| FAQs
- Frequently Asked Questions |
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| Walkie-Talkie
Terminology? Can you help? |
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What
is a Channel? Do I need a multi-channel radio? - A multi-channel
radio allows the user to store multiple frequency/code combinations
on the radio which enables you to switch between workgroups
with ease. Typically, a manager will use a multi-channel
radio while the employees will use a single-channel radio.
How
much wattage do I need? - Wattage is a major factor
in achieving the range and coverage of a particular structure
or region. The higher the wattage, the better the coverage
and the crisper and clearer the communications will be.
UHF
Band or VHF Band? - 85% of the walkie-talkies we sell
are UHF band. UHF are best suited for indoor use,
urban areas or outdoor use where the terrain is hilly or
in urban areas. VHF is best suited for outdoor use,
in flat open areas.
Why are handheld two way radios limited to 6 miles coverage?
- All handheld two way radios are limited by line-of-sight
communications. 6 miles is a practical limit where beyond
that, the curvature of the earth restricts the line-of-sight.
Need
more help? - Try our Find-A-Walkie-Talkie
Selection Tool.
| Why
use Business Radios (BRS) vs. FRS/GMRS? |
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There
are four primary bands used in walkie-talkies. FRS, GMRS,
MURS and BRS.
FRS
is
a Family Radio Spectrum and can be used by individuals or
for business use. The downside to FRS is that it is limited
to .5 Watt of transmitting power and frequency congestion.
No license required.
GMRS is the General Mobile Radio Service. A UHF band
that the FCC
provides primarily for family use. Unless you were licensed
prior to 1987 to use GMRS as a business, the FCC no longers
provides GMRS licenses to business users. License required.
MURS
is the Multi-Use Radio Spectrum. A VHF-band limited to 2-Watts
which can be used for individual or business use. The
downside to MURS is that it is VHF only, not the preferred
UHF band and due to limited frequencies, there is frequency
congestion. No license required.
BRS
is the Business Radio Spectrum. Deployed by the FCC
for business use. License required.
So
why use BRS for business? Primarily, because it is
the business radio spectrum that the FCC authorizes for
business use. Although business users can use the FRS
band, FRS radios are not designed for harsh business
use, are limited to .5 Watts and are subject to frequency
congestion.
Need
more help? - Try our Find-A-Walkie-Talkie
Selection Tool.
|
| FCC
Licensing Information |
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Please
see our complete FCC
Section.
| Does
123radios.com assist in obtaining an FCC License? |
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Please
see our complete FCC
Section.
| Do
FRS/GMRS Walkie-Talkies really reach 12-18 miles? |
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The
short answer is NO. Claims of FRS/GMRS walkie-talkies reaching
12 to 18 miles are based on optimum conditions. All handheld walkie-talkies
are based on line-of-sight, therefore terrain and structures can
greatly reduce range. For the most part, the range of a handheld
walkie-talkie is about 1 mile.
| What
type of Connector do I have? |
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Click
here. Great link to see various views of radio connectors.
BNC, NMO, N, SMA, etc.
| Do
you have Product Manuals on your website? |
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123radios.com
has most of the Product Manuals linked directly to the product.
Go to the Search window, find the product for which you are looking
for the User Manual and if it is available, it will be directly
below the product image.
| What
is your Return Policy? |
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Please
see our Service
Section for complete information regarding our Return
Policy.
| Can
I use a US Walkie-Talkie in Canada? |
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It
depends? Each country authorizes different frequencies. Two
common Canadian business frequencies are 458.6625 and 469.2625.
So a US radio that can be programmed to meet Canadian frequencies
can be used in Canada, but radios that have built-in US frequencies
typically would not contain frequencies authorized for use in
Canada. So, US walkie-talkies will work in Canada, but may or
may not be legal depending on the radio's frequency capability.
| What
is a Repeater? What is a Duplexer? |
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A
Repeater can be thought of as a go-between, between two walkie-talkies
and is used primarily to increase the useable range. Repeaters
come in various wattages, with the low-end repeaters starting
at 5 watts, while high-end repeaters can range from 50 watts or
higher. The FCC requires that repeaters be licensed.
A
Duplexer
is used in conjunction with a repeater and is used to eliminate
one antenna from a repeater environment. Repeaters require two
frequencies to operate, one for transmit functions, the other
for receive functions. Typically, these two frequency pairs are
5MHz apart from each other. For example, a repeater may use 464.6125MHz
as the transmit frequency and the 469.6125 as the receive. The
walkie-talkie is then programmed opposite of the repeater, so
the walkie-talkie receives on 464.6125MHz and transmits 469.6125MHz.
The duplexer is used to share one antenna for both transmit
and receive functions. For duplexers to operate correctly they
must be tuned which is done by the manufacturer. If you do not
have a duplexer, you will need two complete and separate antenna
systems, one for receive, one for transmit. (See
Repeater Antenna Separation requirements)
Repeater
Antenna Separation requirements. If you use multiple repeaters,
antenna need to be installed with certain separation in order
to prevent RF interference. The standard recommendation is that
repeater antenna should be installed at least 45 feet from each
other and at different heights. It is recommended that each antenna
be at a plane at least 5 to 8 feet above or below other antenna.