Backhaul — March 2020

25 YEARS AGO. The cover of the April/May 1995 issue of What’s New in Radio Communications featured the Transcom Communications Systems MD 3000 mobile data terminal, which had a four-line, 40-character, backlit LCD display and backlit QWERTY keyboard plus eight function keys. Inside the magazine we reported on the then Spectrum Management Agency (now ACMA) replacing 124 different licence categories with a simpler arrangement of 19 licence types. We also reported on Communication Site Rentals, in conjunction with Tait Electronics, forming a joint venture and launching a wide-area trunked radio network called Biscom, providing continuous VHF coverage from Wollongong to Newcastle, NSW. In addition, Impulse Engineering began offering two advanced training courses in RF and microwave technology, and Standards Australia published the AS/NZS standard for 406 MHz satellite locater beacons. And Paul Ostergaard of Stanilite Electronics contributed a feature article entitled ‘How will the market come to grips with trunked radio?’, opining that it was unlikely the advent of digital systems would stimulate a major replacement boom for existing MPT 1327 users.

10 YEARS AGO. The cover of the March/April 2010 issue of Radio Comms Asia–Pacific featured Tait’s Key Management Facility, an encryption management system for P25 users. Inside, we reported on the ACMA reviewing regulation of mobile phone jammers, C4i commissioning the first of 20 Switchplus systems for the Aviation Rescue & Fire Fighting branch of Airservices Australia, and Telstra upgrading its Fleetcoms MPT 1327 trunked radio network using Tait equipment. John Swanstrom, Say Phommakesone and Jim Puri of (then) Agilent Technologies described ways in which to reduce test times for antenna and RCS applications. And Paul Isaacs of Airwave Solutions Australia sang the praises of the UK’s TETRA network, saying that “The experience gained and lessons learned by Airwave in Britain could facilitate the timely and efficient development of quality public safety communication … in Australia”.