WAVE on radio is different. Although the radios are still using a radio wave to communicate, it's on WiFi, not their licensed PMR channels. This means that instead of using extra repeaters to increase the coverage area of a radio system, WiFi access points can be used. This means no waiting for Ofcom, and existing WiFi infrastructure can be used. If you have a large facility with radio blackspots this can be a very cost effective way of providing full coverage, for instance in plant rooms and for lone worker issues. Or perhaps its another site that you wish to provide communications in, linked to the main site. The possibilities are almost endless.
In conventional mode - in this case Capacity Plus, the radios look and behave like a normal walkie talkie, as you can see in the following picture:
Using the channel selector to change to the WAVE facility, the display briefly flashes 'WAVE' and then 'Connecting...'
When the radio has just been programmed it then gives the following error message - I though that the configuration was incorrect. However, I then understood that you needed to select a WAVE channel.
When connected they will show the blue WAVE icon in the display and the currently activated WAVE channel:
You can then select the active WAVE channel from the radio menu button.
Notice when selected the channel number doesn't change, even though the talkgroup does, because you are still on WAVE channel 3, with a logical Wave channel selected
Here's a picture of the 2 radios talking to each other on WiFi.
What is interesting is that the radio connections don't show on the WAVE control panel.
But do show on the proxy server.
However, when we connect a cellphone the control panel reveals it - look at iPhone connections on the last line.
As well as the proxy.
The next picture shows a cellphone on a GSM network, talking to MOTOTRBO radios on a WiFi network - how cool is that?
Of course, the radios could still be connected to the Capacity Plus system and still be in communication with the cellphone AND radios on WiFi, and it doesn't stop there, you can communicate with all the above, all at the same time using Motorola's desktop communicators (and other similar packages) and add SIP telephony into the mix.
Here's the desktop communicator.
And if you want to be clever, embed this code on your website!
And then when clicked upon you get this (after installation).
This even shows the connected radios: test and test 2, then my cellphone.
I just love this product, it is so versatile - now to find some customers for it!
Written by Mike Weaver.
Read more about WAVE 5000 and hire it from us here.
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