Hello,
Could anyone tell me/forward me some information on the differences between SmartZone-type and AMSS-type radios? It has always seemed to me that they operate very similarly to eachother. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Sean
SmartZone vs. AMSS
Moderator: Queue Moderator
-
Elroy Jetson
- Posts: 1158
- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2001 4:00 pm
The 'distinguishing feature' of SmartZone is that it uses the subscriber radio's affiliation and talkgroup data to send required talkgroups to whatever site is necessary so that units can listen to and talk on their selected group, no matter where they are located within the system.
Practical example: In the State of Florida's SmartZone system (while it lasts...grrr.. ), an officer assigned to Miami can use the system from Orlando (central Fl) or Tallahassee (north FL) to access his Miami groups simply by setting his radio to the Miami groups. This places a request to the system's controller to get Miami traffic, route it to the Tallahassee site, and assign the radio to that talkgroup.
In essence, you're never out of range of any local talkgroup as long as you're within the SmartZone coverage area.
AMSS, on the other hand, is a form of simulcast system. There is no 'group steering' feature like on SmartZone.
Elroy
Practical example: In the State of Florida's SmartZone system (while it lasts...grrr.. ), an officer assigned to Miami can use the system from Orlando (central Fl) or Tallahassee (north FL) to access his Miami groups simply by setting his radio to the Miami groups. This places a request to the system's controller to get Miami traffic, route it to the Tallahassee site, and assign the radio to that talkgroup.
In essence, you're never out of range of any local talkgroup as long as you're within the SmartZone coverage area.
AMSS, on the other hand, is a form of simulcast system. There is no 'group steering' feature like on SmartZone.
Elroy
-
/\/\y 2 cents
- On Moderation
- Posts: 851
- Joined: Sun Nov 11, 2001 4:00 pm
- What radios do you own?: iPhone, Blackberry, HT220
hold on a sec,
AMSS is part of a smartzone system. AMSS stands for Auto Matic Site Select...which a smarzone radio will do as long as you are affliated with the tower you are trying to roam to. Correct me if I am wrong but it is similar to roaming once you get out of range of your primary site..
PS.. i am drunk off my azz so could be wrong
AMSS is part of a smartzone system. AMSS stands for Auto Matic Site Select...which a smarzone radio will do as long as you are affliated with the tower you are trying to roam to. Correct me if I am wrong but it is similar to roaming once you get out of range of your primary site..
PS.. i am drunk off my azz so could be wrong
-
Twisted_Pear
- Batboard $upporter
- Posts: 510
- Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2001 4:00 pm
I've always thought of AMSS as the precursor to SmartZone. What AMSS brought was the ability to have sites that used different frequencies and varying channel capacities. It gave you flexibility whereas Simulcast operation didn't. Other than that it didn't do much.
Then came SmartZone which added a centralized controller called the Zone Controller which allowed multiple lower tier sites, sites that would normally run as a Simulcast, Receiver Voting, or single site, to be joined together to create a wide area coverage solution with a ton of features. As Elroy mentioned, SmartZone's biggest feature is dynamic site assignment. If the site doesn't need traffic to be broadcasted, it won't. In addition, radios or groups could be permitted or rejected for use at configured sites.
Radios now were given a list of adjacent sites that the radio could check RSSI to see if one was better. Along with the site number and control channel, the info can tell the radio is main capabilities. That way a radio that isn't ASTRO ready wouldn't roam to a site which was ASTRO only.
SmartZone allows for multiple levels of redundancy. Normal, site trunking, and failsoft. Site trunking is when the Zone Controller loses its link to the local site's controller. This causes the local site controller to take over albeit with limited control.
There's really a lot more to SmartZone systems in that they can be configured in an infinite amount of ways. If someone wants more info they can purchase the SmartZone Overview Guide from Moto. Definitely a good read.
Then came SmartZone which added a centralized controller called the Zone Controller which allowed multiple lower tier sites, sites that would normally run as a Simulcast, Receiver Voting, or single site, to be joined together to create a wide area coverage solution with a ton of features. As Elroy mentioned, SmartZone's biggest feature is dynamic site assignment. If the site doesn't need traffic to be broadcasted, it won't. In addition, radios or groups could be permitted or rejected for use at configured sites.
Radios now were given a list of adjacent sites that the radio could check RSSI to see if one was better. Along with the site number and control channel, the info can tell the radio is main capabilities. That way a radio that isn't ASTRO ready wouldn't roam to a site which was ASTRO only.
SmartZone allows for multiple levels of redundancy. Normal, site trunking, and failsoft. Site trunking is when the Zone Controller loses its link to the local site's controller. This causes the local site controller to take over albeit with limited control.
There's really a lot more to SmartZone systems in that they can be configured in an infinite amount of ways. If someone wants more info they can purchase the SmartZone Overview Guide from Moto. Definitely a good read.
OK, let see if I understand correctly, so with a smartzone system the radio has to affiliate in order to roam, but with AMSS it justs scans for the strongest signal in a simulcast system.
If AMSS is enabled in a radio that is set up to recevie only, can it be scene by the controler like in a smartzone system even if the auto affiliate is set to PTT affiliate, or is it possible for a site controler to see a radio if it nevers affiliates?
If AMSS is enabled in a radio that is set up to recevie only, can it be scene by the controler like in a smartzone system even if the auto affiliate is set to PTT affiliate, or is it possible for a site controler to see a radio if it nevers affiliates?
In Smartzone, an example of RX only is when a mobile is set to SCAN additional talkgroups. As the controller is only aware of your own talkgroup affiliation, it doesn't know to send other talkgroups in your scan list to the site you are listening to. Put another way, a mobile from the talkgroups you are scanning has to be affiliated to the site you are listening to. Else you won't here it.
Regarding wide area Smartzone trunking, particularly the Florida example above... Most talkgroups aren't enabled to affiliate with every site in the network. So in the Miami, FL example, a cop driving to Orlando won't be able to communicate unless his talkgroup is allowed access to the Orlando tower sites. Many organizations would have one wide area talkgroup for roaming, but it wouldn't be their normal operational talkgroup.
One more important note to the above scenario: The OUT OF RANGE indication on the mobile is based on lack of Control CHannel RF signal. In the previous example, leaving it on a Miami talkgroup and driving to Orlando won't result in an OUT OF RANGE condition if SmartZone coverage exists all around. The radio will simply not affiliate and won't work. Some users will think that it is broken. Unless someone can shed some light, I don't know if Motorola thought about this one.
Regarding wide area Smartzone trunking, particularly the Florida example above... Most talkgroups aren't enabled to affiliate with every site in the network. So in the Miami, FL example, a cop driving to Orlando won't be able to communicate unless his talkgroup is allowed access to the Orlando tower sites. Many organizations would have one wide area talkgroup for roaming, but it wouldn't be their normal operational talkgroup.
One more important note to the above scenario: The OUT OF RANGE indication on the mobile is based on lack of Control CHannel RF signal. In the previous example, leaving it on a Miami talkgroup and driving to Orlando won't result in an OUT OF RANGE condition if SmartZone coverage exists all around. The radio will simply not affiliate and won't work. Some users will think that it is broken. Unless someone can shed some light, I don't know if Motorola thought about this one.
Still contemplating programming your radio to AMSS, eh Mike? For your situation, where you are scanning a true Simulcast system, it will make ABSOLUTELY no difference on your end. The control channel frequencies are the SAME AT ALL SITES. Your radio doesn't care what site the control channel is coming from, it simply scans for a useable control channel, period. If you're in a 5 site system, you will have frequencies A,B,C,&D (or less, it depends on whether they go with the 4 channel configuration or not, many systems don't) as control at all 5 sites. In AMSS, the frequencies would all be different, so then you would need to set the radio to AMSS in order to program in more than 4 control channels. For example, if you had a 4-site AMSS system, with 2 control channels at each site, you would NEED to program in all 8 frequencies, or else the radio would never roam onto the sites which it did not have the programming for, it would never "see" them.On 2001-12-19 03:05, mike38015 wrote:
OK, let see if I understand correctly, so with a smartzone system the radio has to affiliate in order to roam, but with AMSS it justs scans for the strongest signal in a simulcast system.
If AMSS is enabled in a radio that is set up to recevie only, can it be scene by the controler like in a smartzone system even if the auto affiliate is set to PTT affiliate, or is it possible for a site controler to see a radio if it nevers affiliates?
To answer your other question, no the controller cannot see you if you don't transmit into the system, whether you're set-up as AMSS or not.
Todd
Thanks for all the info guys. It makes a lot more sense now that it is explained clearer.
So is the main difference between AMSS and Simulcast is that simulcast has the exact same frequencies at EVERY site?
And basically the difference between SmartZone and AMSS is that only talkgroups affiliated with a certain site are broadcast by that site -- whereas on an AMSS each talkgroup is broadcast on every site, no matter if there is a radio affiliated with it or not.
So is the main difference between AMSS and Simulcast is that simulcast has the exact same frequencies at EVERY site?
And basically the difference between SmartZone and AMSS is that only talkgroups affiliated with a certain site are broadcast by that site -- whereas on an AMSS each talkgroup is broadcast on every site, no matter if there is a radio affiliated with it or not.
That's a fair summation, although there is much more going on behind-the-scenes, so to speak, in a SmartZone system, both on the infrastructure & field radio sides. It's really too complicated to cover in depth in a forum thread, but the general concept has been explained quite well in this one.On 2001-12-20 01:54, fytnsu wrote:
Thanks for all the info guys. It makes a lot more sense now that it is explained clearer.
So is the main difference between AMSS and Simulcast is that simulcast has the exact same frequencies at EVERY site?
And basically the difference between SmartZone and AMSS is that only talkgroups affiliated with a certain site are broadcast by that site -- whereas on an AMSS each talkgroup is broadcast on every site, no matter if there is a radio affiliated with it or not.
Todd