When people think of a two-way radio, most think of them being used by police or fire personnel. But, two-way radios are so versatile that they can be used in many different environments and for many different purposes. Just how versatile are they? Here are just a few examples of where two-way radios are or have been used.
- Did you ever think of two-way radios being used during a climb of Mt. Everest?
Well, they are! The radios are worn inside each climber’s coat with a clip-on microphone attached to the collar. This allows climbers to use their radio without having to remove their gloves or expose their skin to the frigid air. Many two-way radios are lightweight, durable, and easy to use, so they are perfect for this type of environment, and the radios are designed to be resistant to shock and vibration, which prevents them from getting damaged if they are dropped. Additionally, the wide range frequency coverage of the radios lets the climbers either communicate on one channel for intra-team communications, or tune into the central, shared channel to communicate with other expeditions on the mountain. The radios provide climbers and expedition companies added safety, security, and coordination during a climb.
Are you ready for some football? Yes, it's that time of year again. And with football season comes the need for communication on the playing field. There are three key areas of communication needed -- coach to quarterback, coach to coach, and coach to officiating staff. Two-way radios can do all of that. They enable private, secure one-way communication from the coach to the quarterback so a coach on the sidelines can communicate plays directly to his quarterback, who has a small radio receiver embedded in his helmet. A coach in the coaches' box can communicate a play to the sideline coach, who then in turn can communicate it to the quarterback. A coach can also challenge a play at the push of a button on the radio. This communication is then instantaneously received by the officiating staff, who are also equipped with two-way radios, so they can take action and respond to the request.
- Have you ever taken in the sites from the air? Air tour companies who guide us around the sites such as the beautiful City of Chicago, the volcanos of Hawaii, or the Grand Canyon rely heavily on two-way radios too. As one might expect, it's an exciting business to be a part of, but it has a lot of complications. Weather is always something that has to be watched and communicated from air to ground or vise-verse in an instant. Passengers can also become ill, which requires immediate communication to the ground and back. And, the aircraft can unfortunately experience engine problems which require emergency landings. These and many other scenarios require pilots to remain in constant contact with the ground via two-way radios to ensure the safety of pilots and passengers. Pilots can't imagine piloting an air tour without them!
These examples certainly show that the application of two-way radios is virtually endless. When you consider the design, weight, range, and especially all of the applications available today that can be added to some of the radio models, the list just goes on and on.
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This article was written by one of Chicago Communication's Principals, Cindy Glashagel. Cindy has over 27 years of experience in the industry. She held many positions during her tenure at Motorola, beginning with Systems Engineer and other various customer service, quality & operations management, and HR positions before resigning to start Chicago Communications, LLC. If you have any questions for Cindy, or another representative at ChiComm, please contact us.
