Radio communication is the nervous system of a well-run event. It connects your teams in real time, enables rapid response to incidents, and keeps the whole operation coordinated. Mobile phones are not a substitute. Radios allow instant one-to-many communication, work without mobile signal, do not need charging as frequently, and can be operated one-handed while doing other tasks.
For any event with more than a handful of staff spread across a site, two-way radios are essential. Here is how to set up and manage radio communications effectively.
Choosing the right equipment
Two-way radios for events fall into two main categories:
PMR446 (licence-free) radios
These are the consumer-grade radios available from electronics retailers, operating on the PMR446 frequency band. They are licence-free, meaning anyone can use them without Ofcom authorisation. They typically have 8 to 16 channels and a range of 1 to 3 km in open terrain (much less in buildings or wooded areas).
PMR446 radios are suitable for small events on compact sites. However, they have significant limitations: limited range, shared frequencies (other nearby users might be on the same channel), no privacy, and basic audio quality. For events over about 300 people or on sites larger than a few acres, they are usually inadequate.
Licensed two-way radios
Professional event radios operate on licensed frequencies, which means you have exclusive use of your channels and no interference from other users. They offer better range (5 to 15 km depending on terrain and power), clearer audio, more channels, and features like encryption, emergency alert buttons, and programmable channel names.
Using licensed frequencies requires an Ofcom licence. Most event radio hire companies hold their own licences and provide radios that are already programmed and legal to use. This is the standard approach for professional events.
For most events, hiring radios from a specialist event communications company is more practical than buying them. Hire costs are typically £5 to £15 per radio per day, often with volume discounts for larger orders.
How many radios do you need?
Every person who needs to communicate with other departments or make operational decisions needs a radio. As a guide:
- Event manager / duty manager -- Always
- Production manager -- Always
- Stage managers -- One per stage
- Security team leader -- Plus additional radios for gate supervisors and roving security
- Medical team leader -- Plus additional for paramedics on patrol
- Bar and catering managers -- If they are in separate locations from the main operation
- Steward supervisors -- Not every steward, but every team leader
- Car park supervisor -- Essential for communicating about capacity and traffic
- Artist liaison -- To coordinate artist movements with stage managers
For a 1,000-person event with one stage, you might need 15 to 20 radios. For a multi-stage festival, 40 to 80 or more.
Channel planning
Putting everyone on the same channel creates a congested, unusable mess. Separate your communications into channels by function. A typical channel plan for a medium-sized event:
- Channel 1 -- Event Control -- The main channel for overall event management. Used by event manager, production manager, and team leaders. Keep this channel for important operational communications only
- Channel 2 -- Security -- Security team internal communications. The security team leader monitors both this channel and Event Control
- Channel 3 -- Medical -- Medical team internal communications. The medical team leader also monitors Event Control
- Channel 4 -- Production -- Stage managers, sound engineers, lighting, and backstage crew
- Channel 5 -- Stewards and Front of House -- Steward supervisors, box office, car park
Team leaders should carry radios capable of scanning multiple channels or have two radios: one on their department channel and one on Event Control. This dual monitoring ensures information flows both within teams and up to the event management level.
Radio protocol
Effective radio communication depends on everyone following the same protocol. Brief all radio users before the event on these rules:
- Listen before transmitting -- Wait for the channel to be clear before pressing the talk button. Transmitting over someone else causes both messages to be lost
- Identify yourself and the recipient -- Start every message with who you are calling and who you are: "Control from Gate 1" or "Security team leader to Event Control"
- Keep messages short -- Radio is not for conversations. State your message briefly and clearly. If a longer discussion is needed, switch to a phone call or meet in person
- Use clear language -- Avoid jargon, slang, or assumed knowledge. Say "the main entrance" not "the gate". Say "confirmed" not "roger that"
- Emergency priority -- If you have an emergency, use the word "emergency" at the start of your transmission. All other traffic on the channel should stop immediately
- Acknowledge messages -- When you receive a message directed at you, acknowledge it. "Gate 1 received" confirms you heard the instruction
Practical tips
- Charge all radios fully the night before the event. Professional radios last 12 to 16 hours on a full charge, but start with 100%
- Label every radio with the user's name or role using tape or a permanent marker on the case. This makes it easy to return radios to the right person if they are put down
- Provide earpieces for staff working in noisy environments (near stages) or where discretion is needed (security, front of house). Over-the-ear earpieces are more comfortable than in-ear types for extended wear
- Have spare radios -- At least 10% of your total as spares, with charged batteries. Radios get dropped, lost, and occasionally fail
- Test all radios before the event -- Do a radio check on every channel to confirm all units are working and programmed correctly
- Collect all radios after the event -- Use a sign-out sheet so you know who has each radio and can chase any that are not returned
When mobile phones are better
Radios are not the right tool for every communication. Sensitive discussions (personnel issues, financial matters), lengthy planning conversations, and communications with external parties (venue owners, emergency services, suppliers) are better handled by phone.
Some event teams use messaging apps as a complement to radios, particularly for non-urgent information sharing, photographs (a radio cannot transmit a picture of a broken barrier), and communication with suppliers who are not on the radio network.
The ideal communication setup uses radios for real-time operational coordination, phones for private or lengthy conversations, and a messaging group for non-urgent updates and information sharing. Together, these channels ensure that everyone involved in running your event has the information they need, when they need it.
