Aspects to consider when buying two way radios

In many cases, farmlands are situated in areas that have poor or no cellular phone reception, therefore depending on a cell phone is not a worthwhile option. This is where two way radio communication comes in handy. Because a cellular phone network can go down but not the airwaves, two-way radios become the better form of communication because they use radio waves to send and receive communication signals. Thinking about introducing two way radios in your farm operations? Here are important questions farm managers must consider.

What are the areas of operation you wish to cover?

By answering this question, you can decide on the appropriate volume of transmitting power you will need in your two way radios and what extra equipment may be essential.

The power rating of radios is represented in watts and defines the strength of the signal and range. Also, that power rating has an effect on the battery life of the radio. For instance, a 6W two way radio may boast a stronger signal and transmission range compared to a 3W radio; however, it is more likely to draw additional voltage and drain the batteries more quickly. Moreover, you may not even need the excessive 6W. Given that it's essential to have an efficient radio system instead of a powerful one, you should go for a system that utilizes the least power rating possible in correlation to the size of the farm operation. Other accessories may be added to the radio system to boost its efficiency. For instance, myriad systems are incorporated with repeaters that receive and send signals. As a result, the two way radio can have a lower power rating but still able to relay and receive signals over an expansive area.

Where will you most use the radios, inside or outside?

Two way radios use either VHF (very high frequency) or UHF (ultra high frequency) bands. Generally, UHF is increasingly effective when relaying and receiving signals inside buildings or to and from structures. On the other hand, VHF frequencies are suitable for outdoor use. Note that both VHF and UHF frequencies are leased meaning you purchase rights to particular frequencies with the assurance that others will not utilize them. For farm operations which are mainly outdoors, you'll obviously go for radios using VHF frequencies.

The number of people using the radio system

If the number of farm employees who will use the two way radios is small, a conventional system that allows everybody to hear all the conversations is perhaps sufficient. But if you have many farm employees, it's best you choose a two way radio system fitted with trunking technology. Basically, with this sort of technology you can categorize your channels into predefined categories of users or talk groups. Then each group's radio system is programmed to obtain only particular talk groups. On the other hand, farm managers may want a common broadcast channel to speak to all employees who have a two way radio. Trunking technology allows the farm manager to speak with one or all employees at any particular time.

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