Tensions in the Middle East just notched up a level. After the pager attack on the Lebanese armed group- Hezbollah , across Lebanon and Syria , reports and videos have surfaced today showing handheld radios detonating in the suburbs of the capital, Beirut. According to immediate reports, more than 100 people have been injured in walkie-talkie blasts across the country. At least one of the blasts occurred near a site where Hezbollah was holding funerals for people who had died in the previous attack.
What is a walkie talkie ?
A walkie-talkie is a hand-held radio with a microphone and speaker. It was first used by the military in the 1930s and was suitable for communicating in remote places with no cellphone signal.
History of walkie-talkies
Let’s take you through the history of walkie-talkies and how they played an important role in the wars of the 20th century.
The invention of the device is attributed to Don Hings in 1937. The first versions were created for pilots to communicate effectively and were known as wireless sets, pack sets, and two-way field radios. Earlier versions weighed around 5 pounds and had a metal body.
Within two years of its creation, walkie-talkies proved to be an asset for soldiers during wars. The device became immensely popular among militaries during World War II for communication. Tens of thousands were produced and shipped worldwide. As technology advanced, the device was equipped with more features, such as voice scramblers for added security.
For communication to be possible, all participants must be tuned to the same frequency. Walkie-talkies have a speaker at one end and a microphone at the other. However, later models were two-way radios, allowing both sides to transmit and receive messages simultaneously. The device acts as a radio until the Push To Talk (PTT) button is pressed, after which one can transmit messages across too.
Modern-day walkie-talkies are much more advanced and now include features such as flashlights, hands-free technology, SOS signals, and weather alerts, in addition to basic communication. They are also much smaller and lighter, making them easier to carry.
Use of old-school devices in modern warfare
With easy access to all kinds of weapons, armed groups, military forces, and terrorist organizations have revolutionized wars and warfare. Today, countries purchase high-class weapons not only to strengthen their arsenal but also as a psychological tactic to deter enemies from attacking.
Defense tactics too have undergone transformational innovation, and the attacks over the past two days are an example of this. Hezbollah took extreme measures to evade surveillance, instructing its members not to use mobile phones. However, the group could never have anticipated an attack via age-old communication devices, pagers, and walkie-talkies.
According to Reuters, these walkie-talkies were purchased at the same time as the pagers, indicating a larger conspiracy. These handheld radios are a relic of the past, and few people know their origins.
The use of pager and walkie talkie as weapons of mass killings is a new turn in the conflict-ridden world, one that is bound to inspire more such unpredictable attacks.
What is a walkie talkie ?
A walkie-talkie is a hand-held radio with a microphone and speaker. It was first used by the military in the 1930s and was suitable for communicating in remote places with no cellphone signal.
History of walkie-talkies
Let’s take you through the history of walkie-talkies and how they played an important role in the wars of the 20th century.
The invention of the device is attributed to Don Hings in 1937. The first versions were created for pilots to communicate effectively and were known as wireless sets, pack sets, and two-way field radios. Earlier versions weighed around 5 pounds and had a metal body.
Within two years of its creation, walkie-talkies proved to be an asset for soldiers during wars. The device became immensely popular among militaries during World War II for communication. Tens of thousands were produced and shipped worldwide. As technology advanced, the device was equipped with more features, such as voice scramblers for added security.
For communication to be possible, all participants must be tuned to the same frequency. Walkie-talkies have a speaker at one end and a microphone at the other. However, later models were two-way radios, allowing both sides to transmit and receive messages simultaneously. The device acts as a radio until the Push To Talk (PTT) button is pressed, after which one can transmit messages across too.
Modern-day walkie-talkies are much more advanced and now include features such as flashlights, hands-free technology, SOS signals, and weather alerts, in addition to basic communication. They are also much smaller and lighter, making them easier to carry.
Use of old-school devices in modern warfare
With easy access to all kinds of weapons, armed groups, military forces, and terrorist organizations have revolutionized wars and warfare. Today, countries purchase high-class weapons not only to strengthen their arsenal but also as a psychological tactic to deter enemies from attacking.
Defense tactics too have undergone transformational innovation, and the attacks over the past two days are an example of this. Hezbollah took extreme measures to evade surveillance, instructing its members not to use mobile phones. However, the group could never have anticipated an attack via age-old communication devices, pagers, and walkie-talkies.
According to Reuters, these walkie-talkies were purchased at the same time as the pagers, indicating a larger conspiracy. These handheld radios are a relic of the past, and few people know their origins.
The use of pager and walkie talkie as weapons of mass killings is a new turn in the conflict-ridden world, one that is bound to inspire more such unpredictable attacks.
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