Retevis RA85 - 5W Long Range GMRS Handheld Radio Manual

Retevis RA85 - 5W Long Range GMRS Handheld Radio Manual

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Retevis RA85 - 5W Long Range GMRS Handheld Radio Manual

FEATURE

  • Frequency Range: GMRS
  • Dual Band, Dual Display, Dual Standby
  • High Power, middle power, low power switching to meet the different talking distance, save power
  • Up to 60 memory channels for programming frequency and other various data
  • Multiple display modes such as channel number, frequency, channel frequency, channel name, etc.
  • CTCSS/DCS, DTMF signaling reject unnecessary calls from other stations
  • The tail tone is eliminated to avoid the noise from the speaker after the call is over
  • VOX sound activated, no need to press the PTT button to talk
  • Emergency alarm, ANI identification and other functions through DTMF
  • DTMF, CTCSS (60.0 -259.9 HZ), DCS signaling codec function
  • 8-step frequency selection (2.5K, 5.0K, 6.25K, 10.0K, 12.5K, 20.0K, 25.0K, 50.0K)
  • Automatic power saving function to extend battery life
  • SOS emergency alert function
  • Digital FM radio (receiving 65-108MHz)
  • Menu item keyboard number direct selection function, transmit and receive frequency can be manually input
  • Fashlight lighting function
  • Frequency measurement function, copy the frequency of other devices at any time
  • USB charging function, you can use the USB charging cable to charge

Unpacking and Checking Equipment

The box contains the following items. If any items are missing or damaged, please contact the dealer where you purchased the product.

Product Quantity Product Quantity
Radio 1 Charging Base 1
Battery 1 Belt clip 1
Manual 1
Hand Strap 1

Radio Introduction

Device Overview

Status Indicator

Status Icon

Display Overview

NO. Icon Product Status
1 Channel strength indicator, the more the number, the stronger the signal
2

The current transmitting power is high power (the longest communication distance, the highest power consumption)
The current transmitting power is medium power (more power saving, relatively moderate communication distance)
The current transmitting power is low power (the most power saving, relatively close distance)
3 This symbol appears when the side tone switch is set to button side tone/button+identity code/identity code
4
This symbol indicates that the current status is DCS
This symbol indicates that the current status is CT
5 This symbol indicates that dual frequency waiting is on and it is in a dual-waiting status.
6 This symbol appears whne the buttonboard is locked, press # button to unlock and it disappears
7 This symbol indicates that the VOX function is activated, and the emission will start when the sound pressure level of the microphone reaches the set value
8 Receiving and transmitting frequency inversion in frequency mode/channel mode
9 It appears whne the channel is working in a narrowband mode
10 Display the current remaining power of battery
11 A/B band pointer, indicating the current working frequency or working channel
12 Aranbic No. Band A current channel number in channel mode
13 Aranbic No. Band B current channel number in channel mode

LED Indicator

The LED indicators of this radio can let you easily grasp the current operating status.

Indicator status Radio Status
Red light long bright Transmitting
Green light long bright Receiving

Preparation

Battery Installation

  1. Align the battery with the battery mount on the back of the radio
  2. Press the battery forcefully into the walkie-talkie, and slide the battery up until the lock plate is locked to the correct position

If you need to remove the battery, turn off the radio. Press the battery lock to the unlocked position and hold it down, then slide the battery down and away from the battery mount.

Belt Clip Installation

Align the two screw holes of the belt clip with the screw holes above the battery, install and tighten the screws.
If you need to remove the belt clip, loosen and remove the screws from the belt clip

Install an external headset/microphone (optional purchase separately)

  1. Open the earphone cover.
  2. Insert the headphone plug into the headphone jack.

When you don't need to use the earphones, pull out the earphone plug from the earphone hole and put on the earphone cover.
When the universal interface is not used, please put on the dust cover.
Do not shake the radio with the top of the antenna, otherwise it will reduce the working performance and service life of the antenna.

Radio Charging

Note:

  • Please use the charging equipment designated by our company to charge. When charging the whole device, please turn off the radio first.
  • According to the 2016 new requirements of the International Civil Aviation (IATA) "Technical Regulations for the Safe Air Transport of Dangerous Goods", the state of charge of lithium-ion batteries (cells) for air transport shall not exceed 30% of its rated capacity. Therefore, the first time the battery is used with the host, there will be a low battery warning with the voice prompt "Please charge"phenomenon, please charge the battery before use.

When using the radio for the first time, a low battery alarm may appear. Please charge the battery before using, follow the steps:

  1. Insert the power adapter interface into the jack on the back of the charging base.
  2. Insert the plug of the power adapter into the power socket.
  3. Put the battery into the charging cradle.
  4. Observe the LED indicator of the charging base to understand the current charging status, as shown in the table below.
Charing Base LED Indicator Current Charging Status
Red light flashing Lower battery voltage
Red light is on Charging
Green ligjt on Finished charging

Check Battery Power

This function allows you to know the current battery voltage and remaining power.
Long press【0】key to display the current voltage.
The current battery level is displayed on the upper right of the screen, and the battery level icons are as follows:

Battery Icon Batter Power
High
Middle
Low
insufficient

Basic operation

Knobs, Switches, Buttons Instructions
Power/volume Switch Turn on/off: Turn the [Power/Volume Switch] knob clockwise to turn on the radio and adjust the volume to the maximum.
  • Turn the [Power/Volume Switch] knob counterclockwise to adjust the volume to the minimum until the radio is turned off.
  • If the voice broadcast function is turned on, the startup voice will be broadcast.
Select Channel The channel is the aisle through which the signal is transmitted. After power on, press the [V/M] key to switch to the channel mode, press [/] to select the channel, and the channel number will be displayed on the right side of the screen.
  • If the channel broadcast function is turned on, the intercom will broadcast the current channel mode.
PTT Button Call
  • Channel mode to initiate a call: After selecting a channel, press and hold the [PTT] key to initiate a call to the current channel. Speak into the microphone in a normal tone. When a call is initiated, the red LED light is always on.
  • Manually input frequency to initiate a call: Press the [V/M] key to switch to frequency mode, enter a frequency within the allowable range, and hold down the [PTT] key to initiate a call to the current channel. Speak into the microphone in a normal tone. When a call is initiated, the red LED light is always on.
  • Receiving a call: After releasing the [PTT] key, you can answer it without any operation. When receiving a call, the green LED light is always on. To ensure the best receiving volume, please keep the distance between the microphone and your mouth at 2.5 cm ~ 5 cm when transmitting.
SK1 (Side Key 1) The side buttons have two modes: short press and long press, and the following functions can be selected: off, flashlight, alarm, radio, NOAA weather forecast, monitoring, and frequency sweeping.
Off: No function
Flashlight function: Short press the [SK1] key to turn on the flashlight function and the flashlight light is always on; short press the [SK1] key again to turn off the flashlight function. If you choose to operate the flashlight function in the menu mode, short press the [SK1] key the first time the flashlight lights up, short press the second time the flashlight light continues to flash, short press three times the flashlight light to turn off.
Alarm: SOS emergency alarm function: Short press the [SK1] key to turn on the alarm function. At this time, the green indicator light and the red indicator light flash at the same time. Short press the [SK1] key again to release the alarm.
Radio: Short press the [SK1] key to turn on the radio function, and short press the [SK1] key again to turn off the radio.
The radio frequency can be entered through the keyboard or tap the "#" key to automatically search for radio stations. In radio mode, press the [EXIT] key to switch between 65-75/76-108MHz frequency band. NOAA weather forecast: Short press the [SK1] key to turn on the NOAA function, and short press the [SK1] key again to turn off the NOAA function. Press the up and down keys to select the channel: 10 channels for selection: see Appendix 1 for details Monitoring function: Short press the [SK1] key to turn on the monitoring function, and release the [SK1] key to cancel the monitoring.
Sweep: Short press [SK1] to turn on the sweep function, and directly measure the frequency of other devices.
SK2 (Side Key 2) Same side key SK1, with short press and long press function to choose
V/M Key Frequency mode or channel mode switching.
  • Frequency mode: Manually enter the frequency.
  • Channel mode: Press [▲ / ▼] to select a channel.
A/B Key A/B upper and lower frequency band switch selection. Press the PTT button to transmit in the frequency band pointed to by the pointer.
Keyboard Lock and Unlock Manual lock: Long press # key to lock the intercom.
Automatic lock: After the automatic keyboard lock is turned on, when there is no operation on the buttons and knobs, the automatic lock will be delayed for 10 seconds.
Unlock: Long press # key to unlock the keyboard.

Function Description

You can enter "Menu Settings" through the menu key to set some common functions. The specific instructions and operation methods are as follows:

Menu
No.
Primary menu display characters Secondary menu display characters Secondary menu setting description
0 Squelch 0,...,9 Squelch level, the lower the level, the easier it is to interfere, the higher the level the worse the sensitivity, the default value is 3.
1






Step






2.5KHz In frequency mode, press ▲ / ▼ key to change the step value
5.0KHz of frequency, the value range is 2.5~50KHz
6.25KHz
10.00KHz
12.50KHz
20.0KHz
25.0KHz
50.0KHz
2

Tx Power

High High power transmission
Middle Medium power transmission
Low Low power transmission
3
Power save
OFF Turn off power saving mode
ON Turn on power saving mode
4
Vox Level
OFF Turn off VOX
1,2,... 10 The level intensity of voice activation, the value range is 1~10.
5

Backlight

Bright Backlight is always on
OFF Backlight off
5Sec, 10Sec,... 60Sec Automatic backlight delay time, the range is 5~60 seconds
6 Menu Exit Time 5Sec, 10Sec,... 60Sec Automatic backlight delay time, the value range is 5~60 seconds
7
Dual Standby
OFF Dual Standby off
ON Dual Standby on
8
Beep Prompt
OFF Beep Prompt off
ON Beep Prompt on
9
VOICE
OFF Prompt voice off
ON Prompt voice on
10
Tx over time
OFF Press and hold the PTT button to keep transmitting
15,30,...600 Value range 15~600, step value 15
11
Rx DCS
OFF DCS off
D023N,...,D754I DCS Standard sequence

12

Rx CTCSS
OFF CTCSS off
67.0HZ,...,254.1HZ CTCSS Standard sequence, At the same time, you can directly type standard or non-standard CTCSS by keyboard
13
Tx DCS
OFF DCS off
D023N,...,D754I DCS Standard sequence

14

Tx CTCSS
OFF CTCSS off
67.0HZ,...,254.1HZ CTCSS Standard sequence, At the same time, you can directly type standard or non-standard CTCSS by keyboard

15


DTMFST
OFF
DT-ST
ANI-ST
DT+ANI
16 TONE 1000hz, 1450hz, 1750hz, 2100hz Repeater activation audio
17 S-CODE 1,2...,15 When needed, send out this group of information codes (information codes can only be written by frequency writing software)
18
Scan Mode
TO Time scan
CP
SE
Carrier scan
Search mode scan
19



PTT-ID

OFF Press PPT to not send ID code
BOT Press PPT to send ID code (ID code is set by frequency writing software)
EOT Release PPT to send ID code
BOTH ID cose is sent when you press and release the PTT button
20 MDF-A Frequency In the channel mode of section A, the channel displays the frequency
Name In the channel mode of section A, the channel displays the channel name (the specific name is set in the frequency writing software)
21 MDF-B Frequency In the channel mode of section B, the channel displays the frequency
Name In the channel mode of section B, the channel displays the channel name (the specific name is set in the frequency writing software)
22 Busy Lockout OFF Allowed to transmit when channel is occupied and
ON Forbide to transmit when channel is occupied
23 Key Auto Lock
OFF Automatic keyboard lock off
ON Automatic keyboard lockon
24

Key1 sp



OFF No function
LAMP Turn on the flashlight function
SOS Turn on the alarm function
FM Turn on the radio function
NOAA Turn on NOAA weather forecast function
MONI Turn on the monitoring function
SEARCH Turn on the searching function
25 Key1 LP Same function as side key 1 short press
26 Key2 sp Same function as side key 1 short press
27 Key2 LP Same function as side key 1 short press
28 Alarm Mode On site
Send sound
Send code
29 TAIL OFF After the PTT is released, the radio does not send a shutdown code, usually when it is relayed through the relay, let it make noise to confirm whether the signal of the radio is relayed
ON After releasing the PTT button, the radio sends a shutdown code to suppress the instantaneous noise of the listener
30 PROGER OFF Turn off the call end alert tone
ON Turn on the call end alert tone
31 Language Chinese
English
32 Reset VFO Menu initialization only
ALL Menu and channel initialization
33 SPECIAL DCS OFF Turn off special DCS
ON Turn on special DCS Only the same DCS code can talk to each other

Main Function Description

The functions supported by the walkie-talkie are shown in the table below.

Name Function Description
Squelch level Squelch level adjustment is to adjust the signal strength required when receiving signal. The adjustment squelch level (0 open to 9 is the highest) is selected by the local environment, and 3 is generally selected.
DCS/CTCSS Used to avoid listening to unrelated calls of the same frequency. Only when the transmitted DCS/CTCSS matches the received DCS/CTCSS, the radio can listen to the voice through the speaker.
TOT The timeout timer can limit the single transmission time (the default is 60 seconds) to prevent the communication parties from occupying channel resources for a long time, and to prevent the terminal from being damaged due to overheating. After the duration of pressing the [PTT] key expires, the terminal will automatically terminate the transmission and emit a warning tone. If you need to talk again, please transmit after the preset time.
Power saving When the walkie-talkie has no receiving or transmitting, no button or knob operation reaches the power saving time, it will automatically enter the power saving mode.
Low battery When the battery power is low, it can be charged in time through the sound reminder. When the warning battery is too low, transmission will be prohibited.
Emergency An emergency alert is when you encounter an emergency, you can ask your companion or the alert control center for help.
SCAN After the scan is turned on, the terminal will scan according to the scan list. When it finds activity on a certain channel, it will stay on the channel to listen, so as to understand the current activity status of the relevant group members.
Busy channel lock Channel busy can prevent interference from other terminals on the same channel during lock transmission. When other terminals occupy the current channel, press and hold the [PTT] key, and the terminal will emit a "beep" tone, indicating that it cannot be transmitted. If the current channel is free, press and hold the [PTT] key to start transmission.
Power level The power level refers to the transmit power level of the walkie-talkie, which can be set to high power or low power. High power can increase the signal strength of the current transmitted voice of the terminal, and it can also communicate with the remote terminal. Low power can save power.
MONI Monitoring is a listening method used to receive more signals or weak signals, which helps to distinguish and listen to the faint sounds in the speakers.
Channel broadcast It is used to indicate the sequence of the current channel.
VOX After turning on the voice control, when the voice detected by the microphone meets the transmission conditions, the terminal will automatically transmit the voice, and you can speak directly without pressing the [PTT] key. The voice control gain is used to control the sensitivity of the microphone's voice control emission, which is configured by the dealer.

VOX

press the [PTT] key to call, then this function can be enabled. Operation method:

  1. In the standby mode, press the [MENU] key, the voice prompt "menu setting", enter the function menu setting;
  2. Press [▲] or [▼] key to select 4 menu number forward or backward; or directly enter the number 4 to enter 4 menu number;
  3. Press the [MENU] key, the voice prompt "Voice-activated emission", press the [▲] or [▼] key, select 1~10 (the larger the value, the higher the sensitivity; such as selecting 3)
  4. Press the [MENU] key, the voice prompt "OK", save and return to the previous menu.
  5. Repeat the above operation, select OFF to turn off the voice-activated transmission function.


After turning on the voice-activated transmission function, speak into the microphone, and the voice can be sent out; stop speaking, and the transmission will also stop. You can select the VOX sensitivity level according to the quietness of the environment. If the environment noise is too large, long emission will occur after the VOX function is activated.


If the dual-standby is enabled on this machine, the VOX function is turned off by default, and the VOX function cannot be activated.

Keyboard Lock function

The keyboard lock function disables the number keys to prevent you from activating a function by mistake. This radio can be set to automatic keyboard lock function, the operation is as follows:

  1. In the standby mode, press the [MENU] key, the voice prompt "menu setting", enter the function menu setting; 2) Press the [▲] or [▼] key to select the 23 menu number forward or backward; or directly enter the numbers 2 and 3 to enter the 23 menu number;
  2. Press [MENU] key, press [▲] or [▼] key to select ON;
  3. Press the [MENU] key, the voice prompt "OK", save and return to the previous menu. The automatic keyboard lock function is activated.
  4. Repeat the above operation, select OFF to turn off the automatic keyboard lock function, and select manual keyboard lock. The operation is as follows:
    1. In the standby state, long press the 《#》 key for more than 2s, the keyboard lock function is activated (voice prompt "keyboard lock");
    2. Long press the 《#》key repeatedly for more than 2s, the keyboard lock function is closed (voice prompt "keyboard unlock").


After the automatic keyboard lock function is turned on, when it is not locked, the numeric keyboard is automatically locked without any keyboard operation for 10 seconds.

Dual Standby

When in dual standby mode, the two-way radio can receive the frequency set by the A or B channel. The operation is as follows:

  1. In the standby mode, press the [MENU] key, the voice prompt "menu setting", enter the function menu setting;
  2. Press the [▲] or [▼] key to select the 7 menu number forward or backward; or directly enter the number 7 to enter the 7 menu number;
  3. Press the [MENU] key, the voice prompt "Dual Standby", press [▲] or [▼] key, select ON
  4. Press the [MENU] key, the voice prompt "OK", save and return to the previous menu. The dual-frequency waiting function is turned on.


Repeat the above operation and select OFF to turn off the dual-frequency standby function. In the menu mode, the dual-frequency standby is temporarily turned off, and recover after exiting.


Since the dual-standby mode is in the main and sub-channel scanning state, in the dual-standby mode, even if the power saving function of the unit is turned on, its power saving function is still invalid, and the standby time of the walkie-talkie will be shortened.

CTCSS/ DCS

CTCSS/ DCS is mainly used to avoid listening to unrelated calls on the same frequency. If CTCSS/DCS is set, within the effective communication range, only calls with the same CTCSS/DCS set in the channel can be received; but if CTCSS/DCS signaling is not set, you can listen to the effective communication range All calls on the same channel.

Side Tone Switch

Key side tone: The radio emits key side tone when sending key side tone
ID code side tone: When sending the ID code, the radio will emit the ID code side tone
Button side tone + ID code side tone: When sending button side tone and ID code side tone, the radio emits the corresponding sound
Note: Button side tone: including number key side tone and TONE tone

USB charging

The walkie-talkie can be directly plugged into the USB charging cable and charging with a power bank.

Frequency Measurement Function

Press +〖*〗key to enter the frequency measurement mode, press【▲】or【▼】key to select U segment or V segment. When the signal is received, if the current frequency has CTCSS/DCS, it will be displayed on the screen at the same time, press the key, you can save the current frequency. Or you can select the shortcut operation method by pressing the side button.

Optional Accessories

Please use the accessories specified by our company.


If you use unlicensed accessories without authorization, all consequences caused by this will be the responsibility of the user.

Please consult your local dealer for optional accessories of the walkie-talkie.

Main Technical Specifications

Frequency Range GMRS
Memory channels 60
Frequency step 12.5kHz
Input voltage 7.4 VDC
Battery(standard configuration) 1800mAH(Li-Ion)
Battery life (5-5-90,high power transmission) About 14 Hours
Power:
Consumption in standby ≤65mA
Consumption in reception ≤450 mA
Consumption in transmission ≤1.8 A @high power 850 mA @ low power
Frequency stability ±2.5ppm
Operating temperature -20 to +60
Antenna impedance 50Ω
Dimensions (With battery, but without antenna) 121×61×33mm
Weight (Including antenna and battery) 223g
Transmit output power 5W/0.5W
Modulation 11K0F3E@12.5KHz
Spurious emission -36dBm 1GHz -30dBm 1GHz
FM signal-to-noise ratio 40dB @12.5KHz
Audio distortion ≤5%
Modulation limit ±2.5 KHz@12.5 KHz
Adjacent channel power 60dB @ 12.5KHz
Audio response (300-3000Hz) +1~3dB
Receiving sensitivity 0.25μV (12dB SINAD)
Adjacent channel selectivity ≥55dB@12.5KHz
Intermodulation immunity ≥55dB@12.5KHz
Conducted spurious emissions ≤-57dB @12.5KHz
FM signal-to-noise ratio ≥40dB @12.5KHz
Audio output power 1W @16ohms
Audio distortion ≤5%
Audio response(300-3000Hz) +1 -3dB


All specifications are subject to change without notice or responsibility.

CH TX RX GMRS CTC/DCS
Power W/N
1 462.5625 462.5625 5W 12.5KHz 67
2 462.5875 462.5875 5W 12.5KHz 118.8
3 462.6125 462.6125 5W 12.5KHz 127.3
4 462.6375 462.6375 5W 12.5KHz 131.8
5 462.6625 462.6625 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
6 462.6875 462.6875 5W 12.5KHz 141.3
7 462.7125 462.7125 5W 12.5KHz 146.2
8 467.5625 467.5625 0.5W 12.5KHz D243N
9 467.5875 467.5875 0.5W 12.5KHz D032N
10 467.6125 467.6125 0.5W 12.5KHz D047N
11 467.6375 467.6375 0.5W 12.5KHz D051N
12 467.6625 467.6625 0.5W 12.5KHz D053N
13 467.6875 467.6875 0.5W 12.5KHz D065N
14 467.7125 467.7125 0.5W 12.5KHz D116N
15 462.55 462.55 5W 12.5KHz 123
16 462.575 462.575 5W 12.5KHz D743I
17 462.6 462.6 5W 12.5KHz D332I
18 462.625 462.625 5W 12.5KHz 127.3
19 462.65 462.65 5W 12.5KHz D243I
20 462.675 462.675 5W 12.5KHz D606N
21 462.7 462.7 5W 12.5KHz D731I
22 462.725 462.725 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
23 467.55 462.55 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
24 467.575 462.575 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
25 467.6 462.6 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
26 467.625 462.625 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
27 467.65 462.65 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
28 467.675 462.675 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
29 467.7 462.7 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
30 467.725 462.725 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
31 462.5625 462.5625 5W 12.5KHz 67
32 462.5875 462.5875 5W 12.5KHz 118.8
33 462.6125 462.6125 5W 12.5KHz 127.3
34 462.6375 462.6375 5W 12.5KHz 131.8
35 462.6625 462.6625 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
36 462.6875 462.6875 5W 12.5KHz 141.3
37 462.7125 462.7125 5W 12.5KHz 146.2
38 467.5625 467.5625 0.5W 12.5KHz D243N
39 467.5875 467.5875 0.5W 12.5KHz D032N
40 467.6125 467.6125 0.5W 12.5KHz D047N
41 467.6375 467.6375 0.5W 12.5KHz D051N
42 467.6625 467.6625 0.5W 12.5KHz D053N
43 467.6875 467.6875 0.5W 12.5KHz D065N
44 467.7125 467.7125 0.5W 12.5KHz D116N
45 462.55 462.55 5W 12.5KHz 123
46 462.575 462.575 5W 12.5KHz D743I
47 462.6 462.6 5W 12.5KHz D332I
48 462.625 462.625 5W 12.5KHz 127.3
49 462.65 462.65 5W 12.5KHz D243I
50 462.675 462.675 5W 12.5KHz D606N
51 462.7 462.7 5W 12.5KHz D731I
52 462.725 462.725 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
53 462.55 462.55 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
54 462.575 462.575 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
55 462.6 462.6 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
56 462.625 462.625 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
57 462.65 462.65 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
58 462.675 462.675 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
59 462.7 462.7 5W 12.5KHz 136.5
60 462.725 462.725 5W 12.5KHz 136.5

Documents / Resources

Download manual

Here you can download full pdf version of manual, it may contain additional safety instructions, warranty information, FCC rules, etc.

Download Retevis RA85 - 5W Long Range GMRS Handheld Radio Manual

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