At Wall to Wall Communications we have been working with two way radios for over 40 years. During our time working with two way radios we have found that one of the most frequent questions we get is ‘how do I boost my two way radio signal?. Getting a radio signal that is reliable, efficient, can penetrate obstacles and can still send clear messages to other radio users far away can seem hard to obtain. We also know that having good radio signal is imperative to the running of your business. Not only does reliable communication boost efficiency and productivity, but also safety and security as well. This is why we have written a guide to help you find the right solution for your two way radio problem, including leaky feeders, POC technology, installing an antenna or simply changing the battery.
Change Battery
At Wall to Wall we recommend that you scrap your old radio battery every 18-24 months and replace it with a new one. This will be the first thing to check if you are experiencing poor signal coverage. If you have not replaced your two way radio battery over a longer period than this, you can experience poor coverage, conversations being cut short mid-transmission and unclear communication. By using a radio with a battery that isn’t fully charged, the power rapidly decreases, inhibiting its ability to send and receive radio signals.
Leaky Feeder
If you and your business are experiencing issues with your radio signal reaching areas that are located along shafts, tunnels or underground, a leaky feeder cable will give you the signal boost you’ve been looking for. A leaky feeder is a cable that, unlike a normal feeder cable, is designed to ‘leak’ signal out in a controlled manner as well as allowing signal to penetrate the cable as well. A leaky feeder allows signal to reach areas where it would not have otherwise reached, effectively behaving like a long antenna for radios.
Repeaters
Radio signals can in fact travel around obstacles and through them, but this does however drastically affect the strength of the radio signal. If you are finding that you and your employees are dropping out of signal range when straying too far afield, or perhaps your business is located in a built up area, it may be time to install a repeater. A repeater essentially receives radio signals and re-transmits or ‘repeats’ them, giving your radios the power to reach a wider range. A repeater usually instals their antennas in a high and central location to bypass tall buildings and hilly landscapes. This will give your radio signals a clear and powerful boost.
POC Technology
If you and your business require a communication method that reaches a long distance, perhaps spanning the country, installing multiple leaky feeders and antennas can be costly and may still not achieve the coverage you need. In these instances, for businesses such as couriers, taxis and transportation, switching to a POC (Push To Talk Over Cellular) radio may be the solution you have been looking for.
Instead of communicating using radio waves, a POC radio instead utilised the mobile data network (3G, 4G, 5G) and WIFI signal to send and receive messages. Now that the mobile data network has become faster and more reliable than ever, POC radios have risen in popularity. This is mainly due to the fact that users of these radios are not limited to staying within a particular signal range, but instead have the freedom to communicate wherever there is mobile data or WIFI signal. So if you are a business that is expanding and requires a boost to your signal range, POC technology might just be the answer you’ve been looking for.