Wattage refers to the amount of power a handheld radio can put out. Most business radios run between 1 to 5 watts.
Higher wattage means a larger range of communication.
For example, a radio running at 1 watt should translate to around a mile of coverage, 2 watts may reach up to a 1.5-mile radius and a 5-watt radio may be able to reach up to 6 miles away.