In a message dated 4/15/05 2:37:59 PM Central Daylight Time,
editor@telecom-digest.org writes:
> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Chances are likely that the radio you
> refer to by its generic name 'walkie talkie' was actually a UHF radio
> operating in something other than the traditional citizen's band
> frequency. My clue is your reference to 'private company' and 'within
> the company itself'. Maybe like a radio a security service would use
> in its work. Those will typically have two or four 'channels' which
> is all they seem to need. I don't know why they don't have more channels
> in them; probably they don't need more, and more would make the unit
> too cumbersome. Any other ideas, anyone? PAT]
The General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) and Family Radio Service (FRS)
have many, many channels,some of them shared and interoperable
between the two services, and multiple identifying tones available on
each channel to mute the receiver unless its tones are received to
avoid having to listen to all the other transmissions on that channel.
There are also many business services, some for itinerant use, some
for fixed use, some designated for particular types of business, that
all serve as walkie talkies. Not only security people, but many store
people (stockers, managers, checkers, the cleaning and maintenance
staffs and many other store employees) use to communicate with each
other, usually with the receive volume turned up so high that all the
customers are annoyed as they shop.
Many people find it interesting to monitor all the walkie talkie
communications at athletic events, car races, parades, etc., as part
of their enjoyment of the sport.
Wes Leatherock
wesrock@aol.com
Wesrock@aol.com