TECHNOLOGY · ANALOG
Analog radios for 16–128 channels, 2–5 W and 12–18 hour battery: the lowest-cost option for small sites, construction and hospitality.
Reviewed by Ellen Zhou
Quick answer
Analog radio is still the workhorse of small business communication. It is simple, cheap, robust and works when the signal is weak enough that a digital radio would already have dropped out. For a small hotel, a shop, a construction crew or a single-site team, it is often the right answer.
The limits are capacity and features: one conversation per frequency, no radio IDs, no real encryption and limited dispatch. This page explains when analog is enough and when it is time to move to DMR.
| Use case | Typical radios | Key features | Infrastructure | Example scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small hotel / guesthouse | Compact analog handheld | Earpiece, 16 channels, long battery | Direct mode or one repeater | 8–20 radios |
| Retail / restaurant | Compact analog handheld | Discreet audio, simple channel list | Direct mode | 4–12 radios |
| Construction crew | Rugged analog handheld | IP67, loud audio, gloved PTT | Portable repeater | 10–40 radios |
| Warehouse | Analog handheld + vehicle radio | IP54+, long battery | One repeater | 10–30 radios |
| Event | Analog handheld | Simple groups, earpiece | Direct mode or rental repeater | 20–100 radios |
| Specification | Typical analog range | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Channels | 16–128 | Enough for a small team and a few groups |
| Power | 2–5 W handheld; 25–50 W mobile | Site coverage with a licensed repeater |
| Protection | IP54–IP67 | Dust and water resistance by environment |
| Battery | 12–18 h, often AA-capable | Full shift and emergency backup |
| Audio | Loud speaker, CTCSS/DCS | Simple group separation, not encryption |
| Accessories | Earpiece, speaker mic, charger | Matches the role and the shift |
| Dimension | Licence-free | Analog (licensed) | DMR (licensed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repeater | Generally not permitted | Yes | Yes, two slots |
| Talk groups | Shared channels | One per frequency | Two per 12.5 kHz |
| Encryption | None | Voice inversion only | Basic / AES256 |
| Cost | Lowest | Low | Medium |
| Best fit | Small guesthouse, short events | Simple single-site teams | Multi-department sites |
Analog is enough when the team is small, the site is a single building or open area, and the requirement is simple coordination between one to three groups. It is also a good choice when the budget is tight and the radio is a convenience rather than critical infrastructure.
Analog becomes a problem when several departments need separate groups, when guest or commercial information must be private, or when the site needs recording and dispatch.
An analog handheld on a licence-free service such as PMR446 or FRS may not need an individual licence, but it cannot use a repeater. An analog system with a repeater, fixed antenna or higher power needs a business licence and a frequency assignment.
The licence belongs to the operator and the site. Confirm the band and type approval for the destination country before ordering.
The same physics apply as any radio: antenna height, obstructions, power and noise. Handheld-to-handheld outdoors is typically 1–3 km; indoors, one floor or one corridor. A repeater on a high antenna extends the site coverage, but the handheld-to-repeater path is the limit.
Analog degrades gradually as the signal weakens, while digital drops abruptly. That can make analog feel more forgiving at the edge, but it does not change the underlying coverage.
Move to DMR when the number of talk groups grows beyond the available frequencies, when privacy or recording becomes a requirement, or when the site needs dispatch and alarm integration. A growing hotel or warehouse usually reaches this point before the radio hardware wears out.
Migration can be phased: keep analog channels for legacy users and move one department at a time to DMR. Mixed-mode repeaters and terminals make the transition practical.
The accessory plan is the same as any radio system: earpieces for guest-facing and quiet areas, speaker microphones for noisy sites, vehicle kits for mobile radios and multi-unit chargers for shift work.
For analog, the programming is simpler: channels and CTCSS/DCS tones. Keep a master channel list so a replacement radio can be cloned quickly.
Analog has the lowest hardware cost and no per-user subscription. The main costs are radios, accessories, a repeater if needed, installation and the licence. For a small site, the total can be a fraction of a DMR system.
Compare the five-year total, including replacement batteries and repairs. A cheap radio that fails after two years is not cheaper than a better one that lasts five.
A licensed analog system needs an operator licence and type-approved equipment. A licence-free analog handheld must stay within the power, antenna and channel limits of its service.
A multi-building industrial site with linked repeaters and a shared talk-group plan, extended building by building.
Teams move between buildings without changing channel; the control room can reach any area; the plan extends as the site grows.
Client name withheld; the figures describe the delivered configuration.
Read the project profileClick a question to see the answer
No. Analog remains the lowest-cost, simplest option for small teams and single sites. It is still widely used in hospitality, retail, construction and events.
A licence-free PMR446 or FRS handheld may not need an individual licence. An analog system with a repeater or higher power needs a business licence and a frequency assignment.
A licensed analog system can use a repeater with a duplex frequency pair. A licence-free handheld cannot legally use a repeater in most countries.
Analog degrades gradually, so a weak signal may still be partly readable. Digital drops abruptly below a threshold. Neither changes the underlying coverage; a better antenna or repeater does.
Yes. Most DMR radios and repeaters support analog mode, so the old fleet can stay on air while departments move to digital channel by channel.
Sub-audible tones used to separate users on the same channel. They reduce annoyance but are not encryption; anyone on the channel can still hear the conversation.
For a small team, 16 channels is usually enough. Plan spare channels for growth and separate channels for departments or sites.
Send the site size, number of users and talk groups. Our engineers reply within one working day with a workable configuration.
CD-106D Lightweight 16-channel analog handheld with hidden display and Type-C charging 
CD-108F 10 W analog handheld with scan, code breaking and a built-in flashlight 
CD22 5 W analog handheld with a 1–8 km working range for shops, sites and small fleets 
TC318 15 W analog handheld with dual Type-C charging for demanding site work