IFR Simplifies Project 25 Testing With NEW State-Of-The-Art Modular Digital Test Platform

N/A Project 25 Phase I digital radios just got easier thanks to the new 2975 digital radio test platform announced by <%=company%>, (Nasdaq: IFRS) today at the APCO 2000 convention. This new state-of-the-art test platform offers an easy-to-use and efficient means of testing radios, including terminals repeaters and base stations for Project 25. "Emergency personnel are dependent on radio communication in life-and-death situations. <%=company%> is proud of its ability to help test these critical systems to make sure they meet all measurement criteria and are ready to go when called upon in an emergency," said Bill Burrows, IFR product marketing director. "To date, there have been few solutions available to help governmental and public service agencies check compliance of their Project 25 communication systems. IFR's new 2975 digital radio test platform combines all the tools needed for comprehensive Project 25 testing with a robust suite of technological improvements," Burrows added. The 2975 digital radio test platform integrates 20 radio-testing instruments into a single user-friendly instrument that offers the interconnectivity normally expected from a personal computer. Weighing only 33 pounds, it is a compact and versatile solution for use in the field or workshop.
IFR's 2975 Testing Capability
IFR's 2975 digital radio test platform tests radio equipment to ensure compliance under the Project 25 standards, including:

Parametric N/A compatible four-level frequency modulation (C4FM)

Interoperability N/A Common Air Interface

Improved multi-band excitation (IMBE) vocoder for voice testing

Project 25 complaint Type III encryption testing The 2975 digital radio test platform will soon incorporate analog testing capabilities, providing a clear and efficient migration path for users with legacy systems as they adopt Project 25 equipment. Providing independent "generate and receive" functions from I MHz to 2.7 GHz, the 2975 allows duplex operation over a full instrument range. This enables a wide variety of system configurations to be tested including cross-band repeaters. Additionally it has two audio-function generators to support conventional FM terminal testing. The 2975 digital radio test platform enables comprehensive transmitter spectrum performance testing while its full-range spectrum analyzer and tracking generator facilitates base site component testing. Its built-in dual-channel wideband oscilloscope provides comprehensive triggering capability for viewing demodulated data. Created with a modular design, the 2975 is simple to support and upgrade. Its internal hard drive and 3.5-inch floppy drive simplify program installation and maximize flexibility in storage and recall of setup information and test data. Software upgrades can be downloaded, allowing features to be added as new radio-specific tests are developed, reducing ownership and life-cycle costs. "This instrument has innovative and advanced functionality with a user-friendly interface. The menu structure was created to make complex tests simple and straightforward and is complemented by a color display screen that is easily read under a variety of conditions," Burrows said. "And the 2975 is backed by IFR's long-standing leadership expertise in the public mobile radio market and its strong customer service network."
APCO Project 25 Standards
Project 25 is a joint effort by federal, state and local governments under the auspices of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officers (APCO) and the Telecommunication Industry Association to create standards that guarantee system interoperability among agencies for public safety purposes. Used by fire, police and emergency response teams as well as federal agencies (Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S Forest Service and others), Project 25's goal is to minimize the delay of critical life-saving services due to incompatibility between communication systems. Designed for spectral efficiency in a 12.5 kHz channel, Project 25 Phase I systems can be used in the VHF, 700MHz and 800 MHz frequency bands. Phase II of Project 25 will allow even greater spectral efficiency by providing similar services in a 6.25 kHz channel.
Availability
The 2975 radio test set costs U.S. $ 19,500 and is available in eight weeks upon receipt of order.
About IFR
IFR is a leading designer and manufacturer of electronic test solutions for wireless communications, avionics and general test and measurement applications. For more information about IFR in the United States, contact: IFR, 10200 West York St., Wichita, Kan., 67215-8999. Contact us via e-mail at info@ifrsys.com, on the web at www.ifrsys.com, or by telephone at (800) 835-2352 or (316) 522-4981.