Propulsion™ is a modern dispatch console system optimized for mission critical communications requirements of Public Safety, Utility, Education, and Transportation agencies. Propulsion™ communicates with Catalyst Gateway technology, interfacing to a wide variety of radio systems including P25 CSSI, P25 DFSI, DMR AIS, EDACS®, NXDN, LTR, Fleetsync™, MDC 1200 Tone and DC radio control, and 3GPP Mission Critical Push to Talk on LTE networks.
The Propulsion™ solution can provide intelligent interoperability between these systems using advanced wireline and control station interfaces. This graphics rich user interface design can be customized to meet the preferences of each organization, as well as individual users, and is optimized for modern touch screen displays. Propulsion™ uses Catalyst’s industry leading Radio Control over IP (RCoIP) technology to extend the reach of your dispatch and interoperability solution while reducing the cost of connectivity.
Propulsion™ incorporates modern graphics into a fully customizable user interface to improve dispatcher efficiency and minimize operator errors. The system administrator assigns a Catalyst-provided layout or creates a custom console configuration—what the dispatcher sees and what functions are available on the console—on a by-user basis. Multiple configurations can be stored on each console and accessed by each dispatcher as required.
- User layouts—configurable working environments created by an administrator for individual dispatchers that provide access only to the appropriate channels and functions.
- Intuitive User Interface easily adapts to current console layouts or new, innovative layout designs.
- Subscriber Functions like Unit Enable/Disable, Monitor, and Alert.
- Text Messages – both short messages and free-form
- Group, Individual, and Simulselect transmission—transmit to a single radio, a group of radios or even groups of radios on different systems at once.
- Supports radio Unit ID with a centralized Alias Database, Emergency, a full featured call recording and playback module, and telephone interconnect.
- Select and Unselect audio—separate speakers for selected and unselected channels.
- SIP-based telephony or POTS lines can optionally be patched to radios using the Propulsion™ console.
- Auxiliary Input/Output relays for Door/Gate and other relay control with Custom Graphics and Audible Alarms (optional).
- Paging: Integrated software-based solution supports multiple formats for basic paging (optional).
- Footswitch and Headset Compatible.
- Call logging—logs all calls on all connected systems, with optional recording and playback of logged audio. IP interface to leading logging recorders.
- Easy integration with Catalyst’s IntelliLink™ Interoperability software and Interloc™ location services software.
A key benefit of Propulsion™ is its ability to seamlessly manage radio communications for both legacy radio systems and new LTE systems with 3GPP Mission Critical Push to Talk radio systems through a single user interface. Combined with Catalyst’s IntelliLink™ technology, Propulsion™ simplifies the Dispatcher’s task through migration by providing a consistent interface to both LMR and LTE based systems. Catalyst Gateways may be mixed and matched in any combination of wireline and wireless interfaces and disparate over-the-air signaling to meet the requirements of centers that dispatch to multiple radio systems, and IntelliLink™ can easily provide communications between legacy subscriber radios and smartphones with MCPTT applications.
Propulsion™ integrates with Catalyst’s advanced RCoIP Gateway technology to improve communications on radio systems with advanced serial control compared to legacy analog radio systems. For example, Propulsion’s capabilities include the ability to decode and display critical messages such as unit ID and Emergency as well as the ability to intelligently buffer and stream audio to ensure transmission occurs as soon as possible but with no lost audio.
For more information on the benefits of Catalyst’s system architecture, click here.
Interoperability is the term used when patching different LMR radio systems. Interworking is the term used when patching LMR and LTE based systems. Propulsion™ offers a full slate of tools for managing communications with multiple channels and talk groups. Basic ad hoc patch and simulselect controls are standard.
The system administrator can uniquely include preconfigured patches in each dispatcher’s layout, thereby precisely controlling which channels that dispatcher is allowed to link. Administrators can also include a Patch Status window allowing a supervisor to view and disable any patch on the network; this tool allows supervisors to quickly understand which dispatcher created the patch and immediately disable it if appropriate.
Catalyst backs up Propulsion™ with a full line of accessories including a headset/telephony control unit that allows the dispatcher to use a single headset for radio and telephone, and various headsets, microphones, speakers and foot switches. Catalyst prides itself in industry leading critical communications grade support services, including 24/7 technical support staff and professional installation and training services.
Interloc™ is Catalyst’s location aware service. Not AVL (automatic vehicle location), Interloc™ displays the location of individual users based upon their GPS coordinates from the LMR subscriber or mobile radio, or their MCPTT smartphone. This GPS and Map technology are integrated into Propulsion™, making for seamless communications between Propulsion and Interloc™.
More information about Interloc™ can be found HERE.