Sioux City Journal: Tri-state public communications plan progressing: "The three are designing and building STAR Comm using a $6 million Federal Emergency Management Agency grant. In its first phase, the project consists of six radio towers and other infrastructure needed to allow all emergency responders in their three counties to communicate. "

Nation a Mix of Anxiety, Concern and Calm When it Comes to Homeland Security: "When asked to prioritize measures to promote homeland security, first responders rated emergency response equipment training first among their priorities, selected by 51 percent, followed by the two areas selected as most important by citizen respondents: interoperability, selected by 34 percent of first responders; and tighter borders, selected by 25 percent of first responders. "

Acquisition Solutions wins IWN acquisition support job: "The wireless network, a joint initiative between the Justice, Homeland Security and Treasury departments, will be a consolidated nationwide wireless service for voice, data and multimedia communications. IWN will allow for interoperability between state, local and federal law enforcement and homeland security organizations."

Can you hear me now?: "Homeland Security Department officials are preparing to unveil the first major contract to coordinate public safety wireless communications efforts across the government."

Welcome to the SAFECOM Program: "Recent emergencies have demonstrated the importance of coordination among local, tribal, state, and federal public safety
officials at the incident scene."

Safecom to seek demonstration projects: "The Homeland Security Department's Safecom program will release a broad agency announcement in the next 30 days for demonstration projects in wireless communications interoperability, an agency official said. "

Turbo Codes Trip the Spectrum Fantastic: French electrical engineers have developed a digital coding scheme providing data rates near the theoretical limits. Ramifications for wireless communications are substantial. Transmitter power, noise, and relatively narrow channels make wireless a particularly challenging medium.

DHS to tie grants to interoperability standards: "The Homeland Security Department plans to require state and local governments seeking grants to adhere to technical standards and protocol to ease voice and data interoperability at the state and local level, said Steve Cooper, DHS chief information officer. ... 'Even more important than technology standards are the processes and procedures related to interoperability,' Cooper said."

DHS announces NIMS (3/1): "U. S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge today announced approval of the National Incident Management System (NIMS), the Nation's first standardized management plan that creates a unified structure for Federal, state, and local lines of government for incident response."

DHS prepares to consolidate wireless communications efforts: The Homeland Security Department is on the verge of creating a program management office for interoperable wireless communications, officials said Monday.