7 Advantages of Rugged Radios

We consistently hear that having rugged radios is essential for mission critical users. In fact, a recent survey found that durability was the most valued feature for Tait customers:

Rugged Radios are important

Why are rugged radios so important to users? We believe there are several reasons:

1. Rugged radios survive the knocks and the drops

In the age of smartphones, most people know what it’s like to drop their phone. You get a sinking feeling in your stomach and hope that the screen wasn’t smashed, but more often than not, it’s trouble. If you have rugged radios, however, this won’t be an issue!

Frank Kiernan, Director of Emergency Communications for City of Meriden, CT, USA put it this way:

We needed rugged radios, any police officer knows that your radio gets knocked over all the time. It can fly off your belt when you are running in pursuit, it can fall off your desk and on the ground, incidents like that, happen all the time. Tait radios proved tough.”

If you have rugged radios, then you never have to worry about dropping or breaking an expensive piece of equipment.

2. Lower Total Cost of Ownership

It’s a fact of life that you get what you pay for. For instance, I once bought three cheap pairs of socks for less than $1. They barely survived a week. After that I bought a some that had a higher price tag, but they’re still in great shape 5 years later. Radios are far more important than socks, so why risk buying something that won’t last?

Replacing a broken product costs money, and the more rugged your radio, the less you’ll have to replace it. If you choose a cheaper, less rugged radio, not only could you put your staff at risk, but you might actually lose money in the long run with all the replacements.

3. Don’t worry about getting it wet

Tait TP9300 and TP9400 radios are IP68 water and dust proof. This means they have been tested and proven to survive under a meter of water for 2 hours, or 2 meters of water for thirty minutes. Got work to do in the rain? No worries, your radio will keep working with you. Lots of water in the air as you fight fires? The rugged radio can take it. Dropped your radio in a creek? Fish it out and you can still connect with your team.

4. Clear audio, even in wet environments

Not only will a rugged radio from Tait survive water, the special design of our water-shedding grill can help ensure clear audio. In many radios, water can get stuck in the speaker microphone and muffle the audio. Users must normally shake the radio to get the water out, but not with Tait portables. We engineered the radio so that water naturally flows away from the speaker mic, allowing your users to focus on the job instead of shaking their radio.

5. Safer, more Efficient workforce

There is nothing more frustrating, or dangerous, than being out on the job and discovering your radio has broken and no longer works. Each member of a mission-critical organization needs to be able to communicate, and radios that are not rugged put them at risk. Investing in reliable and rugged radios, however, helps keep your team safe and working efficiently.

Rugged Radios increase Safety and Efficiency

6. Less Maintenance

Not all radios that break need to be replaced. Some of them need to be repaired, which still costs you and your team time and money. Rugged radios, however, should require less maintenance because they are built tough. Fewer radios in the shop mean more radios in the field and more time for your team to focus on other tasks.

7. User Acceptance and Trust

Mission Critical users need tools they can trust and rely on. They often work dangerous jobs, and having a quality communication device gives them confidence. Here is how an Engineer of a Utility company described it:

“Having a quality product to count on during normal work as well as during emergency situations provides a level of comfort that increases morale in the users.”

Rugged Radios increase morale in the users

If you make decisions about communications equipment, you want to ensure your users are happy. Giving them quality, rugged radios will give them confidence both in you and the system you’ve chosen.

Rugged Radios need Rugged Networks

It’s important to remember that rugged portable radios are only part of a robust and reliable radio network. If you truly want communications you can rely on, then your entire system must be built tough.

If you’d like to learn more about creating a tough network, then download our exclusive guide, 10 ways to Protect and Strengthen your LMR Network. The guide outlines different aspects that can positively influence your communications performance so it works when your people need it most, such as system design, security, hardware selection, and major events and emergencies.

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