As with most other technology markets in the 21st century, there is a lot to choose from when selecting a handheld two-way radio. With brands such as Icom, Kenwood and Motorola all offering handheld radio ranges with a variety of functions and different directive compliances, making the choice can sometimes become more of a task than a pleasure, especially if you are new to the market and unfamiliar with these features. This article will attempt to make sense of the jargon and help you buy the radio you really need.

The first thing to consider when choosing your Icom, Kenwood or Motorola radio is quite simple - what kind do you need? There are several different types available, from handhelds, to mobiles, and even UHF repeaters. A handheld unit is the most popular choice due to the amount of applications it can fulfil, however this can also make it the most confusing range to buy from.

The next issue to look into is what kind of task is this unit required for? This is arguably the most important consideration to make when choosing a Kenwood, Icom or Motorola radio since much of the handheld range offers functionality for a specific style of work. Keeping in touch on a field trip for example, doesn't necessarily require a military specification build, whereas working as a doorman in a busy nightclub could well necessitate a higher-grade construction possibly with emergency signalling features. If it will be frequently be used in the dark a backlit LCD display could prove useful, if channel selection and programmability is less of a priority, you may not need a display at all.

The environment in which the radio will be used most regularly is definitely a consideration that must be made. If the unit will be in an area where it will frequently be exposed to dust, grit and water, a model with a high Ingress Protection (IP) rating will be favoured to protect the device from these conditions, if it's mostly going to be used indoors, a model with a lower IP rating should be fine.

The European Union has laid out two directives (94/9/EC and 99/92/EC) which govern what equipment is allowed to operate in potentially explosive environments. If the user will be working in such an area, the two-way radio purchased must come from their ATEX ranges which comply with these guidelines. Most of the popular brands of radio including Motorola, Kenwood, Icom and Vertex Standard offer a range which fulfils this. If you or your employees don't work in a hazardous area, ATEX directive compliancy is not a required feature.

Another issue to consider is to what degree security of the transmissions is necessary. Many models of two way radios feature the option of a voice inversion scrambler, which will protect any intercepted broadcasts. Although voice inversion scrambling is not fool-proof, the added layer of protection is a useful addition for jobs where system security is a concern. Some brands of radio such as Motorola or Kenwood will offer this as an optional extra or post-purchase expansion on lower priced models, where some higher-end units will have it as standard.

Whether or not the user needs to be communicating on a licensed spectrum is another thing to think about before purchasing their Icom, Kenwood or Motorola radio. Licensed radio units operate on government-approved frequencies and this limits the chances of other users being on the same frequency and interfering with the transmission, whereas unlicensed radios do not operate on these frequencies. Before purchasing a radio, the decision of which band to go on needs to be made - unlicensed radio is cheaper, but has a greater chance of interference.

Choosing the right radio for your needs can be confusing in this highly competitive market, especially with the amount of features modern technology provides, but hopefully this article has provided a helpful place to start.

Thomas Pretty is a radio communications technician with many years of experience developing two way radios. Find out more about Motorola radios at http://www.bc-ltd.co.uk/

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 28th, 2009 at 9:30 pm and is filed under Satellite Radio. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.