Two Way Radios

When most people think of radios, they either think of car stereos or two way radios. These products are most commonly seen in the form of walkie-talkies used by children as well as professionals including police and other emergency services. Even a cell phone is considered a two way radio of sorts. This designation is a radio in which the device can both receive and transmit radio signals. A car radio is an example of a device that can receive, but not transmit. However, as mentioned above, a cell phone can both send signals and transmit them simultaneously, which is why conversations can be muddled as people talk over one another.

More common is the standard radio, which requires that transmission and reception take place separately, which is the source of the ubiquitous “over” after finishing a dialogue.

These products have a seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years as they have moved from out of the professional and toy realm into a more conventional form, which is cheap and easy to use. Families have begun to use simple radios with roughly ten channels to communicate over short distances, usually while vacationing at beaches or other large areas. For adults and kids, it’s a quick and dependable way to stay in touch that doesn’t require a reliance on cellular signals. Families can have as many radios as they like all tuned to the same channel. This feature unfortunately means that many people can use the same channel at once, which can be a problem in crowded areas.

Related Information

CB Radios
CB radios can actually help you stay awake while on long trips.

Digital Radios
One-way digital radios are the standard in broadcasting.