NXDN™ — Professional Digital Radio Communication Protocol

Technical Overview

A communication protocol independently co-developed by our company and ICOM Inc., featuring high communication efficiency, flexible communication methods, and support for a wide frequency band.

"NXDN™" is a communication protocol for professional digital radio systems in commercial use, co-developed by our company and ICOM Inc.
This protocol supports narrowband FDMA channels of 6.25 kHz and 12.5 kHz, and has been recognized as an international standard by ITU-R (International Telecommunication Union Radiocommunications Sector), documented in ITU-R Report M.2014.

Since 2008, our company has been marketing the professional digital radio system "NEXEDGE®" compatible with NXDN™. We also co-founded the NXDN™ Forum, an unincorporated association, with ICOM Inc. and professional radio and measurement instrument manufacturers from various countries. Through this Forum, we have been promoting the adaption and standardization of NXDN™, and as of 2025, the NXDN™ Forum has more than 20 companies.

Technical Details

NXDN™ achieves high-quality and multi-functional radio communications even in narrowband environments by appropriately combining modulation methods, transmission methods, and error correction technologies. NXDN™ also supports various communication methods, such as direct communication between radios and communication via a base station.

• 4-level FSK modulation

NXDN™ employs a modulation method called 4-Level Frequency Shift Keying (4-FSK). This method represents 2 bits of information per symbol by shifting the frequency, enabling high spectral efficiency even in narrow bands. As a result, it allows for stable digital communication while effectively utilizing limited frequency resources.

• FDMA transmission method

NXDN™ utilizes a transmission method called FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access). FDMA assigns different frequency channels to each communication, using channel widths of 6.25kHz or 12.5kHz. This enables simultaneous transmission of multiple communications and facilitates coexistence with existing analog FM systems and a smooth transition to the new system.

FDMA transmission method.

• Error correction technology

NXDN™ incorporates forward error correction (FEC) technology, enhancing communication reliability. It also utilizes the AMBE+2™ voice codec, balancing voice quality and compression efficiency. Furthermore, in addition to voice communication, it supports data communication such as GPS location information and short message services, allowing for flexible operation.

Products Incorporating This Technology

Examples of products incorporating this technology

KENWOOD

NEXEDGE^® Models

View Product Information

Regarding trademarks

NEXEDGE® is a registered trademark of JVCKENWOOD Corporation.
NXDN™ is a registered trademark of JVCKENWOOD Corporation and ICOM Inc.
AMBE+2™ is a registered trademark of JVCKENWOOD Corporation.