A time to reflect upon your security operations
Two-way radios for security
The current threat level for international terrorism in the UK is severe, so it’s of paramount importance for companies and businesses to ensure their communications setup is ready in the event of a crisis situation – vital to maintaining security. Professional digital two-way radios can form a essential component of this infrastructure.
Continued technological advances and response to ‘voice of the customer’ feedback from the security industry means that today’s digital two-way radios offer far more features than legacy analogue walkie-talkies have ever done.
Often built to to exacting military standards of ruggedness and durability, digital two-way radios can include Bluetooth connectivity, GPS location, accelerometers (for mandown), advanced noise cancellation (ideal for high noise environments) and encryption for enhanced security and a range of professional accessories (overt, covert and surveillance) specifically designed for the current and future world of the security sector.
Integrated RFID readers on two-way radios for security
Some products today come with integrated RFID readers to enable security personnel to track their movements to key points. RFID QR codes can be placed on machinery, office equipment and other assets to enable security guards to time stamp their guard tour and record when and where they have patrolled.
Mapping software applications show control room and management teams where guards have patrolled as well as instantly directing emergency response teams to an exact location in times of distress. Reports can be generated to prove beyond doubt where a guard had toured – all delivered in one single rugged device.
The advance in digital two-way radio technology is being adopted into mainstream lightweight mobile devices. For example, end-to-end encryption has been developed primarily for security. This ensures unlawful listeners can no longer monitor communications, enabling security managers to keep ahead of potential adversaries.
The latest digital two-way radios also contain advanced audio codec to monitor the input voice and surrounding noise level and apply an algorithm to automatically decrease any external ambient background noise. This along with forward error correction ensures that the clearest intelligible speech is heard at times of mission critical operations.
Additional features on two way radios for security
Many digital radios have the added advantage of high resolution colour screens and ruggedised keypads. These can enable security guards and other users to receive and respond to alarms (from third-party systems), emergency alerts and radio-to-radio text messaging. Access control systems can be updated to send alarm messages to either individual or entire fleets of radio users – instantly. Within milliseconds of an alarm being triggered by a fire panel, CCTV system, Geofencing application or security monitoring system, an available digital two-way radio will instantly go into a state of audible alarm and display the alarm messages on the radio display.
An often compromised part of a communications system is the infrastructure. Consider the 4 C’s: Coverage, Capacity, Cost and Control. It is essential to invest in these, in order to provide the required level of performance, system availability, capacity and resilience. It’s worth noting that high quality systems often feature designed in redundancy and extensive battery back-up.
To fully realise a system’s capabilities, it is highly recommended that you work with a manufacturer-accredited company and one that can also demonstrate relevant experience. This will help to guarantee a level of expertise and that the correct design choices are made when building this powerful communications infrastructure. Together with a well-designed antenna system, this infrastructure can provide a highly resilient resource that can be depended upon in almost any situation that may occur, particularly relevant in these times. When all other communication networks are down, the one which you own is the one you have control over.
NickParis
Roadphone NRB
