Understanding Analog vs. Digital Two Way Radio Signals

Understanding the contrast between analog and digital signals can be tricky. It’s more difficult while decide which one is for you regarding a specific job or within a defined industry. We have revealed exactly what are the differences between the two technologies. Also, we are unpacking what are the advantages and disadvantages of analog and digital signals when it comes to two way radio air duct headphones.

With every other electronic technology, analog was the point of origin when two-way radios were introduced into the corporate world around the mid-1930s. If you look today, the primary type of wireless communication technology, analog is still in the business. However, large industries are moving towards more digital technologies that rely on two-way radio mechanisms.

How Analog Works

Analog and digital, both radios send signals through a radio channel via a carrier frequency wave, known as Very High Frequency (VHF) or Ultra High Frequency (UHF).

In analog radios, the signal is transmitted through frequency modulation (FM) that encodes a voice signal (within the carrier wave). These are “sinusoid” or continuous waves that carry a smooth oscillation.

With voice modulations, it alters the wave frequency. The receiving radio decodes or demodulates this frequency for the understandable creation of voice messages. In this way, analog technology produces an “analogy” or the actual representation of the voice. Therefore the term “analog” originates from.

Talking about two-way radios, one clear way to know how analog technology works is by the observation of degradation of the analog signal. Because here, the radio moves further away from the point of transmission.

A normal analog signal continuously deteriorates as it shifts toward its maximum range until only white noise is hearable. Digital, on the other hand, will immediately drop off once it reaches the furthest point of transmission.

How Digital Works

Digital technology is completely different from analog. Here, the information is translated into a binary format instead of voice signals encoding as a carrier frequency wave’s representations. In binary format, each bit represents two varying amplitudes.

In contrast to analog, digital signals do not transmit a continuous and smooth signal. Rather the signal will be exactly as it is sent through non-continuous block segments. Due to this technology, two-way digital radios provide better voice quality. Also, it will not fade away to white noise while reaching its maximum range; instead, the signal will drop off.

Future

While two-way analog radios have been here for years; they have exhausted all their possibilities regarding their features. Many two way earphone manufacturers are no longer making analog-only radios.

Digital two way radios are slowly taking over the radio communication industry as it offers different additional features along with better coverage.