Radio Shack Answering Machine TAD 285 User Guide

43-785.fm Page 1 Monday, August 16, 1999 7:54 AM  
Cat. No. 43-785  
OWNER’S MANUAL  
Please read before using this equipment.  
TAD-285  
Microcassette Telephone Answering System  
with Big Button Phone, Memory, and  
Remote Operation  
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Touch-Tone or Pulse (Rotary) Dial-  
ing — you can use this telephone with  
either type of service.  
READ THIS FIRST  
We have designed your answering  
system to conform to federal regula-  
tions, and you can connect it to most  
telephone lines. However, each de-  
vice you connect to the phone line  
draws power from the phone line. We  
refer to this power draw as the de-  
vice’s Ringer Equivalence Number, or  
REN. The REN is on the bottom of  
your answering system.  
This answering system has been test-  
ed and found to comply with all appli-  
cable UL and FCC standards.  
We recommend you record your an-  
swering system’s serial number here.  
The number is on the bottom of the  
answering system.  
Serial Number:  
If you are using more than one device  
on the line, add up all the RENs. If the  
total is more than five, your phones  
might not ring and your answering  
system might not answer. In rural ar-  
eas, a total REN of three might impair  
ringer operation. If ringer operation is  
impaired, remove a device from the  
telephone line.  
Warning: To prevent fire or shock  
hazard, do not expose this product  
to rain or moisture.  
CAUTION  
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK.  
!
DO NOT OPEN.  
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF  
ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE  
COVER OR BACK. NO USER-SERVICE-  
ABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVIC-  
ING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.  
FCC STATEMENT  
Your answering system complies with  
Part 68 of FCC Rules. You must, upon  
request, provide the FCC registration  
number and the REN to your phone  
company. Both numbers are on the  
bottom of your answering system.  
This symbol is intended to alert you  
to the presence of uninsulated dan-  
gerous voltage within the product’s  
enclosure that might be of sufficient  
magnitude to constitute a risk of  
electric shock. Do not open the  
product’s case.  
Note: You must not connect your an-  
swering system to:  
• Coin-operated systems  
• Party-line systems  
This symbol is intended to inform  
you that important operating and  
maintenance instructions are in-  
cluded in the literature accompany-  
ing this product.  
!
• Most electronic key phone sys-  
tems  
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CONTENTS  
Installation ............................................................................................................ 5  
Selecting a Location ........................................................................................ 5  
Loading the Cassette ....................................................................................... 5  
Connecting Power ........................................................................................... 6  
Recording the Outgoing Message ................................................................... 6  
Checking the Outgoing Message .............................................................. 7  
Placing the Phone on a Desktop ..................................................................... 8  
Mounting the Phone ........................................................................................ 8  
On a Wall Plate ......................................................................................... 8  
Directly on the Wall ....................................................................................9  
Connecting the Handset ................................................................................ 10  
Setting the Ringer Switch .............................................................................. 11  
Setting the Dialing Mode ............................................................................... 11  
Answering System Operation ........................................................................... 12  
Setting the Answering System to Answer Calls ............................................. 12  
Setting the Number of Rings ......................................................................... 12  
Setting the System’s Volume ......................................................................... 13  
Screening Calls ............................................................................................. 13  
Playing Messages ......................................................................................... 13  
Telephone Operation ......................................................................................... 15  
Using REDIAL ............................................................................................... 15  
Using FLASH ................................................................................................. 15  
Using Tone Services with a Pulse Line .......................................................... 15  
Memory Dialing .............................................................................................. 16  
Storing a Number .................................................................................... 16  
Dialing a Stored Number ......................................................................... 16  
Remote Control Operation ................................................................................ 17  
Remote Answer-On ....................................................................................... 17  
Remote Playback .......................................................................................... 17  
Erasing the Messages ................................................................................... 18  
Troubleshooting ................................................................................................. 19  
Care and Maintenance ....................................................................................... 22  
Cleaning the Tape-Handling Parts ................................................................. 23  
The FCC Wants You to Know ........................................................................ 23  
Lightning ........................................................................................................ 23  
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INSTALLATION  
1. Turn the supplied cassette’s hub  
with the tip of a pencil to take up  
any tape slack.  
SELECTING A  
LOCATION  
You can set the TAD-285 on a flat sur-  
face (such as a desktop or counter-  
top), or mount it on a wall plate or  
directly on the wall.  
Illust.  
Select a location that is:  
• Near an AC outlet  
2. Lift open the cassette compart-  
ment door.  
• Near a modular telephone line  
jack  
If the phone line jack is not a modular  
jack, you must update the wiring. You  
can convert the wiring yourself, using  
jacks and adapters available at your  
local RadioShack store. Or, you can  
let the phone company update the wir-  
ing for you. The USOC number of the  
jack to be installed is RJ11C.  
Illust.  
3. Put the cassette in the compart-  
ment with its full reel toward the  
front of the answering system and  
its open edge to the left.  
LOADING THE  
CASSETTE  
Your answering system comes with an  
MC-60 cassette tape (30 minutes of  
recording time per side). You can buy  
additional and different length cas-  
settes at your local RadioShack store.  
Illust.  
4. Close the compartment door.  
Note: Replace the tape at least once  
a year, or more often if it is used fre-  
quently.  
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matically plays it back. If there is no  
outgoing message, the answering  
system sounds a continuous tone until  
you record a message (see “Record-  
ing the Outgoing Message” on  
Page 6).  
CONNECTING POWER  
Use the supplied AC adapter to power  
your answering system.  
Cautions:  
• You must use an AC adapter that  
supplies 9 volts of power, delivers  
at least 500 milliamps, and has a  
plug that properly fits the TAD-  
Note: When the answering system  
has power, if the cassette tape is bro-  
ken or is not inserted properly, the  
system sounds a continuous tone. To  
stop the tone, unplug the adapter from  
the AC outlet. Reinsert or replace the  
cassette tape, then plug the adapter  
back into the AC outlet.  
POWER SOURCE  
285’s  
jack. The  
supplied adapter meets these  
requirements. Using an adapter  
that does not meet these specifi-  
cations could damage the answer-  
ing system.  
• Always plug the adapter into the  
answering system before you plug  
it into an AC outlet. Always unplug  
the adapter from the AC outlet  
before you unplug it from the  
answering system.  
RECORDING THE  
OUTGOING MESSAGE  
Before you can set the answering sys-  
tem to answer calls and record mes-  
sages, you must record the message  
the caller hears when the answering  
system answers a call.  
In the message, ask for the caller’s  
name, phone number, and message.  
The maximum length for your outgo-  
ing message is 30 seconds.  
Illust.  
1. Plug the small end of the supplied  
AC adapter into the answering  
POWER SOURCE  
system’s  
jack.  
Warning: To help protect your home  
or office, do not tell callers you are  
away. Instead, say you cannot come  
to the phone at this time.  
2. Plug the other end of the adapter  
into a standard AC outlet.  
PLAY  
The red light on the  
button turns  
on while the answering system checks  
for an outgoing message.  
If an outgoing message is already re-  
corded, the answering system auto-  
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Follow these steps to record the out-  
going message.  
The message is first saved on a digital  
chip, and is then recorded onto the  
cassette tape. Wait until the answer-  
ing system plays back the message  
before you continue installing your an-  
swering system.  
1. Rotate VOLUME toward HI until it  
clicks. The red light turns on.  
Illust.  
The answering system saves all infor-  
mation, including the outgoing mes-  
sage, on tape so it will be saved  
during a power failure. When power is  
restored after a power failure, the an-  
swering system plays the tape auto-  
matically to restore the outgoing  
message to the digital chip.  
2. Lift open the cassette compart-  
ment door.  
3. Press and hold OGM REC/PLAY  
until the red light turns off, then  
release the button. The answering  
system beeps once.  
Checking the Outgoing  
Message  
Illust.  
Press OGM REC/PLAY at any time to  
hear the outgoing message. The an-  
swering system beeps once and plays  
back the message, then beeps twice.  
4. When the red light turns on again,  
speak clearly in a normal volume  
from about 12 inches away from  
the microphone.  
To adjust the volume, see “Setting the  
System’s Volume” on Page 13.  
Illust.  
5. When you finish recording your  
message, press OGM REC/PLAY  
again. The red light turns off, then  
the answering system beeps twice  
and plays back the message.  
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2. Align the adapter’s power cord  
with the left slot on the top and  
bottom of the mounting bracket.  
Align the modular cord with the  
right slot on the top of the mount-  
ing bracket. Pull the other end of  
the modular cord through the  
large hole in the center of the  
bracket.  
PLACING THE PHONE  
ON A DESKTOP  
To use your answering system on a  
desk, table, or shelf, plug one end of  
the supplied telephone cord into  
PHONE JACK  
and plug the other end  
into a modular phone jack, then pro-  
ceed to “Connecting the Handset” on  
Page 10.  
3. Insert the mounting bracket’s tabs  
into the slots on the bottom of the  
answering system. Then pull the  
bracket up until it snaps into  
place.  
Illust.  
Illust.  
MOUNTING THE PHONE  
Using the supplied mounting bracket,  
you can mount the TAD-285 on a  
phone jack wall plate or directly on the  
wall.  
4. Coil all the excess modular cord  
into the recess of the mounting  
bracket by pushing it back through  
the large hole. Leave only about  
1–2 inches of the cord outside the  
bracket.  
On a Wall Plate  
1. Plug one end of the supplied mod-  
PHONE JACK  
ular cord into  
.
Illust.  
8
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5. Plug the exposed end of the cord  
into a modular phone jack wall  
plate.  
Directly on the Wall  
Using a drill and screws (not supplied)  
and the supplied mounting bracket,  
you can easily mount your TAD-285  
directly on the wall.  
Illust.  
1. At the desired mounting location,  
drill two holes 31/4 inches apart,  
one above the other.  
Illust.  
6. Line up the keyhole slots on the  
bracket with the studs on the wall  
plate, then slide the bracket down  
onto the wall plate until it is  
secure.  
2. Thread a screw into each hole  
until the screw’s head extends  
about 1/8 inch from the wall.  
7. Pull the handset holder toward  
you as far as it will go. Hold it out  
as you rotate the holder 180°,  
then let it snap back in place.  
Illust.  
Illust.  
3. Plug one end of the supplied mod-  
ular cord into PHONE JACK.  
The holder’s tab helps hold the  
handset in the cradle while the  
answering system is mounted on  
the wall.  
Illust.  
8. Proceed to “Connecting the Hand-  
set” on Page 10.  
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4. Align the adapter’s power cord  
with the left slot on the top and  
bottom of the mounting bracket.  
Align the modular cord with the  
right slot on the top and bottom of  
the mounting bracket.  
8. Pull the handset holder toward  
you as far as it will go. Hold it out  
as you rotate the holder 180°,  
then let it snap back in place.  
5. Insert the mounting bracket’s tabs  
into the slots on the bottom of the  
answering system. Then pull the  
bracket up until it snaps into  
place.  
Illust.  
The holder’s tab helps hold the  
handset in the cradle while the  
answering system is mounted on  
the wall.  
Illust.  
9. Proceed to “Connecting the Hand-  
set” on Page 10.  
CONNECTING THE  
HANDSET  
6. Plug the modular cord into a mod-  
ular phone jack.  
Plug one end of the coiled handset  
cord into the answering system’s  
handset jack. Plug the other end into  
the jack on the handset. Place the  
handset on the cradle.  
7. Line up the keyhole slots on the  
bracket with the screws on the  
wall, then slide the bracket down  
onto the screws until it is secure.  
Illust.  
Illust.  
10  
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P/T  
T
to .  
1. Set  
SETTING THE RINGER  
SWITCH  
Illust.  
To set the volume of the telephone’s  
ringer, set the ringer switch on the  
LO  
back of the answering system to  
HI  
or  
.
2. Pick up the handset and listen for  
a dial tone.  
To turn off the telephone’s ringer, set  
OFF  
make out-going calls. If you hear an  
extension phone ring, you can still an-  
swer calls.  
3. Press any number other than 0. If  
the dial tone stops, you have  
touch-tone service. If the dial tone  
continues, you have pulse ser-  
the ringer switch to  
. You can still  
P/T  
P
to .  
vice. Set  
Notes:  
• The  
when  
Illust.  
#
button does not function  
P/T  
P
is set to .  
• If you have pulse service and  
want to use a special service that  
requires tone signals (such as  
bank-by-phone), see “Using Tone  
Services with a Pulse Line” on  
Page 15.  
SETTING THE DIALING  
MODE  
P/T  
Set  
for the type of service you  
P
T
have —  
for pulse (rotary) or  
for  
tone. If you are not sure which type  
you have, do this test once you con-  
nect the phone to power.  
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ANSWERING SYSTEM OPERATION  
To have the answering system not an-  
swer calls, rotate VOLUME to STOP.  
The red light turns off.  
SETTING THE  
ANSWERING SYSTEM  
TO ANSWER CALLS  
Rotate VOLUME toward HI until it  
clicks. When the red light on the PLAY  
button stays on without the answering  
system sounding a tone, the system is  
ready to answer calls.  
SETTING THE NUMBER  
OF RINGS  
You can select the number of rings the  
answering system waits before it an-  
swers calls. Set 1.4.9.TOLL SAVER to  
the desired position.  
Illust.  
Illust.  
The answering system hangs up and  
resets to answer the next call when:  
• The caller hangs up.  
The system answers calls in 1, 4, or 9  
rings, or if you set the switch to TOLL  
SAVER (the last position), the answer-  
ing system answers in four rings if no  
messages are saved or in two rings if  
you have messages. This feature can  
save you long-distance charges be-  
cause, if there are no new messages,  
you can hang up before the answering  
system answers.  
• The maximum message length of  
about 60 seconds is reached.  
• There are more than 7 seconds of  
silence.  
The answering system can record up  
to about 29 minutes of incoming mes-  
sages on the supplied tape. If the tape  
reaches the end while a caller is leav-  
ing a message, the answering system  
beeps twice and hangs up.  
Note: If you subscribe to Caller ID, do  
not set 1.4.9.TOLL SAVER to 1 (the first  
position), because Caller ID informa-  
tion is sent between the first and sec-  
ond rings.  
If the incoming message tape is full,  
the answering system answers a call  
after ten rings, plays back the outgo-  
ing message, then waits 7 seconds for  
the remote operation security code. If  
the correct code is not entered, the  
answering system beeps twice and  
hangs up. See “Remote Control Oper-  
ation” on Page 17.  
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(If you have two messages, the light  
blinks twice followed by a pause, then  
blinks twice more, and so on.) If you  
have more than four messages, the  
light blinks continuously.  
SETTING THE SYSTEM’S  
VOLUME  
VOL-  
Adjust the answering system’s  
UME  
to a comfortable level. (This does  
PLAY  
.
not affect the volume of the message  
the caller hears.)  
To play the messages, press  
The answering system beeps, re-  
winds, then plays the messages.  
Illust.  
To pause playback for up to 60 sec-  
PLAY  
onds, press  
. To restart play-  
PLAY  
back, press  
again.  
Notes:  
SCREENING CALLS  
• If you do not restart playback  
within 60 seconds, the tape fast-  
forwards to the end of the last  
incoming message, as though  
playback was never started.  
To screen calls, let the answering sys-  
tem answer them. Listen to the caller’s  
message through the answering sys-  
tem’s speaker. If you decide to answer  
the call, pick up any phone on the  
same phone line as the answering  
system. The answering system stops  
recording and resets to answer the  
next call.  
• If a call comes in while playback is  
paused, the tape immediately  
fast-forwards to the end of the last  
incoming message and then  
answers the call.  
• After you play back all the mes-  
sages, the answering system  
beeps twice, rewinds to the begin-  
ning, and resets to answer calls.  
Note: If you pick up the phone just as  
the answering system answers, the  
answering system might not stop play-  
ing the message. If this happens,  
hang up the phone for a moment then  
pick it up again.  
To save the messages, open the cas-  
sette compartment door and press  
SAVE  
before a new call is recorded.  
PLAYING MESSAGES  
When you have messages, the red  
Illust.  
PLAY  
light on the  
button blinks. If you  
have four messages or less, the light  
blinks once for each message stored.  
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43-785.fm Page 14 Monday, August 16, 1999 7:54 AM  
The answering system beeps once  
and the red light turns off. The tape  
fast-forwards to the end of all the mes-  
sages and resets to answer calls. The  
system beeps twice and the red light  
blinks again.  
To replay the messages, simply press  
PLAY again.  
14  
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TELEPHONE OPERATION  
You can make and answer calls with  
this telephone as you would with any  
other phone. Read this section to  
learn about special features.  
For example, if you subscribe to Call  
Waiting, you can put your current call  
on hold and answer another call on  
the same line by pressing FLASH.  
Press FLASH again to alternate be-  
tween the two calls.  
Note: When you receive a call, the  
telephone rings and the lighted ringer  
bar flashes.  
Note: If you do not have any special  
telephone services, pressing FLASH  
might disconnect your current call.  
USING REDIAL  
To quickly dial the last number dialed,  
press REDIAL. The redial memory  
stores up to 32 digits in both the tone  
and pulse modes so you can quickly  
redial local as well as long-distance  
numbers.  
USING TONE SERVICES  
WITH A PULSE LINE  
Some special services, such as alter-  
nate long-distance and bank-by-  
phone, require tone signals. If you  
have pulse service, you can still use  
special services by following these  
steps.  
Illust.  
1. With P/T set to P, call the special  
service.  
2. When the service answers, press  
. Any additional numbers you  
dial are sent as tone signals.  
USING FLASH  
3. Follow the normal procedures for  
the special service you are using.  
Many special phone services, such as  
Call Waiting, require a switchhook sig-  
nal. Pressing FLASH provides the  
electronic equivalent of a switchhook  
operation.  
4. When you complete the call, hang  
up the phone. The phone auto-  
matically changes back to the  
pulse mode.  
Illust.  
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43-785.fm Page 16 Monday, August 16, 1999 7:54 AM  
Dialing a Stored Number  
MEMORY DIALING  
To dial a number stored in standard  
Your answering system has two types  
of memory — priority and standard —  
that let you store and easily dial up to  
13 numbers.  
MEMORY  
memory, press  
, then press  
the memory location number. The  
telephone automatically dials the  
number stored in that location.  
You can store up to 3 numbers in pri-  
ority memory and dial them with the  
press of a single button. Priority mem-  
ory is often used to store emergency  
numbers.  
Illust.  
You can store up to 10 numbers in  
standard memory and dial those num-  
bers quickly.  
To dial a number stored in priority  
memory, press one of the three direct  
memory keys (  
,
, or ). The tele-  
phone automatically dials the number  
stored there.  
Storing a Number  
1. Pick up the handset and press  
STORE  
, then enter the telephone  
Illust.  
number.  
Illust.  
Important: When testing a stored  
emergency number, make the test call  
during off-peak hours (early in the  
morning or late at night). Stay on the  
line to explain the reason for your call.  
Note: You will not hear any tones  
as you enter the phone number.  
STORE  
2. Press  
again, then press  
0 9  
the memory location number ( – )  
on the keypad to store the number  
in standard memory, or press any  
one of the three direct memory  
keys (  
,
, or ) to store the  
number in that priority memory.  
3. Hang up the phone.  
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43-785.fm Page 17 Monday, August 16, 1999 7:54 AM  
REMOTE CONTROL OPERATION  
While you are away from your home  
or office, you can use a touch-tone  
phone or a pulse phone with a pocket  
tone dialer to:  
To play back your messages from a  
remote phone, follow these steps.  
1. Dial your phone number.  
If the answering system is set to  
TOLL SAVER, it answers on the  
second ring if there are mes-  
sages. If there are no messages,  
the answering system answers on  
the fourth ring.  
• Set the answering system to  
answer calls  
• Play your messages  
• Erase your messages  
2. When the outgoing message  
stops and a beep sounds, enter  
the remote operation security  
code within 5 seconds. Be sure  
REMOTE ANSWER-ON  
You can use any remote phone to set  
the answering system to answer calls  
if:  
1
each button press is at least /2  
second long. The answering sys-  
tem sounds a tone while the tape  
rewinds. If no tone sounds, re-  
enter the code.  
• The answering system has power.  
• The cassette is loaded.  
Note: If you do not enter the code  
within 5 seconds, the answering  
system hangs up.  
• The answering system is off.  
To set the answering system to an-  
swer calls, dial your phone number  
and wait about 60 seconds until the  
answering system answers. Then  
hang up the phone.  
The answering system plays back the  
incoming messages. At the end of all  
the messages, you hear various single  
beeps and tones, then the answering  
system sounds four short beeps.  
Note: Be sure to turn on the system  
when you get home, to play back any  
recorded messages.  
Note: The answering system auto-  
matically saves your messages after  
remote playback.  
REMOTE PLAYBACK  
To replay the messages, wait about 8  
seconds after the four short beeps.  
When you hear a single beep, enter  
the remote operation security code  
again.  
You must know your remote operation  
security code to play back your mes-  
sages from a remote phone. This  
code (a 3-digit number) is printed on  
the bottom of your answering system.  
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43-785.fm Page 18 Monday, August 16, 1999 7:54 AM  
ERASING THE  
MESSAGES  
If you want to erase the messages af-  
ter playback, enter the remote opera-  
tion security code within 8 seconds  
after the four short beeps at the end of  
all the messages. After the answering  
system beeps, hang up the phone.  
Note: After you erase messages by  
remote, you cannot recover them  
SAVE  
(even if you press  
as soon as  
you get back to your answering sys-  
tem).  
18  
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43-785.fm Page 19 Monday, August 16, 1999 7:54 AM  
TROUBLESHOOTING  
We do not expect you to have any problems with your answering system, but if you  
do, be sure you installed the tape correctly and turned on the system. If you still  
have a problem, this chart might help. If not, take the answering system to your lo-  
cal RadioShack store for assistance.  
Problem  
Cause  
Solution  
The answering sys-  
tem does not answer  
and record callers’  
messages.  
The system is turned off. Turn on the answering sys-  
tem by rotating VOLUME  
toward HI.  
The outgoing message  
is not recorded.  
Record an outgoing mes-  
sage.  
Bad phone line connec-  
tion.  
Check and reconnect the  
modular phone plug.  
Check to see if the phone  
works properly.  
Be sure you have electrical  
power.  
The answering sys-  
tem records a dial  
tone, beeping, or the  
operator’s voice  
instead of the caller’s  
message.  
The caller hung up with- If this happens often, dis-  
out leaving a message  
or without using the  
maximum time, and  
your phone company  
does not send out CPC  
(Calling Party Control)  
signals.  
cuss the problem with your  
phone company.  
The answering sys-  
tem does not respond has been turned on by  
to any button.  
The answering system  
Turn on the answering sys-  
tem by rotating VOLUME  
toward HI.  
remote.  
The answering system  
is locked up.  
Reset the answering sys-  
tem by unplugging the AC  
adapter from the AC outlet  
then plugging it in again.  
19  
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43-785.fm Page 20 Monday, August 16, 1999 7:54 AM  
Problem  
Cause  
Solution  
Recordings sound  
distorted.  
You were too close to  
the microphone or you  
spoke too loudly when  
Rerecord the message.  
Speak clearly into the  
microphone at a normal vol-  
you recorded the outgo- ume from about 12 inches  
ing message.  
away.  
The tape head is dirty.  
Clean the head using a  
tape head-cleaning kit  
(see “Cleaning the Tape-  
Handling Parts” on  
Page 23).  
The tape is worn out.  
Unplug the adapter from the  
AC outlet, replace the tape,  
then plug the adapter back  
into the AC outlet.  
Remote control func-  
tions do not work.  
The remote operation  
security code was not  
entered correctly.  
Enter the correct code.  
You are using a pulse  
dialing phone.  
Use a touch-tone phone or  
pocket tone dialer.  
The tone output from  
Press and hold the buttons  
the phone or tone dialer for at least 1/2 second or try  
is not long enough.  
using another phone or  
dialer.  
The telephone line is  
noisy.  
Enter the remote operation  
security code again to  
retrieve the messages.  
Seven seconds of  
silence have passed so  
the answering system  
hangs up.  
Call the answering system  
and try again.  
20  
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43-785.fm Page 21 Monday, August 16, 1999 7:54 AM  
Problem  
Cause  
Solution  
Continuous tone  
sounds.  
No outgoing message  
recorded.  
Record an outgoing mes-  
sage (see “Recording the  
Outgoing Message” on  
Page 6).  
The cassette tape is  
jammed or broken.  
Unplug the adapter from the  
AC outlet, replace the tape,  
then plug the adapter back  
into the AC outlet.  
Slack in the cassette  
tape.  
Unplug the adapter from the  
AC outlet, remove the cas-  
sette from the answering  
system, and turn the cas-  
sette’s hub with the tip of a  
pencil to take up any slack.  
Then replace the tape and  
plug the adapter back into  
the AC outlet.  
21  
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43-785.fm Page 22 Monday, August 16, 1999 7:54 AM  
CARE AND MAINTENANCE  
Your RadioShack TAD-285 Microcassette Telephone Answering System with Big  
Button Phone, Memory, and Remote Operation is an example of superior design  
and craftsmanship. The following suggestions will help you care for your answering  
system so you can enjoy it for years.  
Keep the answering system dry. If it gets wet, wipe it dry immediately.  
Liquids might contain minerals that can corrode the electronic cir-  
cuits.  
Handle the answering system gently and carefully. Dropping it can  
damage circuit boards and cases and can cause the answering sys-  
tem to work improperly.  
Use and store the answering system only in normal temperature en-  
vironments. Temperature extremes can shorten the life of electronic  
devices and distort or melt plastic parts.  
Keep the answering system away from dust and dirt, which can  
cause premature wear of parts.  
Wipe the answering system with a damp cloth occasionally to keep it  
CLEANER  
looking new. Do not use harsh chemicals, cleaning solvents, or  
strong detergents to clean the answering system.  
Modifying or tampering with the answering system’s internal components can  
cause a malfunction and might invalidate its warranty and void your FCC authoriza-  
tion to operate it. If your answering system is not performing as it should, take it to  
your local RadioShack store for assistance. If the trouble is affecting the phone  
lines, the phone company can ask you to disconnect the phone until you have re-  
solved the problem.  
22  
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43-785.fm Page 23 Monday, August 16, 1999 7:54 AM  
vance. If advance notice is not practi-  
cal, the phone company notifies you of  
your right to file a complaint with the  
FCC.  
CLEANING THE TAPE-  
HANDLING PARTS  
Inspect and clean the tape head about  
every 3 months. Dirt, dust, or particles  
of the tape's coating can accumulate  
on the tape heads and other parts that  
the tape touches. This can greatly re-  
duce the performance of the cassette  
player.  
Also, the phone company can make  
changes to its lines, equipment, oper-  
ations, or procedures that could affect  
the operation of your answering sys-  
tem. The phone company notifies you  
of these changes in advance, so you  
can take the necessary steps to pre-  
vent interruption of your phone ser-  
vice.  
VOLUME  
STOP  
and remove  
Rotate  
the cassette. Then gently clean the  
tape-handling parts with swab  
to  
a
dipped in tape head-cleaning solution,  
available at your local RadioShack  
store.  
LIGHTNING  
Your answering system has built-in  
protection circuits to reduce the risk of  
damage from surges in phone and  
power line current. These protection  
circuits meet or exceed FCC require-  
ments. However, lightning striking the  
phone line or power lines can damage  
your answering system.  
Illust.  
Caution: To avoid damage to the tape  
head, never use a chemical not ap-  
proved for tape head cleaning and  
never touch the tape head with your  
fingers or any metal object.  
Lightning damage is not common.  
Nevertheless, if you live in an area  
that has frequent electrical storms, we  
suggest that you unplug your answer-  
ing system during storms to reduce  
the possibility of damage.  
THE FCC WANTS YOU  
TO KNOW  
In the unlikely event that your answer-  
ing system causes problems on the  
phone line, the phone company can  
disconnect your service. The phone  
company attempts to notify you in ad-  
23  
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43-785.fm Page 24 Monday, August 16, 1999 7:54 AM  
RadioShack Limited Warranty  
This telephone product is warranted against manufacturing defects in material and  
workmanship for one (1) year from the date of purchase from RadioShack company  
owned stores and authorized RadioShack franchisees and dealers. Within this period,  
RadioShack will repair it without charge for parts and labor. Simply bring your  
RadioShack sales slip as proof-of-purchase date to any RadioShack store.  
This warranty does not cover damage or failure caused by or attributable to Acts of  
God, abuse, misuse, improper or abnormal usage, faulty installation, improper mainte-  
nance, lightning or other incidence of excess voltage, or any repairs other than those  
provided by a RadioShack Authorized Service Facility, or transportation costs.  
RadioShack is not responsible or liable for indirect, special, or consequential  
damages arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of the prod-  
uct or other damages with respect to loss of property, loss of revenue or profit, or  
costs of removal, installation or reinstallation.  
EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, RadioShack MAKES NO EXPRESS WARRANTIES  
AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE DURATION  
OF THE WRITTEN LIMITED WARRANTIES CONTAINED HEREIN. Some states do  
not allow the limitation or exclusion of incidental or consequential damages and some  
states do not allow limitation or exclusion of implied warranties; therefore, the aforesaid  
limitation(s) or exclusion(s) may not apply to the purchaser. There will be charges ren-  
dered for repairs to the product made after the expiration of the aforesaid one (1) year  
warranty period.  
This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from  
state to state.  
We Service What We Sell  
10/95  
RadioShack  
A Division of Tandy Corporation  
Fort Worth, Texas 76102  
12A6  
Printed in Hong Kong  
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