Las Vegas — A Public Safety Special Interest Group (SIG) has formed within the Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Forum, announced Allan Margulies, chief operating officer of the SDR Forum. The mission of the SIG is to provide an enhanced liaison between the Forum and the international public safety community, and to provide a focus for public safety activities and interests within the Forum.

"The public safety community has played an active role within the SDR Forum since the organization was formed nearly a decade ago to promote the development and deployment of software-defined radio technology," said Margulies. "The Public Safety SIG provides the forum with a concentrated approach to address the specific wireless communications needs and issues within the public safety sector."

Through workshops, symposia and other outreach initiatives, the SIG will create opportunities for vendors and public safety organizations throughout the world to become more involved in the progress of SDR, Margulies explained. SIG participants-from field officers and dispatchers to equipment manufacturers and software developers-will work closely with other technical and regulatory groups within the forum to ensure the continued development of SDR in the public safety sector.

As one of its first action items, the SIG will coordinate an international public safety symposium in conjunction with the forum's April general meeting in Mainz, Germany. Other potential near-term initiatives include: identifying technology solutions to public safety communications requirements defined by Project SAFECOM, and examining ways to leverage government investments in SDR-including the U.S. Department of Defense's Joint Tactical Radio program.

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