Radio Communication Solutions — DMR, TETRA, PoC

Details

Communication solutions are the foundation on which organisations keep fast, reliable and sustainable contact between field teams and their control centres. The technology is chosen from the operation, not from a catalogue.

Choosing the technology

Technology	Where it fits	Main constraint
Analogue (PMR/LMR)	Small teams, single channel, simple coordination	One channel carries one conversation; no data
DMR Tier II	Mid-sized sites, single repeater	Fixed channels; users wait when a channel is busy
DMR Tier III	Large fleets, multiple repeater zones	Requires a controller and system design
XPT	Mid-scale, single-vendor systems	Not a standard trunking protocol
TETRA	Public safety, airports, metro, ports	Higher equipment and infrastructure cost
PoC / MCS	Fleets spread across the country	Coverage is the mobile operator's coverage
HF-SSB	Very long range without infrastructure	Low data rates, propagation dependent

The decisive question is rarely "which is most advanced". It is how many seconds of outage the operation can absorb and how far apart the users are.

Coverage comes before equipment

Whether one repeater covers a site depends on terrain, building structure, antenna height and the receiver's sensitivity — not on the transmit power printed on the box.

The order that works:

1. Requirement analysis — user count, group structure, growth plan 2. Site survey and RF coverage analysis 3. Technology selection and system design 4. Frequency planning and BTK licence application 5. Installation, programming and commissioning 6. Coverage verification measurement and handover

Reversing steps 2 and 3 — buying devices first — is the most expensive mistake in radio projects.

Difficult spaces

Tunnels, underground car parks, mines and multi-storey basements defeat ordinary coverage design. A single antenna cannot illuminate a long enclosed volume; signal attenuates rapidly against the walls.

The established answer is leaky feeder cable running the length of the space, with amplifiers at intervals to offset cable loss. Distributed antenna systems (DAS) serve the same purpose in buildings.

Wide area and multi-site

Where one repeater is not enough, sites are linked. Options include IP multi-site links over an existing corporate network, microwave links where no network exists, and simulcast where a single channel must be broadcast from several sites at once.

Simulcast requires precise timing between sites; where it is achieved, users move through the coverage area without switching channels.

Explosive atmospheres

Oil, gas, chemical, paint, flour and mining facilities require ATEX or IECEx certified radios. Certification is granted to the combination of device and battery: fitting a standard battery voids it and the device may no longer be used in the hazardous area.

The zone classification is set by the facility's explosion protection document — not by the equipment supplier.

What we deliver

Every project ends with a documented system: architecture diagram, channel and talkgroup plan, device-to-user mapping by serial number, coverage verification report, licence documentation, user guide and maintenance plan.

That documentation is what makes a system expandable and transferable years later. See company profile for the full process, or get in touch to discuss your site.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which radio technology should we choose?

The deciding factors are geography and tolerance for outage, not user count. For a single site or campus, DMR is usually right: no monthly subscription, lower latency, no dependence on a mobile network. For a fleet spread across the country, the repeater network DMR would need costs far more than PoC. Where an outage means a risk to life, TETRA is the answer.

Do we need a licence?

For professional systems, yes. Radios operating on allocated frequencies require a licence from BTK, the Turkish Information and Communication Technologies Authority. Unlicensed operation is an administrative offence under Law No. 5809. The only exemption is PMR446-class equipment that stays within defined power and antenna limits. TechnoRF prepares and follows the application.

How is coverage determined before purchase?

Through RF coverage analysis: a link budget calculation using terrain and building data, followed by site measurement where needed. Buying equipment before coverage is assessed is the most common and most expensive mistake in radio projects — the shortfall only becomes visible after installation.

Can DMR and TETRA systems be linked?

Yes, through gateways, and this is common in practice: DMR inside the facility, TETRA for interoperability with public agencies, and a dispatch position that hears both. Which features carry across depends on the gateway; voice and basic group calls generally do, advanced data services do not.