Author name: topradio

WHAT ARE PL TONES / PL CODES? While many people think PL tones and codes provide some kind of two-way radio encryption, the truth is they do not provide any scrambling, encryption or security advantages. Rather they work like a filter that allows some conversations and radio traffic to be heard while eliminating other traffic […]

What are Mobile and Base Station Radios? A mobile radio is designed to work in a vehicle and run off of a 12 volt current from the vehicle. A base station takes a mobile radio and puts it in a casing with a power supply that converts 120V to 12V so you can just plug

IF THE RADIO IS SMALLER AND LIGHTER DOES IT MEAN THAT IT IS LESS DURABLE? No it doesn’t. Most of the weight of a two way radio is in the battery. Most new radios come with or have the option for Lithium Ion batteries which are very light. The radios are still very durable.

CAN I FIND THE FREQUENCIES IN MY USER MANUAL? Unfortunately, programming commercial grade radios should be performed by the dealer. Why? Well, unlike consumer quality radios that use a built-in frequency range within narrow parameters, commercial grade radios have a much greater frequency ranges and are designed to be custom programmed in order to efficiently

WHY CAN THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS TALK ALL OVER TOWN? They have their own repeater systems, linked together and located in different places around the city. It is very similar to the service your cell phone company provides you and the way your cell phone works. Their individual radios cannot talk very far by

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STANDARD AND STUBBY ANTENNA? The only one difference is that the stubby or short antenna cuts your range by approximately 30%. The short antenna is very convenient and it is perfect for locations like small hotels, schools, small construction sites and warehouses, libraries, etc. since range is not an

CAN MY NEW TWO WAY RADIOS TALK WITH MY EXISTING RADIOS? In most cases, yes. If they operate on the same frequency range it is no problem. We match new radios to customer’s existing radios all the time. We take care of this for you. The initial programming, when you buy the radios from Discount

DIGITAL VS ANALOG TWO-WAY RADIOS When it comes to using two-way radio technology, one of the first things people want to know is, “which is better, analog or digital?” Analog two-way radios have been an important tool for industries like education, construction, manufacturing, and facilities management since the Great Depression. However, more and more companies

UHF VS VHF FREQUENCIES? WHICH RADIO SHOULD I BUY? If you are only using your radios outdoors (ranching, farming, etc.) then VHF will give you a little more distance. However, if you currently own radios and want to keep using them with your new radios, then you must buy the same frequency that you currently