User's Manual
EXCLUSIONS
Normal Wear and Tear. Periodic maintenance, repair and
replacement of parts due to normal wear and tear are excluded
from coverage.
Batteries. Only batteries whose fully charged capacity falls
below 80% of their rated capacity and batteries that leak are
covered by this limited warranty.
Abuse & Misuse. Defects or damage that result from: (a)
improper operation, storage, misuse or abuse, accident or
neglect, such as physical damage (cracks, scratches, etc.) to
the surface of the product resulting from misuse; (b) exposure
to extreme heat and cold; (c) exposure beyond the IP ratings
to liquid, water, rain, sand, dirt, dust, food, or the like, when the
battery door or accessory port seals are not closed; (d) use of
the Products or Accessories for business purposes or subjecting
the Product or Accessory to abnormal usage or conditions; or (e)
other acts which are not the fault of Giant International Ltd., are
excluded from coverage.
Use of Non-Olympia branded Products and Accessories. Defects
or damage that result from the use of Non-Olympia branded or
certied Products, Accessories, or other peripheral equipment
are excluded from coverage.
Unauthorized Service or Modication. Defects or damages
resulting from service, testing, adjustment, installation,
maintenance, alteration, or modication in any way by someone
other than Giant International Ltd. or its authorized service
centers, are excluded from coverage.
Altered Products. Products or Accessories with (a) serial
numbers or date tags that have been removed, altered or
obliterated; (b) broken seals or that show evidence of tampering;
(c) mismatched board serial numbers; or (d) nonconforming
or non-Olympia branded housings, or parts, are excluded from
coverage.
Who is covered?
This warranty extends only to the rst consumer purchaser, and
is not transferable.
What will GIANT INTERNATIONAL LTD. do?
GIANT INTERNATIONAL LTD., at its option, will at no charge
repair, replace or refund the purchase price of any Products
or Accessories that does not conform to this warranty.
We may use functionally equivalent reconditioned/refurbished/
pre-owned or new Products, Accessories or parts.
How to Obtain Warranty Service or Other Information?
To obtain service, information or to obtain a Return Authorization
(RMA) #, please call:
USA Two-Way Radios
1-866-537-0384
support@giantintl.com
You will receive instructions on how to ship the Products or
Accessories at your expense, to a GIANT INTERNATIONAL LTD.
Authorized Repair Center. To obtain service, you must include:
(a) A copy of your receipt, bill of sale or other comparable proof
of purchase
(b) A written description of the problem
(c) RMA #
(d) Your address and telephone number
What Other Limitations Are There?
ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION
THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, SHALL BE LIMITED
TO THE DURATION OF THIS LIMITED WARRANTY, OTHERWISE
THE REPAIR, REPLACEMENT, OR REFUND AS PROVIDED
UNDER THIS EXPRESS LIMITED WARRANTY IS THE EXCLUSIVE
REMEDY OF THE CONSUMER, AND IS PROVIDED IN LIEU
OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. IN
NO EVENT SHALL GIANT INTERNATIONAL LTD. BE LIABLE,
WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE)
FOR DAMAGES IN EXCESS OF THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE
PRODUCT OR ACCESSORY, OR FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, OR
LOSS OF REVENUE OR PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF
INFORMATION OR OTHER FINANCIAL LOSS ARISING OUT OF
OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE ABILITY OR INABILITY TO USE
THE PRODUCTS OR ACCESSORIES TO THE FULL EXTENT THESE
DAMAGES MAY BE DISCLAIMED BY LAW.
Some states and jurisdictions do not allow the limitation or
exclusion of incidental or consequential damages, or limitation
on the length of an implied warranty, so the above limitations or
exclusions may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specic
legal rights, and you may also have other rights that vary from
state to state or from one jurisdiction to another.
Patent and Copyright Information
©2014 Giant International Limited. All rights reserved. All
registered trademarks and trade dress are the property of the
respective owners.
R500 series
Selecting the Tone/Code
This radio has 121 code settings. When a channel is in use by
2 or more groups, this feature blocks the reception of signals that
do not carry the matching tone or code. There are 121 codes. 0
is the off position, no analog or digital codes are enabled and all
users of that channel will be heard. Codes 1 – 38 are the standard
analog (CTCSS) codes that appear on other FRS/GMRS radios.
Codes 39 – 121 are additional digital (CDCSS) codes added for
superior interference protection. 0 is the off position.
See the Tone/Code Setting Frequency table located at the back of
the manual for details on tone frequencies and code values.
To set the code for a channel:
1. Press
twice until the code starts to ash.
2. Press or
to select the code.
3. Press
to save the code setting or
to continue set up.
You can set a different code for each channel using this
procedure. An extended press of
or
allows you to scroll
rapidly so you can quickly reach the code you want.
This menu setting for repeater channels 15R-22R is used for
receiving only. The value must match with the repeater output.
Many repeaters will require a value of 0 or OFF. The transmitted
code is set separately and is often required for repeater access.
See ”Selecting the Repeater Access (TX) Code” section for
additional information.
Note: You must set the code to 0 to communicate with radios that
do not have codes.
Setting and Transmitting Call Tones
The radio can transmit different call tones to other radios in your
group so you can alert them that you want to talk. The radio has
10 call tones from which to choose.
To set a call tone:
1. With the radio on, briey press
until
appears. The
current call tone setting ashes.
2. Press or
to change and hear the call tone.
3. Press
to set the new call tone or
to continue set up.
To transmit your call tone to other radios, set to the same channel
and code as the radio, press
.
Note: Setting the call tone to 0 disables the call tone feature.
Hands-Free Use Without Accessories (
)
You can use the iVOX feature to transmit hands-free without the
need for any headset accessories. Once iVOX is turned on, the
radio detects your voice and transmits when you speak into the
internal microphone.
1. Press
until
appears on the display. The current
setting On/Off will ash.
2. Press
or
to select On or Off.
3. Press
to set or
to continue set up.
Hands-Free Use With Accessories (
)
You can transmit hands-free more reliably with the use of optional
headset accessories. Once VOX is turned on, the radio detects
your voice and transmits when you speak.
1. Turn the radio off and plug the
accessory into the
accessory port.
2. Turn the radio on.
will show on the display.
3. Adjust the volume appropriately by pressing or . Lower
the volume before placing the accessory on your head or in
your ear.
4. To turn off, simply remove accessory.
Notes:
• There is a short delay between the time you start talking and
when the radio transmits. There is a short delay before the
transmission is completed.
• The accessory port cover must be tightly in place to maintain
the water tight seal of the radio.
Setting the Sensitivity Level When in VOX
Mode
Adjusting the radio’s sensitivity level helps minimize the possibility
of unintended noises triggering a transmission and helps the
radio pick up soft voices.
1. Press
until VOX
and the level setting (1 - 3) appear on the
display.
2. Press
or
to select the sensitivity level.
3. Press
to set or
to continue set up.
3 = High Sensitivity for quiet environments
2 = Medium Sensitivity for most environments
1 = Low Sensitivity for noisy environments
Note: When you connect a headset, the radio is automatically set
to the last chosen sensitivity level.
Vibrate
Vibrate is a vibrating alert that noties that the radio is receiving
a message. This is useful in noisy environments. When the alert is
on, the radio vibrates once every 30 seconds when you receive a
message on the channel and code you set.
1. To turn vibrating alerts on, press
until
is displayed. The
current setting will ash.
2. Press or
to change the setting to On/Off.
3. Press
to set or
to continue set up.
Keypad Tones
You may enable or disable the speaker key tones. You will hear
the key tone each time a button is pushed.
1. Press
until
appears. The current setting On/Off
will ash.
2. Press or
to turn On or Off.
3. Press
to conrm or
to continue set up.
Note: When the key tone feature is off, the following are not disabled:
• Transmit timeout alert tone
• Call tone
• Low battery alert tone or
• The transmitted talk conrmation tone
Roger Beep Setting
You can set the radio to transmit a unique tone when you nish
transmitting. It is like saying “Roger” or “Over” to let others know
you are nished talking.
1. With the radio on, briey press
until
appears. The
current setting On/Off ashes.
2. Press or
to turn On or Off.
3. Press
to set the talk conrmation tone or
to continue set
up.
Auto Power Off
The radio will save power by automatically turning itself off if
unused after a predetermined amount of time.
1. Activate this setting by pressing
until
displays. The
current setting (0, 30, 60 or 90) will ash.
2. Press or
to set the time to 30 minutes, 60 minutes or
90 minutes. When this feature is activated, the
will remain
on the display.
3. When you exit the Menu mode, the timer will begin. If a button
is pressed, or if there is an incoming signal, the timer will
restart.
4. The screen will show .
5. Press
to conrm or
to continue set up.
Enabling Repeater Channels
Use of a repeater can greatly increase the radio range and
coverage area. Repeater use must be coordinated with the owner
of the repeater. Be sure to understand and follow the sharing and
usage rules for each repeater system.
1. Press
until the R appears. The current setting ON/OFF
will ash.
2. Press
or
to select ON or OFF.
3. Press
to save the setting or
to continue set up.
After enabling the repeater channels, you will be able to select
channels 15R-22R. Refer to the “Selecting the Channel” section
on page one.
Selecting the Repeater Access (TX) Code
When a repeater channel is selected, an additional menu option
is available for setting the transmitted code. Many repeaters will
require a specic value setting to activate the repeater on your
transmissions. See the Tone/Code Setting Frequency table for
detailed information.
1. Press
repeatedly until the
, the R, and the current
setting ash.
2. Press or
to select the code.
3. Pressor
to exit menu mode.
You can set a different code for each channel using this
procedure. An extended press of
or
allows you to scroll
through the Interference Code rapidly so you can quickly reach
the code you want. 0 is the off position.
Special Features
LED Flashlight
Press and hold the LED ashlight button to turn and keep the light
on. The switch functions as a momentary control for the light.
Note: Turn off the ashlight when not in use to conserve battery
power.
Keypad Lock
To avoid accidentally changing the radio settings, a keypad lock
feature may be enabled. When in lock mode, you can only turn
the radio OFF, Receive, Transmit, send a call tone, and use the
monitor function. All other functions are locked.
1. Press
and hold until
icon displays.
2. To unlock the radio, press and hold
until the
icon is no
longer displayed.
Scanning Channels
Use scan to search all 58 channels for transmissions from
unknown parties, to nd someone in your group who has
accidentally changed channels, or to quickly nd unused
channels for your own use.
There is a priority feature and 2 modes of scanning (basic and
advanced) to make your search more effective. The basic scan
mode uses the channel and code combinations for each of the
58 channels as you have set them (or with the default code value
of 1). The “Advanced Scan” mode will scan all channels for any
and all codes, detect any code in use, and use that code value
temporarily for that channel.
Priority is given to the “home channel,” i.e., the channel (and
code) the radio is set to when you start the scan. This means the
initial channel (and code setting) is scanned more often than the
other channels, and the radio will respond quickly to any activity
occurring on the home channel as a priority.
To start Basic Scanning:
1. Briey press the
key. The scan
will appear in the
display, and the radio will begin to scroll through the channel
and code combinations.
2. When the radio detects channel activity matching the channel
and code combination, it stops scrolling and you can hear the
transmission.
3. To respond and talk to the person transmitting, press
within
ve seconds after the end of the transmission.
4. The radio will resume scrolling through the channels ve
seconds after the end of any received activity.
5. To stop scanning, briey press the
key.
To start Advanced Scanning:
Advanced Scanning is only available on channels 1-22.
1. Set the code to “zero” or OFF. (the default code is set at 1)
2. Briey press the
key. The scan
will appear in the
display, and the radio will begin to scroll through the channels.
No codes will lter what is heard.
3. When the radio detects channel activity with ANY code (or NO
code), it stops scrolling and you can hear the transmission.
Any code that may be in use by that party will be detected and
displayed.
4. To respond and talk to the person transmitting, press
within
ve seconds of the end of the transmission. The radio will
transmit using the newly detected code.
5. The radio will resume scrolling through the channels ve
seconds after the end of any received activity.
6. To stop scanning, briey press the
key.
Scanning Notes:
1. If you press
while the radio is scrolling through inactive
channels, the transmission will be on the “home channel”.
Scanning will resume ve seconds after the end of the
transmission. You may press the
key to stop scanning at
any time.
2. If the radio stops on an undesired transmission, you may
immediately resume the scan by briey pressing or .
3. If the radio repeatedly stops on an undesired transmission,
you may temporarily remove that channel from the scan list
by pressing and holding or
for three seconds. You may
remove more than one channel in this way.
4. To restore the removed channel(s) to the scan list, turn the
radio off and then back on, or exit and re-enter the scanning
mode by pressing .
5. You cannot remove the home channel from the scan list.
6. In Advanced Scan, the detected code will only be used for
one transmission. You must note the code, exit scan, and set
that detected code on that channel to permanently use the
detected code.
Weather Receiver
This radio can tune in to broadcasts by the United States National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio.
You can listen to a weather channel (see “Weather Channels
and Frequencies” table for details) or set the radio to alert you to
emergency weather broadcasts that interrupt routine broadcasts.
When you listen to a weather channel, you cannot use the
radio in scan mode or for two-way communications. NOAA
has transmitters located throughout the United States. These
transmitters broadcast watches, forecasts, and other information
24 hours a day.
Note: NOAA weather radio stations are assigned to cover specic
areas and service may be limited. Please check with your local
weather ofce for frequency and details, or visit www.weather.gov/
nwr in the US to view the appropriate transmitter for your area. The
use of the NOAA logo does not provide an endorsement or implied
endorsement by NOAA’s National Weather Service.
Turning Weather Channel Reception On and Off
1. To turn weather reception on, press and hold
for 3 seconds.
2. To turn off, press
or turn the radio off and then back on.
Scanning for Weather Channel
The radio can scan for an active NOAA transmission
automatically.
1. After turning weather reception on, briey press the
key.
2. The scan icon
will appear in the display, and the channel
will scroll through the NOAA channels 1-7.
3. When the radio detects channel activity, it stops scanning and
you can hear the transmission.
4. You may resume the scan by briey pressing or .
5. To stop scanning, briey press the
key. The scan icon
will disappear.
Setting the Weather Channel Manually
If you know which frequency is correct for your location, refer to
the Weather Channels and Frequencies table located at the back
of the manual to manually set the radio to the appropriate weather
channel.
1. After turning weather reception on, press
. The current
channel ashes.
2. Press or
to select the appropriate channel with good
reception in your area.
3. Press
to save the weather channel setting.
Setting the Weather Alert
The radio can be set to respond to NOAA Weather Radio
emergency messages. A special alarm tone sounds an alert and
turns on the weather receiver to give you immediate weather and
emergency information.
1. After turning weather reception on, press
twice. ON or OFF
ashes.
2. Press or
to select ON to activate. If you activate the
Weather Alert and return to two-way mode,
will display.
3. Press
to save the Weather Alert setting.
4. Press and hold
for 3 seconds to return to two-way mode.
Package Includes
2 Olympia R500 2-Way radios, an owner’s manual as well as the
following accessories:
• 1 Desktop Dual Charging Base
• 1 Wall Adaptor
• 2 NiMH (Rechargeable) Battery Packs
• 2 Belt Clips
• 1 Owner’s Manual
Warranty
Consumer 2-Way Radio Products and Accessories purchased in
the United States.
What Does this Warranty Cover?
Subject to the exclusions contained to the right, Giant
International Ltd. warrants the Olympia branded consumer 2-Way
radios that operate via Family Radio Service or General Mobile
Radio Service that it manufactures (“Products”), the Olympia
branded or certied accessories sold for use with these products
that it manufactures to be free from defects in materials and
workmanship under normal consumer usage for the period(s)
outlined below. This limited warranty is a consumer’s exclusive
remedy, and applies as follows to new Olympia branded Products
and accessories manufactured by Giant International Ltd.,
and purchased by consumers in the United States, which are
accompanied by this written warranty:
Products and Accessories as dened above, unless otherwise
provided for below:
2-Way Radios: Length of Coverage: Three (3) years from the date
of purchase by the rst consumer purchaser of the product unless
otherwise provided for below.
Accessories as dened above: Ninety (90) days from the date of
purchase by the rst consumer purchaser of the product.
Products and Accessories that are repaired or replaced: The
balance of the original warranty or for ninety (90) days from the
date returned to the consumer, whichever is longer.
KEM-ML37701-01
Channels and Frequencies
CH #
FREQ
(MHz)
CODE TYPE CH #
FREQ
(MHz)
CODE TYPE
1 462.5625 ANY GMRS 34 467.5625 48 FRS
2 462.5875 ANY GMRS 35 467.6125 51 FRS
3 462.6125 ANY GMRS 36 467.6625 54 FRS
4 462.6375 ANY GMRS 37 467.7125 57 FRS
5 462.6625 ANY GMRS 38 462.5750 60 GMRS
6 462.6875 ANY GMRS 39 462.6250 63 GMRS
7 462.7125 ANY GMRS 40 462.6750 66 GMRS
8 467.5625 ANY FRS 41 462.7250 69 GMRS
9 467.5875 ANY FRS 42 462.5625 14 GMRS
10 467.6125 ANY FRS 43 462.6125 11 GMRS
11 467.6375 ANY FRS 44 462.6625 8 GMRS
12 467.6625 ANY FRS 45 462.7125 5 GMRS
13 467.6875 ANY FRS 46 462.5500 2 GMRS
14 467.7125 ANY FRS 47 462.6000 37 GMRS
15 462.5500 ANY GMRS 48 462.6500 34 GMRS
16 462.5750 ANY GMRS 49 462.7000 31 GMRS
17 462.6000 ANY GMRS 50 462.5875 40 GMRS
18 462.6250 ANY GMRS
15R
462.5500 ANY RX GMRS
19 462.6500 ANY GMRS 467.5500 ANY TX GMRS
20 462.6750 ANY GMRS
16R
462.5750 ANY RX GMRS
21 462.7000 ANY GMRS 467.5750 ANY TX GMRS
22 462.7250 ANY GMRS
17R
462.6000 ANY RX GMRS
23 462.5625 38 GMRS 467.6000 ANY TX GMRS
24 462.6125 35 GMRS
18R
462.6250 ANY RX GMRS
25 462.6625 32 GMRS 467.6250 ANY TX GMRS
26 462.7125 29 GMRS
19R
462.6500 ANY RX GMRS
27 462.5500 26 GMRS 467.6500 ANY TX GMRS
28 462.6000 23 GMRS
20R
462.6750 ANY RX GMRS
29 462.6500 20 GMRS 467.6750 ANY TX GMRS
30 462.7000 17 GMRS
21R
462.7000 ANY RX GMRS
31 462.5875 39 GMRS 467.7000 ANY TX GMRS
32 462.6375 42 GMRS
22R
462.7250 ANY RX GMRS
33 462.6875 45 GMRS 467.7250 ANY TX GMRS
Tone/Code Setting Frequency (Hz)
CODE CTCSS (Hz) CODE
CDCSS
(Octal)
CODE
CDCSS
(Octal)
1 67.0 39 023 81 315
2 71.9 40 025 82 331
3 74.4 41 026 83 343
4 77.0 42 031 84 346
5 79.7 43 032 85 351
6 82.5 44 043 86 364
7 85.4 45 047 87 365
8 88.5 46 051 88 371
9 91.5 47 054 89 411
10 94.8 48 065 90 412
11 97.4 49 071 91 413
12 100.0 50 072 92 423
13 103.5 51 073 93 431
14 107.2 52 074 94 432
15 110.9 53 114 95 445
16 114.8 54 115 96 464
17 118.8 55 116 97 465
18 123.0 56 125 98 466
19 127.3 57 131 99 503
20 131.8 58 132 100 506
21 136.5 59 134 101 516
22 141.3 60 143 102 532
23 146.2 61 152 103 546
24 151.4 62 155 104 565
25 156.7 63 156 105 606
26 162.2 64 162 106 612
27 167.9 65 165 107 624
28 173.8 66 172 108 627
29 179.9 67 174 109 631
30 186.2 68 205 110 632
31 192.8 69 223 111 654
32 203.5 70 226 112 662
33 210.7 71 243 113 664
34 218.1 72 244 114 703
35 225.7 73 245 115 712
36 233.6 74 251 116 723
37 241.8 75 261 117 731
38 250.3 76 263 118 732
77 265 119 734
78 271 120 743
79 306 121 754
80 311
Weather Channels and Frequencies
CHANNEL RX (MHz) CHANNEL RX (MHz) CHANNEL RX (MHz)
WX1 162.550 WX5 162.450 WX9 161.775
WX2 162.400 WX6 162.500 WX10 161.750
WX3 162.475 WX7 162.525 WX11 162.000
WX4 162.425 WX8 161.650