BridgeComSystems BCM-144 User manual

BCM-144 User Manual
By BridgeCom Systems, Inc.

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Copyright  2017 BY
Bridge Embedded Systems, Inc
Version 1.1, Feb 2017
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation
For Technical Support, please contact:
BridgeCom Systems, Inc.
102 NE State Route 92 Highway, Suite C
Smithville, MO 64089
Tel: [phone]
[e-mail]

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 5
WELCOME ........................................................................................................................... 5
SAFETY, WARNINGS, AND PRECAUTIONS:...................................................................................... 5
SPECIFICATIONS: ............................................................................................................. 8
FEATURES ........................................................................................................................... 9
CHAPTER 2: GETTING ACQUAINTED ............................................................................... 10
CHAPTER 3: CONTROLS AND DISPLAY OVERVIEW ......................................................... 11
FRONT PANEL KEYPAD: ......................................................................................................... 11
TRI-COLORED STATUS LED: .................................................................................................. 11
DTMF MICROPHONE KEYPAD: ................................................................................................. 11
CHAPTER 4: QUICK START – GET ME ON THE AIR! .......................................................... 12
PROGRAMMING FOR USE WITH A 2 METER REPEATER: ...................................................................... 12
SETTING RX FREQUENCY: ...................................................................................................... 12
OFFSET FOR TX ................................................................................................................ 12
RX CTCSS/DCS ENTRY ....................................................................................................... 13
TX CTCSS/DCS ENTRY ....................................................................................................... 13
CHAPTER 5: BASIC OPERATION ...................................................................................... 14
 FREQUENCY MODE (VFO) ................................................................................................ 14
 MEMORY MODE ............................................................................................................. 14
 ALIGNMENT MODE ......................................................................................................... 15
 RADIO PERSONALITY MENU MODE ....................................................................................... 15
CHAPTER 6: HOW-TO FUNCTION GUIDE: ........................................................................ 16
● VFO FREQUENCY ENTRY ..................................................................................................... 16
● STORING A CHANNEL TO MEMORY .......................................................................................... 16
● DELETING A CHANNEL FROM MEMORY ...................................................................................... 16
● SENDING DTMF TONES WHILE TRANSMITTING ........................................................................... 16
RADIO ALIGNMENT .......................................................................................................... 17
 SETTING SQUELCH (SQL) .............................................................................................. 17
 CHANGING POWER LEVEL ................................................................................................. 17
 CHANGING TX VOICE DEVIATION ................................................................................... 18
 CHANGING TX CTCSS/DCS DEVIATION............................................................................... 18
 CHANGING DTMF TONE DEVIATION .................................................................................... 19
 CHANGING CHANNEL SPACING ........................................................................................... 19
PERSONALITY SETTINGS .................................................................................................. 20
 CHANGING FREQUENCY STEP SIZE ...................................................................................... 20
 CHANGING RX SIGNAL .................................................................................................. 20
 CHANGING TX SIGNAL .................................................................................................. 21
 CHANGING THE FREQUENCY OFFSET ................................................................................ 21
 CHANGE THE BEEP TONES ON/OFF .................................................................................... 22
 TX TIME OUT TIME (TOT) ............................................................................................... 22
SCAN OPERATION............................................................................................................ 23
 CHANGING UN-MUTE CONDITION ........................................................................................ 24
 CHANGING SCAN SPEED TIME ............................................................................................ 24
 CHANGING SCAN HANG TIME ............................................................................................ 25
 CHANGING SCAN WAIT FOR SIGNAL TIME ............................................................................. 25
CHAPTER 7: DATA CHANNELS AND DATA OPERATION .................................................... 26

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APPENDIX A: TERMINAL DESCRIPTION .......................................................................... 27
APPENDIX B: CTCSS/DCS TABLES .................................................................................. 28
AVAILABLE CTCSS TONES ..................................................................................................... 28
WARRANTY AND SERVICE .............................................................................................. 29
FCC STATEMENTS ........................................................................................................... 30

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Welcome
Thank you for purchasing the BCM-144 mobile two-way radio. The goal of the BCM-144 is to
provide a cost-effective, feature rich, easy-to-use mobile radio for users of the 2m amateur radio
spectrum. This Owner’s Manual will acquaint you with the features and operation of the BCM-144.
Every effort has been made in the preparation of this manual to ensure the accuracy of its
contents. Carefully read this manual in order to properly operate the radio before use.
Safety, Warnings, and Precautions:
Government law restricts the operation of unlicensed radio transmitters within
government controlled territories. Illegal operation is punishable by fine or imprisonment
or both. Refer service to qualified technicians only.
EXPLOSIVE ATMOSPHERIC HAZARDS (GASES, DUST, FUMES, etc.)
Shut OFF the BCM-144 while refueling or while parked at gasoline stations. Do not carry
spare fuel containers in the trunk of your vehicle if your transceiver is mounted in the
trunk area.
INJURY FROM RADIO FREQUENCY TRANSMISSIONS
Do not operate your BCM-144 when somebody is either touching the antenna or standing
within two to three feet of it to avoid the possibility of radio frequency burns or related
physical injury.
 Do NOT attempt to configure your transceiver while driving.
 The BCM-144 is designed for 13.8V DC Power. Do not use a 24V battery to power the BCM-
144.
 Do not place the BCM-144 in excessively dusty, humid, or wet areas.
 As much as possible, keep the BCM-144 away from RF interfering devices.
 Do not transmit with HIGH output power for extended periods. The transceiver may
overheat.
 If an abnormal odor or smoke is detected coming from the BCM-144, turn OFF the radios or
unplug the power immediately. Contact BridgeCom Systems TechSupport.
 Do not operate the transceiver when vehicle engine is stopped for extended periods. The
vehicle engine may not start due to low battery.
 Do not use incompatible accessories from other manufactures. It could result in damage and
or malfunction to the accessory and or to the radio. Only use BridgeCom Systems approved
accessories.

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Unpacking and Radio Preparation:
Electronic equipment (e.g. electronic fuel injection, anti-skid braking, and cruise
control) in your vehicle may malfunction if not properly protected from the RF energy
generated when the BCM-144 is transmitting. Enlist the aid of a knowledgeable Ham or
vehicle mechanic in determining if the equipment will perform normally while
transmitting.
Vehicle Power Cable Connection:
 The BCM-144 operates on 12V negative ground systems only! Check the battery polarity
and voltage of vehicle before installing the transceiver. Decide whether to power the radio
from the vehicle “HOT” wire line or the ignition key enabled ACC or ON wire.
 Check for an existing hole that is conveniently located in the firewall. This will allow for the
power cable to easily pass through.
 If no hole exists, use a circle cutter to drill a hole, then install a rubber grommet.
 Run the power cable though the firewall and into the engine compartment.
 Connect the red lead to the (+) battery terminal and the black lead to the negative (-)
battery terminal.
 Place the fuse as close to the battery as possible.
 Coil the surplus cable and secure it with a retaining band.
 Be sure to leave enough slack in the cables so the transceiver can be removed for servicing
while keeping the power applied.
Install procedure for inside the vehicle:
For passenger safety, install the BCM-144 securely using the supplied mounting bracket
and screw set. This will ensure the radio will not break loose in the event of a collision.
 Mark the position of the hole in the dash, using the mounting bracket as a template.
 Using a 4.2mm (5/32 inch) drill bit, drill the holes, then attach the mounting bracket using
the supplied screws. Mount the transceiver within easy reach of the user and where there is
sufficient space at the rear of the transceiver for cable connections.
 Connect the antenna and the supplied power cable to the radio.
 Slide the transceiver into the mounting bracket and secure it using the supplied hex-headed
screws.
 Mount the microphone hanger in a location where it will be within easy reach of the user.
 The microphone and microphone cable should be mounted in a place where they will not
interfere with the safe operation of the vehicle.

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FUSE REPLACEMENT: When replacing the fuse in the DC power cable, be sure to
replace it with a fuse of the same value (15A). Never replace a fuse with one that is
rated with a higher value.
We recommend that you identify the items listed in the following packing list. If you find that all
the items are not present, please contact us.
Item
Quantity
BCM
-
144
Mobile Radio
1
DC Power Cable w/15
A
Fuse
1
Mounting Bracket
1
DTMF Microphone
1
Mic
rophone Hanger (w/screws)
1
Screw Set:
 5x16 mm self-tapping screw
 Hex-headed screw w/washer
 Spring Washer
 Flat Washer
4
4
4
4
Image 1: Radio Connections and bracket mounting.
Connecting the Microphone:
 Insert the microphone plug into jack on the front panel of
the transceiver. Be sure the tab on the microphone plug
is facing the left hand side.
 Mount the microphone on the microphone hanger where
it will be within easy reach of the user.
 To remove the microphone plug, press the tab on the
connector while pulling the plug out of the transceiver
jack.

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SPECIFICATIONS:
General BCM-144
Number of Channels: 250
Working Voltage: 13.8 V DC +/- 15%
Channel Spacing: 25kHz/12.5kHz
Weight: 2.4 lbs
Frequency Range: 144.0-147.995 MHz (TX) / 136.0-174.0 MHz (RX)
Dimensions (H x W x D): 1.75 x 6.5 x 6.75” (45 x 165 x 171.5 mm)
Frequency Stability: +/- 1.5 ppm (-30 to +60 C)
Operating Temperature: -30 C to +60 C
Antenna Connector: SO-239
Antenna Impedance: 50
Current Drain: With 13.8 V Desktop Supply –
Transmit Mode – 50 W ~ 7.9 Amps DC
Transmit Mode – 5 W ~ 2.6 Amps DC
Receive Standby mode - 150 mA DC
Receive Mode front Audio spkr out Max ~ 450 mA DC
TRANSMITTER
RF Output Programmable – 5W / 10W / 25W / 50W
Maximum Deviation:
+/
-
5kHz (25 kHz) +/
-
2.5 kHz (12.5 kHz)
Spurious and Harmonic 70dB
FM Hum and Noise 40dB (12.5 kHz), 45 dB (25 kHz)
Audio Distortion 3% Maximum with 1 kHz Modulation
Audio Freq Response +1, -3dB from 6dB/Octave pre-emphasis from 300 ~ 3000
Hz
Output Impedance 50 ohms
RECEIVER
Sensitivity 0.25 uV 12 dB SINAD
Squelch Sensitivity 0.22 uV 10 dB SINAD
Selectivity 65 dB (12.5 kHz), 70 dB (25 kHz)
Spurious and Harmonic
Rejection
75dB
FM Hum and Noise 40dB (12.5 kHz), 45 dB (25 kHz)
Audio Output Power 4 Watts across 4 Ohm Load
Audio Distortion Less than 5% at rated output
Audio Freq Response 1, -3dB from 6dB/Octave de-emphasis from 300 ~ 3000 Hz
IF Frequencies 21.4 MHz and 455 kHz
Input Impedance 50 ohms
In our on-going commitment to quality specifications are subject to change without notice.

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Features
 High Quality Mitsubishi Amplifier Module (RA60H1317M1A)
 Selectable power – 5W / 10W / 25W / 50W
 250 Channels
 Narrow and Wide Band Operation
 High Quality Heavy-Duty DTMF microphone
 Commercial grade construction
 128 x 32 Dot Matrix Graphic LCD
 DSUB15 Accessory Connector
 4W Front-Mounted Speaker
 External Speaker Port
 Selectable Squelch Level (1-9)
 CSQ, CTCSS, and DCS Encode / Decode
 Programmable COS function (Active Low – Carrier or Valid Decode)
 Time-Out Timer
 VFO Scan and Memory Scan
 Memory Store and Delete
 Front Panel Alignment of TX Voice, Sub Audible , and DTMF Tone Deviation
 Windows-Based Programmer and Flash upgrade utility
… and many more!

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CHAPTER 2: Getting Acquainted
Image 2: BCM Radio Front
Image 3: BCM Radio Rear
Image 4: BCM Radio Display LCD Icons