Friday, January 30

How Do 2-Way Radios Work?

A two-way radio is actually a radio which can both receive and transmit radio signals, unlike a conventional broadcast receiver which just receives received information. It’s an audio transceiver, transmitter and receiver all in one unit, utilising the latest technology for direct bidirectional human-to-human voice communication. This type of radio has a variety of uses.

2way radio

With most 2-way radios you will find a number pre-programmed into them to allow you to scan the alphabetical list and find stations which will play your favourite songs. Most will also have a feature where you can store up to 200 call lists. This means you can quickly find what station you want to listen to by entering a partial address (eg. The address of your favourite local radio) and it will instantly show you stations which can play that address. Also if you are travelling the radio will store your recent radio activity for up to the hour on a battery backup so that you don’t get caught out when you’re away from power.

If the 2-way radio in question has a VHF license then you can expect to receive anywhere from fifty to a hundred thousand watts on a single antenna. If it has a UHF license then you can expect to receive anywhere from one to three hundred thousand watts on a single antenna. These radios work on a very simple principle; they send and receive radio waves and convert these waves into an electrical signal. In order for this to happen the signal needs to be sent out from a base station which will pick up the radio waves and convert them into an electrical signal.