As an authorized dealer of Kenwood two-way radios, we know firsthand just how much these durable and reliable radios offer a wide variety of industries. From the NX 300 to the NX 800, Kenwood provides next level radio communication.

This Japanese company has come a long way since it was founded in 1946 as the Kasuga Radio Co. Ltd. Created by a group of young entrepreneurs in Komagane City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, the goal was to take advantage of the increasing market for postwar consumer products. In 1960, the company name was slimmed down to Trio Corporation. Three years later, in 1963, they established their first office overseas in Los Angeles, California. 

Where Did the Name Kenwood Come From?

The name Kenwood was created as a name that American consumers could relate to – it is the combination of the name “Ken,” which is common in both America and Japan, and “Wood,” which referenced the durable substance as well as the first overseas office in Hollywood.

It wasn’t long before the brand recognition associated with Kenwood surpassed that of Trio. And so, in 1986, Trio officially renamed the company Kenwood.

More recently, in 2008, Kenwood made a deal to merge with JVC and formed a new holding company known as JVCKenwood.

Kenwood History: A Brief Look at the Company’s Achievements over the Years 

Kenwood Corporation remains one of Japan’s biggest and most successful consumer-oriented electronics companies. While they are largely focused on the production and sale of audio equipment, they are gaining more attention for entering into new markets like meteorological satellite receivers.

Kenwood, or Kasuaga Radio Company, was created at a time when much of Japan was left in shambles from World War II. This created a climate in which the nation was excited to re-create its national economy. Since electronic equipment was gaining a lot of popularity at this time, the company focused on created high-fidelity electronic components and amateur radio equipment.

It wasn’t long before they become the leading electronic consumer products producer in Japan. In 1949, they made a huge jump in technology-intensive manufacturing by creating the first-ever high-frequency transformer.

Innovation continued into the 1950s when the company created the first FM tuner in Japan. As Japan’s local economy expanded, so too did the company and its operations, allowing them to expand onto the international scene.

It only took a few years for them to make their way to the top of the quickly expanding consumer electronics market in the US. Simultaneously, the company was busy creating subsidiaries in Belgium, France, Italy, Canada, West Germany, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia.

In 1969, the company had grown large enough to earn a spot on the Tokyo Stock Exchange where they began selling shares of the company to the public.

In 1979, Kenwood created the first amplifier with multiple stage power sources, as well as the first Liquid Crystal Display, this was the original hand-held radio controlled by a microprocessor.

Modern Day Kenwood

Today, Kenwood makes a range of products including home audio, car audio, car entertainment systems, amateur radio, DECT wireless intercom sectors and professional two-way radios. The Kenwood USA Corporation subsidiary is currently located in Long Beach, California. They are not only in Japan and the United States, but also many countries around the globe.

Shop Kenwood Radios

Kenwood maintains a leading role in the development of high-quality products that are reliable, technologically advanced and easy to use.

We offer a variety of professional Kenwood two-way radios for rent and sale. Learn more and check out our selection

Born in 1928, Motorola has been innovating the latest devices in communications and electronics for over 90 years. In the 1930s, Motorola was the first to invent car radios and public safety networks. Thereafter, in 1969, they pioneered the equipment that allowed astronauts to communicate from the moon.  They did it again in 1983, inventing the first handheld cellular phone and system.

Innovation remains a key focus at the Motorola company, hence why their two-way radios remain an important accessory in many industries.

The Origins of Motorola

Motorola was founded on September 25, 1928 by two brothers, Joseph and Paul Gavin. They called themselves the Galvin Manufacturing Corporation and were established in Chicago, Illinois.

During their first year as a corporation, they released their first product – a battery eliminator. It was a power converter that gave battery-powered radios the ‘power’ to operate using household electricity. The first customer to land in their laps was Sears, Roebuck and Co., who purchased a bunch of the battery eliminators and sold them to their customers.

Shortly after their debut as a company, the Galvin Manufacturing Corporation produced the very first Motorola radio that was intended to be used in cars. Hence, the name – motor-ola; motor meaning car, and ola meaning sound. The name also translates to ‘sound in motion.’ In time, it was this name, ‘Motorola’ that would stick with the brand and make it a household name. 

Milestones Throughout Motorola’s History

In 1930, Motorola car radios began appearing in police departments and municipalities, turning into a radio provider for first responders.

That same year, they also went global, making their first sale outside of the US to W. Oldenburger in Mexico City, who purchased two of their Motorola car radios.

6 years later, in 1936, the company created the Motorola Police Cruiser radio receiver, a tough and durable one-way car radio that allowed officers out on the road to tune into police broadcasts. To this day, the company continues to produce radios for public safety use.

In 1937, Motorola entered the home entertainment business when they created a line of Motorola phonographs and home radios.

In 1938, the company launched their first major advertising campaign that included print media, billboards, and road signs.

In 1939, the Galvin Manufacturing Corporation created a line of affordable Motorola AM two-way radio equipment – this included the T6920 mobile transmitter. The goal was to make this technology more readily available to public safety agencies in order to improve communication and the overall safety and service they offered their communities.

By 1940 the world was introduced to the first Handie-Talkie SCR536 AM portable two-way radio. This became an icon of World War II.

In 1941, the police force working in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania became the first to have cars outfitted with Motorola FM equipment.

By 1943, they had created the world’s first FM portable two-way radio. It weighed a whopping 35 pounds and could communicate across 10 to 20 miles.

In October 1944, the Yellow Cab Co. adopted two-way radios in their vehicles across the US.

In 1947, the Galvin Manufacturing Corporation officially changed their name to Motorola, Inc.

Also, in 1947, they began designing portable two-way radios for businesses.

In 1955, they created the first Motorola germanium transistor for car radios – this was Motorola’s first mass produced semiconductor.

In the 1960s, Motorola began introducing sleeker versions of their portable two-way radio. It was considered sleek and lightweight at the time, but it still weighed a staggering 33 pounds.

On April 3, 1973, Motorola showed off the world’s first ever portable telephone in a public demonstration in the heart of New York City.

From there, the company continued to expand and change the world of communication as we knew it. By 2008, they released the world’s first LTE 700 MHz data demonstration. And in 2012, they gave the world the first ever mission critical handheld public safety LTE device.

Motorola Two-Way Radios Continue to Lead the Way

Today, Motorola remains one of the most trusted names for two-way radio technology. We are a proud Motorola two-way radio dealer, offering professional radios for rent and sale – shop our collection.

From signal range to emergency features, there are several key reasons why two-way radios are the best option for communicating in remote areas. Trying to communicate via cell phone in a remote area is challenging to say the least. From working in remote regions to traveling out at sea, there are many limitations to today’s cell phones and where they can operate effectively.

5 Reasons Two-Way Radios are Superior for Remote Area Communication

Some of the most important and time sensitive messages are transmitted across two-way radios and for good reason, here are 5 of them.

Signal Range

First and foremost, signal range is an important feature when trying to communicate in a remote area. If there is no reception in your area, the device will not work no matter what. You can eliminate dropped calls and avoid signal dead zones in remote areas by using a device that doesn’t require cell towers for reception – that’s the beauty of two-way radios.

Audio Quality

Working in remote areas often involves operating heavy machinery or working in heavy winds- all of these things and more can lead to reduced sound quality on any number of devices. That’s why professional two-way radios are outfitted with special technology that allows clear audio quality no matter what kind of background noise you are dealing with.

This is especially important in an emergency when getting the message across quickly is of utmost importance and repeating the same message several times can lead to error, or worse.

Working with a two-way radio that offers uncompromised audio performance gives your team greater confidence and capabilities to communicate in a wide range of scenarios.

Emergency Features

Emergency features are crucial to staying safe when working in a remote area. At minimum, your device should be equipped with an emergency alert button that allows for instant communication between individuals or groups. This takes away the time-consuming effort of having to dial a number, which takes away precious seconds in an emergency.

Long Battery Life

A dead device is a useless device, which is why two-way radios are made with extended battery life to go all day and night. There are so many scenarios when team members stay overtime or lose track of time, and as long as the person behind the device is still going strong, we believe their radio should keep working too. Select a two-way radio with a long battery life and consider carrying extra batteries on hand to switch out as needed so that you never have to worry about losing a charge.

Durability

From oil rig workers to manufacturing plants located in remote regions, there are many on-site occupations that require a superior level of durability when it comes to their main means of communication.

While today’s smartphones look sleek and pretty, but they are incredibly easy to break. Is there anyone out there who hasn’t cracked their screen? Two-way radios are built to withstand some of the toughest conditions and job sites on the planet, and as a result, they are incredibly durable. Many radios are waterproof, dust proof, and even resistant to high levels of heat, say for instance there is an explosion of some kind.

Shop our complete collection of Motorola and Kenwood radios that are built to last in the toughest conditions, while providing superior communication in remote areas.

The hospitality industry has relied on two-way radios for years to meet the needs of their clientele. Today, people have more choices than ever when it comes to where they want to spend their hard-earned money. Hotels, restaurants, bars, and a variety of other businesses compete to win over customers.

As an establishment in the hospitality sector, your ability to communicate quickly and with ease can make a difference in the experience of your guests. Many businesses have found themselves in a position where their current communications solution interfered with their ability to provide high-quality customer service. You don’t have to let this happen to you.

As the technology behind two-way radios continues to expand, more people are making the change from analog to digital two-way radios. Here’s an overview of the two, highlighting the benefits of switching to digital radios for the hospitality industry instead of using older analog radios.

Key Benefits to Digital Radios Vs. Analog Radios

Digital Radios Provide Better In-Building Coverage

If your hospitality team struggles with communication interreferences it might have to do with the presence of large concrete walls, basements or other structural obstructions within your building. In addition, urban locations blocked in by other tall buildings can greatly impact signal strength.

While analog radios are easy to use with push-to-talk features, they often fall short and can lose signal in ‘dead zones.’ On the other hand, digital two-way radios offer improved audio quality and a wider range than analog radios.

Plus, they are equipped with better resistance to interreference and transmission issues. Thanks to digital correction technology, there is minimal issues with voice communication, even if the signal fails.

A great example of quality digital two-way radios is Motorola’s MOTOTRBO line.

Digital Radios Offer A Wider Area Range

Large resorts and theme parks are just a couple examples of hospitality industries where wide-area range is an important factor.  Analog and digital radios transmit signals over radio channel user carrier frequency waves, either via VHF (Very High Frequency) or UHF (Ultra High Frequency). Analog signals use frequency modulation, which gets weaker and weaker as it nears its maximum range – at which point it will only transmit white noise.

With digital radios, coverage improves by 40% because voice transmissions are automatically converted into simplified computer language so that they can be transmitted more effectively across vaster distances.

Furthermore, Motorola MOTOTRBO digital two-way radios are outfitted with impressive features such as built-in Intelligent Audio technology, which adjusts the volume level based upon the presence of background noise while helping to produce a clearer message at all times.

Digital Radios Offer Longer Battery Life

The hospitality industry never sleeps, which means two-way radio battery life is an important factor to consider. It’s important that batteries can last a full shift so that personnel don’t have to worry about switching out devices all the time.

Digital and analog radios tend to use around the same power supply when in standby mode, but as soon as they start transmitting messages, digital radios offer far more efficiency. In fact, battery life improves by around 40% with digital radio systems. Some MOTOTRBO radios can operate for 24 hours before they need to be charged.

Additional Benefits to Digital Two-Way Radios for the Hospitality Industry:

• Most come with built-in Bluetooth so that you can pair a variety of wireless accessories, such as headsets and speakers
• Call capacity is doubled thanks to the fact digital two-way radios divide single-call channels. As a result, they can support up to 4 times as many users as an analog radio system.
• Digital radios can support more than one conversation at a time – improving efficiency, response times, and your ability to act in an emergency.

Ready to Upgrade to Digital Two-Way Radios? Contact Highland Wireless today!

Two-way radios are helping the healthcare industry improve overall safety and effectiveness. This is crucial in an industry that is responsible for serving hundreds of patients at one time. It is not uncommon for hospitals to experience delayed communication when dealing with an emergency response situation – this can lead to serious complication and even death.

In an industry where every second counts, it’s adamant that the proper communication systems are in place for healthcare professionals to relay messages to the appropriate department in real time.

In the US and Canada, 90% of hospitals report experiencing an increase in violent events. Thus, causing healthcare professionals to seek out additional ways to improve the safety and wellbeing of their staff and patients. Perhaps the issue relates to an aggressive patient who needs to be calmed down and subdued, or maybe there is an intruder in the hospital that needs to be removed. No matter what it may be, it needs to be resolved as quickly as possible to prevent worsening the situation. This is where two-way radios can be of use.

Single Channel vs. Multi-Channel Radios

While single-channel radios may be effective for smaller hospital or doctor office settings, multi-channel models are useful for larger hospital settings.

If there are several groups of people that require different lines of communication, a multi-channel radio is highly recommended. That way, people can come together and communicate as needed. In addition, they can communicate amongst their own department without distracting or interfering with other departments. This also allows for greater security when discussing confidential matters across the line.

Improving Connectivity & Service Range

Are certain parts of your hospital or medical office a dead zone where communication fails to thrive? This is a common issue with a practical solution.

For smaller hospitals in suburban settings, service may not be an issue. If it is difficult to get service in certain parts of the building, but luckily there are ways to improve this issue. For instance, a building can be outfitted with radio enhancement systems that provide reliable coverage to all areas of the building. This is especially useful in hospitals located in urban areas where you are surrounded by many other tall buildings that block signal strength.

For the most part, in-building radio enhancement systems contain three core parts: a Donor Antenna System, Bi-Directional Amplifier, and Distributed Antenna System. 

A system can be installed to improve cellular connectivity as well.

The Rise of Interoperable Communications

An up and coming way that some hospitals are improving communication is through the use of interoperable communications – a system that allows different devices to communicate across the same channel. For instance, a two-way radio can connect to a cell phone, which can connect to someone’s Bluetooth headpiece. This allows personnel to communicate across different devices.

Improve Communication & Overall Safety with Highland Wireless

At Highland Wireless, we have everything you need to set up your hospital for success. From a variety of two-way radio models (available for rent and sale), as well as expertise in the design and installation of radio enhancement systems, we are your go-to Premier radio communications solution provider.

Contact us today with questions or to set up a consultation.