If two-way radios play an important part of your work routine, then October 4 is a special day for you! Why? Well, this day is officially recognized as “National Two-Way Radio Day.”

Since Discount Two-Way Radio has been a leader in the two-way radio industry for more than 22 years, we thought it would be appropriate to recognize National Two-Way Radio Day, and provide a little history of its origin, and share with you the most popular “10 Codes” and how they came to be.

History of National Two-Way Radio Day and Growth of an Industry

It was a beautiful Fall morning in Washington D.C. on October 2, 1978, when President Jimmy Carter made the official proclamation that from then forward, October 4 (10-4) would be recognized as National Two-Way Radio Day. In making the proclamation, President Carter underscored the importance radios play in emergency communications and heralded the radio as an important tool that enabled citizens and professionals alike to advance public safety as a nation.

“While radios are primarily for emergency use, the non-emergency channels bring enjoyment and companionship to millions of Americans” Carter said, “including my own family.”

For sure President Carter understood the power and usefulness two-way radios would play in our country and throughout hundreds of industries. In fact, according to a recent report by Global Information Research (GIR), the two-way radio market has consistently grown year-after-year since 1978. Today, the two-way radio market is expected to grow 3.5 percent over the next five years to become a $10 billion market by 2023!

Discount Two-Way Radio opened our doors in 1997, and today we are an industry leader in providing expert two-way radio assistance and VIP customer service for more than 64,000 customers in the following industries (to name a few):

• K-12 schools, colleges, universities
• Construction
• Logistics and Warehousing
• Cold Storage
• Oil, Chemical, and Gas Manufacturing
• Distribution
• Hospitality
• Casinos
• Hospitals
• Military, Fire, Police
• Movie Studios

What are 10-Codes and Why Should You Know Them?

Once you start using two-way radios, you quickly realize that there are common codes that people use when communicating. Called 10-Codes, these short numeric sequences that express a longer meaning, and were developed by an Illinois State Patrolman to help his fellow officers communicate quickly and clearly, especially during crisis situations.

Patrolman Charles Hopper was the communications director for the Illinois State Police in 1934 and realized that there was a delay between the time an officer pressed the talk button and when the transmission of their voice would begin. In emergency situations, it was not uncommon for his officers to forget to pause a second before transmitting, essentially omitting the first part of any message. Because the delay only needed to be a second or two, Hopper insisted his officers add a “10” before actual radio code so that the full message could be heard.

Today, the use of the codes has expanded beyond just law enforcement, and they’re used by a variety of public and private industries, including education, transportation, construction, warehousing, and facilities maintenance.

Obviously, the best-known code is “10-4,” which means something along the lines of “OK” or “I Understand.” But most people who know this 10 Code phrase may not realize there are dozens of other 10 codes that could be useful to know.

So, we have assembled what we think are some of the most common codes all two-way radio users should know:

10-1 = Poor reception

10-2 = Good reception

10-3 = Stop transmitting

10-4 = Message received, affirmative, OK

10-5 = Relay this information to (name of a person, officer, etc.) 10-1: Bad reception/Signal weak

10-9 = Say again, or repeat, please

10-20 = Specify Location

10-36 = Current time

10-69 = Message received

10-77 = Estimated time of arrival

Contact Discount Two-Way Radio at 800-895-5122 today and find out how two-way radios can improve your safety, efficiency, and productivity.