UHF Business Band 2-Way Radios and Earpieces for Almost Any Industry.

Choosing the Right Radios for Your Hotel

The Right Two-Way Radios Will Make You Money, Not Cost You Money
If you've read our article "Using Two-Way Radios In a Hotel Environment" then you are already familiar with how two-way radios can drastically improve everyday operations and increase sales by improving efficiency. The fact that you are reading this article says that you are savvy to a need that your business has and you want to find a solution that works for your hotel. This article is going to guide you through a few details in regards to choosing radios that are going to be conducive to both your budget and the improvement of your workflow, ultimately costing you nothing as they pay for themselves with a return on efficiency/profit. The right two way radios have been proven to pay for themselves in a matter of weeks. But, before making a purchase and diving in head first these are the points that you may want to consider, today we're going to share everything you need to know prior to committing to specific equipment.

UHF Walkie Talkies are Better Indoors

VHF stands for "Very High Frequency" and UHF stands for "Ultra High Frequency". The frequency range of VHF is generally 30MHz (megahertz) to 300MHz, while UHF is usually somewhere between 400-500MHz. This means that the peaks and valleys in the frequency wave are more spaced out on VHF, and are closer together on UHF. What does this mean for the end-user? VHF is more suited for outdoor use, because the lower and wider frequency range can travel further. The disadvantage to this wave is that it cannot penetrate solid objects as well as a higher frequency, not to mention on most VHF radios the band is narrower, not allowing as many frequency choices which can result in different radio communications stepping on each other.

On the other hand, UHF has less range but also has both better penetration and more frequency options. This means it is more likely to work inside buildings made of concrete and steel while being less likely to be interfered with by other radio networks in the area, both because of it's more limited range and the myriad choices of frequency. For most stationary or enclosed businesses UHF always makes the most sense, where VHF is more suited to something like farming or long-haul trucking.

All current Black Diamond Radio models are UHF units.

Consumer Radios Will Cost a Business Money Rather Than Save

You've probably been to a department store and seen some "cheapie" two-way radios for camping or hunting in the sporting goods section, or even cheaper radios for kids in the toy department. These are generally "FRS" radios, an acronym for "family radio service". The FCC has set aside a specific grouping of UHF frequencies just for these radios to use. The result is that anyone can buy these radios and use them, anyone can access these frequencies. The reason this is important is because these are frequencies that are more likely to be stepped on by radios outside of your network due to the wide availability of such radios. Additionally, many of these consumer grade radios only contain a handful of channels, so not only are the channels easy to interfere with because of frequency, but you have less choices when interference does rear it's ugly head. Many business owners make the mistake of choosing these types of radios because they're inexpensive, only to discover later down the line that they are simply not suited for a business environment and ultimately choose to procure proper equipment while taking a loss on their original purchase.

Industrial radios in the UHF band do not use FRS frequencies. They will be programmed with "business" frequencies. These are frequencies that are far less likely to be interfered with by groups of kids or families having outings. Another thing to consider is that industrial radios normally have 16 or more channels available. If, for some reason, there is interference on a channel an industrial radio will give you 15 or more alternative frequencies to choose from. Not to mention, unlike an FRS radio, an industrial radio dealer can reprogram the frequencies in their radios. In the event that it becomes apparent there are "problem frequencies" in your area you can have your dealer reprogram your radios to a different frequency set to get away from those that are causing issues.

At Black Diamond Radio we only carry industrial radios, we do not stock FRS units.

Avoid Paying Programming Fees

Since we're on the subject, an important detail to look out for is programming fees. Some dealers will charge a programming/reprogramming fee. This means they tack an additional charge on to your bill when making your initial purchase, when adding any radios later down the road, and may even charge you again later if you need to switch to different frequencies for any reason. While this is common in the industry, it is not absolute and not every dealer does this. Some dealers are happy to offer programming and reprogramming at no additional cost to their customers and it obviously benefits your hotel to seek out a company that will not charge additional fees to keep your radio network clear and reliable.

It's also worth mentioning that some companies will "hold your program hostage", meaning that if you need to know what those frequencies are later on so that you can have a different dealer program different radios to talk to them they don't have to share that information, making it difficult for the new dealer to make them work with your current setup. Some dealers may even request that you once again pay a fee and they will release those frequencies to you. Always buy from dealers who program your radios for free and readily share with you what frequencies your radios use.

You will never pay a programming fee with Black Diamond Radio. We readily reprogram your radios to your satisfaction, and if you switch to a new provider, your frequencies are yours at no additional cost.

Coverage and Wattage are Important

We mentioned before that VHF has broader coverage but less penetration, while UHF has better penetration but less range. What should also be mentioned in regards to range is the power output of the handheld device. Since these devices are small enough to carry around you can only pack so much power into such a small form factor. Handheld radios usually carry anywhere from 1 watt to 5 watts. Intuitively, the more power the radio has at it's command the further the range is going to be between devices.

Most hotels are large enough to warrant 5 watts, and some hotels are big enough that this won't quite do the job. In these cases we recommend a radio repeater. A repeater is a device that can pick up a radio signal and boost that signal to a much larger degree, like say, 40 watts. It would be installed in a central location in the hotel with a qualifying antenna strategically placed. This can drastically increase the range of the network and also eliminate holes in areas where penetration is a bit more difficult, like say, the deepest corner of a parking garage or underground boiler room. Not every hotel will need a repeater, but adding one of these to a network can profoundly boost the reliability, quality, and range of your signal.

Both 5 Watt radios and 50 Watt repeaters are available from Black Diamond Radio. We also provide a site survey and repeater installation packages.

Analog vs. Digital

In this day and age technology has taken leaps and bounds when it comes to communication, but even in the new millennium analog technology is still reliable and very useable in the two-way radio industry. You can still get quality range and audio from an analog radio and most industrial walkies even include 16 or more channels.

However, with the advances in technology you'll find that digital radios have many features that analog will never be able to provide. Digital radios still use the same radio waves to transmit and receive messages, but like a cell phone they transmit 1's and 0's instead of actual audio. This means that what radio 2 receives from radio 1 is exactly what radio 1 sent, where with an analog radio the signal can pick up interference along the way causing unexpected noise and loss of clarity. What's more, digital functionality comes with digital features. Now you can program each radio with it's own number and they can use "handshakes" to communicate, informing other radios of what number radio they are. This means you can do very complex things, like for instance private calling. In this scenario you can call a specific radio without other radios on the network picking up the transmission, and the recipient can respond within a 3 or 5 second window to keep the response private as well. Another thing assigning a number to a radio gives you access to is group calling. Different radios can be in different groups. Or, each department can be on it's own channel, separate from each other, but there is an "all call" channel that allows a user to address everyone in the network, regardless of their current channel.

Black Diamond Radio currently carries both analog and digital radios.

You Need a Battery That Lasts an Entire Shift

With the introduction of smartphones and electric cars we all know how big a deal rechargeable batteries are, especially because we deal with them every day and have to charge all of our devices. Two-Way radios are no different. A handheld mobile device is going to require a battery to function. The most in-use rechargeable batteries on the market currently are Lithium Ion (Li-ion) batteries, known for their long life and durability. A good Li-ion battery will last for many hours, and when talking about two-way radios for a workplace 8 hours is the minimum that a user is going to need. A good radio with a proper battery should easily make it through a shift, even with somewhat heavy usage.

Getting radios with Li-ion batteries is a good start, but the other important factor is the milliamp hours (mAH). On any good Li-ion battery you will see the mAH rating on the label of the battery, and radios are no exception. We recommend a minimum of 2000 mAH. This measurement is closely related to how long the battery will be able to provide the required voltage to the radio before it needs to be recharged. At 2300 mAH on a 5 watt radio you should be able to make through an entire shift (and then some) before putting the unit back in the charging base.

At Black Diamond Radio the effectiveness of instant communication in your business is our number one priority; all of our radios are designed to make it through a shift with a fresh battery.

Earpieces Prevent Disturbance, Promote Privacy

In a business keeping your guests happy is paramount and employees making noise with two-way radios may not be conducive to that in your hotel. Not to mention, some communications aren't meant for customers ears. A proper communication system uses earpieces that plug into the radios. The earpiece should have a microphone, an in-ear speaker, and a push to talk button. This is advantageous in multiple ways. First, guests can't hear what's being transmitted, it's limited to the recipient. This makes it both private, and less of a disturbance to a guest. Secondly, it makes the user's day easier. The user no longer needs to hold the radio in their hand to talk, they can simply press the earpiece button clipped to their collar or shirt and speak. Furthermore, since the received communication is piped directly to the ear, it's much harder to miss what's being said due to surrounding noise or the radio being on a belt clip pointed away from the user. Some earpieces don't even necessarily require a free hand, but have a larger button clipped to the collar or shirt where it can be pressed with the inside of a wrist by a user with full hands in many situations.

The most comfortable and in-use option today is the acoustic coiled tube. We've all seen them in the movies on Secret Service agents, a clear spiraling tube that comes out of the back of a shirt and into the user's ear. The coil in the tube keeps it taut, preventing it from sticking out with too much slack, but also stretches when the user moves their head. They are a tried and true design and have been used for decades. These generally use standard "earbud" style silicone tips, which are easy to pop off and swap. This eartip can also be replaced by a custom or semi-custom eartip that is more secure and more comfortable.

Another popular style is the "earhook". An earhook is a plastic hook that loops over the ear and sets a speaker with a foam cover just outside the ear canal. Users who have aversions to putting earbuds and such in their ears will prefer this style. You cannot change the eartip, but there is no reason to since it does not enter the ear canal. Foam covers can be changed, however, if more than one person is using the unit.

Both coiled tubes and earhooks are available from Black Diamond Radio. We also carry semi-custom earmolds that keep the earpiece securely in the ear, as well as leave the ear canal open to hear the surrounding environment in addition to the radio.

Your Warranty Should Be Hassle-Free and Cover Damage

Arguably, the most important factor that is overlooked when purchasing communications systems for business usage is the warranty. This is the part of the purchase that can make or break the effectiveness of a two-way radio system, speaking in terms of finance. The right warranty will guarantee that you never spend more than the value the radios are providing to your business. Some dealers don't offer a warranty at all, or a very limited warranty. This means that if a maintenance person accidently drops a radio off a 3rd floor balcony your business is going to pick up the tab to repair or replace the unit, which can get costly when you have a building full of employees carrying handheld two-way communication devices. This goes for all parts of the radio, too, like the antenna, or the battery, even the charger. Many dealers or manufacturers will offer the "standard" electronics warranty, generally this is 1 year covering defects in workmanship. If the unit fails due to a defective part or a poorly soldered connection then the manufacturer will be responsible to replace or repair the unit for you. This is where it can get really fun, because now you have to figure out who you're calling and how to facilitate a warranty replacement, ship the radio back, wait for a verdict on repair or replace, and then wait for a possible repair and the shipping time... so what you save in money gets wasted in time. Some companies provide better warranties, some are worse. Some companies answer the phone when you call, some have a machine doing the call sorting.

The only warranty we know of that provides coverage for accidents, no questions asked, and is expedited without robots answering the phone is the warranty provided by Black Diamond Radio. Our policy is "If You Can Break It We Will Replace It." We don't care why the radio isn't working, ANY failure is covered for 2 years. Dropped in water, left outside in the rain, a dog chewed it up (this has happened), a forklift ran it over... it fell off of a 3rd story balcony. All of these things are covered for 2 years. This is incredibly important to your business because it is going to prevent you from paying for too many replacements. That means that on the back-end your budget wins the game because you are guaranteed to make your expenditure back in efficiency and impressions on guests, which ultimately equates to profit. The other big advantage to our warranty is that our office is in the United States, and we have time to get to your broken radio right now. Someone is waiting to answer a phone and and print a return label for your broken radio right now. We will provide your return shipping label, we will pay to ship it back to you, we will get to your repair or replacement the same day it shows up in our mailbox. You don't pay a dime for the repair or replacement, and we make sure your equipment is back to you as quickly as it was sent to us. Remember, this is not an "extended warranty", it is included with every radio you purchase from us. Coverage for 2 years, defects and accidents, at no additional cost to your business! We provide this same warranty for 1 year on all of our earpieces. They are built tough, but in the event one stops working we simply replace it, whether it just stopped working or it got caught in the door of a shuttle bus.

Thank You!
Black Diamond Radio thanks you for visiting our site and we hope that this information has been beneficial to your decision making process. Please give us a call anytime, whether you just need some advice or you would like to make a purchase someone is waiting by the phone to answer any and all radio communications questions that you may have!