How to Successfully Project Engineer a Radio System

1. How to Successfully Project Engineer a Radio System Susan Ronning, P.E. Senior Systems Engineer susan.ronning@taitradio.com Voice/ Text: 832-557-0236 www.linkedin.com/in/susanronning www.taitradio.com Tait Communications APCO Western Regional - May 2014

2. About the Presenter • 16+ years experience as agency mid-level manager, consultant, and vendor in the Public Safety and Critical Infrastructure communications industry • Professional Engineer (Electrical) holds BSEE and MBA; member of APCO, IEEE, and Civil Air Patrol • Desire to share wealth of knowledge accumulated in this industry to further Public Safety and Critical Infrastructure equipment, systems, and capabilities

3. Purpose Today more than ever, Public Safety agencies are stretched to do more work with less staff. “How to Successfully Project Engineer a Radio System” provides the guidance needed to understand the process involved in undertaking a new or replacement radio system project. Applies to “almost” any project; with a unique spin.

4. What’s Unique? 3rdParty Systems Integration • Radio system projects aren’t usually limited to two-way radio system. Other components include… • Radio technology • RF subsystem: spectrum, site locations, and RF coverage • Backhaul microwave and/ or fiber • Baseband IP or TDM layer • Dispatch consoles • Subscriber mobiles, portables, control stations • Logging recorder • Monitoring and alarms • Site shelter & tower space, primary and backup power • Spectrum availability

5. Agenda Project phases Project scope Resources and skills Key transition points

6. Project Phases

7. Project Phases • Design • Procure • Implement • Maintain

8. Project Phases Needs analysis Technical assessment Preliminary (conceptual) design • Design • Procure • Implement • Maintain

9. Project Phases Technical and functional specifications Request for Proposal Bid review and award • Design • Procure • Implement • Maintain

10. Project Phases • Detailed Design • Plan • Equipment Order & Inventory • Install & Test • Install & Test • Install & Test • Design • Procure • Implement • Maintain

11. Project Phases • Vendor support agreement • Maintenance agreements • Remote access • Design • Procure • Implement • Maintain

12. Project Scope

13. Project Scope Driver by Phase • Design • Procure • Implement • Maintain

14. Project Scope Driver - DESIGN • Define the problem statement • Identify systems to integrate • Understand the potential migration strategy

15. Project Scope Driver – DESIGN (cont.) • Problem Statement • Identified through needs assessment stage • Who are the users? Where do they talk? Who do they talk to? How are their workgroups organized? What are their issues? • Identify your stakeholders & keep them informed throughout the ENTIRE process… • User perception always outweighs technology capability • Is equipment and/or technology obsolete? • Identify whether they need or want changes to… • Coverage, Capacity, Operability, Interoperability

16. Project Scope Driver – DESIGN (cont.) • Identify Systems to Integrate • Radio technology • RF subsystem: spectrum, site locations, and RF coverage • End user devices: dispatch consoles, mobiles and portables • Backhaul subsystem: microwave, fiber, leased lines • Baseband subsystem: TDM or IP • Monitoring and recording: Logging recorder • Site shelter & tower space, primary and backup power • Spectrum availability

17. Project Scope Driver – DESIGN (cont.) • Understand the potential Migration Strategy • Identified through technical assessment stage • Ideal Migration: Low Risk; Non- or Minimal affect to service; Seamless user transition • In other words: replacement radio system to be installed, configured, and tested in whole prior to cutover from existing radio system; requires duplicate: • Site: tower space, rack space, backhaul, power; • Subscribers: backward compatible or potential duplicate installations • Spectrum

18. Project Scope - PROCURE • Sole source contract or bid response? • Equipment only or equipment with services? • Single system procurement or turn-key multi-system integration?

19. Project Scope - IMPLEMENT • In-house, contracted, or consultant • Project management • Technical advisor • Technicians or others available to… • Escort vendor engineers/ technicians/ installers • Provide operational use information • Provide legacy system knowledge transfer • Oversee site and system equipment configuration and tests, site installs/ removes

20. Project Scope - MAINTAIN • Internal maintenance personnel • Contracted maintenance personnel • Vendor support and maintenance agreements • Hardware • Software • On site preventative and emergency services • Managed Services contract

21. Resources and Skills

22. Resources and Skills by Phase • Design • Procure • Implement • Maintain

23. Resources and Skills - DESIGN Technical skills & past experience required…. • Needs analysis: problem statement & requirements specification • Operational • Stakeholders, user groups, service areas, interoperability • Coverage types • Wide area, regional, campus based, in-building, etc. • Functional – current and future feature sets • User groups vs. service areas • Operability vs. interoperability

24. Resources and Skills – DESIGN (cont.) Technical skills & past experience required…. • Technical assessment • Spectrum – availability, usability • Frequency analysis: intermodulation studies, interference analysis, site suitability • Sites – availability, usability • Site survey analysis for shelter and tower space, network, and power connectivity • Identify site “make ready” requirements

25. Resources and Skills – DESIGN (cont.) Technical skills & past experience required…. • Technical assessment (cont.) • Technology – vs. requirements, sites, spectrum • Features, functions, constraints • RF Coverage – vs. spectrum, sites, and technology • Conventional or trunked, or mix • Multicast or simulcast, or mix • Frequency band by region, area, or group usage

26. Resources and Skills – DESIGN (cont.) Technical skills & past experience required…. • Preliminary (conceptual) design • Budgetary estimate

27. Resources and Skills - PROCURE Technical skills & past experience required…. • Technical Specifications Internal Procurement Department….+ outside help? • Request for Proposal Technical skills & past experience + Internal Procurement Department…. • Bid review and award

28. Resources and Skills - IMPLEMENT Past experience not necessary, but it really helps! • Project manager • Scope, schedule, and budget Experience on existing (or similar) system(s) in a technical role –required • Technical advisor • Review and sign off on… • Requirements, Preliminary / Final Design Review • Migration & Cutover Plans, Test Plans • Involved in verification tests

29. Resources and Skills – IMPLEMENT (cont.) Various agency personnel needed as… • Site escorts • Fleet manager for mobile installations • End users – operational and technical training • Technical staff to assist technical advisor in review and sign off of… • Equipment configuration • Verification tests

30. Resources and Skills - MAINTAIN Technical staff based on scope requirements… • Vendor support agreement • Vendor equipment • 3rd party equipment • Maintenance agreements • Software • Hardware • Managed services • On-site maintenance and repair • Remote access

31. Key Transition Points

32. Key Transition Points Be sure to keep stakeholders informed throughout the ENTIRE process! • Design • Procure • Implement • Maintain

33. Thank you!