Are you planning to buy a two way radio system? Well, there are many things that you ought to know so that you can make the appropriate buying decision. For starters, these radios, which are also referred to as land mobile radios or walkie talkies, are available in three different styles - handheld, mobile and base station (or desktop).

You may be able to carry handheld radios in your hand and carry them around while moving. These radios weigh between 9 and 16 ounces and are between four and eight inches tall, without counting their antenna height. The Federal Communications Commission or FCC prescribe rules for the use of handheld radios. Handheld radios cannot have more than 5 watts of power.

If you’re going to buy handheld radios, you have to take note that commercial grade ones transmit between 2 to 5 watts while Family Radios Service or FRS transmit at 0.5 watts. Some buyers often get confused with the wattage because there are a lot of manufacturers that print the wattage in milliWatts (mW). Buyers should know that 1 watt equals 1,000 milliWatts and that 500 mW is actually half-a-watt. If you are looking for a strong radio system, steering clear of radios with 500mW is ideal.

There are also many manufacturers who claim that in FRS or GMRS, their two-way radio systems that are handheld have the capacity to transmit up to 30 miles. Buyers must ask the dealer to demonstrate the radio’s power and verify the manufacturer’s claim before they acquire a system.

This was about handheld radio systems. Mobile and base station two-way radio systems are the other types of radios around. These can also be powered by a transmission of 100W and are said to be very powerful. Except for the usage, both base station and mobile radio systems are identical.

A mobile radio system is affixed to a vehicle and it uses the battery of the vehicle for its power. These systems make use of a separate antenna which is mounted on the roof of the vehicle or in other place that is convenient. This radio system is also the one that becomes a base station radio when positioned on a counter or table inside the building.

Base station radios are plugged into the premise’s electricity current, which becomes its power supply. Such radios use an exterior antenna, which is mounted on the roof of the premises. These different types of radios are used in a wide range of industries ranging from schools to ski resorts to municipal corporations to electric utility companies to malls, and more.

Handhelds, base station radios and mobile two way radios are compatible with each other and you can communicate with a base station or mobile radio using a hand held, and vice versa - so long you are on the same channel. In the workplace, two-way radios will always make the place safer and communication much easier, hence productivity is clearly enhanced.