totally new user having trouble with FV300 Motorolla talkabout

General Discussion
1

I think I put too much into the subject(title) line.

I am a totally new user .(never used a walkie talkie of any kind before).
Just got a pair of Motorolla FV 300 series talkabouts.

Actually got them to communicate with aging relatives who live next door…rather like an intercom ( tried the intercom route, but the ‘talk’ tone was deafening!..so we returned the intercom and are trying the talkabouts.

I am trying to set the blamed thing up. The instructions are not too helpful.
After I figured out that when the instructions said ‘to open the latch at the back to insert the batteries’… they were speaking figuratively… There is no actual latch…but i managed to do step one inspite of the instructions.

Now I am trying to set the call tone.
Instructions say with the radio on, short press MENU until the little ‘musical note symbol’ shows. the current call tone ( apparently) flashes, but nothing flashes except the channel icon.

I guess that ‘short press’ of the MENU key means a split second press of that key, right?
Once i can actually see the current call tone flashing, and not the channel number, i should be able to press + or - to change or hear the call tone.

When i tried the call tone, a LOUD ring was heard…so i want to change it from a loud ring ( which my aging relatives DO NOT WANT )(or i will have to send it back along the road of the intercom.)

can someone who knows this particular talkabout item please walk me through it… and tell me what the call tone icon looks like and how I can scroll through and test the different call tones, and finally how to set up the call tone on one and then the other handset.

I guess that is enough for my first question.
sigh.
i apologise for being a dummie, but never seen these and do not have even a slight idea of their make up.

thanks
gabby
( true to my nature)

ps… i do not want to be overwhelming, but can i ask a couple more questions later?
the motorolla website has no community help forum or anything of the sort over there, or even tech help( from wht I can see)

2

Once upon a time, I was trying to set up a computer program to program a YAESU radio and was having problems getting the interface cable to interface with the computer.

A Motorola Talkabout is WYSIWYG -
What You See Is What You Get.

It does not get any simpler then that.
Sometimes in order to install the batteries, you have to remove the belt clip. Most times it is packed with the belt clip detached.

If you make it harder then what it should be, it will be frustrating.

I myself have been know to get out the magnifying glass from time to time to see the icons on the screen of a radio or two.

Most radios has a small icon that looks like a padlock, the padlock is unhitched if it is unlocked and is hitched if it is locked.

Because you are there and I am here, it will be hard for me to explain.

Usually there will be a button that says MENU ( looks to me like it is the upper left button).

Pushing it in fast makes it trigger the channel selector and pushing it in slow and holding it usually causes the radio to lock out the menu.

Those radios were never designed to be used like a intercom or a telephone. The door bell ring, buzzer etc is usually so loud, even with the volume turned the whole way down it is still obnoxious.
That is just all a part of buying a cheap radio.

At under 5 inches tall and two inches wide

I don’t know what to tell you - since you are unhappy with your purchase, and the older people probably doesn’t understand how to use it, and they will refuse to use it… That is just the nature of old people…

The radio is usually shipped from the factory with a small charge in the batteries and requires a full charge period before use - usually 10 -12 hours. The radio is usually shipped with the frequency selector on channel 1/1 and all tones should be the same.

Usually by pushing the menu button one time, the large numeral flashes - this is the channel. By pushing the up or down button on the right, you can change the channel.

By pushing the menu button a second time, the small numeral flashes, this is the CTCSS code - or tone, both of these numbers must match for the radios to talk to each other.

By pushing the menu button a third time, you might see a picture of someone talking to a radio and another number or letter.
This is usually some sort of call / ring tone.

Going up or down you get an assortment of ring tones that can be used individually to identify each radio in the party.

At any point, if you stop pushing the buttons, the radio will think that you are done programming and will beep and will revert to what ever channel you programmed it to operate on.

As I said before, the Motorola radios are about as simplistic as you can get.

Read the owners manual again
http://www.giantintl.com/ContentManage-new/manuals/Moto/FV300%2001-11-08.pdf

or call the toll free number in the back of the manual for technical assistance.

Support Call +1.800.638.5119

3

Thank you so much for your kind response.

I read the manual once, and then twice, and then once more. Your descriptions of the different actions were about 600 percent better than those written in the manual.

I always try to do my homework and not ask questions before ‘trying my guts out’ to figure something out.
I am just that way… I only come over to a forum if i have tried everything I knew to do.

As you said, perhaps i make things more difficult than they should be…

NEVERTHELESS, I found your instructions far better than the two word phrases on the instruction page…

The reason i came over to this forum is that I wanted to find someone so very familiar with such like device *( as you are ) who could put the instructions in a succinct way, from a user’s perspective.

Many thanks
and Merry Christmas… ( if you do not mind my saying that !)

Oh, yes, I think, based on your experience which noted that the tones are usually loud on these things ( probably to be used in the woods, hiking)
and that older people will probably not want to use them anyway, ( i think you are right !)
made me think twice ( or three times) as to whether this is the route to go.

We’ll see.
HOWEVER,
THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR YOUR KINDNESS !
GABBY

4

You would not believe how simple your directions made things for me.

I went over to the little ( less than 5" tall) (he he) devices and did precisely what you told me and completed an entire ,complete set up in no time flat.

It was your wording and confidence in your instructions which really helped.

Just wanted to tell you again.

Thank you !
sincerely
gabby

5

Its cool - have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years and don’t be afraid to ask questions. That is how we learn.