Wednesday 26 April 2006

UHF or VHF Two Way Radios - Which Is Better for Me?

Two way radio customers ask me all the time whether they should use UHF or VHF two way radios. The answer of course depends on where you're planning to use the walkie talkies. It is also important to know if you're already using two way radios because UHF radios won't talk to VHF radios and vice versa. There are some off brand radios that might allow UHF and VHF to be used on the same radio but UHF doesn't talk to VHF without additional technologies so for this article, they don't talk to each other.

UHF stands for Ultra High Frequency. UHF is ideal for customers looking to use their two way radios indoors most of the time. UHF does a better job of penetrating through obstructions like concrete and steel. I recommend UHF technology any time someone has a jobsite where they work both indoors and outdoors. Target, American Eagle Outfitters, and Olive Garden Restaurants all use UHF two way radios.

VHF stands for Very High Frequencies. VHF works best for customers who primarily use their two way radios outdoors. The VHF signal will travel further outdoors but will not provide the best audio quality indoors. Walmart is a large user of VHF two way radios and does so because they have been purchasing two way radios since only VHF radios were available for sale. Surveyors and Landscaping crews are the most common users of VHF technology.

Both UHF and VHF handle held two way radios have a range of 1-2 miles outdoors without the use of a Repeater. Repeaters can extend the range across a city or even a state with the right budget. The range of your two way radios will vary based on the terrain, the number of obstacles, and the wattage of the two way radio. Handheld two way radios can only be 5 watts of power or lower.

I recommend UHF two way radios to all customers unless they are always outdoors. UHF will outperform VHF any time a radio is being used in a mixed environment consisting of both indoor and outdoor. The price point between UHF and VHF is nominal if any and the benefit of having a clearer signal when working both indoors and outdoors far exceeds any price difference you would see. I also believe as technology has improved the audio quality differences between UHF and VHF has been marginalized.

Whether you choose to use UHF or VHF two way radios are a cost effective way to improve safety and productivity at your workplace.

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