Who Can You Trust In Buying A Matrix Intercom?

The walkie-talkie hasn't always been known as a plaything for children. Motorola pioneered walkie-talkie tech in World War II with their SCR-300, a transmitter/receiver that could be carried as a backpack. The device featured two properties common to all walkie-talkies, the PTT (Push-to-talk) switch and a half-duplex channel, to create one-way communication at a time. The corresponding handset, the AM SCR-536, was originally known as a "Handie-Talkie" to differentiate it from the "walkie" unit. Reduction of the size and weight of the units was a priority for the military. A common problem with the early models—more so as they were made smaller—was the vacuum tubes breaking.

Improvements would come in the post-war period with the military pushing for smaller and more reliable models. Raytheon's AN/PRC-6 added a backup set of vacuum tubes, a two-foot-long antenna, and a crystal set to alter frequencies in the field. Variations for military radios would continue for decades to follow, notably Magnavox's AN/PRC-68, produced in 1976. The solid-state AN/PRC-68 used a synthesizer chip for frequency control and could offer up to 1000 channels for use. The AN/PRC-68 also was equipped with two antennas, a short and a long, and could reach a range of 2000 kilometers with the latter. The new design additionally met the drive for smaller sized units, weighing 1.3 kilograms and able to fit in a small pouch sling. The military took the strong potential of the model and built a series of radios around it in the following decades.

While most of the progress would come from military research and design, walkie-talkie technology had begun to emerge in public hands more and more since the 1950s. The military's surplus radios were sought after by amateur "ham" radio operators from the time of the war. Groups beyond the military had begun to use walkie-talkies, too, including first responders and public projects like Citizens Band (CB) and Civil Defense.

Commercial products using walkie-talkie designs began to become common on work sites, industrial parks and ports in the 1970s. The commercial units are often "ruggedized," meaning they are generally made with strong metal casing to combat wear and are shock-resistant and waterproof. Heavy industry usually requires the radios used on site to also be intrinsically safe, a preventative technique which limits the amount of energy available for ignition, in areas where fumes or gases are common. Commercial walkie-talkies often do not operate with a wide range of frequencies, instead being programmed with a few operator-specific frequencies.

Whereas commercial and military devices prioritize durability and signal strength, consumer units often are aimed to be lightweight, portable broad-access radios. Though most modern walkie-talkies now operate digitally, analog devices can still be found in the consumer market, the most inexpensive of which are marketed for children.

The walkie-talkie remains well-suited for its role in communications though the technology has changed. New designs offer walkie-talkies increased capabilities such as advanced squelch options in a small size, some fitting in the palm of one's hand. With pioneering into digital and IP technology happening today, the walkie-talkie can be expected to improve in the future.

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