There is nothing worse than sending out a 10-4 and hearing back nothing but radio silence or scratchy feedback. This can be caused by a large variety of things, or a combination of all. Common problems arising with UHF radios are interference by channels being over saturated with users, distance between your handheld and anyone else in the vicinity, and even simple and basically unnoticeable damages to an antenna which can be minuscule but cause plenty of grief while you’re trying to communicate with someone.

CB radios have been used for a very long time to allow people on the road or at jobsites to communicate with each other with relative ease, and without a charge per call. Providing you are on the matching channel with whom you’re aiming to communicate with, then it is easy as just holding down the talk button and spraying your sentence, then sitting tight to wait for their reply. Positive communications has become widely used for people undertaking tasks that need spotting, cars of trucks that need to overtake each other on the roads, or for people to ensure areas of a jobsite are safe when they enter them. The downfall of a radio is simple, and that is that you can’t tell if someone has received your broadcast or not, until they reply to themselves, providing you can both hear each other and there aren’t anything issues getting in the way of your conversation. So that is why ‘positive’ communication is widely used now, where you don’t make a move until you get verbal confirmation back from your responder, which can ensure the safety of you or others in a multitude of situations. Messages cannot be left like voicemails, and you do not get a notification if you have missed a broadcast, so if you haven’t heard someone speaking then you may have to ask them to repeat themselves again, or reach out yet again with a little radio check to ensure your hardware is working.

Handheld radios are a common use throughout Australia, and have many functions that they’ve been used for, but some also go for a hardwired unit in vehicles, which have a wired hand piece as a receiver and transceiver for you to talk through, these are a more permanent option and generally have stronger capabilities due to be wired to much stronger antennas and aerials on the outside of the vehicle most commonly. So, the cheaper and more compact version of handheld radios are used for their ease of storage and the fact that you can simply click it onto your shirt and off you go, still being able to reach the same radio channels, but potentially not having quite as much signal strength.

Some users that are more serious about their communication setups, or maybe have a farm or are part of a large job site, will have a base unit set up inside where they will hear all of the transmitted messages throughout the day. This can allow supervisors and those in charge to monitor communications and find out what is happening across different areas under their watch. As with hard wired units in vehicles, a base unit is generally set up with a much stronger antenna and may have better reach capabilities as opposed to other units with a small and independent antenna.

There are many brands to choose from when it comes to purchasing a radio, and someone stand out more than others, and have been around for a lot longer, thus proving their reliability and stature within the radio field. If you are looking for a decent UHF hand held radio to add to your camping set up, or even just to pop in your car so that you can hear what is happening around you on the roads, then be sure to check out the range of Oricom systems, with plenty of healthy options when it comes to keeping the money in your pocket safe. Something as simple as the below setup will be sure to keep you out of trouble and will be perfect to chat between mates as you navigate your way  through rocky and muddy terrain during a weekend 4×4 adventure, which means you’ll be able to have a mobile spotter letting you know of anything you may need to look out for, or if you’re getting too close to trees or rockfaces while giving your suspension some flex.

Oricom Handheld UHF CB Radio Twin Pack – UHF2190K is readily available at 4WD Supacentre and will save you time and money by not having to shop around to get the perfect package! Equipped with 2 x 2-Watt, 80 Channel handheld radios with built in extenders you’ll be able to chuck one at your mate and hit the road ensuring you’re in touch with them at every required opportunity. These handy packages come with batteries, charging stations and they each have their own handy built in LED light, so you’ll never be left in the dark during an adventure. Backed with a lengthy 3 years of warranty and available for an extremely low price, you’ll need to make sure this is top of your list before heading any where next. With a handy hands-free feature built in you’ll have comfort in knowing that even if you are using your hands to help get your mate out of a bog, then you will still be able to keep the lines of communication open and ensure the safety of you and others that are around you at the time, a perfect addition that you’ll find yourself using more often that you realise. Running 80 channels so that you can use simplex or duplex modes is another great addition meaning you’ll have extra range and signal capabilities beyond your expectations.

Bust into a local store and grab yourself a bargain and keep the ever-important communications happening to make your adventures more enjoyable or sustain the safety of your worksite allowing everyone to go home the way they came to work! A must have for many situations, 2-ways are the way to go!