Rca Rd3500 User manual

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RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

Congratulations on selecting the RD3500TM from

RCA Communications Systems - The most trusted name in radio.

Our new series of professional communications products establishes a new benchmark in premium

radio products made to perform awlessly under the most demanding commercial conditions.

Cutting edge design, professional grade materials and components, simple operation and superior

assembly quality: RCA Communications Systems has it all, including our exclusive no-nonsense,

two-year “Warranty Protection Program,” one of the most comprehensive warranties in the

communications industry.

To ensure you achieve maximum performance from your RD3500TM radio, please be sure to carefully

read this manual.

MODELS COVERED IN THIS MANUAL:

RD3500TM Two-Way Radio

sound

Enhanced Audio Clarity

TM

RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

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• Refer service to qualied technicians only.

• Do not operate the transceiver nor charge

a battery pack in an explosive atmosphere

(gases, dust, fumes, etc.).

• Turn OFF the transceiver while taking on fuel

or while parked in a gasoline service station.

• Do not modify nor attempt to adjust this

transceiver for any reason.

• Do not expose the transceiver to long periods

of direct sunlight, nor place it close to heating

appliances.

• Do not place the transceiver in excessively

dusty, humid, and/or wet areas, nor on

unstable surfaces.

SAFETY: It is important that the operator be

aware of and understand hazards common to

the operation of any transceiver.

PRECAUTIONS

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RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

UNPACKING AND CHECKING EQUIPMENT

Supplied Accessories.....................................1

PREPARATION

Charging the Battery Pack.........................2-3

Installing/Removing the Battery Pack..............4

Installing the Antenna................................... 5

Installing the Belt Clip....................................5

Installing the Cover over the Speaker/

Microphone Jacks..........................................6

Installing the Speaker/Microphone.................6

GETTING ACQUAINTED.................................7

OPERATION...............................................8

AUXILIARY FUNCTIONS

Time-Out Timer.............................................9

Battery Saver.................................................9

Low Battery Warning..................................... 9

Monitor...................................................... 10

CTCSS/DCS CODES

50 CTCSS frequency codes (Hz).................11

104+1 DCS code.........................................11

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE.........................12

FREQUENCY CHART....................................13

ADVANCED OPERATIONS

Safety Training Information..........................14

Electromagnetic interference/Compatibility..15

CONTENTS

RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

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UNPACKING AND CHECKING

EQUIPMENT

Carefully unpack the transceiver. We

recommend that you identify the items listed

in the following table before discarding the

packing material. If any items are missing or

have been damaged during shipment, le a

claim with the carrier immediately.

Supplied Accessories

ITEM QUANTITY

Antenna 1

Battery charger 1

AC adaptor 1

Battery pack 1

Belt clip 1

lnstruction manual 1

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RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

Notices

Emergency Key/Side button 1/Side button 2

and side button 3 can be programmable for

short press and long press by PC software to

these functions:

1. Unassigned. 2. All alert tones on/off, 3.

Emergency on, 4. Emergency off, 5. High/

low power, 6. Monitor, 7. Nuisance channels

delete, 8. One touch Access1, 9. One touch

Access2, 10. One touch Access3, 11. One

touch Access4, 12. One touch Access5, 13.

One touch Access6, 14. scan on/off, 15. Tight/

normal squelch, 16. Scrambler on/off, 17. Vox

on/off, 18. Tone select, 19. Battery indicator,

20. Lone work on/off, 21. Repeater/talk

around, 22. Man down on/off

GETTING UNDERSTANDING

RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

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CHARGING THE BATTERY PACK FOR MORE

THAN 5 DAYS MAY REDUCE THE BATTERY

PACK LIFE.

Note: The ambient temperature should be

between 41 and 104°F (5 and 40°) while

charging is in progress. Charging outside this

range may not fully charge the battery. Always

switch OFF the transceiver equipped with a

battery pack before charging. Using the trans-

ceiver while charging its battery pack will in-

terfere with correct charging. The battery pack

life is over when its operating time decreases

even though it is fully and correctly charged.

Replace the battery pack.

PREPARATION

Charging the Battery Pack

The battery pack is not charged at the factory;

charge it before use. Initially charging the

battery pack after purchase or extended

storage (greater than 2 months) will not

bring the battery pack to its normaloperating

capacity. After repeating the charge/discharge

cycle two or three times, the operating capacity

will increase to normal.

CAUTION: DO NOT RECHARGE THE BATTERY

PACK IF IT IS ALREADY FULLY CHARGED.

DOING SO MAY CAUSE THE LIFE OF THE

BATTERY PACK TO SHORTEN OR THE BATTERY

PACK MAY BE DAMAGED.

AFTER RECHARGING THE BATTERY PACK,

DISCONNECT IT FROM THE CHARGER.

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RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

Plug the AC adaptor cable into the adaptor

jack located on the rear of the charger.

Plug the AC adaptor into an AC outlet.

Slide the battery pack or transceiver with a

battery pack into the charger.

Make sure the battery pack contacts are in

contact with the charging terminals. The

charger LED lights and charging begins.

After charging the supplied battery pack for 4

hours, remove it or the transceiver equipped

with it from the charger.

The charger turns to green automatically after

charging is completed.

Unplug the AC adaptor from the AC outlet.

RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

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Installing / Removing the Battery Pack

The average life of the supplied battery pack

is 10 hours.

Average times are calculated using 5% transmit

time, 5% receive time, and 90% standby time.

CAUTION: DO NOT TAMPER WITH THE

BATTERY TERMINALS NOR DISPOSE OF

THE BATTERY BY FIRE. NEVER ATTEMPT TO

REMOVE THE CASING FROM THE BATTERY

PACK.

Match the top of battery with the frame of

chassis.

Match the top of battery with the frame of

chassis.

Push the battery pack to the connection of

chassis and push down the battery locker.

To remove the battery pack, pull up the battery

locker and slide the pack away from the

transceiver.

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RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

Installing the Antenna

Screw the antenna into the connector on the

top of the transceiver by holding the antenna

at its base and turning it clock-wise until

secure.

Note: The antenna is neither a handle, a

key ring retainer, nor a speaker/microphone

attachment point. Using the antenna in these

ways may damage the antenna and degrade

your transceiver’s performance.

Installing the Belt Clip

If necessary, buckle the belt clip to the back of

the battery pack.

Note: if not install the belt clip, the installation

position may become hot during High

Temperature.

CAUTION: DO NOT USE GLUE WHICH IS

DESIGNED TO PREVENT SCREW LOOSENING

WHEN INSTALLING THE BELT CLIP,AS IT MAY

CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE TRANSCEIVER.

ACRYLIC ESTER, WHICH IS CONTAINED

IN THESE GLUES, MAY CRACK THE

TRANSCEIVER’S BACK PANEL.

RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

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Installing the Earphone/

Speaker Microphone

Plug the Earphone/Speaker Microphone into

the jack.

Note: When you use the Earphone/Speaker

Microphone, the radio may not be waterproof.

Installing the Jack Cover

If you are not using the jack, cover the jack with

the jack cover that is supplied with a screw.

Note: To keep the transceiver water resistant,

you must cover the jacks with the supplied

cover and twisting in the screw.

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RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

PREPARATION

Power on Radio

Switch ON the transceiver by turning the

Power Switch/Volume Control knob clockwise

until a beeping sound is heard. To turn the

power off, turn the knob counter-clockwise.

Note: There is no beep sounds heard if ALL

ALERT TONE set off.

Adjust Volume

Adjust the volume knob clockwise to increase

the volume, or count-clockwise to reduce the

volume.

RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

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PREPARATION

1. Transmission

1. Analog transmission: Press PTT key and

speak to the speaker

2. Digital transmission: Each channel can be

set to digital channel

• When talking, press PTT key to call all

other members in this talk. Press PTT to

call and release PTT to receive. Press PTT

again to activate the microphone.

• When not talking, press PTT to send a

new call (use the channel knob to select

one channel or recall one ONE TOUCH

ACCESS). If the Talk Permit Tone was

programmed, the radio will be waiting for

the tone before talking

• During the talking, if your radio activate

CH Free Indication Tone (programmed by

software), you will hear a short beep tone

after your partner release PTT. This means

that the channel is free and waiting for

your call.

• In case of calling was Interrupted

(for example, your radio received the

emergency call) you can still hear the

CH Free Indication Tone, then you can

deactivate the tone by programming

software.

• When talking, if your radio activates and

is programmed to “Color Code” (this is

programmed by the software), then your

partner’s radio must be programmed with

the same color code before talking.

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RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

2. Receiving and Recalling Transmission

Select Zone

The Zone is a channel group, the radio can

support two zones, each zone with a maximum

of 16 channels.

• Press the preset side key which is dened

as the “Zone.”

• You can hear a Conrm tone, this means

the radio can go from Zone 1 to Zone 2, or

you will hear a negative tone which means

it will go 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.

Receiving and Responding to Calls

After setting the channels, user’s ID or group

ID, you can receive or respond to callins. When

radio transmits. the LED shows a red or green

light when receiving.

Analog Receiving

Receiving the same carrier and tone to open

the squelch.

Voice Receiving

When receiving a correct call (correct single

call, group call, or all call tone), the radio will

operate the speaker and you will hear your

partner’s voice.

Short Message Receiving

When two “Di, Di” tones are heard, the radio

receives the message. Otherwise you will hear

one alert tone, meaning the message receiving

failed.

RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

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Receiving and Responding to Group Calls

When you receive the call from one group, the

radio must be belong to this group

1. LED shows a green light.

2. Hold the radio and keep 1-2 inches (2.5-

5 cm) distance away from your mouth.

If “CH free indication” is enabled, you

will hear the short beep tone when your

partner releases PTT. This means the

channel is free and waiting for a response.

3. Press PTT to respond to the call and LED

will show a red light.

4. You will hear the Call Permit tone (if

enabled) and you will be able to speak.

5. Release PTT to receive.

6. If there is no talking in this channel in

preset time, this means the call ended.

Receive and Response Single Call

Single call means one radio calls to another ra-

dio and there are two call types:

1. The radio processes the inspection before

calling

2. Immediate calling

When you receive a call, your radio will show

a green light. The call type is programmed by

a PC software.

When Receiving a Single Call

1. LED shows a green light.

2. If “CH free indication” is enabled, you

will hear the short beep tone when your

partner releases PTT. This means the

channel is free and waiting for a response.

3. Press PTT to respond to the call and LED

will show a red light.

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RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

4. You will hear the Call Permit tone (if

enabled) and you will be able to speak.

5. Release PTT to receive.

6. If there is no talking in this channel in

preset time, this means the call ended.

7. A short tone will be heard.

Receiving All Calls

All calls come from one radio to all radios

which is on the same channel.

When You Receive All Calls

1. Sound the Alert tone and LED will show a

green light.

2. If there is no talking on this channel in

preset time, the call has ended. If “CH free

indication” is enabled, you will hear a short

beep tone when your partner releasees

PTT. This means the channel can be used ,

but you cannot response all calling.

Notice:

When you receive calls, switch to another

channel. The radio will stop receiving all of the

calls. You cannot use any preset buttons until

all of the calls end.

Sending the Transmission

There are 2 ways to select one 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 the

RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

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Transmission

Group Call

To send a group call, your radio must belong

to a group.

1. Rotate the channel knob, use the Group ID

to select the channel.

2. Hold the radio and keep 1-2 inches (2.5-5

cm) distance away from your mouth.

3. Press PTT to send the call. LED will show

a red light.

4. You will hear the Call Permit tone (if

enabled) and you will be able to talk to

the speaker.

5. Release PTT to receive. LED will show a

green light if your partner is answering.

6. If “CH free indication” is enabled, you will

hear a short beep tone when your partner

releases PTT. This means the channel is

free and is waiting for a response.

7. Press PTT to respond. If there is no talking

on this channel in preset time, the call will

end.

Single Call

1. Rotate the channel knob and use the

User’s ID to select a channel.

2. Hold the radio and keep 1-2 inches (2.5-5

cm) distance away from your mouth.

3. Press PTT to send the call. LED will show

a red light.

4. You will hear the Call Permit tone (if

enabled) and you will be able to talk to

the speaker.

5. Release PTT to receive. LED will show a

green light if your partner is answering.

6. If “CH free indication” is enabled, you will

hear a short beep tone when your partner

releases PTT. This means the channel is

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RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

free and is waiting for a response.

7. Press PTT to respond. If there is no talking

on this channel in preset time, the call will

end.

8. You will hear a short beeping tone.

All Calling

This function lets you send calls to all users on

a channel. This function must be programmed

on a PC.

1. Rotate the channel knob and use the All

Calling ID to select a channel.

2. Hold the radio and keep 1-2 inches (2.5-5

cm) distance away from your mouth.

3. Press PTT to send the call. LED will show

a red light.

4. You will hear the Call Permit tone (if

enabled) and you will be able to talk to

the speaker. Other users on this channel

cannot respond to all the calls.

Using One Touch Access Key to Send

Group Call or Single Call

One touch access function let you easily send

a group call or single call to a preset ID or

contacts. The function can be assigned to the

programmable keys by long press or short

press. You can program only one ID or preset

one contact person to one programmable

key. You can also program several One Touch

Access Keys.

1. Press preset “One Touch Access” key to

send a group call or single call.

2. Hold the radio and keep 1-2 inches (2.5-5

cm) distance away from your mouth.

3. Press PTT to send the call. LED will show

a red light.

4. You will hear the Call Permit tone (if

RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

18

enabled) and you will be able to talk to

the speaker.

5. Release PTT to receive. LED will show a

green light if your partner is answering.

6. If “CH free indication” is enabled, you will

hear a short beep tone when your partner

releases PTT. This means the channel is

free and is waiting for a response.

7. Press PTT to respond. If there is no talking

on this channel in preset time, the call will

end.

8. You will hear a short beeping tone at the

end of the group call or single call.

3. Short Message Setting

Sending a Preset Message

1. You may send the pre-programmed

short message through the pre-program

key. There are 50 preset short messages

available

1. Press the pre-program one touch access

key to send a pre-programmed message

to one contact person.

2. LED shows a red light.

3. Two “Di, Di” tones will be heard. If the

message fails to send, you will hear one

alert tone.

4. Privacy Function

Privacy Setting (for digital mode only)

This function can be programmed by a PC

software. The privacy setting has Basic and

Enhanced options, maximum 16 privacy

groups available, privacy key value (4 Byte and

18 Byte), and programmable keys to enable/

disable privacy function.

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RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

5. Digital Emergency Alarm System

You can program Alarm Type by PC

software and enable/disable the function by

programmable keys

Disabled: Close the Alarm function and the

unit cannot emergency alarm, but can receive

the 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 send the ID

to the receive unit and that unit alarm

Silent with Voice: In the status of an alarm,

press PTT key to send the voice from speaker

Lone Work

Enable/disable the function by programmable

keys, in order to ensure the security of the user

when in the status of lone working. 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 the security, otherwise the

unit will be go for automatically alarm mode.

6. 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

support maximum 250 scan lists, each list

includes 16 members.

Scan

When the scan enabled, LED indicates yellow,

there are two type of scan

RD3500TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual

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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 already programmed as auto scan, the

radio scans from this auto scan channel.

Nuisance Channel Delete

When scan remain one channel, press the

programmed nuisance channel key, the radio

will continue scan next channel, and will not

scan this channel afterward. But when the

scan function closed and then opens the

scan function, the radio will resume scan this

channel.

Start and Stop Scanning

1. Press programmed scan key or use the

channel knob to select one auto scan

channel.

2. When scan activated, LED indicator

ashing yellow, you can hear a conrm

tone. When scanning stop, LED indicator

Extinguish and a alarm tone heard.

Dual Priority Channel Scan

When set up one priority channel, activated

the priority scan function, such scan use Cyclic

scan mode, it 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.

RCA RD3500 User manual

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