Security Sales & Integration November 2022 - 28

SMARTS & PARTS
Fire Side Chat by Shane Clary
Testing Tips for
Bi-Directional
Amplifi ers
The
installation
of the system
is fairly
routine, with
the installer
following the
requirements
of the BDA
manufacturer
and of NFPA
1225.
▶ THIS IS THE THIRD and fi nal column on
bi-directorial amplifi ers (BDA) or emergency responder
communications enhancement system
(ERCES). Th is month we will look at some additional
details in the design and installation of these
systems as well as their inspections and testing.
As part of the design, you will need to know
what radio bands are used by the responding authorizations.
While most systems are now on the
700/800MHz band, there are still a number that
use VHF or UHF. One may fi nd themselves designing
a system in which all of these bands are used. A
second item that the designer needs to verify is if the
installed system is to be Class A or Class B.
As covered prior, part of the survey is to deterShane
Clary, Ph.D., is an
SSI Industry Hall of Famer
and has more than 45
years of security and fi re
alarm industry experience.
He serves on a number of
NFPA technical committees,
and is Vice President of
Codes and Standards
Compliance for Concord,
Calif.-headquartered Bay
Alarm Co.
28
mine if a DBBA system is even required to be installed
within a structure. Depending on the size,
construction and location of a building to the
system transmitter, a BDA system may not be required.
If this is the case, the individual who conducted
the survey would issue a report in which
it is stated that after a survey, conducted in accordance
with NFPA 1225, Standard for Emergency
Services Communications, that no system is required,
the work is completed. Th e report must be
completed by a person that holds an FCC GROL
(General Radiotelephone Operators License).
As one is starting to work within the BDA market,
it is recommended that the installing fi rm fi nd
and use a fi rm that specializes in system design.
Th is is taking the information that is obtained by
the site survey and determining where the distributed
antenna system (DAS) is to be installed within
the building. It is not the routing of the coax or
fi ber cables that is the issue, but the locations as to
where each of the DAS antennas are to be installed.
Firms that specialize in this fi eld can produce
a set of drawings that will meet the requirements
of the AHJ and save the installing fi rm the cost of
this software as they are starting. Th e design software
that is required is in the $15,000-$30,000
price range per license copy.
Th e installation of the system is fairly routine,
Security Sales & Integration NOVEMBER 2022
smclary@bayalarm.com
with the installer following the requirements of
the BDA manufacturer and of NFPA 1225. Care
must be taken in the interconnection of coax or
fi ber cables that may be used by a system. Improper
connection could lead to a faulty system.
Th e system installer does need to be familiar with
Chapter 18, In-Building Emergency Responder
Communications Enhancement Systems within
1225. In addition, all should go through the manufacturer's
product certifi cation program.
While these systems are not part of a building's
fi re alarm system, they are to be connected to a fi re
alarm system for the supervision of critical system
functions. Th ese include the following:
▶ Signal source malfunction
▶ Active RF emitting device failure
▶ Low battery
▶ Active system component failure
▶ Loss of AC power
▶ Battery charger failure
NFPA 1221 as well as the FCC require that
these systems be inspected and tested on an annual
cycle. Conditions do change. Th ere may be a
change to the interior of a building in which part
of the occupancy which did have prior coverage
no longer has coverage. Th ere also may have been
a change to the area surrounding the occupancy,
where a new construction may be blocking or
changing the signal strength of the downlink and/
or uplink signal. Check out the online version of
this column for more on testing and inspection.
Th e structure may also have had a change in
the type of windows that are being used, to ones
that are more energy effi cient. Th ese tend to block
RF waves. Th e individual who is conducting these
required inspections and tests must also hold an
FCC GROL.
Where in the past, these systems were found primarily
in high-rise structures or buildings of large
square footage, the size of a structure that will require
at a minimum a site survey and a possible
BDA system is down to 5,000 square feet. With UL
moving toward the certifi cation of these systems
and NICET now having a certifi cation program for
the design, installation and testing of them, these
systems are here to stay and will be increasing in
number as new building and fi re codes are adopted.
If you are not yet off ering these systems as part
of your services, now is the time to begin an active
investigation into deciding to add these to your
product off erings.
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http://www.securitysales.com
Security Sales & Integration November 2022

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