The great thing about two-way radios is their sufficient way to quickly communicate in multiple situations. These handheld devices mean that you get portability and convenience whilst also not skimping on the effectiveness for all of your communication needs.
Two-way radio that are commonly referred to as ‘walkie talkies’ allow you to do just that, walk and talk, so it’s no surprise its use has only increased in popularity since its early creation in 1937. An important factor of these two-way communicators is the simplicity in both their operations and design. Making sure you have the right device for you is the first step in achieving two-way radio success.
There are always looming questions with radio products, for example, how do you connect two walkie talkies together? And how do walkie talkies communicate?
Here at Wall to Wall Communications, we can help with all your questions, queries and contemplations on everything radio. With a range of device options available, you can find the best fit for your communication needs and wants.
How Do Two-Way Radios Communicate?
Essentially, the way walkie talkies work together is by using specific frequencies to signal to one another information. Two-way radios are handheld and portable, meaning that no wires are present and unlike mobile phones, they do not need a signal tower to be able to communicate with one another. These devices work wirelessly, using radio waves. Two radios will be one a collection of shared frequencies meaning that they will be able to pick up the other and effectively communicate.
When it comes to using these devices, it’s important that the individuals communicating ensure that they are on the same, shared channel or frequency. As they talk, their words are converted into radio waves and are broadcasted across the frequency, the second walkie talkie will then receive that radio wave and convert it back into sound via the speaker to be heard by the second radio user.
How Do You Connect Two Walkie Talkies Together?
For two-way radios to communicate with one another, they have to be on the same channel or frequency.
For license free radios, or PMR446 models, they come with the frequencies already programmed in by your provider. These channels are pre set and the only way to connect with other walkie-talkies would be to purchase the same brand from the manufacturer. However, when it comes to commercial radios, you can choose between the UHF (ultra high frequency) band or VHF ( band very high frequency). Being on the same frequency means that the two radios can communicate with each other.
All commercial, licenced walkie-talkies can work together, despite their model or brand, if they are on the same frequency. This is of course, only to a certain extent, depending on the technicalities and overall limitations of your chosen device, but for the most part, syncing up two different radios is possible.
In addition, there is no limit for how many walkie talkies users can communicate. If you have a larger team, having two-way radios on board could be vital, as you can have as many people being able to speak to one another as you need. Whilst there is no limit for how many people can have access to a channel, only one person can speak at any given time. This is due to the shared frequency band. With walkie talkies being a two-way communication device, it means that unlike normal radios, they can both send and receive information. As the shared channel is used for both these functions, it means that only one person can speak at one time.
How Do Two-Way Radios Operate?
Two-way radios are powered by rechargeable batteries, meaning they can be charged many times before the batteries degrade. Typically, these batteries will last between 24 and 32 months.
Like most batteries, there are many other factors which affect the longevity of them. A good example of this is temperature. The temperature impacts how effective the batteries are. Commonly, these types of batteries perform the best when working at room temperature. Lowering the ambient temperature causes chemical reactions to proceed more slowly, so a battery used at a low temperature produces less current than at a higher temperature. As cold batteries run down they quickly reach the point where they cannot deliver enough current to keep up with the demand.
When it comes to purchasing or even hiring this piece of equipment, it’s important to consider any additional costs that may come with it. Batteries can be a maintenance cost which could need regular upkeep if not used in the optimum conditions.
Here at Wall to Wall communications, we can help you make all the decisions surrounding your two-way radio purchase or hire. We have a team of specialists, which are happy to answer any and all of your questions, as well as give you bespoke advice based on your current needs.