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The article discusses issues surrounding the interoperability of national tactical channels in the U.S. It states that a blanket license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allowing first responders to use VHF Talk around Channel (VTAC), UHF Talk Around Channel (UTAC), and 800TAC is offered for mobile and portable devices only. Organizations cited eligible to use the channels include law enforcement, fire, rescue squads, and schools, among others.

The article discusses ways to properly tune a mobile antenna. It suggests to screw the antenna onto its mounting base after the feed line has been routed, the antenna mounting base has been installed, and the connector has been applied. The next move is to use the antenna analyzer so that it will yield a performance curve that will allow one to see the upper and lower limits of the antenna's performance. The importance of antenna selection, placement, and tuning to radio performance is cited.

The article discusses the steps to determine the ideal location for mobile antennas. It states that the antenna should always be located and positioned for optimal radiation and operator safety. It adds that most antennas must have a ground plane to radiate properly and for safety but some antenna designs do not require a ground plane.

The article gives pointers on the selection of the proper mobile antenna, including selection of the proper antenna for the task and considering service area, terrain, frequency band, and mobile transmitter power.

The article focuses on the in-building coverage systems and the effect of radio frequency (RF) noise of the coverage system. It states that RF noise affects coverage performance of in-building system, be it passive or active design. It mentions that receiver of in-building coverage area shrinks as the noise floor rises. It also provides tips for solving the said noise issues through proper design of in-building coverage systems.

The article discusses the importance of proper end-user training to the successful implementation of a new radio system. It notes that coverage maps of the end-users operation area should always be included in the training. Data from coverage analysis can detect coverage problems due to site equipment failure. There is a need to ensure that users know which buildings contain bidirectional amplifiers. Proper battery care and maintenance for portable radios should also be taught to end-users.

In this article, the authors focus on proper training in use of mobile and portable radio systems. They say that certain radios have special programming features such as modes for surveillance operations, emergency declarations or officer-down situations. They believe that basic radio training should include channel control, volume, and the layout of the subscribers unit. They add that system operation contingency plans should be taught in the event of site or total system failure.