Tom's Tech Talk (#8): "Sync" Your two-way Radios & Accessories

     As most people believe that hooking up a radio is a couple of wires, consider this. Typical radio antenna connections are 50 ohms of impedance. Antenna cable comes in many varieties. For instance your Cable TV Cable is 75 ohms impedance. Twin lead for an outdoor antenna is 300 ohms. Standard 2 Way Radio cable is 50 ohms. In layman’s terms, ohms equates to the resistance of a part or device. When mixing different varieties of cables, you actually get a mismatch. This mismatch usually results in degraded performance or even failure.

    For two way radio, the typical impedance is 50 ohms. This means that the radio should match the antenna cable and the antenna cable should match the antenna. When done properly you obtain maximum transfer of power to the antenna. When done improperly the mismatch can actually cause reflected power back into the radio either shortening the life of the amplifier or causing degraded performance in the operation of the radio.

Let's Break It Down: An Overview of the Essentials

Certain two way radio accessories are a must have when you regularly rely on these radios for communication.  At one time, the devices were used mainly by the military and law enforcement personnel, but with advances in technology and their cost efficiency, they have become a favorite with the businesses in all industries today.
      Two way radios are relatively inexpensive, simple to use, and provide crystal clear communication, even from an extended distance.  They are efficient, lightweight, and easy to carry, which makes them popular with groups, individuals, and professionals alike.  For a first time user or even for experienced users, the list of accessories can be steep and overwhelming. Here we try to break down that list into a few of the most essential two way radio accessories:

Batteries and Chargers
      If you are using your two way radios frequently, two of the top radio accessories you will always need are batteries and chargers.  Batteries need to be chosen for proven lasting durability since they can determine and affect a radio’s performance. Be sure to pick up spare batteries, plus a charger that works both at home and in your vehicle. For the two-way portable radio user with cell type batteries, the most useful chargers are the ones that offer a charging timer that will automatically interrupt electrical power to the charging batteries when they are fully charged. The buyer of these chargers should also look for one with electrical circuits that will monitor charger temperature, electrical  current resistance and drop in voltage. These characteristics will prevent damage to the chargers and batteries.

Listen Through Your Temples, Not Through Your Ears?

Temple Transducer is the name, and enhanced communication is its game. Unlike conventional headsets, these allow the user’s ears to be uncovered and completely free to hear surrounding environmental sounds, while still using the Motorola two-way portable radio. Conventional headsets can mask external sounds, such as approaching traffic and overhead pages, that are crucial for busy professionals to hear.

You're probably thinking how does it work? Well the solution lies within bone conduction technology. Bone conduction is the reason why a person's voice sounds different to him/her when it is recorded and played back. Because the skull conducts lower frequencies better than air, people perceive their own voices to be lower and deeper than others do.