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Endpoint Devices

Outpost

The Avtec Outpost endpoint is a solid-state embedded IP controller that interfaces analog radio equipment to an IP network. It performs analog-to-digital conversion of the audio as well as remote monitoring and control. Outpost works in conjunction with VPGate to provide interoperability with endpoint devices from various manufacturers.

Outpost features two radio ports. Each port’s interface can control a directly connected local radio or a tone remote controlled radio (locally or over a telephony circuit). In addition, each radio connection includes a serial data port which can tunnel serial protocols via IP to VPGate for translation. For security purposes, Outpost can be configured to require user ID and password before allowing verified users to view or modify its webpage configuration data.

Outpost supports a feature called In Cabinet Repeat. Also known as Console Repeat, Self Repeat, or Talk Through, this feature allows Outpost to create the appearance of a repeater from an ordinary base station. When enabled, any audio received on the 4-wire input side is retransmitted on the 4-wire output side. This feature can be configured to operate at all times, or it can be configured to operate when the dispatcher enables it.

Outposts can be rack mounted if necessary: four units in a 3U rack space.

When interfacing a radio, the multifunction ports perform the following functions under software control:

  • Interface analog audio to and from the radio
  • Decode DTMF digits for calls
  • Generate tones for a radio to transmit, either as an answerback event or upon a command from the dispatcher
  • Detect a carrier operated relay (COR) signal from the radio
  • Detect a radio signal strength indicator (RSSI) from the radio for call voting
  • Provide a push-to-talk (PTT) control to the transmitter
  • Select a frequency of the transmitter, if the station supports this function
  • Indicate connectivity and control status via LED

Outpost Plus

The Outpost Plus is Avtec's second generation Radio over IP gateway enabling radio connectivity via an IP network. It is designed to be highly reliable and is easy to install, use, and maintain. The Outpost Plus extends connectivity and communication for non-IP base station, fixed station, and control station radio technologies for both unbalanced and balanced audio.

The Outpost Plus features four radio ports easily connecting up to four analog or digital radios. When interfacing a radio, the multifunction ports perform the following functions under software control:

  • Supports up to four radios
  • Analog/digital radio gateway
  • IP enables legacy radio systems
  • Remote management
  • Interconnects disparate radio networks and frequencies
  • G.711 audio compression
  • Performs USB and relay control
  • Connects to VPGate and consoles via Ethernet interface
  • MOTOTRBO support
  • Motorola APX support
  • 4-Wire analog support
  • VAD (Voice Activity Detection)
  • Paging and knox tones
  • DTMF encoding/decoding
  • Tone Remote Control

Digital Radio

For digital radios that do not need the Outpost radio controller, Scout connects using interfaces designed specifically for the radio or the protocol.

Telephony with Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)

Scout and VPGate support Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) for connection to VoIP telephony devices. A Scout endpoint pad on the user interface can map to telephony circuits. These can be actual phone lines tied to a gateway or a VoIP extension off an IP PBX. Scout supports Cisco® Unified Communications Manager V6.1 and higher, Avaya IP Office™, generic SIP PBXs, and SIP gateways, and interfaces with Microsoft Teams Phone through a Session Border Controller for secure telephony. Scout also provides its own SIP Trunking capability via the Avtec SIP Proxy.

Scout consoles treat telephone circuits similarly to radios. A console can have multiple telephone lines on its screen and allow multiple phone calls to be active simultaneously. Calls can be active, put on hold, and patched to other phone lines and radio endpoints. Avtec consoles are not restricted to one phone patch like traditional consoles from the public safety world. Scout also has a configuration option that can require PTT for full duplex endpoints and another configuration option to use */# keying to communicate with radios. In addition, Scout provides a High Availability configuration option for Scout's SIP endpoints to allow critical telephony conversations to continue without interruption.

VPGate contains the SIP stack and manages SIP connections. In simple applications, small 4- or 8-port SIP telephony gateways can be used to connect to POTS (Plain Old Telephone System) lines. In a VoIP PBX-equipped installation, VPGate registers with the IP PBX and functions with the existing gateways and desk telephones.

Scout includes an extensive contact database organized into groups. Telephony functions include recall dial tone, call, display caller ID (name and number) in the Call Queue, transmit caller ID, patch, call transfer, automatic answer, call forwarding, voicemail, and more.

For a list of the SIP standards with which VPGate complies, see Avtec's Session Initiation Protocol Capability Guide.

Supported Technologies

Scout, via VPGate, integrates with the following technologies.

  • Analog/IP Logging Recorders – Accurate Always, CVDS, Equature, Eventide, Exacom, HigherGround, Jotron, NICE, Synergon Vault, Uptivity, and Verint
  • AT&T Enhanced Push-to-Talk
  • Broadband PTT – Kodiak
  • Conventional Radio Interfaces – Avtec, LLC Outpost, Outpost Plus, Raytheon NXU2A, Motorola MOTOTRBO™ IP Site Connect, MOTOTRBO™ XPR 5000 Series
  • DMR Trunked Systems – Tait Radio Communications, Leonardo
  • DMR Tier II and Tier III – Tait, Leonardo
  • ED-137 Systems – Jotron and Park Air Systems (Northrop Grumman)
  • EDACS Control Station – Harris M7100
  • FleetSync Radios – Kenwood
  • GenSPOut – Genesis Specified Packet Output by Genesis
  • iDEN/NEXTEL – SyTech
  • IP Auxiliary Input and Output Panels – Avtec, LLC
  • MDC1200 and FleetSync ANI Encoder/Decoders – Cimarron
  • MPT1327 Trunked Systems – Tait Radio Communications
  • Motorola Nitro™ CBRS Private LTE Network
  • Motorola WAVE™ OnCloud
  • NXDN – Kenwood NEXEDGE, Kenwood Mobile NX-5000 Series, Kenwood NX-700/800 Series, and ICOM IDAS
  • P25 Trunked Systems – Airbus, Etherstack, Codan, Tait, Harris EDACS, Harris P25, Harris OpenSky, Motorola Astro® 25 Radio Communications, and Motorola APX™ P25
  • P25 Conventional – Codan Radio Communications, Tait Radio Communications, and Motorola APX™ P25
  • P25 Control Stations – Kenwood and Tait Radio Communications
  • Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Telephony – Microsoft Teams Phone, AudioCodes Session Border Controller, Avaya, Cisco, others
  • Sprint Direct Connect – Sprint
  • Time Synchronization – Spectracom NetClock
  • Trunked Radio Interfaces – Motorola MOTOTRBO™ Connect Plus, Multi-Site Capacity Plus, and Capacity Max; Icom IDAS Type D
  • Valcom – IP Ceiling Speaker and SIP Doorphone
  • Verizon Push-to-Talk Plus (PTT+)