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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The handheld radioshack style radios you are used to operate on rules defined by the FRS (Family Radio System) and GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service).
These are rules that allow manufacturers to produce low-cost general use radios for the public.
They are very under powered (usually 1/2 a watt) and the frequencies they can operate on are open so that anyone can use them without a license (in Canada, in the US I think you need to register them).
But the frequency bands they operate on are very congested and prone to interference from things like Microwaves.
The Police use Radio bands that are licensed and reserved specifically for them
The transmit power is much much higher giving them a clearer signal and much longer range.
They also have networks of repeaters and boosters all throughout the metro area so that they can get a clean signal wherever they are. Radio repeaters can act like cellphone towers where they can receive a radio signal and transmit it to dispatch over the internet.
Fleetnet radios used in industry like trucking, power companies, etc are very similar
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