RCA Prodigi RDR1520 Series User manual

Copyright © 2019 RCA Communications Systems
1ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
Congratulations and Thank You for selecting the PRODIGI RDR1520 Series
portable two-way radio from RCA Communications Systems
- The most trusted name in radio!
Our newest digital series professional communications products based on DMR technology
establishes a benchmark in premium digital two-way radio equipment, made to perform
awlessly under the most demanding commercial conditions. Cutting edge design, high-end
professional grade materials and components, simple operation and superior assembly quality:
RCA Communications Systems has it all, including our exclusive no-nonsense, four-year “Warranty
Protection Program,” one of the most comprehensive warranties in the communications industry.
To ensure you achieve maximum performance from your RDR1520 radio, please be sure to carefully
read this manual.
MODELS COVERED IN THIS MANUAL:
WARRANTY
PROTECTION PROGR AM
YEAR
• RDR1520TM VHF Two-Way Radio • RDR1520TM UHF Two-Way Radio

Copyright © 2019 RCA Communications Systems
3ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
SAFETY AND GENERAL INFORMATION
This radio is restricted to occupational use
only to satisfy FCC RF energy exposure
requirements. Before using this product, read
the operating instructions.
»Turn radio off prior to entering any area
with a potentially explosive atmosphere,
such as gas, petroleum, chemicals, blasting
caps, etc.
»Do not charge the battery in a potentially
explosive atmosphere.
»Do not use any portable radio that has a
damaged antenna, as it can burn skin.
»This equipment is to be serviced only by
authorized RCA Communications Systems
technicians. Any service performed by
unauthorized technicians will void the
warranty.
»Turn radio off when near electrical blasting
caps to avoid possible interference with
blasting operations. Obey posted signs
such as those in hospitals or blasting areas
advising people to turn off all two-way
radios. Obey pilots and ight attendants
instructions to turn off radios on airplanes.
»Do not place a radio over an air bag or in
an air bag’s deployment area, as the force
with which an air bag is inated could
propel the radio and may cause serious
injury.
»Do not place the radio close to a heat
source or expose the radio to direct
sunlight for a prolonged time.
»Hold the radio while in use in a vertical
position with the microphone one to two
inches away from your lips.
»While wearing a transmitting radio, keep
the radio and its antenna at least one inch
away from your body.
For a complete list of RCA approved antennas,
batteries, chargers, holsters and audio
accessories, visit:
http://www.rcacommunicationssystems.com

Copyright © 2019 RCA Communications Systems
ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
4
PRODUCT INSPECTION
Prior to unpacking your RDR1520 Series
portable radio, please inspect the packaging
for signs of damage and report any damage or
missing components immediately to your RCA
Communications Systems Sales and Service
Outlet. Every RDR1520 Series portable radio
comes with the following items:
Item Qty.
RDR1520TM -Handheld Radio 1
B1520LI - Li-Ion Battery (2000 mAh) 1
ANH1520U - Antenna for UHF Models
ANH1520V - Antenna for VHF Models 1
BC1520 - Belt Clip 1
Instruction Manual 1
CH1521* - Desktop Rapid Charger 1
PS1521* - Power Supply 1
B1520LI
Li-Ion Battery
(2000 mAh)
CH1521*
Desktop Rapid Charger
PS1521*
Power Supply
BC1520
Belt Clip
Antenna
ANH1520U - UHF models
ANH1520V - VHF models
RDR1520TM
Handheld Radio
*Items sent in separate box if ordered.

Copyright © 2019 RCA Communications Systems
5ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
RCA RDR1520TM Series Overview
Antenna
Channel Knob
LED Indicator
On/Off/Volume Knob
Speaker
Microphone
Screw-On Belt Clip
Push-to-Talk (PTT) Button
Side Button 1*
Side Button 2*
Accessories Connector
Micro-USB (for charging & programming)
Battery
Battery Charging Contact Points
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
*These buttons are programmable
by your RCA Communications
Systems Dealer only upon request
at the time of purchase.
1
3
24
5
7
6
11
12
13
14
8
9
10

Copyright © 2019 RCA Communications Systems
ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
6
Preparing Your Radio for Initial Use
Setting Up Your Charger
1. Plug the adapter’s AC connector into the
AC outlet socket. (see image A)
2. Plug the adapter’s DC connector into the
DC socket on the back of the charger. (see
image B)
3. Place the radio with the battery attached,
or the battery alone, in the charger. (see
image C)
4. Make sure the battery contact is touching
the charging terminals. The charging
process begins when the red LED light
illuminates.
5. The green LED light will illuminate
approximately two hours later, indicating
the battery is fully charged.
Image A Image B
Battery Information
Charging the Battery
Your radio is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-
lon) battery. To avoid damage and comply
with warranty terms, charge the battery
using only an original RCA charger, exactly
as described in the charger user guide.
When the charger’s LED illuminates red,
it is an indication that the battery is being
correctly charged. When the LED illuminates
green, the battery charge is complete.
Note: Charge a new battery 12 to 14 hours
before initial use for best performance.
Maximum battery capacity is normally achieved
after two or three full charge / discharge cycles.

Copyright © 2019 RCA Communications Systems
7ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
Caution:
To reduce the risk of injury, use only batteries
specied by RCA Communications Systems.
- To avoid risk of personal injury, do not
dispose of batteries in a re.
- Dispose of batteries according to local
recycling regulations. Do not dispose as
household waste.
- Never attempt to disassemble the battery.
- When charging a battery, keep it at a
temperature between 41°F ~ 104°F (5°C ~
40°C) to ensure a full charge. Temperatures
outside this range signicantly reduce
Image C
battery life. The operating time (talk-time
and standby time) is noticeably shorter than
normal, replace the battery.
- Before charging a battery attached to a
radio, turn the radio off to ensure a full
charge. Never leave a radio on while in the
charger, as it can damage both the battery
and the radio; the charger is not a radio
stand.
- Do not cut off the power supply or remove
battery while charging.
- Never charge a battery that is wet. Dry it
with soft cloth prior charging.
- The battery will eventually weaken. When
the operating time (talk-time and standby
time) becomes noticeably shorter than
normal, replace the battery.
- Battery performance greatly decreases at
temperatures below -4°F (-20°C). Having
a spare battery is always necessary in
extremely cold environments. A cold

Copyright © 2019 RCA Communications Systems
ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
8
battery may work again when it returns to
room temperature, so keep it for later use.
- Dust on the battery contact may cause the
battery not to work or charge properly. Use
a clean dry cloth to wipe it before attaching
the battery to the radio.
- Batteries with damaged contacts can be
extremely dangerous. Any battery with
damage to one or more contacts should be
replaced immediately and not used under
any circumstances.
Battery Storage
1. Fully charge a battery before storing it for
an extended period of time to avoid battery
damage due to over-discharge.
2. Recharge a battery after three months
storage to avoid reduced battery capacity
due to over-discharge.
3. When storing a battery, keep it in a dry
place at room temperature.
Attaching & Removing the Battery
1. Attach the battery on the back of the
radio by aligning the side rails and pushing
battery up as shown until it clicks into place.
(See Figure 1)
2. Remove the battery by pressing the battery
release button and sliding the battery down
as shown. (See Figure 2)
Note: If the battery is not securely locked,
remove it and reattach it.

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9ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
Figure 1
Figure 2
Attaching / Removing the Antenna
1. With the radio turned off, set the antenna
in its receptacle and turn clockwise until it
is screwed down. (See Figure 3)
2. To remove the antenna, turn the radio off
and turn the antenna counterclockwise.
(See Figure 4)
Figure 3 Figure 4
* If antenna needs
to be replaced,
ensure that only RCA
Communications
Systems antennas
are used. Damaged
Antennas may reduce
your radio coverage.

Copyright © 2019 RCA Communications Systems
ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
10
Attaching / Removing the Belt Clip
Using a small screwdriver, align the belt clip’s
screw holes to the radio’s chassis. Attach by
turning the screws clockwise into the belt clip’s
screw holes. Remove by doing the reverse.
(See Figure 5)
Figure 5
Connecting Audio Accessories
The accessory connector is located on the side
of the radio. It is used to connect RCA audio
accessories to the radio. Remove the accessory
cover by unscrewing the screw location at
the bottom of the cover. Connect the desired
audio accessory rmly into the accessory jack
and secure the screw by turning it clockwise.
(See Figure 6)
Figure 6
Note: Please loosen the
screw prior to removing
the audio accessory.
The use of the audio
accessory may affect
the waterproof
performance of
the radio.

Copyright © 2019 RCA Communications Systems
11ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
Turn On/Off the Radio
1. Rotate the On/Off/Volume Control Knob
clockwise until you hear a click. (See Figure
7) The LED blinks green and a brief tone
sounds, indicating that the power up test
is successful.
2. To turn off the radio, rotate this knob
counterclockwise until you hear a click.
Note: There is no power up tone if the radio
tones/alerts function is disabled. If your radio
does not power up, check your battery. Make
sure that it is charged and properly attached.
If your radio still does not power up, contact
your RCA Communications Systems dealer.
Adjusting the Volume
To increase the volume, turn the On/Off/
Volume Control Knob clockwise. To decrease
the volume, turn this knob counterclockwise.
(See Figure 7)
Figure 7

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ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
12
Programmable Buttons
Your RCA Communications Systems Dealer can
programtheprogrammablebuttonsasshortcuts
to radio functions or preset channels/groups
depending on the duration of a button press:
- Short Press - Press and release quickly.
- Long press - Press and hold for the
programmed duration (between 1 seconds
and 3.75 seconds).
The Programmable Functions are:
Unassigned All Alert Tones On/Off
Emergency On Emergency Off
High/Low Transmit Power Monitor On/Off
Nuisance Channels Delete One Touch Access 1
One Touch Access 2 One Touch Access 3
One Touch Access 4 One Touch Access 5
One Touch Access 6 Repeater/Talkaround
Scan On/Off Tight/Normal Squelch
Scrambler On/Off VOX On/Off
Battery Indicator Lone Worker On/Off
Tone Select Privacy On/Off
All Alert Tones On/Off - Toggles all tones
and alerts on or off.
Emergency On - Initiates an emergency alarm
or call.
Emergency Off - Cancels an emergency
alarm or call.
High/Low Transmit Power - Toggles transmit
power level between high and low.
Monitor On/Off - Monitors a selected
channel for activity.
Nuisance Channels Delete - Temporarily
removes an unwanted channel, except for
the Selected Channel, from the scan list. The
Selected Channel refers to the user’s selected
zone/channel combination from which scan
is initiated.
One Touch Access - Directly initiates a
predened Private or Group Call, a Call Alert
or a Quick Text message.
Repeater/Talkaround - Allows the user to
toggle between Repeater and Talkaround
mode.

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13ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
Scan On/Off - Toggles scan on or off.
Tight/Normal Squelch - Toggles squelch level
between tight and normal squelch levels.
Privacy On/Off - Toggles privacy (basic voice
encryption) on or off.
Privacy On/Off - Allows the user to toggle
the Privacy feature between on and off for
the channel.
VOX On/Off - Toggles Voice Activated
Function on or off.
Battery Indicator - Indicates battery charge
level, low, medium or high.
Lone Worker On/Off - Toggles Lone Worker
feature On or Off, on per channel basis.
Push-To-Talk (PTT) Button
The PTT button on the side of the radio has
two main functions:
- Press and hold down PTT button to initiate
and call and talk. Release the PTT button
to listen. The microphone is activated when
the PTT button is pressed.
- If a call is in progress, the PTT button allows
the radio to transmit to the other radios
that are part of the call.
Note: If the Talk Permit Tone is enabled, wait
until the short alert tone ends before talking.
During a call, if the Channel Free Indication
feature is enabled on your radio (programmed
by your RCA Communications Systems Dealer),
you will hear a short alert tone the moment
the target radio (the radio that is receiving
your call) releases the PTT button, indicating
the channel is free for you to respond. You will
also hear the Channel Free Indication tone if
your call is interrupted, for example when the
radio receives an Emergency Call.
Switching Between Analog and Digital
Mode
Each channel in your radio can be programmed
as an analog channel or a digital channel. Use
the Channel Selector Knob to switch between
an analog or a digital channel.

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ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
14
Note: When switching from digital to analog
mode, certain features of the radio become
unavailable.
Transmission
Analog transmission:
Press PTT key and speak into the mic.
Digital transmisson:
Each channel can be set as a digital channel:
•Press PTT key to call all other members
in this talk group, and release PTT to
receive calls. When call is complete, press
PTT again to send a new call (use the
channel knob to select one channel or
recall one with ONE TOUCH ACCESS).
If the Talk Permit Tone was programmed, the
radio will be produce a tone before talking.
Receive and Recall Transmission
Select Zone
•The Zone is a channel group, the radio
can support two zones, each zone with 16
channels max.
•Press the preset side key button which is
programmed to dene the zones.
• You will hear a conrm tone when the radio
goes from zone 1 to zone 2, or you will hear
a negative tone when the radio goes from
zone 2 to zone 1.
Select channels, user’s ID or group ID
Rotate the channel knob to select the channels,
user’s ID or group ID.
Receive and response calling
After setting the channels, user’s ID or group
ID, you can receive or respond to calls. When
radio is transmitting the LED indicates red or
green when receiving.
Analog receive: Receive the same carrier and
matching signaling to open SQ.
Voice receive: When receive correct calling
(correct single call, group call, all call tone), the
radio opens the speaker to hear the call.

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15ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
Short message receive
When a ”Di, Di” tone is heard, the radio
received the message, otherwise if you hear
one alert tone means receive failed.
Receive and Respond to group call
When receiving the call from one group, the
radio must belong to this group.
1. LED indicates green.
2. Hold the radio 1-2 inches (2.5-5cm) away
from your mouth. lf “CH free indication”
was enabled, you will hear the short beep
tone when your partner releases the PTT,
which means the channel is free and waiting
for response.
3. Press PTT to respond to the call while LED
indicates red.
4. You hear the “Call permit” tone (if enabled)
and speak into the mic.
5. When done speaking release the PTT to
receive again.
6. If there is no talking on this channel during
a preset time, the call ends.
Receive and Response single call
Single call means one radio call to another
radio; there are two call types:
1) The radio processes an inspection before
calling.
2) Immediate calling.
When your radio receives a call,
your radio indicates a green LED.
The call type programmed by PC software.
When receiving the single calling
1. LED indicates green
2. If “CH free indication” was enabled, you will
hear the short beep tone when your partner
releases the PTT, which means the channel
is free and waiting for a response.
3. Press PTT to respond to the call and LED
indicates red.
4. You will hear the “Call permit” tone (if
enabled) and speak to the mic.
5. Release PTT to receive.

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ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
16
6. If there is no talking on this channel during
a preset time, the call ends.
7. A short tone will be heard.
Receive all call
All calling is one radio call to other radios in
the same channel. When you receive all calls:
1. An alert tone is heard and the LED indicates
green.
2. If there is no talking on this channel during
a preset time, the call will end. If “CH free
indication” was enabled, you will hear the
short beep tone when your partner releases
the PTT, it means the channel can be used,
but you cannot respond to all calling.
Attention!!
♦ When receiving all calling, you switch
to another channel, the radio will stop
receiving the all calling.
♦During the calling, you cannot use any
preset button until the calling was end.
Send the transmission
You can use 2 ways to select a channel, user’s
ID or group ID. :
1) Rotate the channel knob
2) Press Preset One Touch Access key
Rotate the channel knob to send a
Group Call transmission
To send the group call, your radio must belong
to this group:
1. Rotate the channel knob, use the group ID
to select the channel.
2. Hold the radio 1-2 inches (2.5-5cm) distance
from your mouth.
3. Press PTT to transmit the call; the LED
indicates red.
4. You hear the “Call permit” tone (if enabled)
and speak into the mic.
5. Release PTT to receive, LED indicates green
if your partner is answering.

Copyright © 2019 RCA Communications Systems
17ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
6. If “CH free indication” was enabled, you
will hear the short beep tone when your
partner release PTT, it means the channel is
free and wait for your response. Press PTT
to respond, if there is no talking on this
channel in a preset time, the call ends.
Single Call
1. Rotate the channel knob, use the user’s ID
to select the channel.
2. Hold the radio 1-2 inches (2.5-5cm) distance
from your mouth.
3. Press PTT to transmit the call; the LED
indicates red.
4. You hear the Call permit tone (if enabled)
and speak into the mic.
5. Release PTT to receive, LED indicates green
if your partner is answering.
6. If “CH free indication” was enabled, you
will hear the short beep tone when your
partner releases PTT, it means the channel
is free and waiting for your response. Press
PTT to respond, if there is no talking on this
channel in preset time, the call ends.
7. You will hear a short beep tone.
All calling
This function lets you send calls to all users
in this channel. This function must PC
programmed.
1. Rotate the channel knob, use the All Calling
ID to select the channel.
2. Hold the radio 1-2 inches (2.5-5cm) distance
from your mouth.
3. Press PTT to transmit the call; the LED
indicates red.
4. You hear the Call permit tone (if enabled)
and speak into the mic. Other users in this
channel cannot respond to the all calling.
Use One Touch Access Key to Send
Group Calls or Single Calls
One touch access function lets you easily send
the group call or single call to the preset ID or
contacts. This function can be assigned to the

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ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
18
pre-programmed keys by long press or short
press. You can program only one ID or Preset
one contact person to one pre-programmed
key, you can program several One Touch
Access Keys.
1. Press preset One Touch Access key to send
the group call or single call.
2. Hold the radio 1-2 inches (2.5-5cm) distance
from your mouth.
3. Press PTT to transmit the call; the LED
indicates red.
4. You hear the Call permit tone (if enabled)
and speak into the mic.
5. Release PTT to receive, LED indicates green
if your partner is answering.
6. If “CH free indication” was enabled, you
will hear the short beep tone when your
partner releases PTT, it means the channel
is free and waiting for your response. Press
PTT to respond, if there is no talking on this
channel in preset time, the call ends.
7. You hear a short beep tone at the end of
group call or single call.
Short Message Setting
Sending the preset message
You may send a pre-programmed short
message with pre-program key, there are 50
preset short message available.
1. Press the pre-programmed one touch access
key to send pre-programmed message to
one contact person.
2. LED indicates red.
3. Two “Di, Di” tones will be heard; if message
fails to send, you will hear one alert tone.
Privacy Function
Privacy setting (for digital mode only)
You can program this function with PC
software, and the programmable keys can be
used to enable/disable privacy function.

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19ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
Digital Emergency Alarm System
You can program the Alarm Type by PC
software and enable/disable the function by
pre-programmed keys.
Disabled: Deactivates Alarm function and the
unit cannot send emergency alarm, but can
receive emergency call alarm from other units.
Regular: The unit sending the Alarm tone and
after preset time (programmed by software)
send the alarm tone and ID to the receive unit.
Silent: The unit is not alarmed but will send
the ID to the receiving unit and that unit alarm.
Silent w/Voice: In the status of alarm press
PTT key to send the voice from speaker.
Lone Work
Enable/disable this function by pre-
programmed keys, in order to ensure the
security of the user when user is working alone.
In the process of lone work, the unit will sound
the alert tone in the due time, the user must
press any key to indicate their safety, otherwise
the unit will be go to automatic alarm mode.
Scan (Programmable Keys On/Off)
Scan List
Create scan list and program single channel/
group as the scan list, the radio will scan all
channels/group in the scan list. The radio
supports a maximum of 250 scan lists, each
list includes up to 16 members.
Scan
When the scan is enabled, the LED indicates
yellow, there are two types of scan.
+Main channel scan (manual): The radio
scans all channels in scan list/group. By
programming, the radio can scan the last
activated channel or start from 1st scan
channel.
+ Auto scan: You can select one channel/
group which is already programmed as auto
scan, the radio scans from this auto scan
channel.

Copyright © 2019 RCA Communications Systems
ProdigiTM RDR1520 Series Professional Digital Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual
20
Nuisance channel delete
When scan remains on one channel, press
the pre-programmed nuisance channel key,
the radio will continue to scan next channel,
and will not scan this channel afterward. But
when the scan function closes and then opens
the scan function again, the radio will resume
scanning this channel.
Start and stop scanning
1. Press pre-programmed scan key or use
the channel knob to select one auto scan
channel.
2. When scan activated, LED indicator ashes
yellow, you can hear a conrm tone. When
scanning stops, LED indicator stops and an
alarm tone is heard.
Dual priority channel scan
When set up one priority channel, activate
the priority scan function, this scan uses Cyclic
scan mode, which always scans the priority
channel during each common scan.
??? In time of scan, response the
transmission scan
The radio remain in the activated channel/group.
The time of the radio keep in this channel
mean Scan hold time. ???
1. Hold the radio 1-2 inches (2.5-5cm) distance
from your mouth, If “CH free indication”
was enabled, you will hear the short beep
tone when your partner releases PTT, it
means the channel is free and wait for your
response.
2. In the scan hold time, press PTT and the LED
indicates red.
3. When you hear the Call permit tone (if
enabled), speak into the mic.
4. Release PTT to receive.
5. If you don’t respond during the hold time,
the radio continues to scan other channels.