Two Way Radios: How do They Work?

Two-way radios, just like standard radios, receive radio waves (RW) over the air. Radios convert RW into sound. The defining characteristic of a 2WR, however, is the ability to also convert sound back into RW for transmission to another radio-receiver. A 2WR can transmit and at the same time can receive a radio signal. It uses to different radio frequencies to carry the two directions of the conversation simultaneously.

The antenna in a 2WR contains a set of electrons. When a radio transmission is received, the RW excite the electrons and cause them to produce electrical impulses. For transmission, the radio's processor notes sound vibrations created by speaker's voice, it converts them into an electronic signal which is then ready for transmission to the radio transmitter. When the modulated frequency is sent to the antenna and the proper electrons are excited, outgoing RW are generated; these RW can then be picked up by other radios within a small area determined by such factors as the size of the antenna, the battery power of the radio, and atmospheric conditions.

Some of today's radios also allow scanning. Scanning is the process where several channels can be checked to see if anyone is transmitting on any of the scanned frequencies. When the scanning process detects that a channel is receiving a transmission with the same P.L. tone or Private line tone (In P.L. Mode, the radio's speaker will activate only if another radio is transmitting on the same P.L. Tone.) the radio will stop scanning, lock on that active channel and open up the speaker.

Most modern 2WR allow use of multiple channels. To broadcast on different channels, the transmitter of the radio must be able to generate RW in several different frequencies, with very minute fluctuations in each available frequency.

It remains so in-demand because even in the face of mobile phones and laptops, people still realize the great ease and accessibility of instant communication with a group of people. This defeats pushing in several phone numbers and waiting for everyone to either answer or not accept the call.

Whether it is for home, work, or play; everyone and their grandmother will be happy if they were to find their new 2WR waiting. No matter what reason you or your family and friends have to communicate with one another, you will find that a 2WR is the best option available. They come in handy in a wide variety of situations and their ease can never be replaced even by the more popular communication tools of today.