This course introduces attendees to radio communications and associated technologies

Modules include an overview of radio service as a transmission media, how transmitters and receivers work, and an overview of wave propagation and radio antenna systems.

The information is introductory and designed for all audiences. Students will acquire a basic understanding of radio communications theory. This course is designed for students (individuals) who are new to the radio/critical communication industry.

Upcoming Course Dates

12 – 16 April 2027 – View more information and register now to secure your place!

Course Information

Format: Online short course on Zoom
Time: 10:00 am-12:15 pm (AEST)
Duration: 5 x 2.25 hr sessions, Monday – Friday (11.25 hrs total)
Cost: ARCIA Member = $1400 +GST; Non-member = $1750 +GST
Trainer: Chris Stevens, CartGIS
Target audience: The information is introductory and designed for all audiences. Students will acquire a basic understanding of radio communications theory. This course is designed for students (individuals) who are new to the radio/critical communication industry.

Course Outline

Click on the topic sections to expand and see further details of the course outline.

Introduction to Radio Communication
  • What is radio communications?
  • What are the use cases?
Radio Frequency
  • RF fundamental operating principles and terminology
  • Rules and regulations
  • Licencing and ACMA
  • What is propagation
  • Frequency spectrum band allocations
  • RF modulation and demodulation
  • Coverage modelling and planning
Radio Types and Systems
  • Radio technology
  • Analogue systems and standards
  • Digital systems and standards
    • NXDN
    • dPMR
    • DMR (Tier 2 & 3)
    • Tetra
    • P25 (Phase 1 & 2)
  • Radio component types
    • Transmitters
    • Receivers
    • Amplifiers
  • Radio (terminal) types
  • Radio systems types
Radio Antenna Systems
  • How antennas work
  • Antenna types
  • Antenna gain & bandwidth
  • Antenna polarisation
  • Antenna resonance
  • Transmission lines
  • Common antenna configuration
  • Grounding overview
  • Antenna testing
Transmission Lines and Feeders
  • What are transmission lines and feeders?
  • Transmission line power
  • Transmission line frequency and impedance
  • Connectors
  • Earthing and lightning protection.
Filters and Multi-coupling
  • What is multi-coupling?
  • Types of multi-coupling
  • Choosing the correct type
Tower and Site
  • What is a radio communications site?
  • Describe co-location
  • Applications and licensing
  • Fire suppression systems
  • Site HVAC systems
  • Vermin and pests
  • Engineering
  • Site safety
  • Electromagnetic Radiation (EME)
Power Systems
  • What are power systems?
  • Voltage
  • Polarity
  • Fuses and circuit breakers
  • Uninterrupted power supply (UPS) systems
  • DC power systems
  • AC power
  • Renewable energy power systems
Earthing
  • What is earthing?
  • Earthing considerations
  • Site earthing
  • Antenna earthing
  • Equipment earthing
  • Standards and principles
Interference
  • What is RF interference?
  • Types of interference
  • Interference mitigation strategies
Data Networks and Linking
  • What are data networks?
  • Site Links Types
    • Point-to-Point
    • Point-to-Multi-Point
    • Mesh
    • Hun and Spoke
  • Radio over IP (RoIP)
  • Basic fibre optic cable fundamentals and terminology
Radio Communications Testing and Equipment Maintenance
  • What radio communications testing is required?
  • Acceptance testing
    • Factory Acceptance Testing
    • Site Acceptance Testing
    • Network Acceptance Testing
    • Coverage Acceptance Testing
  • Preventive maintenance
  • Test equipment
  • Equipment testing best practices
  • Lock Out / Tag Out procedures
Standards and Quality Control
  • Australian Standards
  • Qualifications and Education
  • Design and engineering
  • Vendor selections

Course Certification

  • Upon completing the course, students will receive a digital Certificate of Attendance.
  • After passing the course assessment, students will be awarded a digital Certificate of Competency. 

Trainer

Photo of Chris Stevens

Chris Stevens | MANAGING DIRECTOR | CartGIS

Chris Stevens is Managing Director of CartGIS Pty Ltd, an emergency management, GIS and mapping and communications consultancy company based in Melbourne. Chris has extensive experience in LMR network design, planning and implementation as well as GIS and mapping application design and commissioning.

CartGIS Pty Ltd also specialises in bespoke training and education for the critical communication community. Chris has extensive qualifications and experience in secondary, tertiary and workplace training and education, which, coupled with his communication experience, delivers industry and client focused outcomes.

Chris is also Co-Vice President of ARCIA, and Sub-committee convenor of training and education for ARCIA.

Hear from Participants

“I’ve been in this role for 2.5 years—wish I did it when I started! 🙂 Everything fell into place (mostly…). Great presentation, Chris, well done! Very punctual, and housekeeping guidelines kept us on task for the 2.5-hour duration. I gained knowledge—thank you!.” ~ Tracy

“Absolutely enjoyed the training and enjoyed that practical experiences in the industry were used as examples.” ~ Brett

“I really enjoyed the workshop. Chris was a great instructor/teacher and broke everything down to a level where it was easy to follow. The pacing was also just right.” ~ Sam

Course capacity is limited to 20 participants! Book your spot on the next available course now.

Interested in attending a course? Complete the form below

Expression of Interest

If a scheduled course date isn’t suitable, you can express your interest in the form below, and we will keep you up to date as more courses are scheduled.