Well 2013 is finally over. For some of you it was a good year, for the radio business it was a slow year. Coming off of the FCC’s Narrowbanding Mandate and all the radios sold in 2012 made us really look at our business and determine to focus on Service! Many of the police and fire departments are in limbo this year as Grants and Funding have not been as plentiful in the past years. In addition, with the FCC putting a freeze on the 470Mhz band, many police departments are sitting on their hands waiting for a direction from the FCC; that means slow radio sales.

The good news for some of you is that you are keeping your radios an extra year or two (maybe three). Your budgets are being spent on maintaining your existing equipment, whether a service contract for a 24 hour response or just routine maintenance. It is prolonging the inevitable. Technology is changing, but service teams, like Chicago Communications, are equipped with the latest in technology to meet whatever challenge is thrown towards us. From basic analog radio systems to the most advanced P25 Public Safety systems we can monitor and respond to service outages in any required timeframe you need. We can consult on your equipment with our contracts department to see whether it makes sense to put your equipment on a contract or actively seek replacement because of age or parts issues.

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and in just a few short days the year will also come to an end. But Chicago Communication’s rental department acted as a catalyst for the city of Elmhurst into the holiday season this past November with the 30^th Annual Dan Gibbons ‘Turkey Trot’.

Held on Thanksgiving morning, runners of all ages joined at the starting line to raise money to help feed local families who were in need of a meal, not only on thanksgiving but every day; something that we may take for granted on a regular basis.

However, in order to have such a successful long running fundraising event, communication amongst staff and volunteers must be a top priority. Not only does in ensure that all of those involved in the execution of the Turkey Trot are where they are supposed to be, but also keeps runners safe.

It’s crazy to think that in about 2 weeks we will be kissing 2013 goodbye and welcoming in 2014 with open arms. One great thing about the end of the year is all of the sales and specials … even for your two way communication needs!

With so many different deals in place, it’s hard to keep track what will be ending when the clock strikes midnight on the 31^st.

Here’s a checklist from Chicago Communications to make sure you get the most out of your communication purchases through 2013!

"So you are the IT Manager and you were just put in charge of the radio communications..."

Sound familiar?

I recently glanced through an article in the new (November 2013) Public Safety Communications Magazine from APCO. The title of the article “Communications Manager or IT Manager?” made me think of our own business. It shouldn’t matter if you’re a radio technician or IT technician…electronics is electronics, right? I wish I could say it was that easy.

Halloween is right around the corner – costumes are being finalized, trick or treat routes are being mapped, and candy is overflowing. Sometimes with the excitement of such a fun holiday, we forget to remember the basics in terms of safety.  If we let the safety of these little vampires, ghosts, and ballerinas slip to the background of all the enthusiasm, things can go from fun and games to spooky in a matter of minutes.

The Biggest Safety precaution:  SEAMLESS COMMUNICATION

For Trick or Treaters & Parents:

Cell phones are a great way to keep in touch with the older Halloween goers, or if it’s a relatively small group. But how do you communicate with groups of children who may be old enough to walk down the block, but not own a cell phone!? The same way Police and Fire crews communicate with each other- two way radios. Obviously purchasing high tiered radios aren’t the option we are suggesting, but there are two way radios designed for these types of instances- for relatively cheap in many stores. By sending your ghouls and goblins off in the neighborhood equipped with a  two way radio (or commonly referred to as a walkie talkie) you are able to constantly connect with them at the push of a button.

Hotel staff often uses a variety of disjointed independent communication tools such as cell phones, pagers, WiFi phones, paper work tickets and email to stay on top of customer requests. Large facilities and remote areas result in poor coverage, missed notifications and delayed responses to guest requests when it matters most. Furthermore recurring monthly fees and a constant desire to reduce operational expenses has pushed more and more hotels to explore the benefits of two-way radios.

Guaranteed coverage on a private network, durable portable devices, and integration to current building infrastructure systems and guest management systems via data applications make Motorola’s MOTOTRBO an excellent option for hotels of all sizes.

Always busy at his work station, Dan Wolski has fixed radios, accessories, televisions, and security equipment for Chicago Communications since 1994.

Originally from the Chicago land area, Dan grew up interested in electronics and their functions after a friend introduced him to radios. He ultimately decided to make it his career. He attended a technical school in Indiana, in the vicinity of Valparaiso College.

Dan’s career in radios began in a small CB store his friend owned, located in Kankakee, IL. There, he would repair all sorts of radios, ranging from small hand held two way radios to entire radio systems installed in vehicles. He decided to then move back up to the Chicago area, where he landed a position within ChiComm.

The world of two-way radios is quite technical, so how do you uncover which one is right for you and your business? Most of us don’t have a background in the operations and features of these two-way radios, yet they are the vital solution to our communication needs. Between different brands, styles, sizes, frequencies, and capabilities, it could be an overwhelming process to dig through. This is why many schools opt for a cell phone option.

But if you choose a cell phone plan for your communication system, what are you REALLY missing out on?

If you’re in the education market, Chicago Communications suggests taking a peek into the Vertex Radios.  “What’s the need for special communications in schools?” you might ask. If your school has a lower enrollment, two-way radio communications can help keep track of when school busses arrive and depart, keeping school officials who may be outside the building connected to those who are inside, etc.  If your school has a higher enrollment, knowing where your staff is located at all times is critical to ensure school safety. The need for instant communication is necessary for any size of school to provide proper safety for school administrators and students.

Wireless Local Area Networks, Explained

 Most of us probably have a wireless router in our house right now. 802.11a/b/g were the old standards, 802.11n is the current standard and 802.11ac is coming in the near future. You don’t know how it works, but you plugged in your wireless router when you picked it up from Best Buy (or your cable/internet provider), fumbled your way through it and low and behold-- you’re a wireless networking specialist! Congratulations. You’re not sure exactly what's happening on the back end, but your laptop at home works as well as your smartphone connecting to your WLAN to surf the web.

Communication interoperability is a well-recognized imperative for public safety, homeland security, law enforcement, or any other organization that has a need to share intelligence, coordinate plans, and mount successful joint operations with others operating on disparate systems. Nationally, emergency equipment operability is becoming a priority.

So wouldn't it be great if you could access your radio system from a Smartphone? Or what if you were able to remotely create interoperable radio communications, enable basic dispatch functionality in remote locations, remotely control radios, or connect your phone into your radio system? Federal, state and local agencies with incompatible voice systems can communicate with a MOTOBRIDGE radio over IP interoperability solution.

The MOTOBRIDGE solution, by Motorola Solutions, enables you to add these capabilities and more to your existing analog, digital, conventional or trunked radio system.