While you may have never considered two-way radios until now, the truth is they can perform more effectively than other communication devices, even phones, in many businesses. Also known as walkie-talkies, two-way radios, offer your business an excellent way to enhance productivity, increasing both the efficiency of your employees and their safety. To understand the significance of investing in two-way radios for your company, you must first home in on how your team members communicate with the existing devices you provide. If you are like most business owners, you are already providing access to landlines, mobile phones, SMS texting, and email for your employees. These methods of communication work well in some situations but fall short in others. With that in mind, let’s explore the advantages of two-way radios when compared to other forms of communication in your business.

The Pros of Two-Way Radios Versus Other Business Communication Devices

Two-Way Radios Offer Mobility Advantages – Two-way radios are mobile and durable. Unlike landlines which have a fixed location and require a constant power source connection and mobile phones which may be obstructed due to a lack of signal access or overloaded in the event of an emergency. Being mobile and durable means they are waterproof and dustproof, and they can function effectively even in remote environments. Two-way radios function well in large facilities, on construction sites, across school campuses, and other locations were employees must be mobile to cover wide areas. When needed, they can be boosted with additional power and repeaters to increase signal range with the aid of distributed antenna systems (DAS) and bi-directional amplifiers (BDAs).

Two-Way Radios Don’t Require Scrolling or Searching to Communicate

Two-way radios use one-button technology to talk, which means no contact list scrolling or searching for contact information when its needed. The radios can be programed for communication with teams or individuals, as needed, helping your employees communicate effectively even in emergency situations. Two-way radio networks can allow one person to call an entire group at the same time with the press of a button, without the need to orchestrate a conference call or set up work groups via mobile phone.

Two-Way Radios Enable Voice Communication Instantly

The one-button touch function allows on the spot voice communication when expediency is needed. The ability to communicate immediately is vital during an emergency, but also extremely useful when your production line is down and maintenance is needed ASAP, or a customer needs to know if additional products can be obtained directly from the warehouse. In comparison, mobile phones require both users have the needed battery charge and signal strength to communicate quickly. In addition, two-way radios, unlike mobile phones, function in remote locations as well as underground, and in other places where phones are unreliable.

Two-Way Radios Feature the Latest Digital Technology 

Today’s two-way radios are digital, converting voice transmissions into data packets to be transmitted over traditional wired or wireless networks. This means your radios can send and receive texts, receive emails, and transmit voice signals globally via the web. Digital two-way radios also feature keypads and displays for texting, plus, the digital technology also means better sound quality and less battery power needed. Plus, these radios also have the ability to track employees’ locations and detect ineffective practices, which can be remedied to make your business more productive and successful.

Two-Way Radios for Your Business

Are you ready to explore all the benefits two-way radios can bring to your company? Call on Highland Wireless for a detailed quote. As Florida’s premier radio communications provider, Highland Wireless has the communication solutions your company needs.

Here at Highland Wireless, we specialize in many different on-site radio communications. To have effective communication throughout your worksite, you should consider getting a 3D design for your antenna systems. Below, we will cover all you need to know on this topic.

What are DAS Systems & Why Use a 3D Design?

Distributed Antenna Systems, or DAS for short, include the placement of antennas in specialized locations throughout a building to increase reliability of radio signals. A DAS can be used to increase the signal range. These systems are commonly utilized in large complexes with high attendance like big corporations, stadiums, and hotels. These systems are great for improving overall efficiency and even adding greater safety to a building in case of an emergency.

• Better Signal

3D design is crucial to the reliably of a DAS system. Generating an accurate model of the building we are working with is essential to overall success. Without a 3D rendering, we would be unable to properly account for height, inclined surfaces, and so on. For the facilities that we typically work with, having a 3D rendering allows us to visually account for how the strategy will play out when completed.

• Aesthetic Benefits

Another reason to include a 3D design is aesthetics. When working with clients, it is crucial to be on the same page of what you want your design to look like in the end. In many industries, the technical and functional side of things tends to overlook aesthetics. Therefore, creating a 3D design allows us to maximize all areas for our clients.

• Maximum RF Performance

Have a specific building material that you want us to match? Need the job to be as inconspicuous as possible? No matter what you are looking for, we will do our best to work within these parameters. We ensure maximum RF performance while keeping the aesthetics of your building in mind by carefully selecting appropriate supplies and providing the best antenna placement options.

• Ensuring Your System’s Success

Using 3D design can let us know where we need to double back and check if there will be interfering signals. Anywhere on your site with a large number of signals has the potential to interfere with the system’s effectiveness. With our 3D design, we get a clear idea of where antennas might excel, and where they might not work the best. From there, we will be able to place them in the best spots to maximize your budget and benefit our strategy.

• Can Be Planned Before Completing Your Building

Working collaboratively is critical to a successful relationship, and we want you to feel happy with the result. Working with you every step of the way from the preliminary site walk to the closeout documentation, you can rest assured that our Distributed Antenna Systems are perfect for your facility. Even if your building has yet to be constructed, we still offer an estimate and outline of our services based on floor plans.

Where to Find DAS Design Services

Highland Wireless specializes in DAS Design and Engineering. By partnering with iBwave-certified engineers, we create systems for our clients that are effective and efficient. Whether a client is looking for increased coverage or increased capacity, we create a specialized project strategy.

Our design plan is unique for each client, which means no consultation will be the same. What remains consistent is our drive to find the best cost-effective materials and equipment. Our mission to maximize the performance of a DAS, and our dedication to finish your project within a specified timeline.

To schedule a conference call about in-building DAS Design and Engineering with Highland Wireless, be sure to contact us today!

Highland Wireless sets up dependable on-site radios and offers affordable radio rentals for a wide variety of events and industries in South Florida. With years of experience in the industry, we know a thing or two about setting up functional on-site radios, and so we’ve prepared a list of 5 of the most important things to keep in mind.

5 Things to Know When Setting Up In-Site Radios

1. Knowledge & Experience

Perhaps the most important factor to consider is your level of background knowledge on the job as a whole. Therefore, consider hiring help if you are not confident in your team’s capability to do this on their own. Having a professional team that does this all the time ensures that you get the job done both efficiently and effectively. The last thing you need to do is invest in all the gear just to learn that you don’t know how to set it up.

2. Considering All Factors

Before you start setting up your on-site radios, you should take the time to consider the many variables involved in the task. Things such as management applications, location of the radios, placement of the devices, and overall usability of the system once it is set up. In addition, there are factors such as the desired range of the radio system, the total number of users, and much more. Be sure to consider all the possible factors before putting the money down on your on-site radio system.

3. Planning Out the Setup

Having technicians and engineers that are knowledgeable of on-site radio systems is so valuable when it comes time for this step. Before you can whip out all the gear and start putting it together, you need to first come up with a plan. This plan needs to keep in mind all the factors that you previously considered as well as making the system function as it is intended to work. There are lots of steps involved in planning out and testing the system, that’s why it’s so important to hire a trusted team of experienced professionals for the job.

4. The Installation Process

Once the site has been fully explored, tested, and all the factors have been considered down to the most minor details, you are now ready to start the installation process. The installation process is simple as long as all proper preparations have taken place. This is the part where we take the knowledge gained during the consultation and planning process and roll it out into play. Much of the hard work here is making sure everything works exactly as planned and that the system works as intended.

5. Maintenance

Once you have your on-site radio system installed, the last step of the process is actually using the system. Even if you have a team of professionals like the folks at Highland Wireless to install your on-site radio system, it is still plausible that you will need maintenance over time. For this reason, it is important to have a maintenance team on standby whenever you are using the system. This way, if you do run into problems you can instantly have things fixed back up to par. Remember that glitches and technical issues can happen despite having high levels of planning involved in the setup process.

Do you need a professional on-site radio system installed? Contact Highland Wireless for a detailed quote.

The short answer is no, you shouldn’t use off brand batteries in two-way radios. Motorola and Kenwood batteries are specially designed to work with two-way radios, offering the best results.

Two-way radios are widely used across many different industries of work. Since you need to replace two-way batteries from time to time, many people are curious whether or not off-brand batteries are suitable for the job.

Below, we will cover this topic in full detail and also help you understand when your two-way radio batteries need to be replaced.

Should You Use Off Brand Batteries?

No. As a general rule of thumb, using off-brand batteries in two-way radios is not recommended. The manufacturers of two-way radios have a particular battery in mind when they design each two-way radio. If you stray away from manufacturer standard settings, you are much more likely to encounter hiccups and errors with the device. This is the main reason we highly recommend using the proper brand of batteries as opposed to an off brand.

When you rent two-way radios from Highland Wireless, you don’t have to worry about batteries or accessories. We provide everything you need.

3 Signs that You Need a New Battery for Your Two-Way Radio

Although two-way radio batteries are rechargeable, it’s important to realize that they will still need to be replaced from time to time. Below, we will break down three of the most common signs that your two-way radio’s rechargeable battery needs to be replaced.

Power Lasting Shorter Periods of Time

A brand-new battery will last the entire set time determined by the two-way radio manufacturer. Often, this is somewhere between 12 to 24 hours long. A two-way radio will often spend most of its time idle, making it last a longer period of time. If the power starts lasting shorter periods of time, this is a sign that battery health is decaying and it’s time to consider getting a replacement.

Very Fast Charging Time

One of the most surefire ways to instantly receive feedback as to whether or not your battery needs to be replaced is to monitor the charging time. Think back to when you first got the two-way radio and try to recall how long it took to charge the device from low to high.

Typically, a defective battery will be able to charge in a very short period of time – that’s because it’s not really fully charging. As rechargeable batteries start to age, their overall charging capacity decreases. Therefore, if the battery charges to full capacity much faster than normal it might be time to think of getting a replacement.

The Radio Overheats During Use

When you use a two-way radio with a low battery, one of the common things you might experience is overheating. This is especially concerning if the radio has never overheated in the past. As a general rule of thumb, overheating is never a good sign.

In addition to potentially having a defective battery, you might also be experiencing mechanical issues with the device itself. Therefore, if you encounter overheating with your two-way radio it is generally a good rule of thumb to start by replacing the battery. If the overheating continues, then consider the possibility of further issues.

How Often Do Two-Way Radio Batteries Need to be Replaced?

In order to receive a definitive answer as to how often two-way radio batteries need to be replaced, first consider what type of two-way radio that you have. If you have a rechargeable battery system on your device, it will typically last anywhere between 12 to 24 months. If you make it past this point, you are probably already starting to experience signs like what we described above.

Remote speaker microphones are a popular tool used in many different professional industries. They come with the ability to both instantly send and receive voice messages that are broadcasted live over a private radio channel. As a result, this provides several benefits over some of the common alternatives for communication, such as cell phones.

Benefits of Remote Speaker Microphones

Although just about everyone these days has a cell phone, there are still many reasons why remote speaker microphones continue to be widely used. Below, we will break down 5 benefits of remote speaker microphones. If you are still on the fence as to whether or not it is a good option for your personal situation, the following information might help you make a final decision.

1. Windporting

Although you cannot find this feature in all remote speaker microphones, many Motorola models come with a windporting feature. In a nutshell, windporting is a built-in resistance to wind. Therefore, if you need to work in a windy environment while retaining the ability to communicate with a remote speaker microphone, this is a popular feature.

Windporting doesn’t necessarily reduce all background noise created by wind. However, it drastically reduces it to the point where it is hardly noticeable. At the same time, another useful aspect of this feature is that it prevents water from entering into the microphone and distorting your messages.

2. Improvement of Speech Recognition

One of the most immediate benefits of using a remote speaker microphone comes when it’s time to listen to the messages sent to you. Factors that affect your ability to hear an audio message, such as surrounding background noise, proximity to the person talking, and so on, are all essentially eliminated. This helps you to hear messages more clearly than you might even be able to while talking face-to-face.

3. Instant Means of Long-Distance Communication

Remote speaker microphones are often used on job sites between a team of employees that need to be in close contact with each other. Without a remote speaker microphone system, this can be a lot more difficult due to a variety of factors that stand out with some of the most common alternatives to remote speaker microphones.

For example, workers are often stationed around different areas of a job site that would otherwise require them to walk back and forth just to relay simple messages. Using cell phones, it would also be a lot more complicated to relay one message to multiple people. In addition, remote speaker microphones broadcast messages without the need to manually look at them using a distracting device such as a personal cell phone.

4. Greater Privacy and Security

Most remote speaker microphones come equipped with two features that make it easy for private conversations. One is the volume switch, which can be easily twisted so people in the same room as you cannot hear private messages. Secondly, there is usually a headphone slot attached to remote speaker microphones that allow you to be the only one in the room who can hear the messages shared through the radio system.

5. Live Group Messaging

Using a common alternative such as a cell phone for communicating between a workforce can often turn into a mess of messages and calls. Remote speaker microphones stand out as a great option since they allow each of the active parties to listen to messages in real-time without spending the time clicking on a notification and navigating through the device.

Need to rent two-way Motorola or Kenwood radios? Give us a call today and we will help you determine the right solution.