simulcastsolutions.com

Project Recaps from annual Simulcast ForumsTechnical DetailsTechnical Details

Manuals / Data SheetsBid Specification TemplatesBid Specification Templates

Application NotesBudgetary PricingBudgetary Pricing

www.rfstore.com

Project RecapsTrempealeau County and Columbia County

WisconsinSteve Dubberstein

President, Communications Service Inc.

2011 S St ht R d305 E t Alb t St t 3470 L B l d S th 2011 S Stoughton RoadMadison WI 53716

608-241-7700

305 East Albert StreetPortage WI 53901

608-745-3300

3470 Losey Boulevard SouthLa Crosse WI 54601

608-788-8980

Communications ServiceCommunications Service

PortageLa Crosse

Trempealeau County

Madison

Columbia County

Supplierspp• Motorola Quantar Transceivers• Harris T1 Intraplex SynchroCast III and VF-40 Module• Aviat TRuepoint and Eclipse 6 & 11 GHz Licensed Microwave• GE MDS LEDR 950 MHz Licensed Microwave• Raytheon SNV-12 Voters• Spectracom GPS Master Oscillators• TXRX Filtering• RFS Antennas and Cables• Convex 2240A-2C with PL/CTCSS Generation• NBL4 Narrowband Booster Limiter

T l C tTrempealeau County

Trempealeau County 7 Site System

4 ChannelsVoted/Simulcast

7 SitesStrumOsseo

WhitehallArcadia

BlairEttrick

Galesville

Trempealeau County SystemSystem

Forward Link (talk-out)C l P fColor Performance Grey Pager Coverage with 8 dB building loss Dark Green Portable at Hip Coverage Light Green Mobile Coverage Yellow Marginal Mobile Coverage Red No coverage

Trempealeau County System

Color Performance

SystemReverse Link (talk-in)Color PerformanceDark Green Portable at Hip Coverage Light Green Mobile Coverage Yellow Marginal Mobile Coverage Red No coverage

Trempealeau CountyTrempealeau County System

Simulcast Time DelaySimulcast Time DelayBefore Offset Delay Optimization

• No Time Delay OffsetNo Time Delay Offset• Radiosoft ComStudy 2.2• Reference Simulcast Forum XII“Simulcast Optimization Techniques”Simulcast Optimization Techniques

Trempealeau CountyTrempealeau County System

Simulcast Time DelayAfter Offset Delay Optimization

• Time Delay Offset -10 usec to +20 usec

Simulcast Time Delay

• Time Delay Offset -10 usec to +20 usec• Radiosoft ComStudy 2.2• Reference Simulcast Forum XII“Simulcast Optimization Techniques”Simulcast Optimization Techniques

Trempealeau County SystemTrempealeau County System

Columbia County

Columbia County 9 Site SystemColumbia County 9 Site System

5 ChannelsVoted/Simulcast

9 SitesCaledoniaCaledoniaCambria

RioColumbusColumbusArlington

LodiBaraboo BluffBaraboo Bluff

PortageWisconsin Dells

Columbia County Systemy yForward Link (talk-out)

Signal Strength Color Performance > -76 dBm Grey Pager Coverage with 8 dB building loss > -92 dBm Dark Green Portable at Hip Coverage > -105 dBm Light Green Mobile Coverage > -116 dBm Yellow Marginal Mobile Coverage Below 116 dBm Red No coverageBelow –116 dBm Red No coverage

Columbia County Systemy yReverse Link (talk-in)

Signal Strength Color Performance > -92 dBm Dark Green Portable at Hip Coverage > -105 dBm Light Green Mobile Coverage > -116 dBm Yellow Marginal Mobile Coverage Below –116 dBm Red No coverage

Columbia County SystemColumbia County SystemSimulcast Time Delay

Before Offset DelayOptimization

• No Time Delay Offset• Radiosoft ComStudy 2.2• Reference Simulcast Forum XII“Simulcast Optimization Techniques”

Columbia County SystemColumbia County SystemSimulcast Time Delay

After Offset DelayOptimization

• Time Offset 0 to +40 usec• Radiosoft ComStudy 2.2• Reference Simulcast Forum XII“Simulcast Optimization Techniques”

Block Diagramg

Summary Simulcast by Communications ServiceSummary – Simulcast by Communications Service• Minimize the Variables

Non-Variable Reliable Backhaul (T1 Microwave)Non-Variable Reliable Backhaul (T1 Microwave)Keep Identical Audio ResponseEliminate Time Delay ChangesAdvantages over Self-Adjusting Systems

• Simplified Design and OptimizationConvex 2240A-2C with PL GenerationHarris VF-40 Cards

R l f M l Q i h GTR8000• Replacement of Motorola Quantar with GTR8000 Same Analog Simulcast Baseband Input and Control as the QuantarCannot Mix Quantar and GTR8000 on the Same Channel

Si l t N b di E i i 2011/2012• Simulcast Narrowbanding Experience in 2011/2012Smooth Cutovers. Coverage Loss in Very Low Signal Strength Areas

Other conversion experiencesp

Experience of workshop participants

Discussion about your ysystems and challenges ….

If We Can Help Solve Some of pYour Comm Problems ….

For information on simulcast hardware visit i l t l tiwww.simulcastsolutions.com,

call 585.223.4927 or emailed@simulcastsolutions.comed@simulcastsolutions.com