How much power do I need in my two-way radio system?

How much power you need depends on how you plan to use the radio system. As a general rule, you should always use the least amount of power necessary to establish your communications. This reduces interference to other users (and they likewise reduce interference to you) when the radio frequency is used again in geographically local areas. Handheld radios normally operate in the 1 watt to 5 watt range. Cellular phones dynamically adjust their power levels, according to directions from the local cellular base station. Handheld celphones operate between 40 milliwatts and 600 milliwats (6/10ths of one watt); mobile cellular phones operate from 40 mw up to 3.0 watts.Mobile 2-way radio equipment operates, typically from 5 watts up to 50 watts, andsometimes as high as 100 watts output. The power level of the equipment is determined by the needs of the system.