What is “portable” ? Merriam-Webster give the definition is “capable of being carried or moved”. So a “portable two way radio” is a two way radio that capable or easy to carry and bring it to wherever you go. How portable a radio is depend on your imagination.
Good example of this imagination is ham radio tour called dxpedition. Dxpedition is when one person or a team of ham radio go on air from a rare place. The more rare the place of dxpedition, the unbelieveble number of equipments carried to that place. But still we only can call it a portable radio operation since they are not citizen of the place. One big dxpedition team is 3Y0X to Peter 1 island, one island in Antartica region. Thye brought several big two way radios, RF amplifiers, ham radio antennas, power generators, computers, and more logistics to covers two weeks of dxpedition operation. They used ship to depart from Punta Arenas to water of Peter 1 and used helicopter to transport crew from ship to island. But still it is a portable operation.
Portable operation also if a person just hike to a hill or mountain and carry two way radio communication in his backpack and equipped with portable antenna also. If he intended to work on HF ham radio bands, he can bring the famous low power two way radio like Icom IC-703 or Yaesu FT-817. Both radio are build to give low power output 5 watts so they can use battery to operate them for several hours during portable operation.
Handheld two way radio also popular for portable two way radio operation. This radio usually divide into two categories, the walky talky and the handy talkie. Walkie talkie commonly intended to non-license usage. Any user can use this two way radio type for their own need. But handy talkie term usually means a two way radio device that intended to use by ham radio. So when you choose this radio, please make sure your operation is not violating your country rules.
The differences between modern walkie talkie and handy talkie are on their features. Modern walkie talkies commonly channelized frequency usage while handy talkie commonly equipped with VFO (variable frequency oscillator) to make it meet with ham radio needs. Channelizing to walkie talkie is prepared to be used by anyone at any age so no license is required to operate. Power output sometimes same between walkie talkie and handy talkie. And also some other features such as CTSS and DTMF (depend on your model).
These are many walkie talkie and handy talkie devices in the market. And also many online stores who sell walkie talkie radio and handheld two way radio equipment. Maybe they also can ship to entire world. Before you buy two way radio, make sure you choose the right model that meet with your needs. Some radio stores also give customer service staffs and accept consultation before customer purchase. Some walkie talkie and handy talkie also featured with military specs to make it tough in every field of operation.
June 10th, 2009 | Posted in Others | No Comments
It is very common to consider how long the range of a walkie talkie radio before we buy it. In many cases, a ‘normal’ range walkie talkie radio is acceptable while a long range walkie talkie sometimes needed to have to anticipate extra circumstances during establishing a two way communications.
Longer range walkie talkie usually obtained with usage of higher power than a ‘normal’ range walkie talkie radio. It means, if you have to buy a long range walkie talkie, make sure your walkie talkie candidates have high power features. GMRS walkie talkie radio usually equipped with power output vary from 2 watts until 5 watts, depend of model. The higher the power, the longer range you will get.
But different luck with FRS walkie talkie. It only equipped with 0,5 watts power output as regulation say. Normally, FRS walkie talkie radio will give you shorter range coverage compare with it’s fellow GMRS walkie talkie radio. Fortunately, these are some tricks how to extend FRS (and works also for GMRS) walkie talkie radio range and obtain longer coverage range.
The basic idea is improving your position so your walkie talkie can ’see’ each other. The working frequency of FRS and GMRS walkie talkie radio is very unique. They need to ’see’ each other to give best result of two way radio communications. I wrote a topic how to extend walkie talkie radio range tricks right before this post. You can check it there.
So don’t worry if you had low power walkie talkie radio. Use my tricks to make it long range radio.
May 6th, 2009 | Posted in Others | 3 Comments
Sometimes we are in difficult situation where we need to extend our walkie talkie range. Not to breaking the rules. Just to establish a contact, better quality communication between two walkie talkie. Next tips are intended to extend FRS/GMRS walkie talkie range for temporary. No hardware modifications. Just as is with your walkie talkie set.
1. Higher is better. This is the basic method to extend walkie talkie range. Higher walkie talkie position above ground will give better reception and transmission range. It’s always work to all situation. Try to go your higher level of your house, your attic, balconee or even your roof. Sometimes you need to climb a tree, run up to a hill or any other higher level place as possible. Your walkie talkie range will extending. How significant is depend on your situation there.
2. Avoid obstacle. FRS/GMRS walkie talkies are using ultra high frequency at around 462 MHz. In this frequency, radio wave had a special characteristic where obstacles can affect reduce two radio way communication quality. So standing in open and flat area will give better walkie talkie range result rather than area with full of obstacles in between. This frequency characteristic required both walkie talkie can ’see’ each other.
3. Sometimes you also can use obstacles to extend your walkie talkie range. For example, one frequency characteristic of 462 MHz is will not work inside a concrete building due to high building penetration loss factor. In other hand, you can use a concrete wall to act as your antenna reflector and get extending walkie talkie range. Just stand 1-2 meters in front of a concrete wall. Since your walkie talkie antenna transmit RF signal to all directions so the signal which headed to concrete wall will be reflected back like a mirror. But make sure the concrete wall is headed to your communication partner. It won’t work if your partner is in different direction.
If you review, all methods are optimizing walkie talkie antenna. So, if you can modify your antenna, you can extend your walkie talkie range. Don’t try to increase your RF output power. It’s illegal for some contries.
April 13th, 2009 | Posted in Others | 1 Comment
