Basic Base Station
Base station radio systems are used to communicate between a dispatch/command center and mobile or portable equipped radio users in the field. Base stations typically need to communicate on multiple channels and frequently the radio itself needs to be located at a remote location so as to provide improved radio coverage.
Codan radios can be configured for a variety of base station applications. The simplest configuration is a basic base station in which the Codan radio communicates with a variety of hand-held or mobile radios either in analog or P25 digital mode. A Codan analog base station can operate in any of the following frequency bands: lowband, VHF (AM or FM), UHF, T-Band or 700/800/900 MHz. A digital base station can operate in the VHF, UHF, T-Band or 700/800 MHz bands. A base station can be equipped with monitor receivers enabling the operator to monitor more than one channel at the same time in order to ensure communications are not missed by the dispatch office.
Channel Selection
Codan Radio Communications digital transmitters and receivers each have a 32 channel capacity. Channels can be selected with jumpers on the subrack, through optional front panel rotary switches or by accessing the channel select lines through an auxiliary connector. Channels may also be selected remotely by using tone sequences. Communications between the base and mobile/portables can be selectable from the base to go to specific users in the field. The base station is operated by a tone remote and CTCSS tones are used for selecting users.
Encrypted P25 Base Station (Secure or Clear )
Codan digital base station radios support either secure or clear digital mode operation (encrypted or non-encrypted) using FIPS 140-2 certified AES 256-bit or DES-OFB 64-bit encryption modules2 . Codan digital base stations have the ability to automatically detect and differentiate between analog and digital as well as encrypted or non-encrypted signals. The digital base station locally or remotely selects (via tone remote consoles) secure or clear operation.
Base Station with Digital IP Interface (TIA FSI Compliant )
A Codan base station can provide a digital IP Ethernet interface to a console or IP switch using the TIA P25 Digital Fixed Station Interface (DFSI) compliant Universal Interface Card (UIC). The UIC provides Codan customers with access to the base station signals (analog and P25 digital) through the Ethernet interface. Backplane signals as well as the front panel connections between the transmitter and receiver have been extended externally out of the radio via the UIC. The UIC provides additional functionality compared with the analog interface and enables end-to-end digital connectivity and encryption from the dispatch console to the portable.
Remote Base Station (RF Link, VoIP or Tone Remote )
Remote base stations are used when the dispatch office is located in an area where the radio coverage is not adequate (e.g. a valley or an urban area). To extend the coverage, the base station must be located on higher ground.
Remote control of the base station via a console at the dispatch office can be accomplished in four ways:
- An RF link can be used if the remote site is not accessible or is too distant for wireline connection
- VoIP — A LAN or WAN can be used to link the dispatcher and the remotely located base station site
- A telephone line using a tone or DC remote adapter. Tone remotes use PTT, guard, monitor and function tones to control the station
- A microwave channel using E&M signalling
