The Intra-WACN Roaming Feature

Satellite Scripts

The Introduction

Welcome to the Intra-WACN Roaming feature’s “Satellite View”. Do note that “W A C N” pronounced as “WACN” is the Acronym for a ”Wide Area Communications Network”. And do be aware that Intra-WACN Roaming is a “Project 25” compatible feature.

Within a Project 25 Wide Area Communications Network, that may contain several Project-25-compatible Trunking Systems, Intra-WACN Roaming facilitates uninterrupted communications as a radio roams between these Trunking Systems. This Intra-WACN Roaming feature also facilitates P25 radio communications between different agencies. Even Motorola to Non-Motorola radio communications are possible; and even Motorola to Non-Motorola in-the-field Systems communications can occur.

Further note that each Wide Area Communications Network has a unique WACN ID, and secondly that each System within a Wide Area Communications Network has a unique System ID, and finally that each radio operating within a System has a unique Unit ID. These three unique IDs, the WACN ID, the System ID, and the radio’s Unit ID combine together to create a completely unique ID for each Radio within a multiple system communications network.

Ultimately, when a radio roams into a new System within this communications network, this Intra-WACN Roaming feature allows the radio to remain in constant communication with its Home System.

Loading Advanced "WACN" Keys

The first element in programming Intra-WACN roaming, is that you must load an Advanced Wide Area Communications Network Key, also known as a WACN Key, into the CPS using an iButton Reader. Be aware that the System Key Report allows you to view all System Keys that are loaded into the current CPS programming session.

Programming a Trunking System for Intra-WACN Roaming

Once an Advanced WACN Key has been loaded into the CPS, programming a radio for Intra-WACN Roaming begins by selecting the Key ID of the specifically designed WACN Key for the appropriate Trunking System; this selection is made from the Trunking System General Page’s, Home WACN ID field. This Home WACN ID selection identifies the in-the-field Wide Area Communication Network within which this roaming can occur.

The next step is to program the Trunking System’s Coverage Type to “Intra-WACN Roaming” therefore facilitating a radio’s ability to roam between all of the Trunking Systems that operate within the same Wide Area Communications Network.

You must also define this Trunking System’s System ID, indicating the radio’s Home System within this Wide Area Communications Network.  

And of course the Radio’s unique Unit ID must also be defined.

Ultimately within this Wide Area Network, the combined Home WACN ID, the System ID, and the Unit ID facilitate radio communications with other Project-25-compliant Motorola and Non-Motorola in-the-field equipment.

For more details on the Intra-WACN Roaming feature, refer to the online Help’s Intra-WACN Roaming Keystone topic.