2 way radio facilitates communication in two directions at the same time, The range of this type of radios is limited. This means that they can be used for reliable and effective communication only within the specified distance. Some of these radios are short range while others are long range radios. The short range radios are the ones that can be effectively used for communication within a short distance. The long range radios are the ones that can cover a larger area and facilitate communication between people who are in far off locations.

The range of a 2 way radio depends upon several factors. These factors are the following and include the frequency at which the radio operates at, the path between the receiver and the sender of data and the power of the transmitter.

In addition to these factors, the terrain of the area, whether there is any interference present, the type of antenna being used and the type of signal being transmitted all have to be taken into account.

The frequency affects the range in the sense that some radios can work on a single frequency while others can work on different frequencies. When the same frequency is used for sending and receiving data, the range of the radio is short. When the 2 way radios operate on different frequencies, the distance that can be covered by the radio is more. This is mainly because of the fact that different channels are used for sending and receiving data. The path between the sending and receiving radios also affects the range within which the radio can operate. If the path is shorter and has fewer obstacles, the range will be more. On the other hand if there are more obstacles in the path, the range will be low.

The 2 way radios can either be used as low power or high power radios. When the transmitter power is low, the radios can cover a shorter distance. When the transmitter power is high, the radios can cover a wider range. Most radios operate very effectively in line of sight frequencies. This means that they operate the best in plain areas as opposed to hilly areas where these radios cannot transmit efficiently. Also in plain areas, these radios can cover a wider range. In hilly areas, these radios can operate only in short ranges.