Radios are an effective way for teams and commanders to communicate during airsoft games, but with a wide range of terrains being played on, which radios should your team choose?
It is essential to understand all the requirements before choosing a radio, such as will there be a lot of build up in the terrain you are playing in, will you be indoors or outdoors of a combination of the above? Will your radios need to be long range or used within a small team? What type of headset will you need? All of these considerations are important and should be figured out when deciding which radio to use.
One of the major factors determining a radio's effectiveness is the band. Personal radios can use one of three bands; and each band performs better or worse in different terrains.
Personal Mobile Radio or PMR and Family Radio Service or FRS are two of the most reasonably priced types of radios on the market. They tend to be more compact, have small antennas, lower power, and can operate on-- channels of the FM service. In addition, they are compatible with many types of microphones and headsets and do not need a license to operate.
However, as their signals are low powered and have small antennas, they often have difficulty penetrating forest and buildings and their effective range can be significantly shorter than quoted. In airsoft, FRS and PMR radios work well within a unit, but with their limited range they are not suitable for command.
Multi User Radio Service (MURS) radios are higher powered alternatives to FRS and PMR radios and use an FM service with five channels. As they can connect to external antennas and their signals are capable of bending over hills, they are a popular choice for hikers and climbers and do not require a license to use.
Of course, MURS radios are more costly than their lower power counterparts and do not support the wide range of headsets or mics. In addition, although they have stronger signals, their signals also do not penetrate buildings and forests and they are generally not a great choice to use in airsoft.
GMRS or General Mobile Radio Service radios are high performance personal radios that operate on very high power (up to fifty watts) and use up to sixteen duplex channels. They also utilize repeaters and are better at piercing buildings and dense forests.
However, this high performance does come with a hefty price tag. GMRS radios are expensive and often bulky and you must have a license to use them.
Therefore, which type should you buy? Budget will more than likely be a factor, so be sure to first narrow down the radios you can afford and then revisit your requirements. If you are purchasing radios for everyone on your team then your budget will probably be stricter and you should go with the FRS or PMR radios. However, if you are commanding a team or group of teams, you will probably want a GMRS radio in order to communicate efficiently.
As with anything, the final decision is your choice. Be sure to research and review your options ahead of time to avoid any issues later.
It is essential to understand all the requirements before choosing a radio, such as will there be a lot of build up in the terrain you are playing in, will you be indoors or outdoors of a combination of the above? Will your radios need to be long range or used within a small team? What type of headset will you need? All of these considerations are important and should be figured out when deciding which radio to use.
One of the major factors determining a radio's effectiveness is the band. Personal radios can use one of three bands; and each band performs better or worse in different terrains.
Personal Mobile Radio or PMR and Family Radio Service or FRS are two of the most reasonably priced types of radios on the market. They tend to be more compact, have small antennas, lower power, and can operate on-- channels of the FM service. In addition, they are compatible with many types of microphones and headsets and do not need a license to operate.
However, as their signals are low powered and have small antennas, they often have difficulty penetrating forest and buildings and their effective range can be significantly shorter than quoted. In airsoft, FRS and PMR radios work well within a unit, but with their limited range they are not suitable for command.
Multi User Radio Service (MURS) radios are higher powered alternatives to FRS and PMR radios and use an FM service with five channels. As they can connect to external antennas and their signals are capable of bending over hills, they are a popular choice for hikers and climbers and do not require a license to use.
Of course, MURS radios are more costly than their lower power counterparts and do not support the wide range of headsets or mics. In addition, although they have stronger signals, their signals also do not penetrate buildings and forests and they are generally not a great choice to use in airsoft.
GMRS or General Mobile Radio Service radios are high performance personal radios that operate on very high power (up to fifty watts) and use up to sixteen duplex channels. They also utilize repeaters and are better at piercing buildings and dense forests.
However, this high performance does come with a hefty price tag. GMRS radios are expensive and often bulky and you must have a license to use them.
Therefore, which type should you buy? Budget will more than likely be a factor, so be sure to first narrow down the radios you can afford and then revisit your requirements. If you are purchasing radios for everyone on your team then your budget will probably be stricter and you should go with the FRS or PMR radios. However, if you are commanding a team or group of teams, you will probably want a GMRS radio in order to communicate efficiently.
As with anything, the final decision is your choice. Be sure to research and review your options ahead of time to avoid any issues later.
About the Author:
Simplyairsoftguns is a blog providing detailed tutorials on airsoft guns and equipment. For more tutorials on the use of radios in close quarters games, visit airsoft electric guns.
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