What are two-way radios? You’ve probably heard this term being used to describe either the devices you use to communicate with each other during your camping trips or the devices that police officers use to talk to each other when you’re speeding through town. Are these two-way radios the same thing as walkie-talkies? And if not, which one should you be using? The answer may surprise you! Read on to learn more about the differences between two-way radios and walkie-talkies.
What Are Two-Way Radios?
In a word, two-way radios are a means of communication. Most two-way radios operate on a single UHF or VHF channel that they use to send and receive information from one another. A key difference between walkie talkies and two-way radios is that walkie talkies only allow communication in one direction—from user to user—while two-way radios allow for bi-directional communication as well as many other features, such as GPS tracking. In short, if you want an effective form of communications between users within a range of 25 miles or more, it’s best to go with a pair of good old fashioned dual band analog/digital radioshack xpogo mobiles with built in NOAA weather channels.
What Are Walkie-Talkies?
While you might associate walkie-talkies with your childhood, they’re actually very useful in businesses across industries. One of their main advantages is their small size—you can fit them into a pocket or attach them to your belt loop for easy access. And because you can communicate with multiple people at once, they’re also great for group outings like hiking trips and conferences where you want to keep tabs on multiple people at once. However, walkie-talkies are limited by their short-range (typically one mile), which means that if your employees are operating outside of cell phone service, they won’t be able to use them effectively.
How Are They Different from Each Other?
Two-way radios are capable of transmitting and receiving information from multiple locations, while walkie-talkies only allow you to communicate with one person at a time. These devices can be found in two different frequencies: VHF (Very High Frequency) and UHF (Ultra High Frequency). You can use either frequency with a two-way radio, but most walkie-talkies only operate on a single frequency. The benefit of UHF is that it is a longer wavelength and therefore more difficult to block by things like trees or other objects in your environment. Using a two-way radio requires specialized frequencies, which means you may need to be licensed before using one.
