Most of the time, a fisherman’s boat radio cannot talk to an airplane’s radio, or a standard business radio you’d find on a retail worker’s belt clip.
They are all separated by the operating frequency and something that is commonly known in the radio industry as the Common Air Interface (CAI). CAI separates radios of different protocols; however, Icom has a product that can successfully link these protocols on different frequencies together, the VE-PG4. With a purpose-built cable, connect up to four radios in the back of the VE-PG4 to eliminate CAI, and allow seamless interconnection.
Many businesses and organizations in the land mobile industry might have an old radio infrastructure in place. With the VE-PG4 gateway, slowly transition to newer digital radios while still communicating with older analog radios. Avoid paying out for an entirely new radio infrastructure all at one.
For example, a school’s staff is equipped with older analog radios. With Icom’s radios, they can use an IDAS, IP, or LTE radio to talk with their older analog radios. Additionally, if a school system has access to connect to a P25 public safety system, an entirely different protocol that other radios cannot access, they can contact a resource officer for help in emergencies.
Icom’s IDAS radios typically provide crisper and clearer audio compared to their analog predecessors. Similarly, the VE-PG4 gateway’s built-in digital converter converts analog audio to digital where it can be easily routed to other ports, another VE-PG4, or to an IDAS system. The flexibility of the VE-PG4 gateway can be invaluable to numerous operations in education, hospitals, and public safety.
The next article in this three-part blog explores the uses and benefits of using the VE-PG4 gateway with network IP radios and SIP phones.
Stay tuned!
