1 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual Congratulations on selecting the BR850TM Intrinsically Safe Radio from RCA Communications Systems - The most trusted name in radio! Our new series of professional communications equipment establishes a new benchmark in premium radio products made to perform flawlessly under the most demanding commercial conditions.
2 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual CONTENTS: Safety and General Information.....................4 Intrinsically Safe Radio Info........................6-7 Product Inspection.....................................8-9 RCA BR850TM Overview..........................10-11 LED Indicator..........................................12-14 Battery Information.....................................15 Initial Use..............................................15 Applicable Battery Packs...................
BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual CONTENTS continued Whisper Backup (optional)..................28 Battery Power Indicator.......................28 Rental Timer Indicator.........................29 Channel Annunciation Temporary Enable..29 Channel Annunciation........................29 Auto Contact (optional).....................29 Auto Contact Temporary Delete.........30 Channel Lock (optional).....................30 Time-Out Timer (TOT)(optional).........
4 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual SAFETY AND GENERAL INFORMATION Please observe the following general safety precautions during all phases of operation, service and repair of this equipment. »» Unauthorized modification of the radio may result in failure of the Intrinsically Safe protection. Note: “Intrinsically Safe” is for equipment used in areas where explosion risk can exist. »» Unauthorized service or repair is prohibited. »» Do not disassemble any Intrinsically Safe products.
BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual »» 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.
6 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual Intrinsically Safe Radio Information Area Classification: Certification Intrinsically Safe C ANSI/UL 913 CSA C22.2 No. 157 Class Material I Gas, Vapor, Liquid II Dust III Fiber, Flying Division Description 1 An area where there is or could be an explosive atmosphere most of the time under normal operating conditions 2 An area where an explosive atmosphere exists only under fault conditions I.S.
BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual Classification of Atmospheres: Classification of Atmospheres: Typical Hazard Class Maximum Surface Temperature A Acetylene T1 842°F (450°C) B Hydrogen T2 572°F (300°C) C Ethylene, ethyl ether, cyclopropane T2A 536 °F (280°C) D Gasoline, naphtha, butane, propane, alcohol, acetone, benzol, natural gas T2B 500 °F (260°C) T2C 446 °F (230°C) E Metal dust including aluminum, magnesium, and their alloys T2D 419 °F (215°C) T3 392 °F (
8 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual PRODUCT INSPECTION Prior to unpacking the BR850TM 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 BR850TM portable radio comes with the following items: Item BR850-IS Handheld Radio B850LI-IS Li-Ion Battery (1700 mAh) Qty.
BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual Note: The frequency band of the BR850TM is marked on the radio label. If it is not visible, identify the frequency band according to the color circle on the antenna: red indicates UHF and green indicates VHF.
10 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual RCA BR850TM Overview (1) PTT (Push-to-Talk) key (2) SK1 (Side Key 1) (programmable) 12 4 (3) SK2 (Side Key 2) (programmable) 7 8 9 2 3 5 6 (5) Microphone (6) Speaker 10 1 (4) Antenna (7) TK (Top Key) (8) Channel Selector Knob BR850 (9) Radio On-Off/Volume Control Knob (10) LED Indicator (11) Accessory Jack (12) Battery Latch 13 11 16 14 (13) Belt Clip (14) Accessory Cover (15) Battery (16) Screw 15 17 (17) Electrode Charging Pi
BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual PTT (Push-to-Talk) Key Press and hold down the PTT key to transmit, release it to receive. SK1 (Side Key 1) Side Key 1 is the programmable key to which your dealer can assign long and short press function. (See Glossary for definitions of long and short press.) SK2 (Side Key 2) Side Key 2 is the programmable key to which your dealer can assign long and short press function. (See Glossary for definitions of long and short press.
12 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual LED Indicator The following tables explain the functions of the LEDs and beeps. Wired Clone Source radio: Turn the source radio on while holding down the PTT and SK2 keys. Target radio: Rotate the Radio On-Off/Volume Control knob clockwise to turn the target radio on. The LED flashes orange twice. Source radio (power on the target radio and connect the cloning cable, and then press the PTT key of the source radio to initiate cloning.) 1.
BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual LED Indicator (continued) Wireless Clone Turn on both the source radio and target radio while holding down the PTT and SK1 keys. Both radios are required to be on the same channel for cloning. The LED flashes orange once. Source radio (turn on both the source radio and target radio while holding down the PTT and SK1 keys, and then press the PTT key of the source radio while both radios are on the same channel to initiate cloning.
14 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual LED Indicator (continued) Power On The LED flashes green once. Low Battery Alert The LED flashes red, and the radio sounds three beeps every 30 seconds. Transmitting The LED glows red Receiving The LED glows green when carrier presents. Scanning The LED flashes green once every 1 second. Programming Reading: the LED glows red; Writing: the LED glows green. Encoding (DTMF/PTT ID/2-Tone /MDC1200/RDC2400TM) 1.
BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual BATTERY INFORMATION Applicable Battery Packs Initial Use To reduce the risk of injury, use only batteries specified by RCA Communications Systems. New batteries are shipped from the factory uncharged. Charge a new battery approximately 12 hours prior to initial use (applies to Ni-CD, Ni-MH and Li-Ion batteries charged with slow or rapid rate charger).
16 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual 3. 4. 5. 6. 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) is noticeably shorter than normal, replace the battery.
17 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual place at room temperature. Status Charger LED Standby (no-load) Red LED slowly flashes (0.2s on/3s off ) Charging the Battery 1. When the battery level is very low, recharge it. It is never recommended to completely drain the battery, which may cause your battery to malfunction and no longer accept a charge. 2. Use only chargers specified by RCA Communications Systems.
18 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual Steps for setting up your charger: 1. Plug the power cord into the adapter. 2. Plug the AC connector of the adapter into the AC outlet socket. 3. Plug the DC connector of the adapter into the DC socket on the back of the charger. 4. Place the radio with the battery attached, or the battery alone, in the charger. 5. Make sure the battery is in well contact with the charging terminals. The charging process initiates when the red LED lights. 6.
19 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual ASSEMBLY AND DISASSEMBLY Attaching the Battery Step 1 -Insert the battery top into the aluminum chassis, and make sure the battery top is positioned correctly. (see figure 1) Step 2 - Press the battery to make it cling to the guide rails, and make sure the battery and the aluminum chassis are connected completely. Then push the battery upward until you hear a “click.” (see Fig. 1) Step 3 -Hold the battery bottom and push the battery upward.
20 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual ATTACHING/REMOVING THE ANTENNA Removing the Battery With the radio off, loosen the screws, but never remove them from the battery. Slide the battery latch away from the battery, and slide down the battery for 1 to 2 centimeters. Then remove the battery from the radio unit. (see Fig. 2). Attaching the Antenna 1. With the radio off, insert the antenna into the big screw thread hole on top of the main unit. 2.
21 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual ATTACHING/REMOVING THE BELT CLIP ATTACHING EARPIECE / SPEAKER MIC Attaching the Belt Clip Align the metal holder with the groove of the battery, and press the belt clip downwards to attach it (see Fig. 4). Removing the Belt Clip Lift up the dome, and slide the belt clip upwards to remove it (see Fig. 4). Open (don’t remove) the accessory cover, and plug the audio accessory firmly into the accessory jack.
22 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual BASIC RADIO OPERATIONS 1. Rotate the Radio On-Off/Volume Control knob clockwise to turn the radio on, with green LED flashing once. You will hear a beep if the alert tone is already set by your dealer. 2. Press the programmed Monitor key or Squelch Off key to hear activities on the current channel, and then rotate the Radio On-Off/Volume Control knob clockwise to adjust the volume. 3. Rotate the Channel Selector knob to select a desired channel.
BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Scrambler Scrambler Backup Squelch Off Squelch Off Momentary Talk Around Output Power Check Adjust Power Level Whisper Whisper Backup Battery Power Indicator Rental Time Indicator Channel Annunciation Temporary Enable Channel Annunciation External Scrambler (optional) External Scrambler Backup (optional) Auto Contact Auto Contact Temporary Delete Channel Lock Patrol Event Select Transmit Affirm ADVANCED OPERATION
24 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual activate the Lone Worker feature. The radio is set to request a response from a user at regular intervals. Should a user not press any key as a response to a regular warning tone, a defined emergency procedure will be activated. The Lone Worker status will not be memorized once the radio is powered off. Lone Worker Backup (optional) The feature provides added security and safety for individuals who work remotely from their team.
BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual Monitor/Squelch Off (optional) • Monitor In this mode, the receiving party can receive incoming calls from the transmitting party regardless of CTCSS/CDCSS condition. If carrier condition is not satisfied, the receiving party will fail to receive any incoming calls. Press the Monitor key to open signalling squelch. Press the key again to close it. • Monitor Momentary Refer to Monitor. Press the Monitor Momentary key to open signalling squelch.
26 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual Scan (optional) Press the programmed Scan key to initiate radio scanning from the current channel, and scanning ascends through the channel numbers in the Scan list. The green LED flashes when scanning proceeds, and solidly glows when a signal is received with signalling match on a channel. Press the Scan key again to exit radio scanning. The Scan status will not be memorized once the radio is powered off. • Nuisance Channel Temporary Delete 1.
BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual when a signal is received with signalling match on a channel. Press the Scan key again to exit radio scanning. The Scan status will be memorized after the radio is powered off and on again. Scrambler (optional) The feature includes Scrambler and Scrambler Backup. In order for members of your own group to understand your call while you are using the Scrambler, all other members must also activate the Scrambler on their radios.
28 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual Talk Around (optional) Press the programmed function key to activate the Talk Around feature. With the feature activated, the Rx frequency will be used in place of the Tx frequency during transmission.
BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual Rental Timer Indicator (optional) Upon press of the programmed Rental Time Indicator key, the radio sounds “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, or “5” to indicate the remaining time that the user is allowed to use the radio. The Rental Time is programmable by your dealer. Channel Annunciation Temporary Enable Press the programmed Channel Annunciation Temporary Enable key to activate the following two situations: a.
30 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual Contact, the radio will automatically sound the alert tone if the user is out of the communication range. Auto Contact Temporary Delete Press the programmed Auto Contact Temporary Delete key to temporarily delete the selected ID from the current Auto Contact list. Channel Lock (optional) When the Channel Lock feature is activated, channels cannot be selected via the Channel Selector knob.
BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual set on the current channel, press the PTT key while the channel is already in use, and the radio will sound beeps without transmission. Optional Signalling: If 2-Tone/MDC1200/ RDC2400TM signalling and BCL are set on the current channel, press the PTT key while the channel is already in use, and the radio will sound beeps without transmission.
32 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual Your dealer may program the current channel with CTCSS/CDCSS, to prevent unwanted conversations on the same frequency. The radio will not unmute to an incoming call with invalid CTCSS/CDCSS. This feature does not mean that your conversation will not be heard by others. DTMF (optional) The DTMF signalling can be enabled/disabled by your dealer. If DTMF signalling is set on the current channel, press the programmed key to transmit DTMF code.
BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual RDC2400TM condition is satisfied. BOT ID and EOT ID (PTT ID) (optional) Your dealer may configure whether to transmit Connect ID (BOT ID) or Disconnect ID (EOT ID), to connect or disconnect to a repeater or telephone system. BOT ID: sent upon each press of the PTT key. EOT ID: sent upon each release of the PTT key. Both: sent upon each press and release of the PTT key.
34 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual TROUBLESHOOTING Symptom Solution Cannot power on the radio The operating time is noticeably shorter than normal even though the battery is properly charged. Cannot talk to or hear group members Hear non-group members No voice or low voice while transmitting Noise always on a. The battery needs charging. Recharge the battery or replace it with a fresh one. b. The battery is not properly installed. Remove the battery and reattach it. a.
BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual Optional Accessories (Intrinsically Safe) Multi-Unit Rapid-Rate Charger CH850R6-IS More convenient and saves space by using one power outlet for 6 radios. Remote Speaker Microphone SM850L-IS No need to remove the radio from your waist, which prevents radio damage or loss.
36 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual Optional Accessories continued Leather Holster fixed belt loop HL850L Durable and strong, the leather holster offers the best protection for your BR850TM radio. Leather Holster w/ swivel belt loop HL850SL Durable and strong, the leather holster offers the best protection for your BR850TM radio. Nylon Holster fixed belt loop HN850L Durable and strong, nylon holster offers great protection for your BR850TM radio.
BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual Optional Accessories continued Nylon Holster w/ swivel belt loop HN850SL Durable and strong, nylon holster offers great protection for your BR850TM radio.
39 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual GLOSSARY Short Press - Key press shorter than 1.5 seconds Long Press - Key press longer than 1.5 seconds Standby Status - In normal mode, no key operation is made on the radio and the radio is in receiving status. CTCSS/CDCSS - The setting of CTCSS/CDCSS code in transmitting party must match that in the receiving party for the receiver to unmute its output audio. Battery Save - The function is to save battery power and prolong the operation time.
40 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual Momentary - Hold down the Function key to activate the status, and release it to turn it off. Scan - The scan feature enables the radio to continuously scan each channel for activity. Busy Channel Lockout - Avoid interference with users on same channel by preventing transmission if another talk group is already on the air. VOX - The radio will automatically begin transmitting when you speak.
BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual During this period, if the product fails to function under normal use because of manufacturing defect(s) or workmanship, it should be returned to the Authorized RCA Communications Systems Sales and Service Outlet from which it was purchased. The Sales and Service Outlet will repair the product to full operating specifications or replace the product with a new product of the same make and model.
42 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR THE LOSS OF PROFIT, REVENUE OR DATA ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE PRODUCT. RCA Communications Systems endeavors to achieve the accuracy and completeness of this manual, but is not liable for any possible omission and printing mistakes. All the above specifications and design are subject to change without prior notice.
BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual For Sales, Warranty and Customer Support please contact: Discount Two-Way Radio Corporation – North American Distributor 1430 240th Street Harbor City, CA 90710 Phone: 310-224-5100 / Fax: 310-224-5101 www.discounttwo-wayradio.com RCA COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS strives to achieve accuracy and completeness of this manual, but no warranty of accuracy or reliability is given.
44 BR850TM Professional Two-Way Radio Instruction Manual NOTES: Copyright © 2012 Discount Two-Way Radio Corporation - North American Distributor
PO Box 80222 Indianapolis, IN 46240 Phone: (877) 822-2915 Fax: (317) 536-3718 PO Box 80222 Indianapolis, IN 46240 Phone: (877) 822-2915 Fax: (317) 536-3718 PO Box 80222 Indianapolis, IN 46240 Phone: (877) 822-2915 Fax: (317) 536-3718 RF Energy Exposure Awareness and Control Information and Operational Instructions for Occupational Use NOTICE: This radio is intended for use in occupational / controlled conditions where users have full knowledge of their exposure and can exercise control over their exposur
• American National Standards Institute (ANSI) & Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) C95.1-1992 • Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) C95.1-2005 Edition • International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (lCNIRP) 1998 • ANATEL ANNEX to Resolution No.