HYT TC-518 User manual

Preface
Thank you for purchasing HYT TC-518 portable radio. The main function keys are located
on one side of the radio, so you can have convenient one-hand operation; the orange
anti-skid PTT key is also ergonomically designed; in addition, the knobs are protected
against damage due to accidental drop.All these advantages help TC-518 possess
reliability and durability.
This easy-to-use radio will deliver you secure, instant and reliable communications at
peak efficiency. Please read this manual carefully before use. The information presented
herein will help you to derive maximum performance from your radio.
MODELS COVERED IN THIS MANUAL
TC-518 VHF Two-way Radio
TC-518 UHF Two-way Radio

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Contents
Safety Information................................................................................................................2
Product Inspection...............................................................................................................3
Radio Overview....................................................................................................................4
Battery Information ..............................................................................................................6
Antenna Information ............................................................................................................9
Assembly and Disassembly...............................................................................................10
Attaching/Removing the Battery.................................................................................10
Attaching/Removing the Antenna...............................................................................11
Attaching/Removing the Belt Clip...............................................................................11
Attaching/Removing the Earpiece or Microphone......................................................12
Basic Operations................................................................................................................13
Turning the Radio On/Off ...........................................................................................13
Adjusting the Volume..................................................................................................13
Selecting a Channel ...................................................................................................14
Transmitting................................................................................................................14
Receiving....................................................................................................................14
Programmable Auxiliary Functions....................................................................................14
Advanced Operations........................................................................................................15
CTCSS/CDCSS..........................................................................................................15
Battery Save...............................................................................................................15
Power Adjust...............................................................................................................15
Time-out Timer (TOT).................................................................................................16
Battery Strength Indicator...........................................................................................16
Monitor / Squelch Off..................................................................................................16
Scan............................................................................................................................17
Busy Channel Lockout (BCL).....................................................................................19
Low BatteryAlert ........................................................................................................19
Voice Operated Transmit (VOX).................................................................................20
Compandor.................................................................................................................21
Scrambler ...................................................................................................................21
Channel Lock..............................................................................................................21
Troubleshooting.................................................................................................................22
Care and Cleaning.............................................................................................................23
Optional Accessories .........................................................................................................23

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Safety Information
The following safety precautions shall always be observed during operation, service and
repair of this equipment.
◇This equipment shall be serviced by qualified technicians only.
◇Do not modify the radio for any reason.
◇Use only HYT supplied or approved batteries and chargers.
◇To avoid electromagnetic interference and/or compatibility conflicts, turn off your
radio in any area where posted notices instruct you to do so. Turn off your radio
before boarding an aircraft.Any use of a radio must be in accordance with airline
regulations or crew instructions.
◇For vehicles with an air bag, do not place a radio in the area over an air bag or in
the air bag deployment area.
◇Turn off your radio prior to entering any area with explosive and flammable
materials.
◇Do not charge your battery in a location with explosive and flammable materials.
◇Turn off your radio before entering a blasting area.
◇Do not use any portable radio that has a damaged antenna. If a damaged
antenna comes into contact with your skin, a minor burn can result.
◇Do not expose the radio to direct sunlight over a long time, nor place it close to
heating source.
◇When transmitting with a portable radio, hold the radio in a vertical position with
the microphone 3 to 4 centimeters away from your lips. Keep antenna at least 2.5
centimeters away from your body when transmitting.
WARNING: If you wear a radio on your body, ensure the radio and its antenna are at
least 2.5 centimeters away from your body when transmitting.

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Product Inspection
Please unpack the package box carefully and check that all items shipped are received;
report any missing or damaged items to your dealer.
Accessories
Item
Qty. (PCS)
Antenna
1
Belt Clip
1
Strap
1
Battery
1
Rapid-Rate Charger
1
Switching Power
1
Owner’s Manual
1
Li-Ion Battery
Rapid-Rate Charger (for
Li-ion Battery)
Switching Power (different P/N for
different countries and areas)
Belt Clip
Strap
Antenna (VHF)
Antenna (UHF)
Note:
1. Note: Frequency band is marked on the label of antenna, if not, please refer to the
label on the radio unit for detailed frequency band information.
2. The radio unit is shipped with the screws of belt clip mounted from the factory.

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Radio Overview
(1) Power On/Off Key
(2) PTT (Push-to-Talk) Key
(3) SK1 (Side Key 1)
(4) SK2 (Side Key 2)
(5) Antenna
(6) LED Indicator
(7) Channel Selector Knob
(8) Channel Indicator
(9) Volume Control Knob
(10) Microphone
(11) Speaker
(12) Battery Latch
(13) Accessory Jack
(14) Accessory Jack Cover
(15) Belt Clip
(16) Battery
(17) Screw (Belt Clip)
(18) Charging Piece
*PTT (Push-to-Talk) Key
Hold down the PTT key and speak into the microphone to transmit, and release it to
receive.
*SK1 (Side Key 1) / SK2 (Side Key 2)
Side Key 1 and Side Key 2 are programmable keys that can be assigned with long/short

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press functions by your dealer.
Note:
Short Press
Key press no longer than 1 second.
Long Press
Key press longer than 1 second.
*LED Indicator
LED indications and alert tones are shown in the table below (see Advanced Operations
for details):
Status
LED Indication and Alert Tone
Power On
1. The power-on alert tone is heard when the radio is
powered on.
2. When the current channel is a blank channel, beeps
are heard.
Radio Standby
The LED flashes blue if no operation is made or no carrier
is present within 2s. Your dealer can enable/disable this
LED indication.
Low BatteryAlert
The LED flashes red and a low pitched tone is heard
every ten seconds.
Transmitting
1. Red LED glows while the radio is transmitting.
2. When transmission times out, continuous beeps are
heard.
3. TOT Pre-alert: one beep is heard.
4. Transmitting PTT ID: continuous beeps
(programmable by your dealer) are heard.
5. Transmitting PTT ID is completed: a short beep
(programmable by your dealer) is heard.
Receiving
The LED glows green when carrier presents.
Scanning
1. The LED flashes green every 1 second when
scanning is in process.
2. Scan Start Tone (programmable by your dealer): one

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beep is heard.
3. Green LED solidly glows when signal is received.
4. Scan Stop Tone (programmable by your dealer): one
beep is heard.
Power Adjust
Switch to low power: a low pitched tone is heard.
Switch to high power: a high pitched tone is heard
VOX/Compandor/Scrambler/
Channel Lock
Enable functions: one beep is heard.
Disable functions: two continuous beeps are heard.
*Channel Indicator
Used to indicate the currently selected channel.
*Battery Latch
Used to secure or remove the battery.
*Earpiece Jack & Programming Port
Used to connect accessories such as speaker/microphone, earpiece, programming cable
and cloning cable.
Battery Information
Initial Use
New batteries are shipped uncharged from the factory. Charge a new battery for 5 hours
before initial use. The maximum battery capacity and performance is achieved after three
full charge/discharge cycles. If you notice the battery power runs low, please recharge the
battery.
Applicable Battery Packs
To reduce the risk of injury, charge only the battery specified by the manufacturer. Other
batteries may burst, causing bodily injury and property damage.
Caution:
1. To avoid risk of personal injury, do not dispose of batteries in a fire!
2. Dispose of batteries according to local regulations (e.g. recycling). Do not dispose as

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household waste.
3. Never attempt to disassemble the battery.
Battery Tips
1. When charging your battery, keep it at a temperature among 5℃- 40℃.
Temperature out of the limit may cause battery leakage or damage.
2. When charging a battery attached to a radio, turn the radio off to ensure a full charge.
3. Do not return fully charged batteries to the charger for an “extra boost”. This action
will significantly reduce battery life.
4. Do not return a battery to the charger before the battery power runs low. This action
will significantly reduce battery life. Never take the charger as a stand for your radio.
5. Never charge a battery that is wet. Please dry it with soft cloth prior to charge.
6. The battery will eventually wear out. When the operating time (talk-time and standby
time) is noticeably shorter than normal performance, it is time to buy a new battery.
To Prolong Battery Life
1. Battery performance will be greatly decreased at a temperature below 0℃. A spare
battery is necessary in cold weather. The cold battery unable to work in this situation
may work under room temperature, so keep it for later use.
2. The dust on the battery contact may cause the battery cannot work or charge. Please
use clean dry cloth to wipe it before attaching the battery to the radio.
Battery Storage
1. Fully charge a battery before you store it for a long time, to avoid battery damage due
to over-discharge.
2. Recharge a battery after several months’ storage (Li-Ion & Li-polymer batteries: 6
months), to avoid battery capacity reduction due to over-discharge.
3. Store your battery in a cool, dry place under room temperature, to reduce
self-discharge.
Charging the Battery
Use only the charger specified by the manufacturer. The charger’s LED indicates the
charging progress.
Charger LED
Status

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Red LED solidly glows.
Battery is charging.
Green LED solidly glows.
Battery is fully charged;
or
Charger is ready to charge.
Charging Method 1
Please follow the steps below:
1. Plug theAC connector of the adapter into theAC outlet socket.
2. Plug the DC connector of the adapter into the DC socket on the back of the charger.
Then charger LED glows green.
3. Place the radio with the battery attached, or the battery alone, in the charger.
4. Make sure the battery is in good contact with the charging terminals. The charging
process initiates when the red LED lights.
5. The green LED lights when the battery is fully charged (orange LED lights when the
battery is almost fully charged). Then remove the radio with the battery attached or the
battery alone from the charger.
Charging Method 2
You may connect several single-unit chargers so the combination can be used as a
multi-unit charger. To connect single-unit chargers, slide the latch on a charger into the
slot on the bottom of another one, as shown in figure 1.

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图1：排充组装示意图
座充连接扣
Figure 1 Assembly Diagram of Multi-unit Charger
The assembled multi-unit charger can work with HYT Six-Unit Switching Power, to charge
up to six batteries simultaneously, as shown in figure 2. Please refer to Owner’s Manual
for Six-Unit Switching Power for detailed operation procedures.
图2：六联排充充电示意图
Figure 2 Schematic Diagram of Six-Unit Charger
Antenna Information
Stubby antenna is ideal for communication within limited range. Thin and long
antenna optimizes communication coverage, and its flexible and soft characteristic
Charger Connection Latch

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makes it ideal for wearing your radio on the belt.
Communication range may vary with terrain and your operating conditions. Rainy
days or forest locations may narrow your communication range. Please make
preparation in advance to avoid potential inconvenience.
Assembly and Disassembly
Attaching/Removing the Battery
Attaching the Battery
1. Slightly press the belt clip, and insert the tab at the top of the battery into the slots at
the top of the radio’s body, as shown in figure 1.
2. Slightly press the bottom of the battery until a click is heard. By then, the battery latch
locks with the main unit and assembly is finished. See figure 2 below.
Note: If the battery is not well locked, please remove the battery and attach it again.
Figure 1 Figure 2
Removing the Battery
1. Please turn off the radio first. Then hold the top of radio unit and press the belt clip to
make its bottom up. Lift the battery latch, as shown in figure 3.
2. When the bottom of battery is lifted, release the battery latch and remove the battery
from the radio’s body, as shown in figure 4. Note: To avoid serious abrasion between
the top tap and the slot, do not tilt the battery to a large angle.

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Figure 3 Figure 4
Attaching/Removing the Antenna
Attaching the Antenna
1. Align the threaded end of the antenna with the radio’s antenna connector.
2. Turn the antenna clockwise until it is screwed down, shown as figure 5.
Removing the Antenna
Turn the antenna counter-clockwise until it is loosened and screwed out.
Figure 5
Attaching/Removing the Belt Clip
Attaching the Belt Clip
Loosen the screws of belt clip from the main unit; fasten the belt clip to the main unit
(make sure the screw holes of belt clip are aligned with those of aluminum chassis); and

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clockwise screw down the belt clip. See figure 6 below.
Figure 6
Removing the Belt Clip
Turn the screwdriver counter-clockwise to loosen the screw. Please refer to the
operations for attaching the belt clip.
Attaching/Removing the Earpiece or Microphone
Attaching the Earpiece/Microphone
1. Open (not remove) the accessory jack cover.
2. Plug the audio accessory firmly into the accessory jack, and then secure the screw,
shown as figure 7.

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Figure 7
Removing the Earpiece/Microphone
Loosen the screw and then remove the audio accessories.
Note: Use of audio accessory may affect the waterproof performance of the radio.
Basic Operations
Turning the Radio On/Off
To turn on the radio, hold down the Power On/Off key for about 1 second, and then the
radio sounds power-on alert tone.
To turn off the radio, hold down the Power On/Off key for about 2 second, and then the
radio sounds power-off alert tone.
Adjusting the Volume
You may adjust the volume through any of the following two methods:
1. Turn the Volume Control Knob upwards to increase the volume, and downwards to
decrease the volume. The radio will give you audible indications accordingly.
2. Hold down the programmed Squelch Off key to listen to background noise, and then
turn the Volume Control Knob upwards/downwards to increase/decrease the volume.
You will hear higher background noise when you increase the volume.

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Selecting a Channel
Turn the Channel Selector Knob to select a channel; the channel No. pointed by the
channel indicator is the currently selected channel.
Transmitting
To transmit, press and hold down the PTT, speak into the microphone. Ensure the radio is
2.5 to 5 centimeters away from your lips.
Receiving
To receive signal, release the PTT.
Talk Range
Flat ground with no obstructions
Up to 10 kilometers
Residential area (close to buildings）
Up to 5 kilometers
Inside multi-level buildings
Up to 20 floors
Note: The talk ranges herein are site tested in maximum radio power. Radio’s status may
vary from your specific use environment and radio model.
Programmable Auxiliary Functions
Your dealer may program the SK1, SK2 (long or short press) with one of the following
auxiliary functions. See Advanced Operations for detailed description.
None
Power Adjust
Compandor
Monitor
Monitor Momentary
Scan
Scrambler
Squelch Off
Squelch Off Momentary

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VOX
Battery Strength Indicator
Channel Lock
Advanced Operations
The following functions are programmable by your dealer.
CTCSS/CDCSS
Set up talkgroups with unique CDCSS/CTCSS to prevent unwanted conversations on the
same frequency.
If CTCSS/CDCSS is set on the current channel, CTCSS/CDCSS match is required for the
radio to unmute to an incoming signal. If CTCSS/CCSS is not set, the radio can receive
calls from all users operating on the same frequency. Your dealer may set
CTCSS/CDCSS for some channels.
This feature does not mean that your conversation will not be heard by others. Radios that
set with the same CTCSS/CDCSS, or no CTCSS/CDCSS, can receive from you.
Battery Save
This feature, when no signal is received or no operation is made, can lower battery
consumption.
Once the radio detects no activity on the channel and no operation performed (no key
press and no knob selection) during radio standby time, it shall automatically enter sleep
mode ten seconds later.
Pressing any key or receiving a signal will cause the radio to exit from Battery Save and
restore it to normal operation.
Power Adjust
Press the programmed Power Adjust key to switch the transmit power level between high
and low.

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Time-out Timer (TOT)
Limits the amount of time the radio user can continuously transmit on a channel. If the
user holds down the PTT longer than the preprogrammed time period, the radio will
automatically stop transmitting and generate a warning tone. To stop the warning tone,
release the PTT.
Your dealer may program the alert tone that sounds before the TOT timer nearly expires.
Battery Strength Indicator
TC-518 allows you to simply press the programmed Battery Strength Indicator key to
illuminate the LED battery gauge, which gives different indications representing battery
strength levels. To exit the indications, release the key.
Battery Strength
LED Indication
70% - 100%
Green
50% - 70%
Orange
30% - 50%
Red
10% - 30%
No LED indication is shown when the function key is
pressed; while the radio is in standby mode, LED flashes red
and a low-pitched tone sounds at intervals of preset time.
Less than 10%
No LED indication is shown when the function key is
pressed; the radio can only receive or keep standby, and
transmit is disallowed. While the radio is in standby mode,
LED flashes red and a low-pitched tone sounds at intervals
of preset time. If the PTT is held down, transmit inhibit tone
would sound.
Monitor / Squelch Off
Squelch Off
Causes the radio to forcibly unmute speaker to hear activities on the current channel,
whatever the receive condition is. The radio speaker outputs audio when audio signal is
present, or background noise will be heard if no audio signal is detected.

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Press the function key to enter the Squelch Off mode, and press it again to exit.
Squelch Off Momentary
Causes the radio to forcibly unmute speaker to hear activities on the current channel,
whatever the receive condition is. The radio speaker outputs audio when audio signal is
present, or background noise will be heard if no audio signal is detected.
Holds down the function key to enter the Squelch Off Momentary mode, and release it to
exit.
Monitor
Carrier condition must be satisfied for the radio to unmute to an incoming call, regardless
of CTCSS/CDCSS condition.
Press the function key to enter Monitor mode, and press it again to exit.
Monitor Momentary
Carrier condition must be satisfied for the radio to unmute to an incoming call, regardless
of CTCSS/CDCSS condition.
Holds down the function key to enter Monitor Momentary mode, and release it to exit.
Scan
Press the programmed Scan key to initiate scanning ascending through the channel
numbers in scan list. Green LED flashes during the scan process, and solidly glows when
activity is detected on a channel and signaling condition is satisfied. Press the key again
to exit scanning.
When scanning is active, the radio continuously scans for activity on scan list members.
Once activity is detected on a channel, scanning pauses on the active channel for you to
receive activity. Your dealer can choose channels that you wish to scan and list them in a
scan list.
No Priority Channel
Assuming a scan list with 6 channels, if all the channels are non-prioritized, the normal
scan operation would proceed in the following sequence, as shown in figure 1.

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Figure 1
Priority Channel Scan
If you prioritize Channel 2 as Priority 1, the scan operation would proceed in the following
sequence, as shown in figure 2.
Figure 2
Scan On/Off
You can enter scan mode through the following two methods:
a. Key operation
Press the programmed Scan key to enter scan mode, provided that there’re no less than
2 members in the scan list.
b. Auto
When Auto Scan is enabled for a channel, the radio shall automatically enter scan mode
when it is switched to the channel.
You can exit scan mode through any of the following methods:
a. Key operation
Press the programmed Scan key to exit scan mode.
b. Auto

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The radio automatically exits from scan mode when it is switched to another channel.
c. Turn the radio off.
Talk Back
Defines whether the user is able to PTT the radio and talk back on the channel on which
the radio currently stops.
When checked, if the radio stops on a channel, the radio user is able to PTT the radio and
talk back on that channel. If the radio does not stop on any channel, the user is able to
PTT the radio and talk back on the predefined channel.
When unchecked, the radio shall always use the predefined channel to transmit.
Priority Channel Scan
Enable you to constantly monitor & keep an update on the activities on the most
commonly used channel so that messages will not be missed. Check with your dealer for
details.
When scanning remains on a non-priority channel, the radio continues to monitor activities
on the priority channel, and jumps to the priority channel if activity is detected.
Available Keys in Scan Mode
Valid keys in Scan mode include PTT key, volume adjustment keys +/ -, and 4
programmable keys of Squelch Off, Squelch Off Momentary, Monitor and Monitor
Momentary.
Note: never add a blank channel to a Scan List or designate it as the Tx Channel.
Busy Channel Lockout (BCL)
Avoid interference with the users using the same channel by preventing transmission if
another talk group is already on the air. The radio will generate a continuous tone upon
PTT press if a transmission is not allowed. Release the PTT to cancel the tone.
Low Battery Alert
For extra convenience, LED flashes red and a low-pitched tone sounds every ten seconds
should the battery level run low, to alert users to recharge the battery.