Three-quarters profile view of the PX280 in its holster showing the power button, volume buttons and headphone port.

PX280 Business Radio

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Compatible Accessories

Support & Information

Charging the Battery

Desktop Charger

  • For charging PX280 radio(s) in desktop charger:

    1. Check to see that the batteries have been inserted properly.

    2. Insert radio(s) into desktop charger with the Talk button facing towards the desktop or the wall (if the charger has been wall-mounted), with the radio oriented so that the bottom of the radio is seated in the charger slot. The desktop charger can charge the radio(s) with or without holster attached. There are LED indicator lights on the base that indicate when charging has completed. The radios can be charged with or without the holster attached.

    3. Insert the micro-USB cable into the jack on the bottom of the charger.

    4. Plug the cable into a USB-compatible power outlet. The power outlet should be near the equipment and easily accessible.

  • If the charging light is not on, check the position of the radio. The radio should be inserted completely. The charge indicator light on the desktop charger will stay on (Red) as long as the radio is in the charging well, and the light will change to Green when the charging is complete.


Cobra recommends your radio be turned off while being charged.

Radio Setup and First Use

Powering on the Radio

  1. Press and hold the Power/Menu button until you hear a series of audible tones indicating the radio is on.
  2. After the radio chirps, the current channel number and user-adjusted privacy code setting (if any) is announced. Your PX280 radio is now in Standby mode, ready to receive transmissions.
  3. The radio is always in Standby mode except when the Talk or Power/Menu buttons are pressed.
    • In Standby mode, the Green LED flashes every 5 seconds.


Battery Save Mode

If there are no transmissions within 10 seconds, the radio will automatically switch to Battery Save mode. This will not affect the radio’s ability to receive incoming transmissions.


Communicating with Another Person 

  1. Press and hold the Talk button.
  2. With the microphone about two inches (5 cm) from your mouth, speak in a normal voice.
  3. Release the Talk button when you finished talking and listen for a response.

    You cannot receive incoming calls while pressing the Talk button.


Listening for a Response

  • Release the Talk button to receive incoming transmissions. Your PX280 radio is always in Standby mode while the Talk buttons are not pressed.


To Select a Channel

The radio has 22 Channels that preset with customized privacy codes, see Channel and Default Privacy Code Table in the manual

  1. During Standby mode, press and release the Power/Menu button, the current channel number and
    user adjusted privacy code setting (if any) is announced.
  2. After the current channel number prompted, press the Up or Down button to select a channel. Or press and hold the Up or Down button for fast skipping.
  3. When the desired channel selected, choose one of the following.
    1. Press the Up or Down button to change a new channel number.
    2. Press the Talk button to enter the new setting and return to Standby mode.
    3. Do not press any buttons for 6 seconds to enter the new setting, the current channel number is announced again, and the radio returns to Standby mode