Radio Communication: Advantages, Types, and Network Systems

Radio Communication: Advantages and Disadvantages

The advantages of radio communication are:

  • Fast communication.
  • More effective services.
  • Better utilization of resources.
  • More effective police operations.

Additional benefits of radio could be:

  • It is permanently open.
  • Multilateralism: It can reach several places at once.
  • Bidirectional.
  • Simple and intuitive management of equipment.
  • Lightweight and comfortable equipment.
  • Good infrastructure, which equals long range.
  • Relatively inexpensive.

Disadvantages of radio communication:

  • Limited means of expression.
  • Demands clarity, brevity, and precision.
  • Requires good command of verbal communication.
  • Requires constant attention and active listening.
  • Caution in not allowing familiarity or friendliness.
  • You should follow the rules of use.
  • It takes constant discipline in communications.

Indicative: Concept and Types

“Indicative” means the name or identification code assigned to each transmission equipment. Therefore, the name or call sign is composed of key characters, letters, and numbers used to identify the equipment of any kind. It should be appointed from 2 to 2, e.g., P-13 12.

The classes of indicatives are:

  • Station: Identifies the fixed station units.
  • Link: Maps a couple of stations to their usual links, simplifying the mesh procedure.
  • Group: Is assigned to all computers in the same channel or working group, whether mobile or portable.
  • Emergency: Occasional links for special circumstances or services.
  • Composition: Used to verify the veracity of the stations.

There are three keywords that we know: attention, over, and out.

PMR Networks (Professional Mobile Radio)

Links are usually configured through a repeater, using a semi-duplex line. Networks are usually structured by one or more communication channels, each with two frequencies (one for transmission and one for reception), linking through the repeater. This system extends radio coverage and allows you to place a repeater station at high altitude. This captures very weak signals and re-emits them with great power.

Operation scheme:

  1. The sender transmits to a repeater (t).
  2. Reception at 1-t.
  3. The repeater re-emits to a given equipment (r).
  4. 1-r.

Advantages:

  • Low economic cost.
  • Low technical complexity.
  • Simultaneous knowledge.

Cons:

  • Limited scope of coverage.
  • Lost.
  • Busy.

Trunking Networks

Created to solve the problem of coverage in large areas, these are communication systems with multiple receivers/transmitters. The areas to cover are configured in a number of cells, each with a receiver/transmitter location or station, providing coverage to that area. A single control center manages all the stations, which share radio channels that are associated with the communications network of a particular service through a mesh that covers the entire geographical area.

General outline of operation:

  • Control channel.
  • Communication security.
  • Radio channels.
  • The system guarantees coverage.

We should also mention the expansion of digital Trunking TETRA, with which you may receive general calls, selective interconnections with other systems, etc.

Some of the advantages of TETRA are:

  • Message security.
  • Real-time control of network intervention.
  • Data transmission capacity, etc.

Transmission Stations: Definition

Relay Station or Repeater: A fixed station with an automatic change of frequency from transmission to reception that allows a direct link between the director station and equipment, whether mobile or fixed, or between them. They are often located in high-rise buildings, increasing the coverage of the base station. They are compact desktop computers with a speakerphone, microphone, transceiver, and power supply to 220V, adapting to the correct DC voltage of each piece of equipment.

Director Station or Central Station: This is where all calls from citizens are received and handled by personnel serving there.

Other Fixed Stations: Dependent on the director station, they can control communications to the various patrols.