“The radio craze will die out in time.” – Thomas A. Edison
The pandemic has changed so much of what was normal before. Some forms of communication may never be the same again. Is the firm and professional handshake gone forever? Will speaking through a mask prompt a new wave or type of enunciation? And just how good are your Zoom skills?
These are just a few of the COVID-19 realities that are transforming all businesses, especially casino operations. But one iconic tool, while improving, will most likely remain the same and become even more important today: the portable radio.
Like penny slots, this casino staple originated in Australia. Wikipedia says, “The first truly mobile two-way radio was developed in Australia in 1923 by Senior Constable Frederick William Downie of the Victorian Police. The Victoria Police were the first in the world to use wireless communication in cars, putting an end to the inefficient status reports via public telephone boxes which had been used until that time. The first sets took up the entire back seat of the Lancia patrol cars.”
These radios were portable, technically, but hardly hand-held, and those early sets only transmitted Morse-like code, not voice. But the improvements came rapidly, and by World War II, light “walkie talkies” were common on both sides of the lines.
It’s unclear when the first two-way units hit the casino floor, but returning GIs working security or the surveillance team up on the catwalks were early adopters in the 50’s. While some table game supervisors still rely on the “podium telephone,” it’s hard to imagine departments like slots, surveillance, security and housekeeping operating without radios.
There are over a dozen vendors selling radio systems today, but Motorola Solutions is a dominant supplier. So, we asked John Zidar, Motorola Solutions’ Sr. VP of Global Enterprise & Channels, a few questions about radio communications in a pandemic:
What happens if you didn’t charge your batteries during the virus shutdowns?
All batteries lose charge over time (self discharge); if the discharge is deep enough due to a very long period of time, the battery cells themselves can suffer irreversible damage. Motorola Solutions recommends that any battery left out of a charger be charged as soon as possible. If batteries need to be stored until all staff return:
- Batteries should be removed from the radio to reduce self-discharge rate
- Users should follow Motorola Solutions’ storage recommendations: https://www.motorolasolutions.com/content/dam/msi/docs/products/two-way-radio-accessories/batteries/brochures/motorola_solutions_battery_care_tips.pdf
What if folks left their batteries in the chargers during the shutdowns?
Motorola Solutions’ IMPRESTM battery/charging system manages charge rate and temperature with unique algorithms that prevent destructive overheating and overcharging of battery cells. As a result, IMPRES batteries provide the greatest possible useful service life per kWh.
If you, like me, didn’t have any of these newer chargers, overheating and premature aging of the batteries can be a real problem. An investment in new chargers will most likely save you money in the long run by reducing the battery replacement cycle.
What are good daily charging procedures?
Always charge your battery in the Motorola Solutions charger. Charging in non-Motorola Solutions chargers may lead to reduced performance and battery damage. Do not leave batteries sitting around for long periods of time in a turned off radio or on a desk or storage shelf – follow Motorola Solutions’ battery storage guidelines.
Of course, Zidar recommends Motorola Solutions’ chargers (and they’re very good), but there are other new ones on the market with similar protections that are also better than older chargers.
What are the best practices for radio use hygiene, given the COVID-19 pandemic?
The COVID-19 pandemic has made radios more indispensable than ever, but it has also underscored the need for greater care around how they are handled to keep users safe. Below are tips for proper radio use and hygiene:
- Thoroughly clean radios on a regular basis. Apply an 0.5% detergent-water solution with a cloth, and use a stiff, non-metallic, short-bristled brush to work loose dirt away from the device. A soft, absorbent, lint-free cloth or tissue may be used to remove the solution and dry the device. Make sure that no solution remains entrapped near any connectors, cracks, or crevices.
- Radios may be disinfected by applying over-the-counter isopropyl rubbing alcohol with at least 70% alcohol concentration to a cloth, and then wiping them down. The effects of certain chemicals and their vapors can have detrimental effects on plastics and the metal pairings. Do not use bleach, solvents or cleaning sprays to cleanse or disinfect devices.
- If possible, avoid sharing radios. If this is not possible, disinfect radios every time they change hands.
- Consider providing employees with their own accessories to attach to shared radios to minimize the handling of the radios and the need to bring them to the face. Nearly all radios can be used with accessories like wearable earpieces and microphones, both wired and wireless. The radios and accessories should still be cleaned regularly.
One last answer on the COVID-19 practices that Zidar provided involves new radio technology.
- Think about the settings in which radios will be used. In loud environments, the right radio can easily cut through the noise, eliminating the need for staff to stand close and speak loudly to each other. Features like Private Call enable one-to-one conversations, without being broadcast to everyone on staff.
Early radios, and many of today’s models, are based on the same analog technology that was used in the WWII walkie talkies. However, unlike those early radios, today’s analog models might have four or eight channels and are considerably more powerful. They can reach miles with long-range repeaters. But they have some shortcomings.
When one slot attendant talks to a supervisor, all the other supervisors and slot attendants on the same channel hear all the calls. The advantage is that everyone hears the same messages; the disadvantage is that everyone hears the same messages. One of the most common complaints about older radios from slot teams is that it’s hard to concentrate with a constant stream of conversation in your earpiece. On a busy swing shift, the traffic can almost be unbearable.
One solution is to use good radio etiquette. The Business Comms group from England offers a dozen or more tips on good radio manners, but summarizes them with: “keep it simple, be precise and maintain the correct procedure for your radio group.” Even following these basic rules, however, will not ease your headache on a busy Friday night. The best solution is to move from analog to digital radios.
What’s the difference? Technically, an analog radio sends out electromagnetic signals that look a lot like sound waves. This is the same technology used by Marconi when he invented radio in the late 1800s. The systems are reliable, simple, pick up all sounds and are relatively inexpensive. One of the disadvantages is that analog technology allows only one conversation in one direction at a time on a signal channel. Missing a call because someone else “stepped” on your transmission is common complaint, especially if radio etiquette is lax. The fact that analog radios accurately pick up all sounds can turn into a major negative in a noisy environment (like the casino floor).
With a digital system, sound waves are converted to ones and zeroes just like computers use. This technology means that radios can use internal software to filter out non-verbal noise, and therefore dramatically improve voice recognition. Digital also allows lots of discrete channels. This means a Slot Supervisor can setup channels to talk directly to a single Attendant, a group of Attendants, or all of them at once depending on the channel he or she selects.
There are countless other benefits to digital technology that may really pay off in the post-pandemic world. CNBC recently reported that “nearly 43% of full-time American employees say they want to work remotely more often even after the economy has reopened.” That trend means Zoom conferencing is here to stay. But good radio systems can also be a key ingredient.
With powerful repeaters, team members can stay in the radio loop despite being miles away from the casino. But cloud-based services that run over LTE or 5G can provide a whole new definition of long range that radio can’t match. Using internet and cellular technology, it’s possible for a slot supervisor attending G2E in Las Vegas to talk to their slot attendants on the floor at Foxwoods in Connecticut virtually as easily as if they were in the same building.
So why not just use a cell phone, which has been doing all the above – and more – for years? Some operators are doing just that. The use of tablets, iPods and smartphones is gaining popularity on many floors. Their advantage is that they also handle non-voice data efficiently. These devices can verify jackpots, dispatch Attendants to service calls and are terrific for providing on-floor live analytics. They can also mimic radios with VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). This has become a new standard for cutting edge telephone systems utilizing the same voice enhancing technology as digital radios.
But the digital radio still has some important advantages. Heavy data usage can shorten battery life on tablets and iPods. Perhaps more importantly, most of these new devices are fragile and sometimes less reliable. If your internet, power line or a cell phone tower goes down, so does your communication network. The good ol’ handheld battery-powered radio will continue to work station-to-station in almost any emergency. That is why they’ve remained the preferred devices for first responders worldwide.
And most radios are not that fragile. Many a slot director has accused a team member of using their radios as a makeshift hammer, based on the dents and scratches on radio cases. Yet, despite the abuse, most radios continue to work, and work well despite their shop-worn appearance. No smartphone or tablet could handle that kind of abuse.
The good news is that the latest systems allow customers to mix and match all of these technologies. Motorola Solutions stresses “flexibility and interoperability,” including the use of radio for business-critical voice communications and private broadband for data communications, as well as software that allows users to push-to-talk between smartphones and radios. Other major providers also offer similar solutions.
Security is also better with digital radios which makes it harder for third parties to eavesdrop on your broadcasts with a scanner than it is with unencrypted analog radio signals.
Pandemic or not, simple voice communications have always been best. And the handheld radio (enhanced with new technology) is still the best choice for casino operations. As Motorola Solutions says on their website: “In a world where communication technology is always evolving, one thing has remained constant: there is no substitute for voice.”
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