subject: What Features Do You Really Need In A Two Way Radio? [print this page] The walkie talkie market can be a complex place to navigate, especially for new buyers, and the abundance of features found on the box of any Motorola, Kenwood or Icom radio can frequently be confusing for people. People will commonly think that the radio with the bigger price tag and the longest list of features will be the best one; and it usually is, but that's not to say that this automatically means that this will be the best radio for your requirements.
There are an abundance of features found throughout the market, but the best way to ensure that you get the right Kenwood, Vertex Standard or Icom radio for you and your needs is quite simply, to do some research on what these features mean, and thus you can decide whether or not you really need them. For example, some products come with the words ATEX Compliant emblazoned on the packaging, and people will typically think that this means it must be something that they need, without knowing anything about the ATEX directives passed from the EU.
Very few people will need their Kenwood, Motorola or Icom radio to be ATEX Compliant as this means that the radio is certified as safe for use in hazardous and potentially explosive atmospheres such as with gases or an oil rig where a stray spark from an electronic device can cause a serious problem.
Other features commonly found in the two way radio market are panic buttons or 'man down' functions. Although these are unlikely to find much use if your Vertex Standard, Motorola or Icom radio has been purchased to keep in touch with your friends at a music festival or on a college field trip, if you are running a security firm supplying doormen for busy nightclubs, such functions can be vital, helping to summon backup for your staff in the event that there is a problem.
Another function commonly found on models of Motorola, Kenwood and Icom radio is the voice-inversion scrambler, which encrypts any of your intercepted transmissions. Although this isn't quite up to the task protecting transmissions from a determined or skilled hacker, they will do the job for most requirements, making them suitable for transmissions which you may want to protect from accidentally prying ears.
Although the market can seem confusing, there are a number of references out there which will assist you with the meanings of the meanings of the features in the two way radio market. Reading these and properly assessing your requirements will ensure that you get the right radio for you rather than buying something more expensive filled with features that you'll never use.
