HTCBusiness.com Two Way Radios Article

Emergency and public safety organizations like police and fire departments, medical
teams and college campus security depend on commercial two way radios. Your business
can also turn to commercial two way radios in natural disasters and other emergencies.
Two way radios are an economical resource in emergency situations that can possible
save your business money!

Why Two Way Radios Are an Excellent Way to Maintain Communication & Keep Your
Business Operating During an Emergency.

1. Two way radios do not rely on cell towers like cell phones do. They operate radio to
radio independently from any other system. If the power to a cell tower goes out, or the
tower is knocked down, you lose cell phone service. Be prepared and use 2 way radios to
avoid overloaded cell phone systems in an emergency.

2. Two way radios do not rely on telephone lines. Phone systems can be knocked out just
like cell phone towers. If the power goes out to a phone system, or there is a line in the
system that is damaged, you lose phone service. Being prepared with 2 way radios will
overcome this potential communications issue.

3. If you apply the tips below and use commercial 2 way radios your team can maintain
radio communication around a fixed location or campus of buildings without electricity
for hours, even days, in an emergency.

So the question becomes: How can you charge your commercial two-way radio batteries
when there's no power to draw from?

How to Keep Your Two Way Radio Battery Up and Running During a Power Outage,
Crises or Emergency:

1. Be Prepared: Even if you do not use two way radios as part of your regular day to day
operation you should keep the batteries for your emergency radios charged and conduct
a radio check once a week. The weekly radio check will reinforce how to use the radios
and instill good radio habits. A weekly radio check will reveal if there are any equipment
or personnel issues. During an emergency having to train personnel will consume rather
than conserve battery power.

2. Have Spare Two Way Radio Battery Equipment Available & Handy. Many commercial
two way radio chargers have a slot for an additional battery. By keeping two batteries
charged you effectively double the useful life of radios in an emergency. Additionally
some commercial two way radios can be equipped with standard sized alkaline batteries.
These alkaline batteries have a long shelf life and can come in handy if the power
outage is lengthy.

PLEASE NOTE: Not all commercial two-way radios can take alkaline batteries. In fact,
most can't and only a few have a special "AA" battery holder that fits the radio. Nearly all
FRS radios or "Family Radio Service" radios do take alkaline batteries but they do not
provide a signal of significant strength and are not recommended for industrial or
business users.

3. Charge Your Two Way Radio Battery with Your Computer
If you have an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) battery backup for your computer, it can
keep your two way radio working during an emergency crisis or power outage as well.
Just plug it in, and you'll have enough power to re-charge your radio battery to last at
least a full day, and maybe even more.

We recently tested this process with a common computer battery back up/surge protector
unit with Output Power Capacity of 780 Watts / 1300 VA. We charged three full-powered
commercial two way radios with the batteries attached along with three extra batteries in
the backup slots of three charger cups.

Tip: Make sure to shut down your computer at the first sign of a power outage. It
increases the UPS power that you can draw on to charge your 2 way radio battery.

4. Charge Two Way Radio Batteries with your Car or Truck
If it's safe to go outside, you can recharge your two way radio battery in your car or truck
by using a re-charger that plugs into the vehicle's cigarette lighter. If the power outage
lasts a short while, this can provide enough juice to keep things going during the crisis.
But if it looks like the power is going to be out for several days then keep in mind that this
is also using your vehicle's fuel and battery.

Tip: Keep the car re-charger for your 2 way radio battery in your vehicle's emergency kit,
so it'll be there when you need it!

5. Use the Two Way Radio Solar Rechargeable Battery Option
You can use your two-way radio during a power outage emergency if you have a solar
rechargeable battery pack. Solar power is becoming increasingly popular as a source of
alternative energy. It doesn't even have to be a bright and sunny day for it to work
effectively. Solar power battery recharging kits can service your two way radio batteries.

Tip: Don't wait for an emergency to use your solar re-charger. You should conduct a
weekly radio and charger check to detect any problems and fix them before they become
problems during an emergency.
Article Source:
http://www.articlesbase.com/electronics-articles/two-way-radios-how-to-maintain-business
-communication-during-an-emergency-332783.html

About the Author:
Bill Richards, President of Fast Radios, is the leading source for information and
equipment in the commercial two way radio industry. Now you can get a free trial on
new two way radios, an extended Four-year warranty and an immediate shipping
guarantee. Plus, you can get all of your two way radio accessories, replacement
batteries, and charging systems @
http://www.fastradios.com/two-way-radio-batteries.html