Which radio is typically a simplex radio mounted inside an ambulance?

• A. Portable Radio
• B. Mobile Radio
• C. Duplex Radio
• D. Base Station

Answer: (B)

Radios come in three form factors in EMS: portable (handheld), mobile (vehicle-mounted), and base station (fixed at hospital/dispatch). A simplex operation means transmitting and receiving on the same frequency without a repeater, which is typical for direct, short-range talk. The radio mounted inside an ambulance is the mobile radio—it's built for in-vehicle use, powered by the vehicle, and connected to the agency’s network. The base station stays in one place, and handheld portables are carried by crew members rather than installed in the vehicle. Duplex operation with a repeater is used for longer-range communication, but the device type that’s mounted in the ambulance and considered simplex is the mobile radio.