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On the World’s Stage

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As amateur radio operators, we often take for granted our ability to easily reach out to the far corners of the globe. A late evening QSO with Europe, while exhilarating, is by no means uncommon. We’ll regularly trade ‘fish stories’ about that crazy contact that we made on low power with a ramshackle antenna but rarely stop to think about just how strange a notion this would be to someone not familiar with our hobby. Double this effect for anyone not familiar with the principals of RF communication, and HF communication in particular. Read More...

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Amateur Radio: The Ultimate STEM Activity

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External display output on the IC-7610 makes instruction easy.

How time does fly. It seems like just last week I made a post about my Field Day adventures in and around the Atlanta area. I explored the concept of Field Day as Amateur Radio’s open house and spending time with several different groups to learn what makes Field Day special for them. In truth, of course, it’s been a full 12 months and yet another Field Day is in the log. This year, I took Field Day on the road and spent the weekend with a marvelous group of young men and women up in the Boston, Massachusetts area. Read More...

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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. Read More...

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Communicating in the Worst Environments with Icom’s F52D

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F52d graphicWhen a fire strikes, time is of an essence for the firefighters and those trapped. Being able to have effective fireground radio communications during these situations is vital, but can be proven difficult. Firefighters are engulfed in a hostile environment filled with smoke, water and falling objects, all while in a cloud of ash-filled darkness. They have safety equipment to help combat these conditions, however during these stress-full situations everything needs to work perfectly, even their radios. Read More...

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How can Icom’s next generation IDAS™ help me?

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Next Generation IDASThe way we communicate has changed tremendously over the last two decades. As technology advances in two-way communications, so do our devices. A radio is no longer just a radio. With each new generation, additional features and functions are included. But what do all these features do? How do they fit in real-life situations and who will benefit from them?

Bluetooth®
With many states now passing hands-free laws, the ability to use a communication device while driving is changing. Two-way radios with built-in Bluetooth® provide hands-free communication. While paired with a Bluetooth® headset, commercial vehicle drivers are able to answer a call hands-free and still be complaint with FMCSA. Read More...

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Two-way Communications for University Police and Security

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Police officer standing next to patrol unitAs another school year approaches, university police departments are gearing up for the large numbers of students, faculty, staff, and community that will converge on university grounds. With the fluctuating amount of people on campuses on any given day, university administrators understand reliable communications is essential to the safety and welfare of a university’s permanent and transitory population.

Security Staff and Crowd Control

Security staff is responsible for maintaining order, deescalating potential threats and conflicts, and coordinating first aid efforts during a crisis. They patrol heavily trafficked areas in and around campuses. Officers and security personnel may be put on duty at research centers and similar facilities that house sensitive, historic or classified materials. When department communication is directly tied in with local law enforcement, security administrators can report emergency incidents directly to first responders. Read More...

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Voting Scan: The Power of Automatic

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scrambled-tvWouldn’t it be great if your TV automatically chose just the right program for you based on your viewing preferences? And wouldn’t it be nice if it always showed the clearest and best picture when switching to that channel?

Having your best options automatically chosen, then provided for you, allows you to concentrate on the task at hand.  In business communications with dealers and vendors, always receiving the best signal allows you to focus on the more important work.

Voting scan is a new feature in Icom’s IDAS™ radios which allows a mobile user to receive the best signal available so they can stay in contact with their internal and external customers. The feature functions just like a popular election. With the frequencies programmed in the radio and parameters and rules set in place, a vehicle can drive all across a geographical area and always capture the best signal as “voted on” by the vote scan capability. Read More...

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Split Dispatch and the IA-10401 Dongle

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Businesses such as taxi services and debris (recology) companies require a radio solution that allows their multiple vehicle radios to communicate to a dispatcher but not between each other. They find limited communication is beneficial in reducing the unnecessary conversations, which also reduces radio system load and ensures privacy. This can be achieved when a radio system is configured with a solution called split dispatch. Existing LTR system users are familiar with this feature, but split dispatch is also available in IDAS™ Conventional and IDAS MultiTrunk™ systems with the IA-10401 Split Dispatch Dongle. Read More...

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Emergency Communications – Amateur Radio’s Role

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We typically think about cell phone service closing down either because of downed towers or massive overload during a disaster or an emergency. Broadcast stations as well as police and emergency services can also shutdown for similar reasons.

POWER OF COMMUNICATION OPTIONS

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ID-5100A

Those services are typically tied to a single approach for communication, however, amateur radio isn’t limited. Sure, on VHF/UHF a repeater might go down but that just means we need to go simplex. Or, amateur operators can readily set up a portable repeater system to get things going once more. Read More...

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IWCE is a Valuable Opportunity to Stay Connected

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IWCETechnology is a moving target. Reading literature or blog posts help, but there is nothing like having a conversation to truly make the connection.

Every year, technology professionals connect, educate and learn about the latest trends at Penton’s International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE). This great event, originally founded in 1977 as the “National Business Radio Dealer Conference,” has become one of the largest industry shows for two-way radio manufacturers. Last year, the Expo welcomed over 350 vendors and more than 7,000 tech buyers. Approximately 75 countries outside the U.S. were represented at the convention, making IWCE truly a global affair. Read More...