IDAS Testing in Edmonton

[SCPD]

Icom answer to Motorola's Mototrbo ICOM Digital Advance System IDAS was tested today in Edmonton. I caught the radio techs testing a newly installed IDAS repeater in the Area of Rexall place. The techs were switch from Analog to IDAS, back and forth.
The techs clearly indentified the digital mode as they switching modes during testing, "Going to IDAS.... now back in the clear... these ICOM radios are pretty cool"

Here is a link to the Icom site with IDAS specs, note the "stun - kill" mode.

IDAS General Information - Features - Icom America

sorry I missed the exact frequency, I caught the testing on close call and forgot to write it down, It was near 451.5000

 

[electricsheep]

On a loosely related theme (Icom and digital), NARC has been busy lately testing and deploying 2m, 70cm and 23cm DSTAR repeaters... Eventually they will reside on top of a yet as unknown Edmonton high rise in the core. Digital voice and mobile data access yo! Now... if it could approach the speed of my USB HSUPA modem for data in the mobile (1700k/sec!), I would be all over it.

I will have to break down and get a Dstar radio now... just don't know whether to go handheld 92AD with 5W or big boy mobile 2820...

 

[robertmac]

Couple of newer DStar models from Icom coming out. Haven't seen price but might be slightly cheaper than the dual receive 91, 92, and 2820. Are single freq. receive. Can look at Universal Radio site for more early info.. Will DStar really catch on? I think there may be other posts on DStar so won't go into more detail here. Just posting for info..

 

[electricsheep]

Will Dstar catch on? As long as there are organizations out there installing the repeaters. As a stand alone mode, no, it does not really offer that much. But coupled with the full suite of DV and DD repeaters, it make s a powerful package that offers a lot. Calgary has DStar, Victoria, Vancouver, and now Edmonton. All important to me as they are the four cities I have to spend time in from time to time...

NARC should be commended for this move.

 

[cipher29]

So what does this mean for Edmonton? Are we moving completely to D-Star for Edmonton Public services?

 

[SCPD]

So what does this mean for Edmonton? Are we moving completely to D-Star for Edmonton Public services?

No, This repeater was setup by Icom to demo the capabilites of IDAS radios at some upcoming Oil industry show in Edmonton.
The IDAS repeater will go away.

Edmonton Public services radios will remain as-is until 2011~2012 with the expection of EMS going to the 700 Mhz Provincial radio system once it's up and running and the new dispatch centre is complete.
Edmonton Transit System will join the current Edacs public radio system (Edacs) shortly.

Too soon to tell what EPS will be doing after 2011~2012