Conventional

vs.
Trunking Radio
Systems
AWIN NETWORK SUPPORT
BASIC LEVEL OVERVIEW
 Table of Contents
• What is Arkansas Wireless Information Network (AWIN)?

• Trunking Radio Systems – Basic Overview

• Trunking vs. Conventional Radio Systems

• How Does Trunking Work?

• Trunking Simulcast Technology

• Digital vs. Analog Modulation Technology

• What is P25?
What is AWIN?
What is AWIN?
•The statewide, multiple site, digital
700/800 MHz trunked communications
system using the Association of Public
Safety Communications Officials
(APCO) Project 25 (P25) standard.
•AWIN provides a reliable, statewide
means of communication for the
state’s first responders. The AWIN
system consists of over 100 tower sites
and over 27,000 authorized radios.

•AWIN provides statewide operations, •AWIN is monitored 24/7/365 to ensure

within the coverage area of the system that it is available whenever the first
for public service entities using P25 responder needs it.
digital 700/800 MHz radios.
 Trunking Radio Systems – Basic Overview
Zone Controller

Site Controller

Channel 2
Channel 1
Alt. Control Channel 3 Channel 4 Channel 5
Control Channel
Channel
 Trunking Radio Systems – Basic Overview
What is Trunking?
•Trunking is defined as:

“The sharing of a limited number of communication paths (or Trunks) among many users”

•Trunking is not a term that is owned or belongs to a specific vendor/manufacturer.

•Trunking is not a term that is exclusive to radio systems.

Trunking vs. Conventional Radio Systems
Trunking vs. Conventional Radio Systems
•Conventional Radio (repeater) System:

• Uses a dedicated radio frequency for each radio channel in a system (unless sharing a channel)

• A Channel = a Frequency (i.e., 155.555 MHz is County Sheriff, 156.555 is County Fire)

• Each frequency is assigned to a group of users.

Trunking vs. Conventional Radio Systems

•Conventional Radio (base or repeater) System:

• A Channel = A Frequency

• If a channel is in use, the radio user must wait in “queue” before being able to transmit on the

system.

• A new frequency must be obtained each time another “channel” is needed in the radio system.

• The system is limited by the number of frequencies in the system.

Trunking vs. Conventional Radio Systems
•Trunked Radio (repeater) System:

• Uses a group of similar radio frequencies to create a “pool” for radio system user to access.

• Systems can by built using VHF, UHF, 700, or 800 MHz. (AWIN is 700/800)

• A Channel is NOT a Frequency (generally speaking)

• A Channel (on your radio) is now a computer generated code…

• …referred to as a TALK GROUP

Trunking vs. Conventional Radio Systems
•Trunked Radio (repeater) System:

• The entire system is managed by a computer, on AWIN this is called the Zone Controller.

One Zone Controller for the North ½ of the State and one Zone Controller for the South ½ of

the State.

• All radio in the system, also, are computer controlled, and communicate to the Zone

Controller via one frequency know as the “Control Channel”.

Trunking vs. Conventional Radio Systems
•Trunked Radio System Benefits:

• Greatly improved usage of radio frequencies (can be quite scarce depending on frequency band)

• Brings radio users together on a common radio system.

• Consistency in radio coverage.

• Greater over radio system flexibility, including:

• Channel (Talk Group) capabilities.

• Various user features, including Emergency Alarm, PTT ID, Channel Regrouping, Call Alert, and Radio Inhibit.
Trunking vs. Conventional Radio Systems
•Talk Group Dragging
◦ Dragging is when a talk group is being used across the radio system and is not part
of the incident/area they are listening in to.

◦ A trunked (AWIN) radio system can not tell when a radio is just listening – It
assumes all affiliated radios are equally important and needs the recourses.

◦ This “just listening” will use up resources at each tower it crosses to get the
message/PTT to you.
How Does Trunking Work?
Control Channel continuously
Transmits system data to all radios

Channel 3
RX/TX
Channel 2 Channel 4
Alt. Control RX/TX
Channel Channel 5
RX/TX RX/TX
Channel 1
Control Channel
RX/TX Site Controller
Zone Controller
How Does Trunking Work?
Radio user presses TX button.
The radio information is sent via the control
channel
To the site controller

Channel 3
RX/TX
Channel 2 Channel 4
Alt. Control RX/TX
Channel Channel 5
RX/TX RX/TX
Channel 1
Control Channel
RX/TX Site Controller
Zone Controller
How Does Trunking Work?
The site controller processes the inbound
request and sends the repeater channel
command (in this case Channel 3) back to all
radios selected on the same Talk Group

Channel 3
RX/TX
Channel 2 Channel 4
Alt. Control RX/TX
Channel Channel 5
RX/TX RX/TX
Channel 1
Control Channel
RX/TX Site Controller

Zone Controller
 How Does Trunking Work?
The original radio user’s radio automatically
switches to
The correct voice channel and begins
transmitting; All radios selected on the same
Talk Group do the same and hear the voice
transmission Channel 3
RX/TX
Channel 2 Channel 4
Alt. Control RX/TX
Channel Channel 5
RX/TX RX/TX
Channel 1
Control Channel
RX/TX Site Controller

Zone Controller
 How Does Trunking Work?
Radio System Fleet
Radio Zone 1 2
Mapping:
Radio “Channels” are now Dispatch 1 MAC CALL
Called “Talk Groups”. TG ID# XXXXXX TG ID# XXXXXX
TG ALIAS TG ALIAS
(Example Law Dispatch 2 MAC 1
Enforcement TG ID# XXXXXX TG ID# XXXXXX
Shown Here) TG ALIAS TG ALIAS
CID MAC 2
TG ID# XXXXXX TG ID# XXXXXX
TG ALIAS TG ALIAS
ADMIN MAC 3
TG ID# XXXXXX TG ID# XXXXXX
TG ALIAS TG ALIAS
Questions…so far?
Trunking Simulcast Technology
•Simulcast Transmitting

• A radio system where the same radio frequencies are Simultaneously Broadcast from all

tower sites within the radio system (That are grouped together).

• This allows the same radio frequencies to be used throughout the entire coverage area.
Trunking Simulcast Technology
•Simulcast Benefits

• Seamless communications throughout the radio system’s coverage area

• Improved radio frequency utilization

• Improved coverage in areas with difficult terrain (includes tall buildings)

• Improved in-building coverage (signals in overlap zones are “additive”)

Trunking Simulcast Technology
•Simulcast Cons

• The technology can be expensive

• Tower site spacing in critical (especially when using NPSPAC frequencies)

• Signal “timing” is critical between all sites

• Tower site interconnection (via microwave, T1, etc.) is critical and can be expensive
Trunking Simulcast Technology
Site 2

f1 f2 f3 f4 f5
Simulcast
Site 1 Site 5

f1 f2 f3 f4 f5
f1 f2 f3 f4 f5 Site 3
Trunking Simulcast Technology
•Simulcast Issues

• Amplitude and frequency of transmitted signals must be very accurately timed to ensure

good signal quality.

Trunking Simulcast Technology
•Simulcast Issues

• Slightly out of phase –

“Ghosting on a T.V. set

• Out-of-phase signals can

cause destructive cancellation.

• Fully in-phase signals produce

constructive composite signals

Digital vs. Analog Modulation Technology
Digital vs. Analog Modulation Technology
•Analog vs. Digital

• Digital is the newer format of the two

• Newer 700/800 MHz are digital

• What is the difference?

• Is digital better, and why?

Digital vs. Analog Modulation Technology
•Analog vs. Digital
Information is sent by
changing the frequency,
amplitude, or phase of
Analog Transmission the radio signal.

Information is converted to
true data bits and applied
directly to the radio
transmitter using FDMA (or
Digital Transmission
TDMA or CDMA)
Digital vs. Analog Modulation Technology
•Digital Benefits

• Clearer audio throughout system coverage area

• Improved radio frequency efficiency

• Improved system coverage

• Imbedded signaling options

• Encryption with little-to-no range loss

What is P25?
•P25

• The standard for the manufacturing of interoperable digital 2-way wireless communications

products.

• Also known as Project 25 or APCO 25.

• A user driven standard, it is not industry or Federal Government Standard

What is P25?
•P25 Equipment

• Must demonstrate compliance

• Meet the needs of public safety

• Be Interoperable with other P25 equipment

Final Questions