Which statement about mobile radios is true?

• A. They are handheld with limitless range
• B. Vehicle-mounted radios have greater range and typically still rely on a repeater for extended coverage
• C. They operate only in simplex
• D. They do not require power

Answer: (B)

Understanding how radio range works helps explain why vehicle-mounted radios usually outperform handhelds. Vehicle-mounted units typically transmit with higher power and use longer antennas, which increases their line-of-sight distance and overall reach. To cover even larger areas or navigate around obstacles, many systems rely on repeaters—they pick up a signal on one frequency and re-transmit it on another, effectively extending coverage beyond what a direct radio-to-radio link could achieve. Handheld radios, while portable, have limited range due to lower power and shorter antennas, and they can operate in simplex or via repeaters, but their reach is not limitless. Radios do require power, so the idea that they don’t is incorrect. So, the statement about vehicle-mounted radios having greater range and typically relying on a repeater for extended coverage is the accurate one.