20 Getting startedAbout your digital radioYour digital radio may have some channelsprogrammed as either analog or dual mode. Dualmode channels are able to receive both digital andanalog calls.You may notice differences between your radio’sanalog and digital channels in terms of:■ static noise in low signal areas, and■ radio coverage in marginal reception areas.Lack of static noiseOn digital channels there is no static noise, even in lowsignal areas. This lack of static is because your digitalradio removes the ‘noise’ from the call, so that you hearonly clear voice.CoverageWith analog channels, the background noise in a callgets progressively worse when you are in fringe areas oreven slightly outside normal coverage areas. With digitalchannels, a call remains clear and then drops off quicklyat the border of a coverage area. The reason for this isthat a digital call is either received or it isn't.
