Two-way industrial radio communication on the jobsite is increasing in popularity. Using two-way radios to communicate in and around industrial sites or buildings saves workers time and is a practical solution for communication, especially in areas where other means of communication are almost impossible.
When choosing a type of radio communication for your workplace, it is important to determine your application as well your surroundings. The most common questions about two-way radios are: Whether you should select UHF or VHF radios; what wattage you will need to attain the clearest communication for your application; and what range of clear communication can you expect from any given two-way radio.
Hand-held radios can “talk” to each other radio to radio in “line of sight” for up to two miles. In this case both UHF and VHF radios will offer similar range of communication in flat, open areas. The range for two-way radios is determined mainly by the following factors:
Frequency: UHF or VHF Industrial two-way radios operate on FM business frequencies, in the UHF and VHF bands. Both UHF and VHF offer similar range for communication in open areas for line of sight communications.
VHF radios offer excellent communication in open flat terrain, and can also be used in wood structures or structures that are smaller in square footage.
UHF radios have better penetration ability; therefore UHF radios operate better in multilevel, steel and concrete structures. They can operate in structures of greater square ft. than that of a VHF radio.
Power: Identified in watts. As a general rule of thumb, the higher the watts, the better the coverage. In order to determine how many watts your two-way radios should have, you should consider the terrain.
Terrain: Is defined as the area you wish to use these radios—is it flat wide open space, or are there structures such as buildings, dense foliage or hills? Anytime there are obstructions communication can be affected.
Flat Ground No Obstruction
Battery Life and ChargingRechargeable batteries such as NiMH (nickel metal hydride) and NiCd (nickel cadmium) batteries are often used in two-way industrial radios.
NiCd batteries have an average life span of approximately 18-24 months, and NiMH batteries have an approximate life of 12-18 months.
Manufacturers suggest using a “trickle charge” to fully recharge your batteries. Trickle charging can take 8-12 hours to fully recharge a battery. Because of the amount of time involved with trickle charging, many people opt for Fast-charging. Fast chargers will charge a battery much quicker, however constant fast rate charging can decrease the life span of a rechargeable battery. Fast-rate charge the batteries only when it is absolutely necessary. Or, if fast-rate charging cannot avoided, run the batteries down completely and trickle charge at least once a month.
Commonly Asked Questions
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