Conventional
vs Trunked
Radio

Radio systems differ in how they manage call traffic across available frequencies. This animation uses a post office analogy to show the fundamental difference between the two architectures.

Use the tabs above to explore each approach, then see a side-by-side comparison.

CONVENTIONAL
Fixed dedicated channels
One purpose per counter
TRUNKED
Shared dynamic bandwidth
Any counter, any purpose

Conventional Approach

Dedicated channels — Post Office Analogy

📮 Stamps
Channel 1
💰 Deposits
Channel 2
📦 Parcels
Channel 3
✉️ Letters
Channel 4
Press "Next" to walk through the conventional approach step by step.
Step 0 / 5

Trunked Approach

Shared resources — Post Office Analogy

Counter 24
Any Service
Counter 25
Any Service
Counter 27
Any Service
Counter 26
Any Service
Press "Next" to walk through the trunked approach step by step.
Step 0 / 5

Side-by-Side Comparison

Conventional vs Trunked Radio Architecture

📻 Conventional

  • Each channel has a fixed, dedicated purpose — e.g. Warehouse, Security, Factory
  • Users are programmed to specific channels only
  • If a channel is busy, no other channel can help — users must wait
  • Idle channels cannot be reassigned to relieve busy ones
  • Results in over-used and under-used channels simultaneously
  • Simpler technology; lower infrastructure cost

📡 Trunked

  • Users belong to talk groups — not fixed channels
  • Any available channel can carry any talk group
  • The system dynamically assigns a free channel when a user transmits
  • All bandwidth is shared efficiently across all groups
  • More users can be supported on the same number of channels
  • Waiting time is mathematically predictable and can be engineered
The Post Office Analogy
Conventional Post Office
4 counters, each serving one purpose only: Stamps, Deposits, Parcels, Letters. The Stamps counter has a huge queue while the Letters counter sits empty — but they cannot swap roles.
Trunked Post Office
4 counters, all able to handle any request. One shared queue. Each customer is directed to the next available counter regardless of their need — maximum throughput, minimum wait.