heavy radio use… spring is here…

Many businesses are now in their busiest season, while others are gearing up for their Summer, 2-way radios are getting heavy use. Now is a good time to assess what you have. Check radios, batteries, chargers, etc.

Do you have radios that are in need of battery replacement or maintenance? A quick check of the battery and charging system can save many headaches done the road. You probably don’t need reminded, but something as simple as cleaning your battery contacts with a pencil eraser can improve your chargers’ efficiency.

Swapping a known-good battery into a troubled radio can let you know if you have a battery or charging problem. Another piece of advice is to check your battery date codes.  The life expectancy of a NiCd battery is 18-24 months, NiMH and Li-Ion are around 14-18 months. If you have good charging habits and treat your battery well, you may get up to 3 years. At the end of the battery’s life you will start to experience problems with the radio such as static, short business day, no or intermittent transmit. If you use an old battery long enough, it will eventually begin to harm the radio, resulting in a need for repair. Simply replacing an old battery would be nearly 1/2 the cost of a radio repair. Our advice… don’t ignore battery dates.

Chargers take their share of punishment. It is wise to assess your chargers when you are check your batteries. Look in the charger cup, do you see dirt and debris? If so, clean it out with a soft damp cloth, followed by gently cleaning the charge contacts with a pencil eraser. Check your wall transformer, they are known to burnout much a like a light bulb. When replacing charger transformers keep in mind they are not mix-n-match, you must use the appropriate transformer for the charging tray. Replacement chargers and individual components are usually available for most models. If in question, give us a call, 800-872-2627.

Ever think your radios’ range is getting poorer? Check your antenna. If you can see copper coils when you bend the antenna, or if the top cap is missing, you need to replace the antenna. Use the correct antenna for the radio. The original antenna which came with the radio was designed to work with the radio. Swapping antennas can cause range problems, or result in the need for repair. Some model radios have stubby antennas available, keep in mind these can reduce your range by up to 2/3s. If most of your work is nearby, they may be a good option. However, if you do a lot of work at the edge of your full range, stay away from stubby antennas.

In the event, none of these tips seem to allievate your radio issues, your radio may be in need of repair. You can find the current flat rate repair fees listed at our website www.eradiostore.com.

Happy Spring, hope you have a prosperous season. – cl

 

more tips on getting better range…

Here at the radio repair center we get many questions about range (distance). Typically a handheld business radio will do 2 miles line-of-sight or as far as the radio can see. Several factors interfere with range, including but not limited to: curvature of the Earth, obstacles, height and placement of antenna, position of the radio, and using the correct antenna for the radio.

Range tips:
1) Holding the radio upright with the antenna straight up gives you the best range. Tilting to the side, as if talking on the phone, will reduce the range by up to 2/3s. This will cause transmissions to drop out, or be very staticy. Just remember: Perpendicular to the ground is best!
2) The body fluid of the person wearing the radio can absorb part of the range.  If you’re a little bit round in the middle, your radio will not work as well as your pencil thin co-worker. You can compensate by wearing the radio higher your body. Maybe in a shirt pocket or with a chest pouch. (Height and placement of antenna determines range.)
3) Use a good quality fully charged battery. It takes more energy to transmit than to receive. Using a good battery will do wonders to clear up static, making your transmissions clear.
4) Use the appropriate antenna for your radio. While stubby (short) antennas may be available for your radio model, keep in mind these will significantly reduce range. If you are working in a close proximity, they may work wonderfully. However, if you are expecting to transmit a long distance, go back to the original standard length antenna.
5) Check your antenna for damage. If you can bend the antenna and see the coils or if the top cap is gone, it is time to replace the antenna. This may do wonders for your range.

Hope these tips help. Have a safe and wonderful Summer.
~cl

radio range…

Here at the radio repair center we occasionally get questions about the range of a 2-way radio. Below are some simple answers to basic two-way radio range questions:

Handheld radios generally will talk “radio-to-radio”, “line-of-sight” up to 2 miles. Once you start putting obstacles in between the radios you will shorten your range. Even the body fluid of the person wearing the radio on their hip will absorb some of the range. Higher wattage radios will have a slight increase in range and a significant increase in clarity of transmission on the outer fringes of your range.

Mobile radios, such as those mounted in vehicles, will generally talk “radio-to-radio” 8-10 miles depending upon the obstacles and the terrain.

Base stations will generally talk approx. 8-12 miles. (referencing a simple base station where you use a mobile radio, power supply and outside antenna, aka a control station.)Contrary to popular belief wattage does not determine distance. Antenna height and placement determines distance.

Increasing Range:
1) Hold your radio perpendicular to the ground, not slanted like you would hold a phone. This problem alone could decrease your range 30-50%.
2) Don’t shout CB-style, shouting reduces talk-range on industrial-type radios.
3) Be certain you are using a good, fully-charged battery.
4) Check your antenna. Any exposed copper coil or weather checks which expose the coil when bending are a sign your antenna needs replaced. Also, keep in mind, use of a stubby antenna will reduce your range. The best antenna for a radio is generally the standard antenna it came with.
5) And the guys in the shop will tell you… have your radios serviced every two years to maintain peak performance. 

Looking for even more range? You might be in the market for a repeater, or have need to connect with a local repeater or trunking system which is already in place. But first, try bringing your radios to optimum range by following the above tips.

~cl

here it is the holidays…

Lots of little tidbits we need to share with you as we end the year:
1) All Motorola radios are $20 off our already discounted price during December. (except VL50) It is likely your last chance to purchase additional wideband radios to match your existing radios, for those of you who haven’t made the switch. (FYI: For online orders, the discount will be subtracted from your final invoice included in your shipment.)
2) Time to get serious about making your radios match the FCC narrowband mandate. Your FCC license needs to be modified before Jan. 1, 2011, to allow you to transition to narrowband.
3) All replacement batteries are on sale $5 off during December with a paid radio repair, or a purchase of a new radio. No quantity limits.
4) The radio repair center is still running a fast 5-7 day turnaround on most units. If your business is slower this time of year, it would be a good time to send your radios needing repair or reprogramming in.
5) Narrowband reprogramming is available on many radios. $30 for the initial radio of a model type, and $6 ea. for those able to be cloned.

Hope you and your family have a safe and wonderful holiday season. Many blessings from your friends at Delmmar (aka eradiostore.com)
~cl

oktober happenings

It’s the time of year when leaves are changing, there seems to be a pumpkin vendor on every street corner and we spell Oktober with a K  just to be a little bit German for the month. Good things happening hear at Delmmar include: BATTERIES are $5 off with a paid radio repair or new radio purchase all the month of Oktober.  (No quantity limits. This includes all replacement radio batteries, both brand name and generic.)  Plus, we were able to hold the BPR40 8 channel radio pricing to $199 ea. Hurrah! And last but not least the radio repair center is doing a fast 3-5 day turnaround on most models. (If you’re needing to have a radio repaired, now is a great time to send it in. And you could save on spare batteries at the same time.)

~cl

battery sale

Annual battery sale – all the month of August.
Call us this week and we’ll let you in on the sale a week early!

We do this offer every year about this time, buying in bulk from Motorola to get everyone a better price. Hope we can help you save some $$$.

Need help figuring out your battery date code? Give us a call, we’ll show you how to read it.

~cl

erase the grime

What do erasers have to do with... 2-way radios?

You want to help keep your 2-way radio working problem free and out of the repair department? SIMPLE:  Clean your battery contacts, both on the radio and charger, with a pencil eraser. This will clean off the day-to-day grime and film, allowing your battery to make better contact with the radio and charger. (Refrain from using any alcohol or cleaners, which may cause a film to develop.) Try this simple tip, and enjoy a fully charged battery and possible added battery life.

Spring…

The repair center is a buzz with activity. Lots of people sending in their radios to get ready for Spring and Summer. We’re excited, the sun has been shining and it is supposed to be above 50º for a few days. The snow is melting. Customers have been especially cheerful when we tell them batteries are all $5 off with a paid repair. Spring makes you think… Life is Good!
~cl