Two-way radio hire
Radios when
you need them
A rental fleet of more than 300 radios, one of the largest in the country, shipped anywhere in New Zealand. For the weekend event and for the six-month project alike.
Christchurch based · 0800 454 756 · sales@signals.co.nz
Why hire
The right radios, only for as long as you need them
Hiring puts a properly specified radio system on site without the capital, the lead time or the leftover equipment afterwards.
A fleet that sits in a cupboard for eleven months of the year is an expensive way to cover one busy month. Hire covers the peak, the one-off event, the project that ends, or the gap while your own radios are being serviced — and everything comes back to us when you are done.
We have been supplying and servicing radio for over twenty years, so what arrives is not a box of unknowns. It is programmed, charged, tested and ready to use.
- No capital outlay. Cover a peak or a one-off without buying a fleet you will not use again.
- Programmed before it ships. UHF radios come with 16 channels as standard; PoC radios are set up with the channels you ask for, named the way you want them.
- You pay for the days you use them. Charges run over the active days of your event or project, not the time the kit spends in transit either way.
- Charged and tested. Every unit is checked and charged before it leaves us, with chargers in the box.
- No minimum hire. One day or one season — add units for the busy week and return them when the week is over.
- Cover for downtime. Hire fills the gap while your own radios are in for repair.
- Try before you buy. Hire the format you are considering and see how it works on your own site.
- One supplier. The same people who sell, license and service radio nationwide.
What we hire
Two radio formats, and headsets to match
Different jobs need different radios. Tell us how your people work and we will tell you which of these fits — and how many you actually need.
UHF radios
Kirisun DP405 · Icom F1000 & F2000The standard handheld. Simple, rugged and instant — press the button and everyone on the channel hears you, with no network and no call to answer.
SuitsSites, events, venues and crews working within range of each other, and anywhere cellular coverage is unreliable.
PoC radios
Kirisun T65 & T60Push-to-talk over the 4G cellular network, so range is not limited to line of sight. Talk between vehicles, sites and towns on the same channel.
SuitsTeams spread across a region, convoys and multi-site operations. More on PoC →
Grade 5 headsets
Cable-connected · pairs with either radioClass 5 hearing protection with a speaker built in and a push-to-talk button on the cup. It runs by cable to a UHF or PoC radio, so crews stay on channel without lifting an ear defender.
SuitsLoud sites and plant, and any job where ear protection is required anyway. Add them to either radio format above.Accessories
Kit to fit the application
The radio is half of it. How people carry it and hear it is what decides whether the system gets used, so the accessories come out of the same fleet and go out with the hire.
Ear pieces
Discreet audio for front-of-house, security and anywhere a loudspeaker would carry.
Handset mics
Speaker mic on the shoulder or lapel, so the radio stays on the belt and out of the way.
Chest harnesses
Keeps the radio secure and reachable for people climbing, driving or working at height.
Spare batteries
A second battery per radio for long shifts, night work and multi-day events.
Radio chargers
Single and multi-way chargers so a whole shift's radios go back on charge together.
Who hires from us
Short notice or a long season
The fleet is big enough to cover both, and the process is the same either way.
Events and short-term hire
A fixed start and end date, a set number of people, and no room for the radios not to work on the day. We spec the channels, ship the kit and you send it back afterwards.
- Festivals, race days and sporting events
- Conferences, expos and venue operations
- Film, television and production crews
- School camps, galas and community events
- Civil defence exercises and emergency response
Business and project hire
Longer hires where the radios become part of how the site runs. Same fleet, same accessories, hired for the length of the project rather than the weekend.
- Construction projects and site works
- Seasonal peaks — harvest, processing, summer trade
- Plant shutdowns and maintenance windows
- Cover while your own radios are being repaired
- Trialling a format before committing to buy
How it works
From enquiry to radios on site
Tell us the dates, the headcount and roughly how the site is laid out. We do the rest — including getting the kit to you before you need it.
Tell us the job
Dates, how many people, where they will be working and what they need to hear. The form below covers it, or call us.
We spec the kit
We recommend the format, the number of units and the channels, and quote it. If fewer radios will do the job, we will say so.
Programmed and shipped early
UHF comes with 16 channels as standard, PoC with the channels and names you asked for. It ships ahead of your start date so it is on site and ready before you need it.
Use it, send it back
Everything comes back to us when the job is done, and you are charged for the active days only. If it runs long, extend rather than scramble.
Rental enquiry
Tell us what you need and when
Every hire is quoted on the kit and the dates, so there is no standard price to look up. Give us the details and we will come back with a quote and a recommendation.
Rental enquiry
Not sure what you need? Put in the dates and headcount and leave the rest — that is what we are here for. In a hurry, call 0800 454 756.
Common questions
Before you enquire
How much does it cost to hire radios?
It depends on the format, how many units, which accessories and how long you need them, so we quote each hire rather than publish a rate. What we can tell you up front: there is no minimum hire, and you are charged for the active days of your event or project rather than the days the kit spends getting to you and back.
Do the radios arrive ready to use?
Yes. UHF radios are programmed with 16 channels as standard; PoC radios are set up with however many channels you need, named the way your team refers to them. Everything is charged and tested before it ships, and the chargers come with it. Open the box, hand them out and start talking.
Can you ship outside Christchurch?
We ship nationwide. We are based in Christchurch and send rental kit anywhere in New Zealand, so where the job is does not limit what you can hire.
Which type of radio do I need?
Short version: UHF for a defined site or venue, and PoC where your people are spread across a region and need range beyond line of sight. If noise is the problem, either one pairs with a Grade 5 headset. Tell us how your team works and we will make the call with you rather than sell you the most expensive option.
How many radios do we need?
Usually fewer than people expect. Not everyone on site needs a radio — supervisors, gate staff, first aid and anyone who has to be reachable typically do. Walk us through the roles and we will work out a number with you.
How far ahead do I need to book?
Get in touch as soon as you have dates, but lead time is rarely the constraint. We organise and ship in advance so the kit reaches you before your start date, and with more than 300 radios in the fleet we almost never run out. If your dates are tight, call us and we will work to them.
Is there a minimum hire period?
No. Hire for a single day or for a whole season. Charges are based on the active days you are using the radios, so the shipping time at either end is not billed.
What if the job runs longer than planned?
Extend the hire. Get in touch before the return date and we will carry it on rather than have you scrambling at the end of a job that has overrun.
Can we hire and then buy?
Plenty of customers start that way. Hiring the format you are considering is the cheapest way to find out whether it suits your site before committing to a fleet. If you decide to buy, we sell and license the same equipment.
Get in touch
Tell us the dates
With over 300 radios in the fleet and accessories to match, the answer to "can you cover this?" is almost always yes. Give us the job and we will tell you what it needs.
sales@signals.co.nz · Christchurch · shipping nationwide