What is a Transmitter Station?

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Transmitter StationHere at Highland we use repeaters, or transmitter stations, to send out radio signals on two-ways. This is how our Wide Area Network functions. These stations receive and send radio waves, and can increase the distance that these waves are sent by many miles. Hundreds of miles in most cases. Whereas family radios can mostly only travel short distances, a two-way that works with a repeater can send and receive messages from many miles away, making communication on different work sites quick and clear.

Transmitter stations are large spires or masts that can be constructed by themselves or on top of tall buildings. They are used to transmit radio waves for cell phones, two-ways, AM/FM radio, and microwaves. Their locations are selected based on a number of things. Line of sight and power are always considered. In regards to electro-magnetic radiation, line of sight refers to waves traveling in a straight line. These waves, without obstructions, can typically travel from the origin, to the horizon, but not past it. In many instances, waves do not travel to the horizon due to objects such as hills, buildings, trees or even the atmosphere. These obstructions can bend, reflect or absorb the waves and render them useless past the point of the obstruction. By raising stations and masts, the line of sight of waves are increased, making the waves receivable for longer distances. Most stations are high above the ground to meet line of sight criteria. Many towers or masts are also set far away from inhabited places depending on government regulations.

To give you an example, picture two people standing on opposites sides of a hill. They each have a two-way radio, but cannot talk to one another because the hill is obstructing the waves being transmitted from and to each radio. Now imagine a large tower standing on the top of the hill, with a large antenna sitting on top of it. Now, when one of the people sends a message to the other, the radio wave first goes to the station, and is sent back out to the other two-way. This happens both ways, and makes it possible for the two people to communicate even though there is a large obstruction between them. The tower sitting on top of the hill also increases the line of sight of the antenna as compared to an antenna that is sitting at ground level.

In addition, masts are located in city versus rural areas based on their power. Higher powered stations are typically in rural areas, whereas lower powered stations are in cities, where radio waves do not need to travel as far. High powered stations are also mainly set up very high, so that their signal can be reached many miles away. TV and FM stations are typically built on top of hills as well. Often the stations have more than one antenna, but depending on how many stations are being transmitted, multiple antenna can be used. By using a diplexer that splits the signals, one antenna can be used for many transmitters. AM radio transmitters are high-powered and low-frequency, and because of this are often set lower to the ground. The lower frequency waves travel as ground waves, which allows them to be received well past the point of horizon for that particular antenna. AM stations can transmit long, medium and short waves and are assigned to frequencies for long distance communication.

At each station, an antenna is what is doing all the work; sending and receiving radio signals. Each station is usually nothing more than a base for the antenna. Sometimes there is only one antenna, other times there are many. The mast can be a supporting structure for each antenna, or the antenna itself. Each station uses electricity to send and receive transmissions. They often also have back-up generators in case of power failures.

In rural or remote areas, these stations are often not manned. Operations can be controlled from off-base computers and any problems that arise have to be dealt with when personnel can get to it. In more populated areas, some stations have full time crew, others part-time. In most cases someone is available at most hours to resolve any issues that come up.

For many two-way radio users, simply having two radios to receive and transmit signals is suitable. If you are a crew working together on a small job site, or just a couple of friends hunting in the woods, a transmitter station is not necessary. In contrast, a project manager who is responsible for many job sites that are separated by many miles reap the benefits of area wide stations (read more). Their messages are sent and received in approximately the same time as simple two-way radios, but can cover vast distances. Communication between sender and receiver is instant and clear, even when there are large obstructions and miles between them.

6 Benefits Offered By The Best 2-Way Emergency Radios

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2-way emergency radios2-way emergency radios can both send and receive messages, allowing radios that operate on the same frequency to communicate back and forth. 2-way emergency radios have come a long way in the last few years, and are no longer the basic push-to-talk accessories they once were. The advancement of technology has added a vast array of features to modern 2-way emergency radios, all of which help businesses operate on a day-to-day basis, as well as during a time of emergency.

Adding a 2-way emergency radio system to your business or organization can drastically help improve communication and reaction capabilities. Here we explain some of the added benefits a 2-way radio can provide during an emergency.

 

Prevent & Control Emergency Situations: Added Benefits Of 2-Way Emergency Radios

Digital 2-way emergency radios add a whole world of power at your fingertips. They can reach a number of different channels for access to practically unlimited talk groups. You can communicate with one person, or multiple people at once. Plus, 2-way emergency radios are smart enough to know when they are in and out of the programed coverage region. The moment someone steps out of these access regions, the radio can be programed to turn off and disable. This feature could potentially prevent information from getting into the wrong hands, among many other things.

In simplicity, two-way radios give employees, security, and whoever else uses them, the opportunity to react accordingly during an emergency. As technology continues to improve so do the features 2-way radios are equipped with. The latest digital 2-way emergency radios have a lot of added benefits people don’t often realize, many of which are especially useful to prevent a chaotic situation, as well as react to an emergency.

6 ways 2-way emergency radios can help you maintain a situation include:

1. Communication Remains Possible Even In Chaotic Situations
The latest 2-way emergency radios include noise-filtering applications. During an emergency it’s known to get noisy, but when things get too loud it can be hard to communicate through any device. 2-way emergency radios help filter out background noise so that it’s easier for personnel to talk back and forth, even when things get crazy.

2. Track Employees To Improve Safety
In any emergency it is important to know where all employees or team member are located at any given moment. The latest 2-way emergency radios come complete with GPS trackers so that anyone with a handheld radio can be instantly identified and tracked on a map. This also prevents employees from wandering to spots they shouldn’t be, after all it’s all too easy to track and contact them all in a matter of seconds.

3. Protect Your Radios (And Privacy) From Thieves & Intruders
2-way emergency radios give you the chance to stop intruders with the click of a button. If an unauthorized individual gains possession of a 2-way radio it is very easy to switch off and disable the device without gaining physical possession of it.

4. Multiple Ways To Communicate
2-way emergency radios do come with data capabilities that allow text messaging if necessary; say for instance if in an emergency personnel needs to distribute a message without making much sound. (Learn more about 2 way radios that can send text messages)

5. Enhanced Surveillance
If you need to keep a close eye on something or someone, managerial staff can actually listen in to conversations taking place around radios, even when the radios are not in use.

6. Communication Lines Open At All Times
During an emergency communication is more important than ever. Cell towers and networks are often overloaded and go down during an emergency, but 2-way emergency radios will continue to work even in complete disarray. Since your radio system is your very own network, you are not at risk for losing the ability to broadcast or receive messages through the system.

 

2-way emergency radios

2-Way Emergency Radios Succeed Where Others Fall Short

Depending on the needs of your industry, wireless radios come with a wide range of capabilities and functions. For instance, the Kenwood NX-300 UHF NexEdge Radio is dust-proof and waterproof, meaning if you work somewhere wet or dusty, you can still count on this radio to keep communicating day after day.  In an emergency, when factors are uncontrollable, a flood could debilitate other communication systems, but 2-way emergency radios are built to withstand these elements will still work efficiently.

Doesn’t it seem that one emergency often dominoes into another? When an emergency strikes the number one thing you want is reliability. No matter how hectic an emergency becomes, you can rely on 2-way radio communication systems to handle the situation.

At Highland Wireless we offer the latest and greatest 2-way radios for emergencies, as well as everyday use. Check out our incredible selection today, we’d love to help you prepare for all of life’s emergencies, both big and small!

What Types Of Businesses Benefit From 2-Way Radios?

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2-way radios

What sort of communication tools does your business utilize? 2-way radios provide a communication system businesses can rely on, often above mobile devices. In fact, according to a VDC survey, 45% of businesses are unsatisfied with their mobile phone plans, mostly because of “dead zones,” or areas that have poor to zero coverage.

Radio used to be the only option for instant communication, but today there are other options, such as the cell phone. Thanks to new and improved technology though, 2-way radios remain a strong competitor in the industry, as they provide an affordable solution many different types of businesses depend on.

All that being said, will a 2-way radio system benefit your business? Everyday 2-way radios help businesses communicate smoothly so that jobs are completed safely and accurately. A wide variety of businesses benefit from a radio communication system, including construction sites, security guards, traffic controllers, and taxi drivers. Any business on a budget should check out the efficiency offered by radios—and really, what business is not on a budget?

Benefits Of 2-Way Radios For Construction Site 

If you are in the construction industry, a 2-way radio can be very beneficial to the productivity and overall safety of any project. When building anything, big or small, large groups of people work together, each on their own little piece of the larger puzzle. In order for everything to end up fitting together nicely, communication is mandatory. 2-way radios make alerting team members of an issue, or just keeping up with progress as simple as clicking a button.

Road construction requires careful attention to detail and lots of communication, as motorists are driving through and around the sight of construction. 2-way radios help construction workers remain safe, along with all of the other motorists out on the road.

2-way radios for construction sites can help decrease associated safety risks. As constant contact ensures less possibility of error or injury, and in the case something does go wrong, immediate assistance can be called upon (Find out more).

 

Benefits Of 2-Way Radios For Security Guards

Businesses often hire some form of security to keep employees and commodities safe, but if your security crew is not equipped with the tools necessary to properly communicate, your protection might be in jeopardy.

As security guards don’t usually patrol together, they need a fast way to always be able to connect with one another. Sometimes a message is for one other guard, while other times all guards on duty need to be informed at once. To initiate a 4-way call on a cell phone takes much longer than to press one button and start talking on a radio.

Also, in an emergency when too many people are trying to use their cell phones at once, service can stop working all together. In the instance of a local emergency, security guards need to be more connected than ever, but if guards rely on the same cell towers as the general community, they could easily lose their ability to communicate. In this scenario, and many others, security guards benefit from using 2-way radios, helping them keep the public safe, as well as themselves (More information).

Benefits Of 2-Way Radios For Traffic Coordinator

When too many people are trying to use the same road at once things can quickly get out of hand. Traffic coordinators keep drivers and pedestrians safe while helping the traffic flow as smoothly as possible, all of this requires a great deal of communication. Traffic coordinators are often spread out, separated by curves in the road or space in general, 2-way radios allow seamless communication for a job well done. With a new wave of cars coming through every few minutes, consistency is key, which is why radios are a great tool for conducting traffic efficiently.

2-Way Radios For Business On A Budget

So many other businesses can benefit from a radio system, including hotels, taxi drivers, and college campuses. No matter what type of business you operate, if your team needs to communicate on a regular basis it takes money out of your budget.

In order to save money but keep communication strong, 2-way radios are a go-to solution. Research shows that implementing a 2-way radio system pays for itself in less than a few years when compared to the regular expenses associated with cell phones. 2-way radios also take away the distractions offered by cell phones, while providing consistently fast access to necessary coworkers.

Construction workers, security guards, and traffic controllers all benefit from 2-way radios, but they are not the only ones. Your business could see amazing changes too, perhaps in ways you never expected. To find out more about seamlessly integrating radio communication systems into your business, contact Highland Wireless today!

 

Radio Waves Explained

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Radio Waves Explained

Radio WavesWith all this talk of radios, walkie-talkies, wide area network, cell phones and the internet, do you ever wonder what exactly radio waves are? We use the term radio in our lives often, but do we really understand how they work, and what types of devices use them to transmit messages? To really understand how your electronic device works, whether that be a radio, handheld or cell phone, you have to understand how radio waves work. 

Radio waves have the longest wavelengths in the electromagnetic wave spectrum. They can vary in their size, anywhere from a few inches to miles long. In nature, radio waves are emitted by astronomical objects like the Earth, the Sun and other planets or created by lightning. We observe these radio waves from other planets and stars by building and using a radio telescope.

In 1867, James Clerk Maxwell proclaimed that there were both light and radio waves that travel in space and circle our Earth. Twenty years later, Heinrich Hertz confirmed Maxwell’s theory and was able to harness radio waves in his laboratory. Once Maxwell confirmed the existence of radio waves, and Hertz studied how to harness their power, we began using them mainly for communication. Because of Hertz’s ongoing work with radio waves, their frequency is now termed a Hertz (Hz).

In a vacuum, radio waves travel at the speed of light. In natural circumstances, they are slowed down by items at varying speeds. Different objects have different rates of permeability and therefore can even stop radio waves from passing through at all. This is why in areas where there are hills, mountains or thick vegetation, walkie-talkies and radios often cannot transmit signal.

The frequency of a radio wave is the inverse of its wavelength, or the distance between top of on wave to the next. We use different radio frequencies to “tune” into different wavelengths and the messages they carry. When using a radio, the antenna on that radio will pick up many different frequencies that are being transmitted during one time. In order to “tune” into one, we have settings that allow us to choose a station, or frequency so that we listen to only one message or set of messages at a time.

Radio waves created by man are regulated by the International Telecommunications Union. These rules and regulations decrease interference by users and designate which frequencies are used for certain communication. The ITU, which is a part of the UN, also governs over other forms of communication, such as the internet, TV broadcasting and aeronautical and maritime communications, just to name a few.

Radio waves transmit signals on the Hertz frequencies of 3 kHz to 300 GHz. These frequencies are split up and in different countries are assigned different functions for communicating. Some are free for civilians to use to talk to family or friends; others are for airline pilots, while still others are for communication between emergency personnel.  On a walkie-talkie, a person is able to set their device to a station, or frequency, and send and receive messages. A wave’s length, or frequency, will determine how far signals can be sent or received, in addition to the area’s terrain and any large objects, such as tall buildings.

In order to send radio signals even farther, companies are now starting to use repeaters that are set high atop tall structures to take in and them send back out radio waves. Using these repeaters, messages can be sent over hundreds of miles and done in a matter of a second. The areas in which repeaters are used are called Wide Areas. In order to use repeaters, you have to buy specific equipment that will work to send and receive signals to and from them. Your normal every day family walkie-talkie will not work.

Now that radio waves have been more thoroughly explained, along with their frequencies and governing body, choosing a communication device that is right for you will be that much easier. Taking into account the area you will be using your device in, its terrain, and location will help you decide which communication device is best suited for your needs.

Key Figures in Radio Technology History

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Key Figures in Radio Technology History

Radio History FiguresThere were many key influences that helped the radio evolve into what it is today. We’ve already talked about how originally the radio was used only in simplex mode, and messages were simply transmitted via Morse Code, to recipients. There was no two-way communication going on, and even speaking was not yet possible via radio waves. But the idea that a form of electrical waves could be sent wirelessly to others across vast distances to send messages was innovative. Once these waves were more thoroughly understood, the advancement of their use happened exponentially.

Radios were first used in large ships out on the ocean, were before carrier pigeons were the only means of far away communication. In Australia, two-way radios were put into police cars by Senior Constable Frederick William Downie, and in World War II two-way radios were used by men on the ground and in the air, and by both Allies and the Nazis.

Before delving deeper into the historical timeline of the evolution of the radio (and subsequently the two-way), we would like to first start with the influential people who made that progress possible.

Heinrich Hertz

Although James Clerk Maxwell had already theorized that electromagnetic waves existed, Heinrich Hertz was the first to actually prove it. In 1886 and 1887 Hertz developed an apparatus to prove that electromagnetic waves could be sent and received wirelessly, using scientific methods to weed out all other possible variables that could have affected his results. In addition to his research on electromagnetic waves, he also began studying the photoelectric effect, which would later be built on and proven by Albert Einstein. Sadly, Hertz did not realize the importance of his findings. When asked of its importance, his response was that it had little value in the real world and was not significantly important. In 1894 Hertz passed away from Wegener’s granulomatosis, a form of vascular inflammation that affects the small and medium blood vessels. The hertz (Hz) is a unit of measurement named after Heinrich, defined as one cycle per second (Hertz History).

Samuel Morse

Before voice waves were able to be transmitted via radio waves, a system of dots and dashes was used to send messages. Samuel Morse, Alfred Vail and Joseph Henry invented the American telegraph back in 1836. Morse created the “language” used to send messages, beginning with only numbers being translated at each message end. Soon Vail took that system one step further and included letters. Before voice waves were sent over the air, Morse Code was the only way to get messages out quickly, and in many facets of the government there were jobs solely dedicated to learning and typing out of this code (Learn more on Morse).

Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla, a scientist originally from Serbia who came to the United States to work for Thomas Edison, is best known for his work with alternating current machinery. He was an electrical and mechanical engineer, and soon after coming to America, struck out on his own creating new inventions. He sold the patent rights to his AC machines to George Westinghouse in 1884, and with financial backing kept researching in New York City for many years. He was known as a bit of an eccentric, or mad scientist, as his ideas were extremely futuristic and ahead of his time. One of his inventions, the Tesla coil, was used in the progression of radios. Today his popularity has made a come-back, with the Tesla car company basing many of its principles on his work (Learn More about Tesla).

Reginald Fessenden

Reginald Fessenden, a Canadian mathematician, moved to New York City in 1886 hoping to get a job working with Thomas Edison. He knew little about science or electricity, but told Edison he was a quick learner. After being put off a number of times, Fessenden finally got a job with Edison Machine Works  and quickly moved up in ranks. In 1892 he became a professor for the electrical engineering department at Purdue University (after Edison Machine Works lost funding and had to lay off many workers, including Fessenden). And in 1893 George Westinghouse himself recruited Fessenden as chair of the electrical engineering department at the Western University of Pennsylvania (now the University of Pittsburgh). Fessenden’s main research was in the use of voice/sound transmission via radio waves. He began working for the United States Weather Bureau to prove that weather information could be sent using a better developed apparatus and forgo the need for telegraph systems. In December of 1900, using funding from the weather bureau and his own inventions, Fessenden transmitted a sound wave about a mile away. This is thought to have been the first sound wave ever sent using radio waves. After Fessenden’s stint with the weather bureau ended in 1902 due to patent disagreements, two wealthy businessmen from Pennsylvania created NESCO (National Electric Signaling Company) to carry on with Fessenden’s research. The base for the research was in Massachusetts, where Ernst Alexanderson comes in. Fessenden believed that a high frequency alternator-transmitter was needed to send sound waves across far distances, and the gentleman put up to that task at GE was Ernst Alexanderson (More on Reginald Fessenden).

Ernst Alexanderson

Taking the research and work of Hertz and putting it into practical use, Alexanderson created a radio transmitter that was used in the early 1900s to send radio waves over great distances, called the Alexanderson alternator. Originally from Sweden, Alexanderson worked for GE in Massachusetts and using his transmitter, was the first to send out music over the radio. Under the order of Reginald Fessenden, Alexanderson created a 75 kHz alternator and played Christmas music over it that was heard by Navy ships and shore stations all along the East coast. The first television broadcast was also to his home in Schenectady, NY. Alexanderson kept working well into his later years, consulting for GE and RCA. He passed away in 1975 and is buried in Schenectady (More on Alexanderson).

Edwin Armstrong

Like many of his counterparts, Edwin Armstrong was a prolific inventor. Over the course of his life he held over 40 patents, and many of his inventions for the radio were used in both World Wars in which he also served. He invented the regenerative circuit, the superheterodyne receiver and the modern frequency modulation (FM) radio transmission (Read More). Unlike many of his radio inventor predecessors, Armstrong was very withdrawn and quiet. He did his research on his own, having never worked for or been funded by a company or government entity. He questioned his professors and colleagues, and kept his patents as his own. Many of his inventions were created in his parents’ attic in Yonkers, and it wasn’t until the death of the professor of electrical engineering at Columbia did Armstrong take a scholarly position (31 years after graduation from Columbia himself). Many of the inventions that Armstrong created are still in use today, including regeneration, heterodyne radio and FM radio. Sadly, after years of litigation over FM patents with RCA and new FCC laws pushed in place by RCA (who was a strong proponent of AM rather than FM radio) Armstrong committed suicide in 1954. He left a letter to his wife, apologizing for fighting with her, and jumped out of his 13th floor apartment. His wife carried on with his court dealings, and many lawsuits were eventually settled in his favor.

There are many other influential figures in the history of radio, and countless inventions that have not only set the stage for radio, but also TV and telephones. Many of the theories established or inventions created for radio made their way into many other areas of technology, such as transmitter towers, ships, cars, and the list goes on. Battles have been lost and won on the basis of radio, and it has been said that a large part in why there were any survivors from the Titanic were because of the use of radios. Since the late 1800s we have been using radio waves to send messages, and we still do today. From our firefighters saving our lives to our government keeping our land safe, radios are in our past, present and future. Keeping us connected and informed, radio technology has been and will keep doing for us what no other form of communication has yet to do.