And Why Interoperability Requires Purpose-Built Gateways
Modern communications systems are more capable than ever.
We have multiband P25 radios.
We have LTE mission-critical push-to-talk.
We have trunked systems, ISSI links, satellite backhaul, encryption, and RoIP architectures.
And yet during incidents, the same question surfaces:
The answer is not funding.
It is not a lack of modernization.
It is architecture.
Radios were engineered for performance, governance, and security within their own systems. They were never engineered for universal interoperability across systems.
Capability does not equal compatibility.
A VHF radio cannot receive 800 MHz RF energy.
A P25 radio cannot decode DMR vocoder traffic.
A trunked talkgroup cannot directly speak to a conventional channel.
An AES-encrypted net cannot simply merge with a differently keyed system.
These are not administrative barriers.
They are engineering boundaries.
Understanding that distinction is essential for leaders responsible for mission continuity.
Radios do not interoperate for layered technical reasons:
Each layer creates segmentation.
RF front-ends are band-specific by design. Filters, LNAs, mixers, and power amplifiers are tuned to defined spectrum allocations.
Even multiband radios achieve flexibility by embedding multiple RF chains. They do not merge spectrum. They contain separate hardware paths.
Without an intermediary operating in both bands, VHF and 800 MHz systems remain isolated.
Even within the same band, digital radios may be incompatible:
Each uses different framing, vocoders, and signaling.
Digital standards were optimized for efficiency, spectrum management, and governance. They were not designed for cross-decoding at the air interface.
Trunked systems rely on:
Conventional systems expect fixed frequencies and carrier detect.
Even when operating in the same band, a trunked talkgroup cannot directly communicate with a conventional channel without console integration or a donor-radio bridge.
Crossband repeaters retransmit RF from one band to another.
They work when:
They do not authenticate to trunked systems.
They do not reconcile encryption domains.
They do not manage talk-groups.
They do not arbitrate multi-network half-duplex collisions.
Crossbanding solves spectrum translation.
Interoperability requires system translation.
Multiband radios reduce device burden.
They do not remove architectural boundaries.
A multiband radio must still be:
Agencies do not universally distribute trunked credentials.
Encryption keys are controlled assets.
Broadband PTT operates in a separate IP domain.
Multiband improves flexibility.
It does not unify systems.
Modern communications span multiple cryptographic domains:
Each domain is intentionally isolated.
Interoperability across encrypted systems requires either:
Security and interoperability MUST COEXIST.
The most reliable, governance-compliant interoperability method remains simple:
One donor radio per net.
Each donor radio:
The gateway bridges audio at the baseband layer — after each radio has completed its native RF, authentication, and encryption functions.
No infrastructure changes.
No encryption key sharing.
No trunked system reconfiguration.
No expanded credential exposure.
This model preserves system integrity while enabling operational flexibility.
It works:
Because it respects boundaries rather than attempting to erase them.
The Incident Commanders’ Radio Interface (ICRI) is built around this donor-radio architecture. It is designed to scale from tactical deployment to enterprise integration.
It respects system boundaries.
It preserves encryption governance.
It keeps control with the agency.
ICRI does not require access to trunked encryption keys.
Each donor radio remains fully responsible for:
ICRI does not decrypt trunked traffic. It bridges audio only after native cryptographic functions are complete.
This preserves:
The architecture supports segmented trust models at both tactical and enterprise levels without expanding key exposure risk.
Incidents evolve.
Agencies arrive.
Agencies demobilize.
Operational priorities shift.
Interoperability must adjust in real time.
ICRI allows operators to:
There is no need to:
At the tactical level, this means immediate adaptability at scene.
At the enterprise level, it allows EOCs and regional coordination centers to dynamically manage interoperability without changing underlying infrastructure.
Flexibility is built into the hardware - not dependent on software permissions or subscription models.
ICRI places interoperability authority directly in the hands of command.
The Incident Commander determines:
That same control model can operate within:
No reliance on console reprogramming.
No trunked core changes.
No recurring service layers.
Control remains local.
Authority remains with the agency.
ICRI aligns with recognized national interoperability doctrine.
Supports Technology and Usage lanes with repeatable, governance-aligned interoperability — deployable tactically or as a fixed core.
Respects cryptographic boundaries and segmented trust models without centralizing key control.
Enables interoperability across jurisdictions without assuming shared infrastructure or shared credentials.
It supports resilience planning at both the incident and enterprise level.
Enterprise interoperability platforms integrate systems across regions.
They often require network management layers, centralized infrastructure, and recurring service models.
ICRI delivers the same core bridging functions — band-to-band, trunked-to-conventional, LMR-to-LTE — without requiring servers, subscription fees, or infrastructure dependency.
Portable.
Infrastructure-independent.
Scalable to fixed installations.
Controlled at scene or systemwide.
It does not replace enterprise gateways.
It gives agencies the option to deploy interoperability at the tactical edge or within the enterprise — on their terms.
When infrastructure is unavailable, saturated, or constrained, interoperability must still function.
Infrastructure integrates networks.
ICRI empowers command.
Radios do not fail to talk because agencies failed to modernize.
They fail to talk because:
Interoperability is not about forcing systems to merge.
It is about bridging them intelligently.
For agencies evaluating interoperability readiness, we have compiled:
“2026 Top 15 Donor Radios Commonly Used with Interoperability Gateways in the USA.”
This reference reflects current fleet prevalence across:
📎 Download the 2026 Top 15 Donor Radio List
At the incident scene, command clarity matters more than architectural purity.
Infrastructure may vary.
Encryption may differ.
Bands may conflict.
The Incident Commander still needs control.
If you are evaluating interoperability strategy for 2026 and beyond, ensure your solution does not just connect systems.
Ensure it empowers command.
OWN THE COMMS. Own the bridge.
Interoperability without compromise.