When you press the PTT talk button a signal is transmitted and the signal floods the
area in all sideway directions. The signal travels in 3 different ways:
1
) Penetration
: The signal can go through materials such as wood, plastic, cement
and fabric. The denser the material or more built up the environment the weaker the
signal will become. The signal cannot go through solid metal or very large solid land
structures such as a hill or mountain. Metal acts like a shield and that is why the
performance from the inside of a vehicle will be less than from outside.
2
) Reflection
: The signal cannot go through metal or very large structures such as a
hill or mountain, but it can bounce off (like a mirror), go around and reflect in other
directions as well. This happens at the speed of light.
3)Line-of-sight
: Line-of-sight is when there are no obstructions in the path between
the communicating parties. The higher up you go the further you can see, so the
larger the line-of-sight distances will be. Generally you can talk to wherever you can
see, which is why the coverage in a valley is much less than the coverage from on top
of a hill.
Ensure that there is nothing blocking the antenna. The less metal in close proximity
(0-2m) the better the range. There may be external interference from electrical
equipment (power lines or factories) or natural causes (moisture in the air or storms)
that may vary depending on the location and the weather.
The ZA-721 is fitted with a detachable antenna which provides options for connecting
an external antenna to improve signal clarity in vehicles and indoors.
Programming (optional)
A programming cable is needed to program different channels or functions on the
ZA-721. The programming cable links the radio to USB port on a PC or laptop.
USB installation
:
Plug in the cable to a USB port, the computer should locate the cable and configure it
automatically if using window 10. For lower Windows versions, USB cable driver
software can be downloaded from
or from the cable manufacturer
website Prolific (driver for PL2303 USB-Serial cable). Check that the cable is working
by locating it in DEVICE MANGER > PORTS > PROLIFIC USB
– SERIAL COMM
PORT
Software installation:
Programming software for the ZA-721 is available for free. Please email
to request the download link or check
downloads. Install the software on to a PC by following the installation steps. Once
installation is
finished, an icon called “ZA-721 User PC Software” will appear on the
screen.
