Like a police officer’s handheld radio is able to transmit to another unit let’s say 10 miles away, and he’s able to do that with ease. How is this possible? How come handheld radios that we have access to can’t do that? I know this probably sounds dumb to most of ya’ll but
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AFAIK, there are 3 main kind of radios. Handheld (typical police radio), a mobile station (typical a radio hooked up in a car with a mini antenna) and a base station (the big station with big antennas) Each produce different varying amounts of powers, obviously the bigger the antenna the more powerful the signal.
But radio is actually measured via frequencies. The higher the frequency, the shorter the distance however can usually travel through and over objects such as buildings but just not as far. However, lower frequencies can travel much further but basically cannot go through anything. So typically lower frequencies are really only used by submarines and planes (additionally fun fact: there is a specific depth in the ocean and altitude in the sky that can let frequencies travel incredibly far. Which was usually the reason military subs chilled at this depth)
When higher frequencies face distance issues, they use repeaters, or Tangoes as they’re actually called. They basically record the message and resend it. Now, typically the police will have their own tangoes that is specifically used by their frequencies and can be illegal to listen or broadcast using these. I know this because a friend of mine taped an antenna to his garden trampoline and it interfered with emergency service radios. Awkward visit that.
But I’ve seen police recently use their squad cars as repeaters. Something to just give a bit more juice to their handheld radios.
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