I have a pair of T8500 radios that I can’t seem to get to work. They have plenty of power, and all of the settings match on both of them. I can’t get any sound out of either one. They worked a few years ago, and they have been in storage since then. Any ideas of something to try to get them to communicate? We would sure like to use them for fishing and hiking this fall. Thank you in advance for any help.
Hi Craig, Are you sure the PL tones are the same on both radios? Is QT Noise Filtering off on both radios? You said they were in storage for a few years. Are you using the original NiMH rechargeable batteries that came with the radios or fresh alkalines? Sometimes a radio may indicate a full charge when using old rechargeable batteries but may not actually have one. They may show the battery pack has full power to receive but may not be able to sustain full power for long during transmit after the PTT button is pressed.
It is a good idea to replace rechargeable batteries every couple of years or when they begin to lose their longevity between charges.