Patent ID: 8145125

Claim:
A communications system, comprising: a plurality of communication networks; a plurality of dispatch consoles for communication on said communication networks, each of said dispatch consoles having an active mode and a standby mode; a plurality of repeaters associated with said plurality of dispatch consoles for receiving and delivering communications from said plurality of dispatch consoles on said communication networks; wherein each of said plurality of dispatch consoles selects one of said plurality of communication networks for communication, and selects another of said plurality of communication networks for communication if said selected one of said plurality of communication networks becomes inoperative; wherein each of said plurality of dispatch consoles is adapted for user selection of one of said plurality of repeaters for communication and for automatic selection of another of said plurality of repeaters for communication if said selected one of said plurality of repeaters becomes inoperative; and wherein each of said plurality of dispatch consoles comprises a recorder unit for recording messages that are transmitted to or from said plurality of dispatch console; said recorder unit capable of playing back messages while said recorder unit is recording messages.