Problem using F43 or F58 as wireless controller on a77/a65

While I currently usually use Pixel Kings as my wireless “combo,” I was playing around—in response to Gary Friedman’s video on the wireless delay when using the F20 flash as a controller on either the a99 or the a77 (the latter being the camera I have)--with other wireless combinations.

In doing that, I belatedly discovered that neither my F43 flash as controller would wirelessly trigger my F58 flash, nor would the F58 as controller wirelessly trigger the F43.  (Learning from Friedman, this can be tested by pushing the AEL button and see if the remote flash fires in response to a signal from the on-camera controlling flash.)  When actually pressing the shutter release, the controller would fire, but not the remote.

Both the F43 and the F58 will be triggered wirelessly when the a77’s built-in flash is used as the controller, and both the F43 and F58 will be triggered wirelessly when the F20 is used on-camera as the controller (and they both show this via flashes when testing using the AEL button).  So, both the F43 and the F58 work as a “remote,” but neither seems to be able to be used as the controller.  Indeed, pushing the AEL button does not produce anything from either the F43 or the F58 when mounted on the a77 (but does when using the F20 mounted on the a77 or the built-in flash).

Both flashes (as well as the a77) are set to “WL” (and so display), both are set to “CH1,” “RMT,” and “CTRL 1”—and, again, they work perfectly well as remotes when triggered by the F20 or the built-in flash.

I also tried them on my a65, with the same result.

I’ve tried cleaning the on-flash contacts (I doubt it is a problem with the on-camera contacts, as the F20 would then have a problem and I wouldn’t have the same problem on both the a77 and a65), to no avail.  And it is unlikely that both the F43 and the F58 developed the same problem at the same time.

So, I assume I’m making some basic mistake.  Any ideas?