If you take two firefighters (or cops) and give them two stainless steel balls and lock them in a concrete room, when you come back in an hour one ball will be broken and the other will be missing.
Having served in the U.S. Army and in the wettest, coldest, hottest, muddiest conditions you can imagine, I know that you need tough, dependable equipment that can take the extremes in weather and treatment that come from operating in the field.
L3Harris has fielded a new handheld radio to deal with the extremes of weather and how equipment must hold up in those conditions. See their announcement below. I highlighted in boldface text the flexibility the device has for operating in the 21st-century communications environment.
“L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) has expanded its XL platform of Project 25 (P25) radios to include the new XL Extreme™ 400P, the first and only handheld radio designed to meet the most rigorous two-way, portable RF device standards for emergency responder communications.
“The XL Extreme radio and all new speaker microphone combine to create a solution designed for optimal performance under severe environmental conditions, such as those experienced by firefighters, military personnel and hazmat units. The rugged nature of the device allows the XL Extreme to be suited for any agency with users operating in extreme environments.
“‘The XL Extreme is designed to meet, and in many cases exceed, the latest industry-accepted fire protection standards as we continue our mission to address the most demanding needs of our customers,’ said Nino DiCosmo, President, Public Safety and Professional Communications, L3Harris. ‘We leveraged the breadth of L3Harris’ expertise in developing this product, combining the most advanced RF technologies used in military tactical radios, with product materials that allow space vehicles to survive the heat of atmospheric reentry. The result is an extremely survivable, high-performing radio that the industry has never seen.’
“The XL Extreme 400P has demonstrated ruggedness and uncompromised voice quality, withstanding some of the most punishing testing for two-way portable RF devices, including flame exposure at more than 1,700°F / 950°C. The result - heat-resistant thermal materials, a reinforced watertight seal, and unique thermal-rated displays.
“The XL Extreme delivers clear audio transmission and reception with industry-leading noise cancellation, operates over multiple broadband networks and includes integrated Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth® and GPS. Built for ease of use, the XL Extreme series offers heavy-duty ergonomics like glove friendly knobs, and a large emergency button as well as customer demanded features like visual group indicator providing quick confirmation that all users are on the same group or channel.”
