Mission Critical Dispatch solutions are the heart of Catalyst Technology. We serve public safety, utilities, government, transportation, and university organizations with advanced capabilities to meet the demanding requirements of these organizations.
Catalyst technology includes Dispatch Clients, which provide the user interface to radio resources on an organizations’ network, and Gateway Servers, which interface to specific radio resources and are unique to the radio type. Different Dispatch Clients can exist on the same network, as can different Server Gateways, communicating with different radio types. In addition to Server Gateways that communicate with Land Mobile Radio (LMR) resources (donor radios and system infrastructures), Catalyst also provides gateway solutions for Mission Critical Push to talk on LTE networks, and to telephony resources, useful for PSAPs and 911 call centers that handle incoming telephone calls.
A comprehensive overview of the Catalyst architecture can be found on our System Architecture page HERE.
Catalyst offers three Dispatch Clients for different use cases:
Propulsion™ is Catalyst’s flagship Dispatch Console. Completely customizable, this user interface presents radio resources in a simple format that facilitates mission critical communications. A full description of Propulsion™ can be found HERE.
Desktop Dispatch™ is a “lite” dispatch client. A fully functional dispatch solution, it’s best applications are for backup, radio monitoring, and primary dispatch for smaller systems. More on Desktop Dispatch™ is HERE.
IntelliLink™ is a client for managing interoperability (LMR to LMR) and interworking (LMR to LTE) when a full dispatch client is not needed. IntelliLink™ is described HERE.
Catalyst has deep technology and expertise interfacing to a wide variety of radio systems, and this breadth isa strength of the company. In contrast with most competitive systems, Catalyst gateways are server computers, not custom built appliances, and much of the processing power occurs at the Gateway, not the Console.
Catalyst offers gateways that support both wireline and wireless system interfaced connections, and the two can be combined to provide the optimal solution for each unique agency.
Catalyst’s wireline system interface connections include the P25 standard Digital Fixed Station Interface (DFSI) and Console Subsystem Interface (CSSI) that are connected directly into various manufacturers’ P25 radio systems, Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) Association standard wireline interface called the Application Interface Specification (AIS) which is connected directly into various manufacturers’ DMR radio systems, and the 3GPP standard Mission Critical Push-To-Talk (MCPTT) interface – all via an ethernet connection.
Other wireline solutions are Catalyst’s SIP gateway for an ethernet interface to SIP telephony equipment.
Catalyst’s wireless system interfaces require a connection to a donor radio (or control station) which provides an interface to all radio systems, channels, and talk groups programmed into that radio. Many of Catalyst’s gateways provide intelligent control of the donor radio such that channel change, caller ID, emergency calls, and other features are also made available at the dispatch console and other end user devices connected to the Catalyst system. These advanced features are provided for DMR, P25 Trunked, P25 Conventional, NXDN Trunked, NXDN Conventional, MDC1200, EDACS, FleetSync, and others.
P25 Console Sub-System Interface (CSSI) – IP|CSSI ™
Gateway software that provides a direct ethernet interface to a P25 switch infrastructure via that manufacturer’s CSSI gateway. Multiple simultaneous audio paths can be routed through the Catalyst CSSI gateway to provide a more robust solution versus donor radio scanning. The gateway supports advanced features like console priority (pre-empt) and emergency calls.
P25 Digital Fixed Station Interface (DFSI) – IP|FSI ™
Gateway software that provides a direct ethernet interface to up to four P25 conventional base stations, providing P25 digital or analog audio, and control for ID’s, emergency calls, and direct access to up to thirty-two channels, one at a time.
DMR Application Interface Specification (AIS) – IP|AIS ™
Gateway software that provides a direct ethernet interface to DMR tier III (Trunked) infrastructure via that manufacturer’s AIS gateway. Multiple simultaneous audio paths can be routed through the Catalyst AIS Gateway to provide a more robust solution versus donor radio scanning.
LTE Mission Critical Push-To-Talk (MCPTT) – IP|MCPTT ™
3GPP MCPTT-compliant gateway software that provides connectivity to one or more MCPTT servers. Catalyst’s IP|MCPTT gateway appears to the host MCPTT system as an end-user client, enabling interworking of MCPTT talkgroups with Land Mobile Radio (LMR) talkgroups/channels, and with the dispatch console.
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) – IP|SIP ™
Gateway software for a console interface to a VoIP telephony path or SIP PBX system through a SIP ethernet interface.
Catalyst’s advanced wireless gateways provide simple interfaces with a variety of trunked and conventional radio systems from multiple manufacturers, and provide advanced features like Unit ID’s and emergency calls (when available).
They employ two connections to the donor radio or control station. Those are two or four wire audio connections which are converted to UDP packets, and a serial connection which is converted to TCP packets. UDP is an effective and bandwidth efficient method of sending voice information, however, in critical communications TCP is required for command and control of the donor device. TCP signaling provides bidirectional communication to ensure the donor device and Catalyst system stay synchronized.
IP|Radio ™
Gateway software for L3Harris Trunked and Conventional P25, EDACS, and Analog.
Conventional solutions providing, when available, Unit ID’s, emergency calls, call scan and direct access to hundreds of channels or talkgroups. M7300 (XG-75M), M5300, Unity (XG-100M), and the XL-M series donor radios also provide digital rather than analog audio.
IP|Fleet ™
Gateway software for Kenwood P25, LTR Trunking, FleetSync, NXDN Trunked and Conventional, and MDC1200 providing Unit ID’s, emergency calls, call scan and direct access to hundreds of channels or talkgroups. Contact Catalyst for details regarding the specific donor radio and over-the-air protocol of interest to your organization.
IP|Tone ™
Gateway software for most Tone Control repeaters and mobile radios providing limited channel change.
Network Access Radio ™
Gateway software for simple 4-wire audio with a PTT connection to a repeater or mobile radio.