The importance of accelerated life testing in digital two-way radio solutions

In an emergency, reliant and effective communications can mean the difference between life and death.

One of the issues faced by a communications network during an emergency is that these situations are often dangerous and extreme, putting the individual devices under strain and requiring equipment which can withstand these kinds of serious situations.

Mobile phones are not suited to these scenarios at all because they are built for individual consumers and everyday use; not to be used within hazardous and unpredictable environments – mobile phones can barely survive a fall from a back pocket.

That being said the only way to test whether a radio can survive these extreme conditions is to subject them to various scenarios – in a controlled environment – and this is where accelerated life testing plays such an important role in the creation of an emergency communications network.

But what exactly does a digital two-way radio go through during an accelerated life test and what are the measurements by which a device is deemed rugged and durable enough to enter the field?

Water resistance

Modern devices from phones, to watches are often now judged on their ability to be used under water or in wet conditions, and this also goes for digital two-way radios. Emergency situations are not limited only to the times when the sun is shining so as a minimum, your digital two-way radios need to be able to withstand heavy rain.

This is not just as simple as blowing water at a radio from a single angle – that is not simulating real rain, which can blow from different angles and change direction quickly. If any part of the digital two-way radio is not waterproof, then the device could malfunction, and lives could be put at risk.

Extreme temperature

Dealing with fires – especially within confined spaces – is one of the most hazardous jobs around and the importance of being able to communicate constantly between teams and individuals cannot be understated.

It is obvious that a digital two-way radio cannot be tested in extreme heat for the first time during a real-life event, so the radios provided by DTS are checked to withstand extreme temperatures during the manufacturing process.

Be this freezing a device or roasting it in extreme heat and ensuring the device still works our radios are tested to the absolute extreme to ensure they remain operational even in the harshest of conditions.

Vibration and impact testing

When being used in hazardous or dangerous environments it is not likely that digital two-way radios are going to be used by people standing still and away from the scene.

They are going to be used right in the middle of the situation when they will be moving around and potentially withstanding impacts.

If the radio shell breaks or pieces become dislodged within the radio, then the device becomes useless and operatives are put at risk. Just withstanding being transported to the end user can sometimes be overlooked by some providers.

Ensuring these devices are rugged enough to remain undamaged during emergency situations is a must for any communication network.

Rusting and corrosion

The potential for rust and corrosion to occur on a radio or to any of the internal components is great when the devices are being used in hazardous conditions and this can put the communications at risk if devices stop working.

Understanding the level of protection needed to keep digital two-way radios working is there vital.

Our radios go through a rigorous testing procedure using salt fog which accelerates the corroding of metal and can help engineers determine the degree of protection which each radio and accessory requires.

These are just some of the tests which our digital two-way radios are subjected to, to ensure they remain reliable and operational when they are most needed.

To find out more about how digital two-way radios can improve your communications network and provide reliable comms in an emergency situation, click here