Choosing a radio system for your school
The aim of this article is to help you decide what sort of radio system you need for your school. If you have already been using radios you will be familiar with their advantages, if not then please read this short article.
The decision making process should generally follow these steps.
What are the radios to be used for?. What is their purpose?.
Are they for general voice communications for the daily running of the school, maintenance etc? Are they for security or emergency purposes?.
What special features do the radios need to have to fulfill their purpose?.
All radios have speech facilities but they can have Selective calling and Emergency features as well.
Do they need to be especially small or especially robust?
What coverage or area do they need to work in?
How big is your school? Do you have underground areas or remote buildings?.
Will the radios be used off-site on school trips for example? Will they be used outside of the UK?
Will the system need to be upgradeable?
Are you starting with a few radios with a view to adding more? Is the school likely to expand or have new buildings in the foreseeable future which may affect coverage?
Once you have the answers to these questions you can start to look at the type of radio system and type of radio. There is a huge choice of equipment from many manufacturers and planning radio coverage can be tricky so the next step is to talk to a radio supplier.
