Why are Digital Two-Way Radios Better than Analog?

police woman using digital two-way radio

As technology advances, Motorola Two way radios have moved from analog to digital. Some legislators are even mandating that no new two-way radios can be certified unless they have digital capability. So what makes digital better than analog?

Advantages of digital two-way radios:

police woman using digital two-way radio
  • Better voice quality
    • With analog, every sound that’s picked up the microphone is transmitted. Digital technology software instead focuses purely on your voice. This means voice quality on the other end is much clearer.
  • Better capacity

    • Digital radios are able to handle much more than analog. A digital radio is able to receive double the calls from every channel. Digital is so bandwidth-efficient that it can accommodate two completely separate “channels” into one.
  • Better coverage

    • Your voice stays strong and clear everywhere you receive coverage. Conversely, a voice on an analog radio would be garbled by static as it reaches the ends of your coverage. Digital radios also have a built-in error correction to eliminate static and make sure voice calls are heard clearly over a greater range.
  • Better battery life

    • With a digital two-way radio, you can communicate longer on a single charge. While both analog and digital radios consume about the same power in standby mode, once you start transmitting, digital radios are more efficient. Frequent and heavy users who depend on their radios to last the entire shift will appreciate digital technology software. Batteries last up to 40% longer when you use a digital radio.

X