Two Way Radios Frequently Asked Questions

Two way radios are used as an instantaneous communications method across a variety of industries. Two-way radios allow for members of staff to communicate in groups or through individual calls, allowing communications to be separated between different teams or departments whilst also allowing for an emergency broadcast to be sent out if and when needed.

Two-way radios in the United Kingdom are authorised to work on two frequency bands: VHF (Very High Frequency) and UHF (Ultra High Frequency). Different scenarios lean themselves to different frequencies many of which will need an Ofcom Licence.

Two way radios rely on radio waves and are “transceivers”, meaning they are capable of both receiving and transmitting. A transmitter in the two-way radio sends out a message via radio waves. When receiving a message, the radio receiver receives radio waves from the other device and then interprets the information that the frequency is carrying. The two-way radio device will also include a tuner to sort out different frequency signals. When the radio signals reach the other device, the waves are converted into electric signals which are in turn converted into audio signals that you pick up via the speakers.

Using a two way radio is simple. You turn the handset on, it may already be pre-set at a certain frequency, or you can select one. You can join in a conversation with other handset users by pressing the push-to-talk button. But please see our comments about etiquette below – it’s a thing!

These are the basic radio etiquette rules:

1. Do not interrupt if you hear other people talking
2. Respond when someone contacts you, even if its to tell them to “stand by” if you need them to wait for a response
3. Never transmit sensitive, confidential, financial, or military information

This is the first question that many people ask and unfortunately there is no simple answer. The range of your radio depends on lots of factors, such as the terrain, the type of radio, whether you're using a repeater, and Ofcom licensing. The best way to deal with this would be to contact one of our team so that we can understand more about your requirements and make some suitable  recommendations.

This is dependent on how much the radio is used but on average you should expect to get 10-12 hours use out of a fully charged battery.

Yes you will. We will apply on your behalf as part of our service plus we’ll manage the annual renewals too.

Yes that’s all part of the service! Two-way radios are very simple to use but if you’ve never seen one before then we will of course show you how it works and all the various features.