Digital Radio Standards (iDEN, P25, DMR, dPMR, NXDN, TETRA, TETRAPOL, OpenSky)

22 Sep, 2020 05:25 AM

There are many emerging digital forms of radio communication today that are available to users who want to explore wireless communications, but are afraid of analog systems since they may be coming from a computer or digital perspective that is more familiar.

Today many protocols are available and since they are digital as portals or gateways, the interest in radio communications is growing again. In addition, most of the digital communications have the capability to connect as internet IP data communications that make spanning huge areas much simpler than ever before; even in areas that do not have internet access !

These Radio to Digital Networks (RDNs) can span terrestrial areas beyond that of simple PAN networks (Bluetooth) or Wireless LAN (WiFi) networks. Moreover they now provide advantages that older technologies do not have.

So why Digital Radio?

Basically, compared to legacy analog systems, digital radio networks give:

1. Spectral Efficiency : digital communications provide more capacity from the same number of frequencies compared to analog communications.

2. Consistent Voice Clarity : digital radios have a consistent audio quality throughout the full service area. The edges of

the coverage area in a digital radio system are similar to those experienced with cellular telephones.

3. Data Transmission : the usability and effectiveness of digital radio systems. increases the efficiency of using data communications over voice.

4. Secure Communications : in digital technologies, data and voice can be secured using encryption without impacting bandwidth.

Some of the types of digital radio communications are as follows :

P25 (NA) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_25

and

DMR (EU) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_mobile_radio

NXDN (NA) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NXDN

and

dPMR (EU) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_private_mobile_radio

iDEN (NA) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IDEN

and

TETRA (EU) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrestrial_Trunked_Radio

Opensky (NA) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenSky

and

TETRAPOL (EU) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TETRAPOL

Each of these offer benefits over analog communications, but there are also distinguishing features of each digital radio that may over advantages or disadvantages over another. This paper ( https://www.taitradio.com/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/156057/Tait_White-Paper_Digital-Radio-Adv-and-Disad_US_V1.pdf ) discusses some of them, but depending on you location and requirements, you may find one to suit your needs.

These are in addition to Amateur Radio digital technologies such as :