I've really only monitored P25 digital radio systems so... for instance Phase II P25 is the most current technology. What is the most current technology with Harris? I know AGIES is older technology than ProVoice but is ProVoice newer than OpenSky?
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Harris Radio System Questions
- Thread starter SCPD
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snoopyII
Member
Harris XG series radios are the direct competition to Motorola APX Series. Harris XG series are Phase II compatible, as are some of its direct predecessors in the 72 and 7300 series. ProVoice is a Harris (M/A Com) proprietary digital format, it was a upgrade to analog EDACS. OpenSky is a different animal all together.
DisasterGuy
Member
Snoopy hit the nail on the head. All current systems being marketed by Harris for public safety are P25 Phase II. These systems consist of Mastr V base stations and a VIDA core. The entire network is IP based. Phase II terminal equipment includes: XG-100m, XG-100p, XG-75m (M7300), XG-75p, XG-25m, XG-25p, P7300, M7200, P7200, P5500, M5200.
Harris' P25 Phase I equipment consists of Mastr III "Advanced Digital Capable" base stations and a VIDA core. The base stations are typically interfaced to the core using DVIU or UAC gateways. Phase I terminal equipment includes: M7100, P7100 and P5100.
Harris' OpenSky platform is still in production and is a fully IP based TDMA solution. It uses TDMA (like P25 Phase II) on the RF side resulting in four time-slots per channel (compared to the two time slots available in P25 Phase II). There are many forms of equipment available to support OpenSky networks and they are typically engineered using a low power high density tower design comparable to the way a cell system would be deployed.
Harris did also produce (though never market in the US) a TETRA solution going back to 2009. This used the standard VIDA core and a Mastr IV base station. Harris never produced terminal equipment for TETRA. Considering the advantages to TETRA over P25, recent approval of TETRA within the US and similarities between TETRA and OpenSky2; it wouldn't surprise me if Harris brings a TETRA solution to market within the US over the next couple years.
The last significant technology currently in the Harris portfolio is EDACS. It is an APCO-16 compliant trunking format that was developed in the GE days and in its most basic form relies on circuit based switching and analog connectivity. There are many flavors of EDACS that were added over the years including EDACS IP that added IP connected site controllers, Extended Addressing that allowed a significant increase in the number of LIDs (radio IDs) that could be used on the system and ESK that added significant security. Two different digital voice formats exist for EDACS systems, AEGIS (no longer supported) and ProVoice. EDACS as a whole is no longer available for system orders and support for major EDACS components is fading over the next five years.
Harris' P25 Phase I equipment consists of Mastr III "Advanced Digital Capable" base stations and a VIDA core. The base stations are typically interfaced to the core using DVIU or UAC gateways. Phase I terminal equipment includes: M7100, P7100 and P5100.
Harris' OpenSky platform is still in production and is a fully IP based TDMA solution. It uses TDMA (like P25 Phase II) on the RF side resulting in four time-slots per channel (compared to the two time slots available in P25 Phase II). There are many forms of equipment available to support OpenSky networks and they are typically engineered using a low power high density tower design comparable to the way a cell system would be deployed.
Harris did also produce (though never market in the US) a TETRA solution going back to 2009. This used the standard VIDA core and a Mastr IV base station. Harris never produced terminal equipment for TETRA. Considering the advantages to TETRA over P25, recent approval of TETRA within the US and similarities between TETRA and OpenSky2; it wouldn't surprise me if Harris brings a TETRA solution to market within the US over the next couple years.
The last significant technology currently in the Harris portfolio is EDACS. It is an APCO-16 compliant trunking format that was developed in the GE days and in its most basic form relies on circuit based switching and analog connectivity. There are many flavors of EDACS that were added over the years including EDACS IP that added IP connected site controllers, Extended Addressing that allowed a significant increase in the number of LIDs (radio IDs) that could be used on the system and ESK that added significant security. Two different digital voice formats exist for EDACS systems, AEGIS (no longer supported) and ProVoice. EDACS as a whole is no longer available for system orders and support for major EDACS components is fading over the next five years.
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Harris VIDA Systems
What potential buyers may find most appealing about the Harris line of P25 Phase II products, including the VIDA network is that everything is software-defined; from the hand-held radio, all the way to the repeater and back to the Core.
The system capabilities, including ISSI, are virtualized inside the Core. What this gets the customer is the ability to escape being locked into vendor-specified peripherals as in the case of the Motorola 7x Core which requires proprietary Motorola GGM-8000s, CCGWs, etc. The Moto 7x system, while IP-based, does not even allow the customer to change the IP-scheme of the Core, rather doing so will void the supportability- the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard/witnessed.
The VIDA interop capabilities allows the interconnection of any DFSI-compliant repeater and can interpolate the Quantar's V.24 data as well; essentially allowing legacy infrastructure to be added as a resource to the P25 Phase-II network.
What this boils down to is the added advantage of being able to lifecycle upgrade your radio network at your own pace, under your own budget, vice having to buy into an unaffordable, proprietary upgrade path while throwing your legacy investment in the trash.
What potential buyers may find most appealing about the Harris line of P25 Phase II products, including the VIDA network is that everything is software-defined; from the hand-held radio, all the way to the repeater and back to the Core.
The system capabilities, including ISSI, are virtualized inside the Core. What this gets the customer is the ability to escape being locked into vendor-specified peripherals as in the case of the Motorola 7x Core which requires proprietary Motorola GGM-8000s, CCGWs, etc. The Moto 7x system, while IP-based, does not even allow the customer to change the IP-scheme of the Core, rather doing so will void the supportability- the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard/witnessed.
The VIDA interop capabilities allows the interconnection of any DFSI-compliant repeater and can interpolate the Quantar's V.24 data as well; essentially allowing legacy infrastructure to be added as a resource to the P25 Phase-II network.
What this boils down to is the added advantage of being able to lifecycle upgrade your radio network at your own pace, under your own budget, vice having to buy into an unaffordable, proprietary upgrade path while throwing your legacy investment in the trash.
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