Radio Resource Inc. Blog

Tips for Expanding Two-way Radio Coverage

1. Add a longer antenna to your radio

Adding a longer antenna to a two-way radio can give radio users expanded range and a larger footprint. In some operations a 3-watt radio may not give the user proper coverage that they are looking for. Quite often radios like the EVX-S24 are a preferred radio due to its size, but it doesn’t have the same output power as a CP200D or a XPR3500e. Adding a whip antenna to your EVX-S24 can help the user cover more area and they may not have to go to a repeater.

2. Install a repeater

Depending on height, size, and components of a building, adding a repeater can help resolve dead spots. A repeater can be great for a facility that is made of thick concrete walls or has a basement that may be tough to get coverage in. Repeater placement in key in optimizing performance of your two-way radio communication.

3. Changing your battery

If a radio battery is toward the end of its life, it may give less output power and result in giving you less coverage. If your coverage seems to be diminishing with your radios make sure to keep an eye on the battery and read the date code.

4. Add a preamplifier

A RF preamplifier can help turn a weaker signal into a stronger one. This solution is ideal for certain communication situations where users are having trouble covering multiple areas within their facility.

If you are in the Denver metro area and would like a free consultation on how you can expand your two-way radio coverage, feel free to reach out to us at:

SL Series Radios from Motorola Solutions-Where Function and Style Meet

Keeping your work team connected can be a challenge if there aren’t the proper communication systems in place. The MOTOTRBO SL Series radios allows users to stay more connected by utilizing different business applications. A main part of two-way radio is obviously push-to-talk communication, but the SL Series radios can do so much more.

The SL Series radios are exceptionally slim in size, making the radio easy to use and comfortable to carry. Embedded Bluetooth is also available for wireless audio and multiple earpiece and accessory options are available as well.

Utilizing the SL Series radio to its full capability allows you to see the power of team connection and makes your team more efficient. There are numerous business applications that can enhance many different parts of your operations and make your team more efficient.

Work order tickets allows you to have quicker customer response and allows you to take care of an issue going on within your operations. In hospitality work order tickets can be used to direct employees to complete tasks such as bringing more chairs to the pool area or taking care of a leak in a specific room. The ticket can be accepted and then marked complete all using the SL Series radio.

Manager’s and staff members are all able to connect to their email directly from their SL Series two-way radio. The ability to see important emails through the two-way radios gives staff members yet another tool to help them manage their day and take care of important emails that may arise as they go throughout their day. To go along with email, the SL Series radios can text to each other, letting users connect with ease. Users can utilize telephony as well, connecting radios and landlines to their mobile two-way radios.

Overall, the SL Series digital radios give your team a stylish look but most of all effective team communication. To find out more about the SL Series radios or data applications, please contact us at:

https://www.radioresource.com/contact-us.htm

UHF or VHF...What's the Difference?

So, what is the major difference between UHF and VHF two-way radios? Most VHF business radios operate within 136-174 MHz, and UHF business radios operate within the 450-512 MHz range. This being said, we can see that VHF operates on a narrower spectrum and consists of less channels than UHF.

UHF stands for Ultra High Frequency and UHF radios can more easily penetrate through steel and concrete structures. Today, UHF radios are far more popular than VHF radios when looking at what different businesses are using for their daily operations. Because these radios can penetrate steel and concrete, most businesses like manufacturing plants, retail stores, and schools choose to use UHF radios within their building. UHF two-way radios typically have shorter antennas compared to VHF radios. One good tip for expanding coverage with your two-way radios is to add a longer whip antenna to your radio. In doing this, you may be able to avoid needing a higher powered radio at your facility.

VHF stands for Very High Frequency and VHF radios sit on the lower end of the spectrum. Because of this, it has longer wavelength which allows the signal to travel further. VHF radios are most commonly used in outdoor areas and open field operations. Aviation, Marine, and farming environments have all seen the benefits of using VHF two-way radios. Typically, these radios are not ideal for use in places like cities with high-rise buildings or indoor use. Depending on the type of radio being used, it is more likely that VHF will be cheaper compared to UHF. 

If you are unsure of which radio would best fit your needs and operations, feel free to reach out to us at 303-987-1545, or visit:

https://www.radioresource.com/contact-us.htm

Is your two-way radio safe for your work environment?

It’s important to know when intrinsically safe radios should be used in your work environment. Places like chemical plants, oil rigs, coal mines, and many others should be using radios that are intrinsically safe. Quite often production managers, engineers, and other staff are unaware that their radio can possibly be putting them and others in danger if it's not intrinsically safe.

In environments like a chemical plant or oil rig, flammable vapors and dust can be present. A walkie talkie is considered an electronic device, and having a device that carries this electrical current can cause a spark. The heat that comes from the radio can also be a potential danger to the environment that it's in.

So, what does intrinsically safe mean?

The word intrinsically safe means that it is tested and approved for use in hazardous environments where the presence of heat, a spark, or flame can cause a fire or explosion. Radios that are manufactured to be intrinsically safe by Motorola have proven to withstand the toughest environments. Compliance testing is done by UL (Underwriters Laboratories) to ensure that the product is up to withstanding your environment. The radios will come shipped with the hazardous location certification label, and you can ensure that your radio is safe to use in your potentially hazardous environment.

The XPR7350e and XPR7550e are a few radios that have intrinsically safe options for you facility if you are looking to communicate clearly and transmit data seamlessly.

To talk to a representative about intrinsically safe radios, please visit: https://www.radioresource.com/contact-us.htm

The Advantages of Using MOTORBO Radios, Applications, and Trunking

The MOTOTRBO platform of two-way radios offers solutions for all types of businesses. Whether you are looking for a push-to-talk solution or are needing feature-rich voice and data, Motorola MOTOTRBO radios can enhance team safety, productivity, and efficiency.

Having a reliable infrastructure is an important piece to many different operations looking for enhanced coverage with clear, reliable, and secure communication. MOTOTRBO offers many different data applications such as messaging solutions, alarm & telemetry, workforce management, and integrated command and control. Track your employees via GPS tracking and dispatch your closest team member to an incident that needs to be taken care of. Get instant updates of situations in your building, respond to email, and do much more.

With MOTOTRBO, you can communicate radio-to-radio or add a repeater to expand your coverage. If your company has multiple facilities that are geographically dispersed, IP Site Connect can help you connect your facilities from across the country, to across the globe. Another option is to expand your coverage and capacity utilizing the different types of trunking: Capacity Plus, Capacity Max, and Connect Plus. Utilizing these types of trunking can help expand your team communications and keep your team better connected on a larger scale. Trunking also helps expand voice and data capabilities.

Keeping your team connected helps reduce down time and maximizes your teams efficiency. To learn more about MOTOTRBO, applications, and trunking, reach out to us at: https://www.radioresource.com/contact-us.htm

Property Management and Two-way Radios

Two-way radios can be a great asset to your property management team. Walkie talkies can keep your workforce connected at your high-rise building, apartment complex, warehouse, and many other different building types. Quite often property managers will use two-way radios for security, maintenance, operations, and other activities. Motorola two-way radios can help keep your team connected and your property more secure. Keeping your employees connected can help increase respond time to threats or incidents on your property.

Motorola Solutions has great options if you are looking for a push-to-talk solution, or if you were thinking of using advanced features such as texting or man-down. Quite commonly, the Motorola EVX-S24 is a popular radio among property management operations due to its size. When using the EVX-S24 at larger properties, a repeater may be needed to extend your coverage. If you are looking to communicate without a repeater, the Motorola EVX-261 can be a cost effective digital option that can give you a greater amount of coverage.

Some operations like to use advanced features like texting to communicate, or an emergency all call. The XPR7550e radio can be a great solution if you are looking for a rugged radio to give you advanced features with a display screen.

To learn more about property management solutions, please visit: https://www.radioresource.com/contact-us.htm

FCC Licensing for Businesses using Two-way Radios

In the United States, the FCC regulates the frequencies that are used in higher powered radios. Typically, most business are using UHF or VHF two-way radios for their day-to-day operations. In order to comply with FCC regulations, it is imperative to have an FCC license when operating higher powered radios. FCC licenses are good for 10 years and give you unique frequencies for your radios.

The licensing process can be very complicated. If licenses aren’t prepared properly, you risk delays in implementing your two-way radio system. You also risk steep fines or you can even lose your license. If you are looking to renew your license, you will typically get a notification 90 days prior to the expiration. If you plan on renewing, it is important to do so within the time frame specified. If you end up applying past your renewal deadline, you may receive different frequencies and your fleet may have to be reprogrammed.

Be aware, private licensing companies may send you solicitations. FCC license information in available to the public, so don’t be surprised if they have your business information. One common question is if you need to purchase a copy of the FCC Rules and Regulations. The answer is that you only need to have access to them.

If you have any questions regarding FCC licensing, feel free to reach out to us at:

 https://www.radioresource.com/contact-us.htm

Two-way Radio Accessories Enhance Team Communication

Accessories can help optimize the performance of your Motorola handheld radios. Discreet Bluetooth earpieces, headsets, efficient battery solutions, and charging solutions can all add value to your operations.

Two-way radios offer reliable and controllable communications regardless of the environment. Whether you are in a loud stadium and need a dual-muff headset, or you run a private security team and need something lightweight, Motorola has a solution that is right for you. Noise-cancelling accessories are available for radio users that need to be able to communicate in loud and noisy environments. Often these accessories can be seen in manufacturing plants and various construction sites. In addition to earpiece and headset accessories, multi-unit chargers can help you charge all of your radios in one place and can help your staff easily keep track of where their radios are when charging.

Many radio users may need to carry extra batteries with them while in the field or on a job site. Depending on your daily use make sure you are getting the right power of battery to give you the life that you want throughout your daily operations. In addition to having extra batteries, having the right carrying case or using a belt clip for your radio can make your radio easier to access and use. Various models have carry holster, hand strap, and lanyard options to suit your needs when carrying your radio around all day.  

Motorola provides quality handheld radio accessories that can enhance your fleet and help your staff communicate better. To get more information on accessory options that can be good fit for your staff, visit:

Spillman Ally: Capture, Analyze, and Act

Ally is a cloud-based platform that provides dispatch, incident and records management technology, as well as analytics and voice communication functionality. Industries such as Healthcare, Manufacturing, Hospitality, and many others have all seen Ally have a positive impact on their operations. Ally can easily integrate with your MOTOTRBO radios and infrastructure, making it a smooth transition and giving you more tools to effectively manage daily operations.

Ally allows any organization to search, store, retrieve, and report information that is relevant to safety of operations staff and visitors. Name, vehicle, and premise records can all be linked together. Security teams now have access to see relationships between records and are able to attach PDF’s, images, videos, and other information pertinent to their day-to-day operations. Tracking workplace incidents and giving security personnel an easy and efficient way to manage their operations makes for a more efficient and secure workplace. Security teams can tackle incidents quicker and can better manage immediate threats or incidents occurring on their premise.

For example, this picture shows how Ally can track incident trends on property. By having real time data displaying this information, you will be able to manage those trouble areas more efficiently or even add more security to those problem areas.

With its dispatch capability, users can manage the location of their personnel and see where they are on the property. If an incident occurs, the dispatcher will know who is closest to the incident and who can respond the soonest.

Ally has an easy to use interface and is accessible from any device that has internet connection. This software allows you to streamline the data process, keep your records organized, and enhance communication and safety within any organization.

For more information on Ally, contact: https://www.radioresource.com/contact-us.htm

SLR 1000 Outdoor/Indoor Repeater

The SLR 1000 Outdoor/Indoor repeater allows you to extend the coverage of your network throughout dead zones and remote locations. Its IP-65 rating gives it dust and water protection, allowing you to deploy this repeater indoors or outdoors. Mounting this repeater outside on a wall or up on a tower can give you maximum coverage in harder to reach areas of your facility. This repeater can sit in places such as parking garages, subway tunnels, and potentially wet or damp locations. The compact SLR 1000 has a fanless design and is easy to fit almost anywhere due to its small size. Its fanless design helps reduce energy used, causes fewer HVAC planning headaches, and gives you more deploying options.

This repeater is compatible with both conventional and trunking systems. It also boasts an Extended Range Direct Mode that helps you expand coverage without having to purchase additional frequencies. In order to take advantage of this feature, simply add accessories such as a small mount antenna, optional duplexer, or antenna switch. This repeater gives you the ability to connect your team regardless of the location or conditions.

The SLR 1000 repeater can be a great option for your operations because it is protected from the environment and gives you cost effective coverage. It can be deployed in numerous places around your job site and allows you to expand your network. The SLR 1000 is a part of Team Communications, which is Motorola’s Unified Work Group Communications Solutions.

See if the SLR 1000 repeater is a good fit for your operations and visit us at:

https://www.radioresource.com/contact-us.htm