A two-way radio, or 2-way radio, is a transceiver that offers the combined functionality of a transmitter and a receiver. Whereas broadcast radios only have a receiver to receive signals, a two-way radio consists of a receiver to pick up signals and a transmitter to send signals. A push-to-talk or press-to-transmit on the transmitter is used to start the transmission. The portable, handheld two-way radio is popularly known as a walkie-talkie.
The concept of the two-way radio owes its origin to the work of the engineering team at the Galvin Manufacturing Company that assembled the technology of frequency modulation and invented a handheld radio. This was in 1940 during the Second World War. Known as the handie-talkie, this device had a few shortcomings such as unclear voice transmissions and very limited range. Hence, Al Gross, a pioneer in mobile and wireless communication at the time, worked upon the existing technology and came up with the walkie-talkie. The walkie-talkie was used by soldiers on the frontline to communicate with each other. Eventually, the end of the Second World War saw two-way radios being sold as commercial products.
Today, two-way radios are largely used by police personnel and other armed forces, fire departments, postal services and security companies. Two-way radios are very useful when managing crowds at events and also in industrial work areas. The application of water-resistant two-way radios at sea can be invaluable. They can be used to summon rescue when boats are in difficulty and communicate with harbour personnel. These two-way radios can also be used to keep in contact with fellow participants while camping, hiking, skiing or biking. Park rangers, wildlife researchers and logging operators also use two-way radios for communication.
Initially, two-way radio holders required a license to be able to use them. But, nowadays, most countries do not ask for licenses for two-way radios and so they are increasingly being used for personal purposes. You can use these devices when you go shopping or to monitor the activities of your child playing in the park with his or her friends for example.
Two-way radios can either be handheld, mounted on a wall or have a base station. Handheld ones, however, remain the most popular. Two-way radios look similar to a mobile handset, have a small antenna and use VHF or UHF frequencies for communication. They can be used within a distance of ten to twenty-five miles and come with rechargeable batteries. Two-way radios are a powerful, inexpensive and practical method of communication and have business as well as personal applications.
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