Backhaul — March 2019

25 YEARS AGO. The cover of the Apr/May 1994 issue of What’s New in Radio Communications featured the MAP27 Interface Option for the MDT-301 mobile radio terminal, supplied by Expertech. Using MPT1327 control channels, the unit could handle simple status messages, short and extended data messages, or full data calls. Trunked radio was the theme of this issue: we had Stanilite Electronics’ Neill Hymans giving us a rundown on the growing field of open standard trunked radio systems, such as MPT1327 and the new APCO Project 25; Radio Systems Technologies’ Frits Van Enk went in to bat for his company’s eXeLink technology; and authors from Voice Data Systems and Schlumberger Technologies profiled their companies’ offerings. Elsewhere in the magazine we reported on Rockwell Systems Australia being awarded a contract to supply the Civil Aviation Authority with an air traffic control communications system at Sydney Airport, using the company’s DSN-300 digital switching gear. We also reported that Radio Frequency Systems’ Chris Jaeger and David Cooke were to join the Minister for Communications, David Beddall, on a major industry delegation to Southeast Asia.

10 YEARS AGO. The cover of the Mar/Apr 2009 issue of Radio Comms Asia-Pacific featured the Motorola APX 7000 P25 multiband radios, which had both audio and data sides and delivered audio 50% louder than earlier Motorola P25 units. Inside the magazine, JRD Communications’ Bob Rogers and Kemal Ajay reported on techniques to avoid interference in the overlap coverage areas of closely spaced base stations. And David Cox of Pacific Wireless Communications spruiked the benefits of the P25 standard, noting that there were five manufacturers offering P25 in Australia at that time.

Pictured: The MDT-301 mobile radio terminal, from the cover of the Apr/May 1994 issue of What’s New in Radio Communications.

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