A radio operating system, in particular for a medical device, comprises: a radio base station, provided for control of a device, an operating unit, for establishment of a radio connection with the radio base station, whereby the operating unit comprises a controller with a first threshold value (S1) relating to a reception parameter (K), depending on which a switching between various operational modes (B0, B1) for the operating unit is provided. On dropping below the threshold value (S1), a safety-oriented operating mode (B0) and, on exceeding the threshold value (S1), a standard operating mode for the operating element (3), are provided. A first non-safety-critical command set (BS1) may be activated by the operating unit and equally used in the various operating modes (B0, B1), a second safety-critical command set (BS2), activated by means of the operating unit, may be used in the safety-oriented operating mode (B0) in a limited manner in comparison to the standard operating mode (B1).