July 20, 2023
Event planners and production companies can benefit from two-way radios for their events. As a cost-effective solution to communication among teams, radios are here to make your job easier. Especially when organizing events, effective communication is key to success. Modern technology may seem to offer other best communication options, but two-way radios have truly stood the test of time. In this blog entry, we take you through the four benefits of using two-way radios for events and why they are Read More
March 4, 2022
In earlier blogs, we discuss the DMR digital two-way radio features Private Call, Encryption and Text Messaging. In this blog, we are introducing another feature of DMR digital two-way radios named Caller ID with Identifier. This feature can be programmed in display and no display radios. One of the main benefits of Caller ID with Identifier is knowing who is calling on the radio. Besides that, the ID list also allows you to identify what the ID means: a location Read More
May 12, 2021
One of many benefits of DMR Digital two-way radios when compared to Analog radios is the ability to send text messages to just one individual or to a group without switching channels. Canned and Free Style Text Messaging DMR Digital radios allow you to use two types of text messaging: Canned Messaging and Free Style Messaging. For sending both types of messages you need a two-way radio with display and while you can send canned messages with a radio with Read More
January 22, 2021
Organizations such as hotels, schools, and manufacturing plants use two-way radios for their daily operations. Just pressing a button to talk to a group of employees is simple and efficient. Problems occur when a manager wishes to talk to one employee. A standard feature in DMR digital radios called Private Call solves this issue. How Private call works Private Call allows a radio user to place a call to just one user without changing the channel. This feature is essential Read More
June 4, 2020
COVID-19 back to work recommendations require the constant cleaning of workspace, tools and at least 6 feet of separation between employees. These measures create a larger work area where employees will need to communicate in. As face-to-face communication will not be encouraged for some time, the use of cell phones or two-way radios will be helpful in reducing this limitation. For those companies that have figured out that two-way radios offer the most effective solution, we would like to offer Read More
March 18, 2020
To Our Valued Customers: With the COVID-19 outbreak all around us, we understand that may companies are striving to find a new normal during this tumultuous time. Metrotalk is committed to the needs of our customers and as of now we will remain open. We are following the CDC Guidelines very closely and will continue to do so in the event of a mandatory shut down. We are committed to the safety of our employees and customers and have reinforced Read More
February 24, 2020
We’ve all been through this scenario: “I’m not getting through to my team.” “I’m only able to talk to one person.” “My radio won’t turn on.” When these problems happen, our first instinct tends to be to blame the radio itself. When equipment does not appear to be working at the level it needs to be, it can cause major headaches for us and our teams. After all, communication is key in the business world. While Read More
April 6, 2018
“How far do the two-way radios reach?” or “what is the range?” have become common asked questions by people interested in renting our walkie talkies. Unfortunately, there is no straight answer to them. Other factors besides the power and the range of the radios will affect the final coverage. Things to Consider How can you know whether the two-way radio equipment you are renting will give you the coverage you need or not? First you need to know where the Read More
September 29, 2016
Before you purchase any two-way radio, DO NOT TRUST THE ADVERTISING, but rely on an on-site test. Years of experience has shown that when a manufacturer claims 10,000 square feet of coverage or a 32-mile range, the very small fine print must be read or frustration will set in. In the two-way radio industry, coverage area and ranges are based on some very special criteria. The 10,000 square feet claim is nothing but a 100 feet x 100 feet structure Read More
September 22, 2021
Protect your two-way radio communications from unwanted listeners. DMR commercial digital radios offer a feature called Encryption that prevents others from listening to your conversations. There are two types of encryption: Basic and Advanced. Radio manufactures usually offer the basic version as a free option. For the advanced version, they require a fee. The DMR encryption is a programmable feature. All radios that need to communicate with each other have to be programmed with the same encryption information. Not all Read More
June 26, 2020
If you recently bought two-way radios with any of the following DIGITAL standards listed on the box: P25, DMR, IDAS or NXDN, the radios are DIGITAL. If it does not list any of the noted DIGITAL standards, then the two-way radios are ANALOG only. Why is this important? Well, many two-way radios prominently list a technical filtering feature by the common marketing name of DCG (Digital Channel Guard) or DPL (Digital Private Line) with DPL being the most widely used. Read More
March 24, 2020
With the COVID-19 Pandemic all around us, hospitals and essential personnel have been over-loaded with patients and concerned citizens. The fact of the matter is that individual efforts can influence the spread of the virus. Washing your hands, keeping a six-foot space between people, social distancing; everything helps. Even your communication methods can make a difference. Below are some tips on how to disinfect your two-way radio. They were provided by L3Harris, but Simoco, and Motorola have also issued their Read More
August 18, 2017
It’s quite easy nowadays to search for, and buy, almost any two-way radio product online (portables, mobiles, repeaters, duplexers). There are plenty of products to choose from and from many different manufactures: Hytera, Motorola, Icom, Kenwood, Harris, Vertex Standard, etc. Prices will normally be cheaper compared to what a local two-way radio dealer will offer. This is due to the fact that those web companies usually don’t have to worry about the cost of visiting your job site when things Read More
July 28, 2017
With everyone looking down at their smartphones these days, it can feel like they killed the two-way radio business. In fact, some people may be wondering if there is a better way to communicate than a cellphone. We’re here to tell you that two-way radios are still a reliable solution for those that require clear communication. A LOT of industries benefit from two-way radios Event planners, construction workers, universities, first responders, property managers and more still use two-way radios to Read More
July 19, 2017
Managing a campus isn’t an easy job. It doesn’t matter whether it is a small middle school or a large university, two-way radios will be necessary to ensure that employees can keep up with daily tasks. Having a convenient way to stay organized and speak with one another whether the communication is taking place between two people or a group can make a huge difference in how each day functions. Here are a few reasons why every school system can Read More
June 26, 2017
A few summers ago, we wrote a post about the benefits of renting two-way radios during vacations. We thought we would update that post this year since smartphones have become almost vital for every aspect of our lives. But when it comes to instant communication, two-way radios remain the number one resource. Whether in the mountains, at the beach, or at an amusement park, you should consider using “walkie-talkies” to keep in contact with your group members. Two-way radios allow Read More
May 12, 2017
For Part 3 of our two-way radio surveillance kit discussion, we will now turn our attention to the different “over the ear” options available for all 1,2, and 3 wire surveillance kits. These over the ear options are available when the clear tube (secret service) ear piece is not needed or when the ear piece will be used by multiple users since they are easy to clean. The styles pictured below offer the user the best over the ear option Read More
April 13, 2017
There are many ear tip options for 1, 2, and 3 wire surveillance kits. Here we provide details on the most popular ear tips. Clear tube surveillance kit The clear tube surveillance kit, also known as the secret service style kit, is one of the most requested by two-way radio users. This type of ear piece consists of 4 replaceable parts: a twist off clear tube, an elbow, a quick disconnect adapter, and an ear tip. The most common ear Read More
March 23, 2017
Based on how the microphone and earpiece connect to the walkie talkie connector, users can select between a 1-wire, a 2-wire, or a 3-wire surveillance kit. When the two-way radio accessory has one wire leaving the radio connector and if the ear piece portion is connected to the microphone in any way, matter, or form then you have a 1-wire accessory. On a 2-wire, the ear piece portion and the microphone portion of the radio accessory each have their own Read More
February 23, 2017
When an emergency occurs, your reaction time is crucial to reducing the amount of damage that is done. First-responders know that you can’t always rely on communication devices like cell phones because towers can be compromised in a storm and phone lines can become heavily weighed with traffic during disasters. Depending on the type of emergency you’re facing, you should never count on the internet as a primary source of relaying information because it can go down as well. Read More
January 30, 2017
Two-way radios are an investment in seamless communication that benefits a multitude of industries from event planning to construction. But, they are only going to be as effective as the people using them. When you want to make the most of the two-way radios for your business and improve the way your employees communicate, here are a few helpful tips. Speak with clarity and directness In order to speak with clarity, you should already know what you want to express Read More
December 30, 2016
Doing research on two-way radios will give you a lot of product information, but it just isn’t the same as hearing about a real life experience. Here we look at three different instances when professionals invested in two-way radios, the goals they hoped to achieve, and their level of satisfaction to help you learn more about what features are right for you. A two-way radio solution for Carroll County, TN emergency services Carroll County emergency services had been using a Read More
November 21, 2016
Two-way radios have been used for decades, and over the years they have advanced and become one of the most efficient forms of communication for multiple industries. Unlike many other forms of communication for the workplace, they do not require a monthly service fee to operate. If you’ve ever considered utilizing two-way radios for your business, it will help to learn why others find them to be a valuable part of their daily production. Here we check out five of Read More
August 12, 2016
When you’re a guest at an event like a wedding, a retirement party, or local concert series, you may not notice how seamlessly each transition of the occasion is – and that’s a good thing! That means that the event your attending is utilizing a two-way radio to communicate. Without them, quality event planning couldn’t exist because there would be mishaps and confusion throughout the duration of the activities. Here’s why two-way radios aren’t an option when you have a Read More
July 22, 2014
Most people consider going on vacation as a time to relax and enjoy the free time. Many use radios at work and may not think of using them while on vacation. You use them at work because it the most efficient way of reaching a co worker when you know he/she is on the premises. You know that radios can cover vast distances and do not need towers or other infrastructure to work. They do have limitations of range when Read More
June 16, 2014
What do restaurants, retail stores, super markets, Car dealerships, offices and schools have in common? They all need compact /clear communications to get things done. Two way radios are used to keep the location safe and clean. They allow for the best use of the employees’ time while keeping customers happy. Until now options were few if any. The options were high power, large, costly two way radios or cigarette lighter sized things called Two way radios that offer up Read More
May 23, 2014
Hytera a world wide provider of commercial two way radios offering solutions in the Analog, DMR Digital and TETRA Digital standards has just been awarded its own GSA schedule. GSA Schedule number GS-35F-095BA. Now Federal, State and Local government agencies have an easy pathway to purchasing the HYTERA products available on GSA schedule with minimal effort and at an agreed fix price. This fixed price allows small town governments and state agencies the ability to use the buying power of Read More
May 16, 2014
Through our years of experience renting two way radios, we have worked with many companies that organize events on behalf of not for profit organizations. Throughout those times, we have realized that there is not a clear understanding of when those not for profit organizations are exempt from paying sales and use taxes for the purchase of tangible property and services. The fact that the organization has qualified with the IRS to be exempt from federal taxes doesn’t automatically makes Read More
April 18, 2014
In today’s world, there are many two way radio manufacturers. Some are well known. The Motorola, Vertex Standard, Icom, Kenwood, Bendix King brand names have been around for many years. Some well over 80 years. Some have come into being a few years ago. Hytera was founded in 1993 (Hytera.us). Some have been around since 1895 (Harris.com) yet not very well known. This constant growth and consolidation requires the end user to sometimes look for vendors that support their product. Read More
April 18, 2014
We deliver and pick up locally within the Washington DC Metro, Northern Virginia and Baltimore area. For those located in other states, we ship UPS or FedEx. To make things easier we include a shipping return label in the same box as the radios. This return label is to be used to send the equipment back to us when the rental period is over. We only rent Vertex VX-354, the most powerful two way radio in the market (5 Watts Read More
February 19, 2014
In previous posts we talked about the importance of knowing how old the battery in your two-way radio is. We also learn how to find the age of the battery. Now it’s time to know what to do with the old battery once it has been replaced. Simply dispose it in a safe manner: Recycle it! We are a recycling collection site of rechargeable batteries and cellphones for Call2Recycle. Send us or drop off your old two-way radio batteries and Read More
February 15, 2014
For those of you thinking about implementing or upgrading your P25 system, Tait Communications has launched a new web site called P25 Best Practice. There you will find four guides on First Steps, Specifying, Procuring and Implementing a P25 system from a group of 30 accredited experts on the field. To read more just go to P25bestpractice.com Or if you prefer, just contact us and tell us about your P25 needs. We are an authorized dealer for Tait Communications products Read More
February 15, 2014
Confused with all the P25 terminology? Not sure what they mean? Tait Communications has built a glossary of P25 related terms. You can check them at blog.taitradio.com in alphabetical order. Or you can also contact us to let us know about your P25 project. We will provide you with a white paper from Tait with all the terminology.
February 15, 2014
Now that the importance of the battery and how long they last is available for reading. How can the age of a battery be determined? There are a few methods to identifying the age of a battery. Some of the common methods used by the different two-way radio battery manufacturers/providers will be explained. This will help in knowing the age of the battery found on the user’s radio. Every battery manufacturer, provider, or reseller provides a method of identifying when Read More
January 31, 2014
Two way radios are complicated pieces of technology. Just like smart phones, home phones and many other portable devices. The technology integrated into those items was ‘the stuff dreams were made of” just a few years ago. Still, the one thing that makes the items listed above work and other items such as cars, boats and airplanes is just now beginning to receive some much needed attention. The Battery….. The poor lonely battery. It is the item that attaches on Read More
January 17, 2014
Beginning January 1st 2013 Narrow banding is the law of the land. Radio Band Width refers to the amount of frequency width the radio is allowed to transmit on. On January 1st it changed from 25Khz to 12.5 Khz. What does this mean? For the two way radio manufacturers, it means that they are not allowed to sell any two way radio which will only work in WIDE BAND mode for US use. Most, if not all, manufacturers have also Read More
January 17, 2014
P25 is the digital standard for public safety grade two-way radios. Offering very high levels of encryption, trunking formats, GPS and over the air programming combined in an industry wide accepted format. This format guarantees that, if the two-way radio is P25 standard, it will work with other P25 standard two-way radios even from different manufacturers. This allows Police, Fire and other public safety departments to be able to communicate with each other during an emergency, yet maintain their private Read More
January 16, 2014
1) Make sure the outlet you will be using to plug in the repeater has power. 2) Screw included antennas according to the color connectors on the back of the repeater. Red antenna to red connector and green antenna to green connector. 3) Place antennas as far apart as possible. Red antenna (Transmit) can be placed on any surface. 4) Antennas should be placed away from people, should never be touched while repeater is in use and should not touch Read More
January 15, 2014
1) Before installing the accessory (headset, surveillance kit, speaker microphone) make sure the radio is OFF. If you attempt to install the accessory with the radio ON, the radio will constantly transmit blocking the channel. 2) Install the accessory with the cable going up the side of the radio. 3) Push the connector fully into the side of the radio, making sure there are no gaps between the connector and the side of the radio. If the accessory is loose, Read More