Project 25 Fixed Station Interface (FSI) Interoperability

Daniels Electronics Ltd. and Catalyst Communications Technologies, Inc., demonstrated Project 25 Fixed Station Interface (FSI) Interoperability with a wide array of standard and proprietary communications tools at IWCE 2012.  In the Catalyst booth at the International Wireless Communications Expo, the companies routed push-to-talk voice using the TIA-102.BAHA compliant FSI interface between the Daniels MT-4 base station and the Catalyst IP FSI Gateway.  The demonstration further included routing this conventional P25 audio to Digital Mobile Radio, NXDN, Verizon Wireless Push-To-Talk, and to a P25 Trunking capable control station as well as Catalyst’s IP|Console.  The solution also supports interoperability with SMARTNET, EDACS, and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-based products such as telephony and collaboration tools.  The companies showed the P25 Unit ID pass through the FSI link and display on the console screen and in the electronic log of the console; custom graphics for each channel were also displayed. 

The Daniels digital Universal Interface card (UIC) provides an Ethernet connection from the Daniels MT-4 P25 radio system to the Catalyst Dispatch and Interoperability solution. Voice and control messages are routed across an agency’s existing IP network using any combination of hardwired and RF paths including satellite.  The companies previously announced the installation of a system with three MT-4 base stations strategically located to provide radio communications across a 5.4 million acre territory – an area the size of New Hampshire.  Today’s demonstration shows further enhancements to that technology while continuing to support low-bandwidth satellite connectivity.