The military walkie talkie has seen significant advancements since it was first introduced. Contemporary models are lighter, have a longer battery life and have become more affordable than they previously were. When choosing a military walkie talkie, there are essentially five factors to keep in mind, including the number of channels, whether it's VHF or UHF, power, durability, and price. Comparing these different aspects will help one to choose the ideal walkie talkie to best fit his needs.
A military walkie talkie can be equipped with just one channel or be multi-channel. Having a multi-channel product is typically the best option, because one can avoid static and other interruptions by changing channels. Even when only communicating one-on-one, dealing with only one channel is often inefficient, because communication can become limited because of interference.
Choosing between a VHF and UHF military walkie talkie will be determined primarily by whether it's for outdoor or indoor use. VHF products are best suited for outdoor use in wide open spaces, but they are ill equipped for indoor use. UHF products work the opposite way and are best suited for indoor use or in urban environments. This is because VHF waves travel significantly farther than UHF but are poor at penetrating walls and buildings. UHF waves travel roughly half the distance of VHF but are capable of penetrating most barriers.
The power of a walkie talkie system is another important factor to consider. There are 1-watt walkie talkies that are ideal when communicating within a 1-mile (1.6-kilometers) range. A 2-watt system is slightly more powerful and works for up to 2 miles (3.2 kilometers). The most powerful system is a 5-watt, which is designed for long-range use and works in almost all circumstances.
Durability is another aspect to keep in mind. If one plans to use a military walkie talkie primarily indoors, then a normal product should suffice. If one plans to use his walkie talkie primarily outdoors, then a ruggedized product is ideal. Ruggedized products are usually able to handle environmental factors such as extreme temperature and the elements that normal walkie talkies simply cannot handle.
Walkie talkies will vary considerably in price, and it's usually to one's benefit to shop around. Choosing the ideal product can usually be done by shopping at three or four places before actually committing to a purchase. Some places to consider looking are military supply stores and online. Contrasting and comparing the features and prices of several products will usually guarantee the optimum military walkie talkie at the best price.
By Nick Mann