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IP730D – You Got Chocolate in my Peanut Butter

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We got LTE in your LMR.  No, we got LMR in your LTE.  Whichever way you look at it, Icom’s IP730 series portable is a treat for radio users. Once again, Icom’s engineers looked at a problem and came up with an original solution.  From their experience with IP501 LTE and Land Mobile Radio IDAS radios emerged a new radio able to receive and transmit both LTE and LMR (remember, IDAS is an NXDN and analog LMR radio) simultaneously! A perfect pairing of technology for those hungry to resolve ‘what if’ situations. Read More...

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Rapid Charging Solutions

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Icom’s chargers come in all sorts of functionality, shapes, and sizes. A charged battery is crucial to maintaining essential communications. Lets explore the surprising differences between Icom’s most popular chargers and understanding battery health.

Since chargers aren’t a one-size-fits-all accessory, knowing the differences between them will allow you to better know what would fit your needs. Do you want to use a smart battery? What about charging more than one radio at a time? How about one that works with intrinsically safe batteries? Read More...

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VE-PG4 Configurations Part 3: LTE Radios and Tracking Software

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With the VE-PG4 gateway, interoperate through IDAS™/analog, WLAN, and SIP devices. Each operation has advantages that are very well suited for many verticals such as public safety agencies, education, farming, and transportation. Part 3 of the VE-PG4 Configurations blog involves our LTE radios, satellite radios, and the Radio Discovery Tool, RDT.

The full-duplex LTE IP501H/M radios operate over a wide geographic range wherever cell phone towers reach. Full-duplex communications allow telephone-style conversations between radios. Easily interconnect these LTE radios with existing land mobile radios, IP radios, or even SIP phones with the VE-PG4 gateway’s built-in SIM card slot. Another benefit of the built-in LTE connection is the interconnectivity between the VE-PG4 without going through an IP network. Laying any firewall safety concerns to rest. Read More...

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MURS Professional License Free Two-Way Radio

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This week the crew will be 30 miles east of Seattle to repave and perform maintenance on the bridge over the Snoqualmie River.  The road will be closed and flaggers will need to talk regularly throughout the day for the duration of the project.  The following week they will be 50+ miles south at the base of Mount Rainier repaving the switch backs on Highway 410. So, it goes, week after week, the crew moves around the Puget Sound to finish one project after another. The crew needs to talk to each other at the site to get the jobs done efficiently and safely.  The conditions are tough and often times there is other radio traffic in the area.  The crew needs a professional quality radio that can keep up with the day in and day out operations, privacy codes, and in some cases, advanced features like man down or emergency call.  Those inexpensive bubble packed radios you find in retail stores aren’t made for this environment.  They are family camping trip radios. Read More...

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VE-PG4 Configurations Part 2: Network and SIP Phones

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Part 2 of this series involves Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones and Network configuration. The VE-PG4 Gateway includes both a SIP server and a WLAN controller built in. These functions introduce another dimension to the VE-PG4 application functionality.

Land mobile radios use signals that can penetrate most areas. However, some structures such as reinforced concrete, glass or steel architecture make it hard for radios to connect with each other. The VE-PG4’s built-in WLAN controller is particularly useful in areas such as school campuses where there are plenty of stairwells or parking garages. We can extend signals for the IP100H and add WLAN coverage with access points, such as Icom’s AP95M, to eliminate dead zones and operate where regular land mobile radios have difficulty. If the school’s radio infrastructure relies on land mobile radios outside of campus such as transportation, the VE-PG4 Gateway can interconnect the IP and land mobile radios. The built-in IP1000C controller manages the audio levels to provide a clear sound with a high bitrate at a low network bandwidth consumption. Read More...

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VE-PG4 Configurations Part One: IDAS™, Analog, and P25

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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. Read More...

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School Integrated Radio Solution

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Elementary School

It was the summer of 2019. The weather was good, and with school out, it was the time to address the improvements and upgrades they discovered they needed over that school year. The school district used the local dealer’s multi-site repeater system (unfortunately not Icom’s) to communicate district-wide. There was just one problem with a single school – their radios didn’t work inside the school. So, Rick, the school district’s IT tech, called their dealer to help solve this problem. Read More...

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Disaster Response: Satellite Comms to the Rescue

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Hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, and floods are only some of what Mother Nature can bring us. When catastrophe strikes, it is crucial to have effective communications and the exchange of information during an emergency. With the potential of interrupted ground-based communications – downed phone lines and cellular/radio towers – how can first responders prepare?

With so much reliance on terrestrial forms of communication, our communications systems are vulnerable to natural disasters, which hinders sending and receiving information from organizations like FEMA, NOAA, IPAWS, and EAS, and state and local public safety/service organizations. Satellite communications provide instant connectivity for voice regardless of the status of surrounding terrestrial systems. Read More...

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Secure Nature of LTE Network

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Icom LTE-Connect IP501H LTE Radio

How is Icom’s IP501H LTE network radio different from other offerings in the market? Wide area communications, size and a robust network design are all assets of our new LTE-Connect solution.

But what about security? The IP501H offers communications on a completely secure, sturdy and private LTE network. Here is what that means:

The LTE (Long-Term Evolution) standard is an all IP-based system. This means it can be susceptible to security weaknesses associated with IP, such as ever changing standards, risk of data loss, denial of service attacks, loss of privacy. Although security is incorporated in LTE architecture design, service providers are still responsible for ensuring their own network security. Icom has addressed these security issues by setting up a fully private LTE carrier approved network. The majority of other push-to- talk LTE devices, many of which are not approved, or certified for use on the carriers LTE Network, use the public Internet to carry voice traffic between the network and the control servers. By hosting these servers on the public Internet they become susceptible to denial of service attacks. The performance is limited to the capacity, and robustness, of the ISP network that is hosting them and the security of their physical location.

The LTE-Connect network on the other hand is embedded directly into the core of the carriers LTE network, with a dedicated APN and Icom only issued SIM cards. This means that no other device on the network can use or communicate with Icom’s data center. The IP (voice) traffic never leaves the core network and has no connection to the public Internet. We are not susceptible to denial of service attacks, we have no public internet or ISP bandwidth limitations and the redundant servers are securely housed in the carrier’s own data centers.

The IP501H is also the only LTE push-to-talk-radio that has been fully approved by the carriers for use on the network. Unapproved, and untested, devices have unknown performance characteristics and can cause issues to the core LTE network. It is possible for the carrier to switch off these unapproved devices at any time.

The Icom LTE-Connect network is the most secure push-to-talk over LTE radio system available today. Experience first-hand carrier approved equipment, reliable and secure communications along with the trusted Icom quality and exception voice quality.

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F52D: It’s More Than Just the Size

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For public safety, service and security workers, communication tools are key. There are numerous devices on the market designed for these individuals. But do these devices have everything? Do they have all the features you have become accustomed to, and are they compact in size for easy handling? Or do you have to sacrifice one for the other?

The F52D/F62D series is the newest edition to the Icom IDAS™ portable line-up. This new radio has it all, impressive features, modern design and compact in size. Building on the success of the F50V and the innovation of the F3400 series, this new radio will easily fit in the palm of your hands. The F52D/F62D is the smallest series on the market, which makes it perfect for discrete use and convenient carrying.

“Seems to be an expertly designed radio. I am impressed.”
–  Tom Ohlsson, Red Dog Radios in Colorado. 

The new F52D series is smaller and lighter than the F50V series. It was redesigned to include two slanted knobs for easy operation. With its military-rugged design and submersible and waterproof construction, the F52D series is an attractive device for all public safety, service and security personal.

“I have been playing with it, and the size and weight coupled with the features (and price) make it a desirable unit.”
– Dick Cottrell, GTBM in New Jersey

Not only is the size impressive, but the feature set as well. The F52D series is loaded with safety and security features no one would want to be without. Functions like man down, lone worker and emergency key, add additional reassurance during emergency situations. Security features include digital/analog voice scrambler and password protection. 
State-of-the-art improvements like OTAP, Bluetooth®, multiple operating modes, and more are packed into this device.

Available at a mid-tier price, the F52D series is the whole package. For an added bonus, an F52D series rebate is available now until March 31, 2018. It is a deal you do not want to miss.

“At first I was surprised – oh man, is this radio really gonna do that – but it sounds great and it is so powerful for its size!”
– Robbie Sane, Dalton Communications in Georgia Read More...