What is a Handheld Two-Way Radio?

Handheld two-way radios are the walkie talkie type of radios you see people carrying around. They are also called portable radios. As ruled by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission), handheld radios may not have more than 5 watts of power.

These radios are available in all of the frequency bands: General Mobile Radio Service (GRMS), Family Radio System (FRS), Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS), Ultra-High Frequency (UHF), and Very-High Frequency (VHF). The MURS and FRS are unlicensed frequencies, but all the others require a license from the FCC to operate them.

The durability of handheld radios varies widely. Commercial grade radios are generally built to military specification standards so they meet levels for such criteria as vibration, rain, salt air, sand/dust, shock (dropping), humidity, temperature as well as other factors.

Features also vary widely. Family-type radios offer basic communication, while commercial radios have features that are designed specifically for business related communication. Commercial radios also have a variety of headset options specific for different job functions.