What determines the range of FRS two way radios (walkie talkies) — apart from obstructions. Is it watts?
Other Radio Sites Online
This entry was posted
on Sunday, April 18th, 2010 at 7:43 pm and is filed under Info.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Output power does not in and of itself determine range. This is typically a myth. Nowadays, manufacturers tend to inflate their wattage figures and report power output BEFORE the antenna, rather than the actual Effective Radiated Power (ERP) that is actually emitted into the air.
The most important determining factor is the design of the antenna system. Manufacturers vary on their designs of antennas. A more efficient antenna will radiate RF energy more effectively. A poorly designed antenna will not. Many radios advertised as "5 watt" radios actually emit only a watt or so into the air. This is due to an inefficient, or poorly designed antenna.
the output power of the radio determines the distance, the output power is rated in watts. The rated range of one of these radios is measured on flat ground with absolutely no obstructions