Two-way radio users expect reliable communications from their radios and the addition of an earpiece or headset helps to improve performance. They allow communications without the need to keep the radio in the hand, helping to protect it from the drops and misuse that can occur when users have to continuously hold the radio. Earpieces and headsets enable users to make and receive calls without the need to remove the radio from their belt, leaving them free to carry out the job at hand. Using an earpiece or headset allows the user to operate in a discreet and professional manner, communicating with colleagues as necessary but without disturbing or alerting others.

EARPIECES EXPLAINED

Basic earpieces provide the earpiece, a clip to hold it in place on the clothing and a cable to connect to the radio’s accessory connector. However, some “earpieces” actually include a combination of an earpiece, a microphone, and a Push-To-Talk (PTT) button: 1-, 2- and 3-wire versions are available that provide the different combinations. Some earpieces also offer enhanced functionality such as programmable buttons to allow quick access to frequently used functions or an acoustic tube for greater comfort and discretion. 

1-WIRE EARPIECE

1-wire earpieces mostly offer simple listen only functionality and are available as in-ear and on-ear types. Since the earpiece is close to the ear, they help to reduce missed calls and prevent others from overhearing or being disturbed by messages. This is especially useful in public areas where you want to listen to transmissions without allowing the general public to overhear them. With most 1-wire earpieces, the user makes calls using the PTT button and microphone on the radio, however some 1-wire models include an in-line PTT/microphone, allowing calls to be made using the earpiece. 

2-WIRE EARPIECE

2-wire earpieces add a second wire with a combined microphone / PTT button. Now the user can both make and receive calls through the earpiece without the need to remove the radio from their belt. The wires are routed through the user’s clothing, concealing their presence and enhancing a professional appearance. This concealment also improves safety by preventing loose or trailing wires, reducing the possibility of snagging or being grabbed – ideal for security personnel dealing suspects. 

3-WIRE EARPIECE

3-wire earpieces offer the highest level of flexibility and discretion – they have one wire for receiving communications through an earpiece, one wire for the microphone, and one wire for the PTT button. The microphone can be pinned to your tie or collar while the PTT button can be routed inside your sleeve and located at the cuff of your shirt or jacket – within easy reach of your fingers without having to raising your arm or make obvious hand movements.

EARPIECE TIERING

In addition to standard earpiece features, Motorola Solutions has also developed exclusive capabilities for our earpieces – we offer a range of models so users can select the best fit and feel for their specific needs. Mag One audio earpieces are specifically designed for light duty users and provide good performance for the budget conscious. Motorola Original® Standard earpieces provide a better solution for customers who want a more robust and professional surveillance earpiece and finally there are the unique Motorola IMPRES™ audio technology surveillance kit earpieces providing the best audio performance and sophistication.

MAG ONE (ONLY VALUE LINE APPROVED BY MOTOROLA)

Mag One is the only value line of audio accessories approved by Motorola for use with Motorola radios and designed for light duty users whose primary concern is cost. In the past, some users have purchased low cost non-Motorola accessories and experienced performance issues as a result. Now, those people can use Mag One accessories that have been tested and approved by Motorola for use with our radios, eliminating performance issues like interference that only appears at certain frequencies or chopper noise which distorts voice transmissions.
The Mag One portfolio includes a selection of earpieces for Motorola’s two-way radios

MOTOROLA STANDARD (NON-IMPRES) EARPIECES

Motorola Original standard (non IMPRES) audio accessories provide even better performance. They are designed and built to a higher level, for example using materials such as Kevlar to withstand damage or deformation, especially at extreme low temperatures such as -30°C and high temperatures up to +60°C. They also meet Military Standard 810 and are subjected to our rigorous Accelerated Life Test (ALT) to ensure they will withstand the hard conditions found in real-life usage.
In-ear and on-ear versions of Motorola earpieces are available and the portfolio includes 1-, 2- and 3-wire models.

MOTOROLA EXCLUSIVE IMPRES EARPIECES

IMPRES technology is exclusive to Motorola: IMPRES smart audio accessories communicate with the radio to optimise performance, suppress background noise and improve voice intelligibility even in noisy situations. They detect changes in voice level so whether you speak loudly or softly, turn your head or increase the distance between mouth and microphone, the gain automatically increases or decreases so the listener experiences consistent audio and doesn’t have to adjust volume levels. IMPRES earpieces sit snugly in the ear ensuring comfortable sealing of the ear canal while blocking out noise, but are designed to ensure that safe levels of audio are maintained to protect the listener’s hearing.

The IMPRES portfolio includes a range of 2- and 3-wire earpieces and models with or without acoustic tubes for increased comfort and discretion.

REGULATORY APPROVALS

Only Motorola tests and approves radios and accessories as a complete system to ensure they meet the relevent regulatory requirements required by law. This not only ensures legal compliance, but also that Mag One and Motorola earpieces and headsets will work together with the radio to a satisfactory standard. Tests include RF Electro Magnetic Emissions, RF immunity to 2.7GHz, audio levels and quality (distortion factors) plus RoHS & WEEE directives. Each product has a Declaration of Conformity (DoC) to show compliance to the CE standards required by EU Law.

Source: Motorola

Rate the articles: 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 5.00 (3 Votes)