To communicate safely and efficiently, portable radio accessories can be just as important as the actual radio itself. Optimizing audio performance and usability with accessories means calls can be heard first-time and hands kept free, which can make all the difference in high-risk environments.
This blog is part of a series focusing on the key factors you should consider when selecting a portable radio – you can find more posts here.
Using a high-quality radio is pointless if the microphone, speaker, battery or carry option isn’t the right fit for your role and environment. Portable radio accessories can greatly enhance the usability and functionality of your radios to make communications much more effective, and ensure you have the right tools for the job.
In this blog, we’ll touch on some accessories that can improve the performance and usability of your portable radio..
Power Options
Even the best radios in the world are useless without a battery that lasts through a shift, or a way of charging them so you can stay connected at all times. This doesn’t mean that higher capacity is always better, though: it can make the radio bulkier and heavier than necessary, which makes it harder to use out in the field.
When choosing a radio make sure it’s energy efficient, battery life can last your shift, and you have a way of recharging batteries while on the go.
Carry Options
In stressful or challenging environments, you don’t want to worry about radio attachment. For optimal comfort and accessibility, choose a carry accessory that makes the radio easy to wear, access and release, and protects your radio so it stays in good working order.
Audio Accessories
When you need to clearly hear an incoming call, one option is to just turn up the volume on your radio – but this is not always practical. Different situations and environments call for different accessories:
- Noise-cancelling accessories such as mics or headsets can help you hear and be heard better in noisy environments, if your radio does not have this feature built in
- Remote Speaker Mics are light-weight and can be worn in a more accessible spot, giving you greater freedom of movement
- Earpieces can keep calls more discreet if you need more privacy
- Covert accessories such as finger-worn Push-To-Talk buttons allow you to keep your communications hidden
Wireless or Bluetooth® Accessories
In certain situations, holding a portable radio to communicate just doesn’t make sense. If your line of work calls for hands-free, wireless communication options, look for a radio that has Bluetooth® connectivity. Bluetooth® accessories can then be wirelessly connected to radios, so you can communicate with your team whilst keeping your hands free and eyes on the job at hand.
Intrinsically Safe (IS) Accessories
If non-IS accessories are used with IS radios, the radio system is not Intrinsically Safe, so only approved IS accessories can be used with IS portable radios. IS ratings must be ‘matched’, and the lowest approval level determines the overall IS radio system approval.
Make sure you review the IS ratings of any accessories and match them to your IS radio to ensure your IS radio system has the appropriate level of protection.
Tait Portable Radio Accessories
At Tait, we are passionate about quality products, and this guides the selection and development of the accessories we offer. We build and design our products to meet the exacting standards of critical communications, so you can be sure that your people have the right tools to do their job safely and efficiently in any situation.
Be it batteries, carry cases, mics, headsets or antennas for DMR, P25 or analog radio networks, Tait has the ideal accessory to optimize your critical communications experience. Tait also offers Intrinsically Safe (IS) accessories with limited electrical and thermal output for safe use in flammable environments.
Please note that only Tait approved IS accessories can be used with Tait IS portable radios.
Download our Free Guide to Learn More
If you want more information on portable radio accessories and other important factors to consider when choosing a portable radio, download our free Portable Radio Selection Guide.
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