The NIKOS Principle

Modular. Wireless. Self-Sufficient.

NIKOS is a modular, wireless system for solving different problems at events, construction sites and other mobile or temporary deployments as well as in crisis situations. NIKOS works without power grid, mobile network, WiFi, satellite or internet. It operates completely autonomously and is ready for use in a few minutes.

The control console NIKOS [dispatcher]² is a full-fledged radio control-room workstation. From here, coordination by radio, background music, service announcements, advertising spots, perimeter protection, crowd guidance, device control, status monitoring and integration with visitor counting all come together. The announcement module NIKOS [audio]² acts as the mobile counterpart via encrypted digital radio (DMR) and carries out the commands on site. Via digital call groups, single, multiple or all units can be addressed in a targeted and simultaneous way. This way NIKOS accompanies day-to-day event operations reliably and unobtrusively – and is instantly ready as a security control center when it matters. The functions can be extended further with accessory modules, so there are almost no limits to the possibilities.

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NIKOS System Overview – Components and Applications

Dual Purpose

One System – two operating situations

🎚️

Everyday Use

Background music, service information, advertising spots, perimeter protection, visitor guidance, device control, status monitoring, integration with people counting. NIKOS supports everyday event operations reliably and unobtrusively.

🚨

Emergency

In crisis situations, NIKOS can simply continue to be used for safety communications – without switchover times or additional costs. Multi-level visitor information, acoustic and visual alerting, gate unlocking, pump control, emergency light switching – all without changing systems.

Bottom line

Reallocation instead of additional costs: Announcements, emergency lighting, monitoring and crowd management in one system, plus savings on security personnel through technical solutions – the possibilities grow while the budget stays predictable.

Technical Foundations

Mission-Critical Communication, Device Control & System Monitoring

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Independence

Operation without mobile network, WiFi, internet or satellite. Integrated battery for up to 16 hours of standby without mains power. Permanently independent operation via solar panel possible. Robust technology, resilient system architecture.

📶

Reliable Communication

Voice and data via double-encrypted DMR digital radio. Up to 15 km range. No dependence on third-party operator networks.

🖥️

Central Control & Monitoring

Central via NIKOS [dispatcher]²: pre-recorded and live announcements, automatic repeat routines, text-to-speech, map view and full status monitoring of all units, plus remote control of light masts, pumps, motors and much more.

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Why NIKOS

Completely self-sufficient communication platform for mobile and temporary applications. Compact, robust and reliable. Ready for use in under 10 minutes. Since 2017 successfully deployed over 150 times – from city festivals to Munich Oktoberfest.

Common Mistakes

The 6 Most Common Mistakes in Planning Mission-Critical Communication Technology

Dependence on External Infrastructure

During preparation everything works great, but as soon as the venue fills up, availability starts to degrade – and when a crisis actually occurs, mobile networks and internet fail or become overloaded. Exactly when they are needed most.

Lack of Resilience

Wired connections are rightly considered stable – as long as they remain intact. If a cable is damaged, the connection stays down until someone manually restores it. A radio connection recovers immediately and automatically once the interference ends – without human intervention.

Confusing Bandwidth with Reliability

Broadband systems such as 5G or fibre enable many additional services (e.g. video transmission). Such features are convenient, but technically complex and therefore inherently more failure-prone. If this communication channel stops working – for example because the mobile cell is overloaded or the power has failed – those responsible are suddenly cut off from all situational information and may not even know what is happening. To always stay "ahead of the situation" in an emergency, it is wise to separate broadband services from narrowband services (announcements, alerting, device control and system monitoring) and transmit the latter via a separate system.

No Fallback Layer

If you rely on a single information chain for mission-critical communication, everything comes to a standstill the moment it fails. Without a crisis-proof fallback layer, you lose the ability to act precisely when responsibility is greatest – and the pressure falls on individuals. A fully autonomous layer that keeps running independently of power, mobile networks and internet maintains operation even when everything else fails. By using the crisis communication system in everyday operations – for example through regular information announcements – inhibitions and operator errors are reduced and acceptance among staff and target groups is increased.

Underestimated Installation Effort

Cabling effort increases linearly with distance and number of connections. A wall, a road or an escape route can be a major challenge for cable routing and may result in costly construction work or an increased risk of failure. Adding an additional device to a radio system, by contrast, requires far less time, material and personnel.

Standards Compliance Overlooked

Electroacoustic emergency warning must meet specific requirements. Using a technically unsuitable system creates unnecessary risks regarding operational approval and liability. NIKOS meets the requirements of DIN EN 50849 “Electroacoustic emergency warning systems”. This provides legal certainty and the confidence to rely on the system in any situation.

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The Difference

Benefits of NIKOS

Without NIKOS

Mobile networks and Wi-Fi fail when load spikes suddenly in a crisis.

Expensive backup generators, emergency lighting and security for emergency exits are required.

Each stage makes its own announcement – no central, unified communication.

In a crisis, emergency communication channels have to be set up from scratch – valuable time and information are lost.

All communication runs over one network – if it fails, all information is lost simultaneously.

With NIKOS

Autonomous digital radio keeps running independently of power, mobile and internet.

Announcements, emergency lighting, monitoring and crowd management in one system – more safety, everything at a glance, cost savings on personnel.

Clear and consistent communication through unified and simultaneous announcements.

Well-rehearsed communication channels can be seamlessly continued and relieve those in charge.

Narrowband must-have functions run reliably – broadband comfort services remain optionally available.

Architecture comparison

100 V cabled system vs. wireless safety announcement

Conventional safety announcement relies on permanently cabled 100 V speaker lines. On large or temporary sites this means kilometres of cable routes, cable ramps and corresponding setup time. NIKOS works wirelessly: the mobile announcement units are addressed via autonomous digital radio – without continuous cabling.

Fixed 100 V system

Cabling: Continuous 100 V speaker lines to every loudspeaker – kilometres of cable runs on large sites.

Setup: Cable trenches, cable ramps and routes must be laid and removed again after the event.

Cost & time: Material, groundwork and labour for cabling grow with every additional area.

Flexibility: Speaker positions are fixed after installation – replanning means rewiring.

Temporary events: For a one-off event, the cabling effort is disproportionate to the duration of use.

NIKOS wireless announcement

Cabling: No continuous announcement lines. Units are addressed via autonomous digital radio.

Setup: Mobile NIKOS [audio]² units are positioned and ready to operate – without groundwork or cable ramps.

Cost & time: Eliminating cabling saves setup time, material and personnel costs on large sites.

Flexibility: Units are repositioned or added as needed – the system scales with the event.

Temporary events: NIKOS is rented and designed for changing, temporary deployments – set up, use, take down.

Note: Permanently installed 100 V systems remain the right choice for buildings in continuous operation. NIKOS is the rentable solution for temporary and large-area deployments where fixed cabling is not worthwhile.

Transmission technologies

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions & Answers

NIKOS is a rentable, radio-based announcement, alerting and control system for events and other mobile or time-limited deployments. It sets up in under a minute without fixed cabling and handles everyday tasks such as announcements and lighting during normal operation, switching to safety functions such as evacuation alarm and emergency lighting in an emergency – without changing systems. NIKOS stands for "Emergency Information & Communication System", but it is much more than that: a system of practical tools for every deployment, whether everyday or emergency. NIKOS is available for rent only – through RADACOM or certified NIKOS partners in your region.

Yes. NIKOS is a mobile announcement and alerting system rented by the day for events – entirely without fixed installation. It transmits announcements wirelessly across the whole site and can be used as an evacuation system in an emergency. This eliminates the need for a separate, hard-wired evacuation system.

A NIKOS system is rented by the day and often pays for itself on a single day of use, depending on system size and the functions used. For multi-day deployments the daily rate decreases on a sliding scale, so the cost advantage over staffing keeps growing. Because NIKOS can partly replace other equipment or personnel, total costs frequently do not rise despite the added benefit.

In many cases yes, because one system replaces several individual items. A saved permanent security post costs from around €370 per day depending on the region, and an event-grade backup generator or light mast often several hundred euros per day – items NIKOS can make unnecessary depending on the concept. Instead of renting and cabling several systems in parallel, you cover announcements, emergency lighting, perimeter protection, system monitoring, remote device control and evacuation with a single system.

As a rule, NIKOS is rented, not sold. The system is designed for mobile, temporary use – you only pay for the actual deployment period and only for the modules you really need, without acquisition, maintenance or storage costs. For organisations needing permanent availability (e.g. authorities), a long-term standing rental is also possible, keeping the equipment ready for immediate use at all times.

NIKOS [audio]² is mounted wirelessly and tool-free in under a minute using a NIKOS [clamp]² on lamp posts, masts or trees. As no fixed cabling or installation is needed, the system can be planned, delivered and made ready at short notice – even on sites without prepared infrastructure.

The NIKOS [dispatcher]² transmits announcements by radio to individual or freely definable groups of NIKOS [audio]² announcement units (digital call groups), each of which can connect up to four NIKOS [horn]² speakers – without cable runs and without fixed installation. The devices can be mounted on lamp posts, masts or trees by one person using a NIKOS [clamp]². NIKOS is especially well suited to multiple stages, distributed info points and sprawling areas.

Announcements can be spoken live via the NIKOS [dispatcher]² touch control station or an authorised radio, recorded on site and stored, played back from pre-produced clips, or read aloud from written text via the text-to-speech function.

Yes – this is exactly where NIKOS shows its strengths. NIKOS components work autonomously and stay operational during a power outage: announcements continue via NIKOS [audio]² and the active outdoor speaker NIKOS [horn]², while the solar emergency light NIKOS [moon]² and the emergency lighting NIKOS [LED]² provide light. NIKOS [audio]² continuously monitors its operating status and reports a power failure to the NIKOS [dispatcher]² immediately. If you connect NIKOS [audio]² to the same circuit as your critical equipment, you can monitor that too at no extra effort.

NIKOS [audio]² announcement units continuously monitor their operating status. Whether they are switched on or off, the external power supply fails, the internal battery runs low, or the unit shuts down automatically on an empty battery, it reports the event immediately by radio to the NIKOS [dispatcher]² or to appropriately configured radios. If mains power only returns after the unit has shut down due to an empty battery, it switches back on automatically, resumes operation and recharges the battery.

The internal battery of a NIKOS [audio]² announcement unit lasts up to 16 hours in standby. Frequent announcements shorten this runtime accordingly. NIKOS accessory modules are powered too, so full operational capability is ensured at all times. The long battery life makes it possible to run single-day deployments – such as memorial or anniversary events – deliberately without an external power supply, avoiding the setup effort for power.

Yes. The NIKOS [dispatcher]² shows the position of the NIKOS [audio]² announcement units on a map, so you can see where they are at all times. This is especially helpful for moving announcement points such as parade floats, loudspeaker vehicles or mobile teams. Displaying the map on a large screen in the control room or security centre removes much of the radio traffic spent on position queries.

NIKOS [audio]² has a radio range of up to 15 km (open field). In practice, ranges of several kilometres are common depending on buildings and terrain.

Yes. NIKOS communicates over its own radio network and does not depend on the internet or a mobile network. Announcements, alerting and control work even when public networks are overloaded or down – a key advantage at large events and in crisis situations.

Yes. With the NIKOS [relay]² radio switching module, NIKOS switches and monitors pumps, light masts or other 230V loads individually or in groups, remotely – manually or event-controlled: when a tank runs empty at one end of the site, the pump starts at the other end. This saves inspection walks, response time and standby staff – nobody has to walk across the site to switch things on or off on site.

NIKOS does not replace a qualified security service but can usefully complement it at certain points. A sensor on NIKOS [audio]² reports, for example at fences, every gate opening or change of position to the control room – if required with automatic triggering of a scenario: lights come on, the signal light flashes, an announcement plays and security staff are alerted via their radios, either at the affected point or at all locations. This means not every position needs to be permanently staffed to protect a festival site against unauthorised entry or to raise the alarm when a barrier is breached. Scarce personnel can be deployed where they are really needed.

With NIKOS, a sensor on each gate reports opening and closing instantly by radio to a central control room and to neighbouring guards. The control room keeps the status of all gates in view; one control station manages many gates at once. This means it is often enough to staff only every second or third exit, or to use mobile patrols instead of fixed posts.

Yes. NIKOS [audio]² announcement units can be configured so that a single press of the illuminated power button sends a freely definable text message to the NIKOS [dispatcher]² or authorised radios. A DJ or sound engineer, for example, can call medics without interrupting their work if someone needs medical help in front of the stage. The responders receive the predefined text message with the sender's identity and know immediately what happened and where. The same applies to external devices that signal events via GPIO or a contact loop: messages can be sent in a targeted way, so only the relevant staff receive them – power failures straight to the electrician, an open emergency exit to security.

Yes. The NIKOS [audio]² announcement units can do more than play audio – they can also form an emergency call point with intercom function or a remote alarm button. The button sends a text message with the location to the control room and/or mobile responders, so help can be called quickly and without misunderstandings.

Yes. NIKOS meets the requirements for mission-critical communication for large events, industrial operations and organisations with safety responsibilities. Communication is via double-encrypted DMR digital radio. For authorities that must keep immediately deployable equipment on hand at all times, a long-term standing rental is well suited: the equipment stays permanently ready without having to handle acquisition, maintenance and storage yourself.

The number of simultaneously operable NIKOS [audio]² units is not hard-limited by the system architecture. In practice, configurations of 5 to over 50 units are used, depending on the event concept.

Yes. NIKOS [audio]² can be fed directly into existing PA systems on stages, marquee tents or parade floats via NIKOS [XLR]². This avoids parallel installations.

NIKOS is designed so that setup is possible by a single person without specialist knowledge. The commissioning of the system configuration is recommended to be done by a certified NIKOS partner.

NIKOS is rented exclusively through certified NIKOS partners. An overview of partners by region can be found on the rental page.

NIKOS [moon]² is a completely autonomous safety lighting module – no radio connection, no DMR, no network connection. It operates exclusively on solar and battery power and automatically activates its LED emergency lighting when darkness falls. Up to 6 hours operation, more than 3 lx (mode 1), more than 1 lx (mode 2), more than 4 m radius at 4 m mounting height.

NIKOS [moon]² is designed to meet the technical requirements for escape route lighting (min. 1 lx on the escape route). It is suitable for use at festivals, large events and construction sites. For normative requirements in building construction (ASR A2.3, DIN EN 1838), consultation with the safety officer is recommended.

NIKOS can reliably switch off individual music systems by radio at the end of the approved period – quickly and without on-site arguments. This matters financially because impermissible noise can be fined up to €5,000 under § 117 of the German Administrative Offences Act, and repeated violations endanger future permits. Reliably observing the end time therefore protects against fines, complaints and trouble with the public order office.

NIKOS provides alerting, emergency lighting, evacuation announcements and crowd management functions as robust, quickly available building blocks for your safety concept – without fixed infrastructure. It can also be combined with camera surveillance, people counting and other security and monitoring systems. This gives a sound basis for approval, reduces planning effort and keeps overall costs stable. Planners and authorities can name the relevant NIKOS functions directly as measures in the concept.

Yes. NIKOS distributes warnings and information simultaneously by audio announcement and visually via existing info or programme displays, signal lights or text messages to the radio – even when public communication networks fail. This means weather warnings, programme changes or emergency information reach visitors and staff quickly and across the whole site.

NIKOS is suitable for city festivals, festivals, markets, parades, sporting events, open-airs and corporate events — anywhere temporary announcement, lighting, monitoring or alerting is needed without fixed installation. Its modular design adapts to small as well as large, sprawling sites, and its advantage grows with scale: the more stages, vehicles and the larger the area, the more clearly the wireless system shows its strengths.

In many cases yes. Through substituting personnel, saving other equipment that would otherwise be rented, higher stand rents from optimised logistics and — where possible and appropriate — advertising messages, NIKOS can generate savings and additional revenue that partly or fully offset the rental cost.

Most likely yes. NIKOS is modular and highly flexible. Many further applications — such as perimeter protection, overcrowding alerts, construction power distributor monitoring or tank fill-level reporting — can be realised at short notice. Describe your requirement and we will assess the options for your individual case.

System

Stay in control in every situation