BKHBKMRN.RVW   20000215

"Handbook of Mobile Radio Networks", Sami Tabbane, 2000,
1-58053-009-5, U$93.00
%A   Sami Tabbane
%C   685 Canton St., Norwood, MA   02062
%D   2000
%G   1-58053-009-5
%I   Artech House/Horizon
%O   U$93.00 800-225-9977 fax: +1-617-769-6334 artech@artech-house.com
%P   619 p.
%T   "Handbook of Mobile Radio Networks"

This work is a bit too big for the "handy pocket reference" definition
of handbook, but as a quick guide to the enormous range of
technologies involved in mobile radio it fills the bill nicely.

Part one of the book, though not formally delineated, gives the basic
concepts behind mobile radio networks.  Chapter one is an overview of
mobile radio needs, history, and standards.  Propagation gets thorough
coverage in chapter two, and while there is lots of math there are
also good explanations.  Medium and channel access is dealt with in
chapter three, including a detailed look at frequency, time, and code
division multiple access (FDMA, TDMA, and CDMA, respectively). 
Channel imperfections and recovery, with a good section on adaptive
antennae, are in chapter four.  Chapter five's review of security has
a good general introduction, decent explanations of cryptography, and
some standards.  Resource management and cell design is in chapter
six.  Cellular planning and engineering gets covered in chapter seven. 
Chapter eight deals with mobility management, cell selection, and
roaming.

Part two looks more at applications and implementations.  Professional
(sometimes referred to as Private) Mobile Radio (PMR) is the topic of
chapter nine.  Chapter ten discusses cordless telephony, with the CT2,
DECT (Digital European Cordless Telecommunications), PHS (Personal
Handyphone System, and PACS (Personal Access Communications System)
standards.  Paging, and the Eurosignal, POCSAG (Post Office
Standardization Advisory Group), and ERMES (Enhanced Radio MEssage
System) standards are in chapter eleven.  Chapters twelve and thirteen
look at various cellular and wireless data networks respectively. 
(There is reference to a prognosticating chapter fourteen in the book,
but my copy had neither it nor any extra space.)

All chapters have references and bibliographies, and most have
appendices for further study on specialized topics.  It's very nice to
see a book that covers international standards and systems, although
Americans may thereby feel that they don't fare too well on that front
(which is as it should be).  The material is presented in sufficient
depth for a general understanding, but cannot, of course, detail every
point of all the topics addressed.  For those needing a broad grasp of
current mobile radio technology, this is a very useful resource
indeed.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 2000   BKHBKMRN.RVW   20000215