Eton Solarlink FR550 User manual

SOLARLINK FR550
Self-Powered and Solar-Powered AM/FM/LW/Shortwave
Radio with Flashlight, Siren and Cell Phone Charger
OWNER’S MANUAL

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FR550 OWNER’S MANUAL
DO YOU NEED HELP?
If you need help, please contact us:
Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m., North American Pacic Time.
1-800-872-2228 from the U.S ; 1-800-637-1648 from Canada
650-903-3866, worldwide ; FAX: [phone] ; www.etoncorp.com
Etón Corporation, 1015 Corporation Way, Palo Alto, CA 94303, USA
WARNING
• Do not expose this appliance to rain or moisture.
• Do not submerge or expose for extended period to water.
• Protect from high humidity and rain.
• Only operate within specied temperature range (0 °C to 40 °C).
• Unplug immediately if liquid has been spilled or object have fallen into the
apparatus.
• Clean only with a dry cloth. Do not use detergents or chemical solvents as
this might damage the nish.
• Unplug and disconnect external antennas (not included) during lightning storms.
• Do not remove cover [or back].
• Refer servicing to qualied service personnel.
ENVIRONMENT
Disposal
According to the European Directive 2002/96/EC all
electrical and electronic products must be collected
separately by a local collection system.
Please act according to your local rules and do not dispose of your old
products with your normal household waste.

FR550 OWNER’S MANUAL
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The FR550 plays AM (520-1710 KHz), LW (120-360 KHz), FM
(88-108 MHz), SW (SW1: 5.3-10.6 MHz; SW2: 10.6-21.6 MHz)
MIN: Minute Adjusting
Power Supply Knob
Frequency Tuning Knob
Bouton de sélection des
bandes
Band Selecting Knob
DC in Jack (Adaptor)
Earphone Jack
Audio in Jack
PHONE CHARGER: USB Jack
for Charging the Cellphone (big)
DC in: USB Jack for Charging
the Radio (small)
Battery Compartment
Telescopic Antenna
Charging Light (left)
Power Light (right)
Multifunctional Knob
Hand Crank
Focus Lamp
Speaker
POWER: Power On/OFF
SLEEP: Sleep Power
SNOOZE: 5 Min Snooze
LIGHT: LCD Backlight
HR: HourAdjusting
TIME : clock adjust button
ALARM SET : set alarm
time
AL/ON/OFF : open/close
alarm function

FR550 OWNER’S MANUAL
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FR550 OWNER’S MANUAL
VOLUME CONTROL
Turning the Volume Adjusting Knob (located on the lower right
of the radio) clockwise turns up the volume; counterclockwise turns
down the volume. Always turn down the volume before using
earphones.
POWERING AND TURNING ON THE FR550
The FR550 is powered with 3 AA batteries, the solar cell, the
Dynamo (rechargeable Ni-MH battery), the AC adapter (not included)
or the DC computer input. Select BATTERY, SOLAR or DYNAMO power
with the Power Supply Knob on the upper right side of the radio. The
power sockets are on the back of the radio, under the rubber covers.
After applying power, select the correct position with the Power
Supply Knob and by pressing the POWER button. Turn it off by plac-
ing the Power Supply Knob in the Off position.
NOTE: Please don’t plug in the adaptor when not listening to the
radio.
Note: the radio can be played while it’s charging.
BATTERY POWER
Install 3 AA batteries and set the power selector switch to the BAT-
TERY position.
POWER: Power On/OFF
SLEEP: Sleep Power
SNOOZE: 5 Min Snooze

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SOLAR POWER
When you’re in sunlight set the power switch to the SOLAR position.
This position also recharges the Ni-MH rechargeable battery.
DYNAMO POWER
The rechargeable Ni-MH (nickel-metal-hydride) battery is in the bat-
tery compartment. To use it plug the battery into the socket adjacent
to it, then set the power switch to the DYNAMO position. You may
have to charge the battery; to do this turn the crank for 90 seconds.
The rechargeable battery will eventually lose its ability to hold a
charge. Call Eton Corporation to order another one.
DC-IN 5V AC ADAPTER (not included)
This socket is located on the back of the radio, under the rubber
plugs. Plug in the AC adapter to the DC IN 5 volt socket. This also
charges the Ni-MH battery.
DC-IN USB COMPUTER SOCKET (USB cord not included)
This socket is located on the back of the radio, under the rubber
plugs. Plug in the AC adapter to the DC IN 5 volt socket. This also
charges the Ni-MH battery.

FR550 OWNER’S MANUAL
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FR550 OWNER’S MANUAL
ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS
REGARDING CHARGING
How much operating time does hand cranking provide? Crank-
ing 120 times per minute, for 1 minute, plays the radio for about 4
minutes at low volume. Since volume is relative this may be higher or
lower depending on how loud the volume is.
How long does it take to fully charge the battery by hand
cranking? It is not practical to charge the battery via hand cranking.
Since the battery capacity is 600mAh (milliamp hours). Fully charging
it by cranking would take 3 hours at 120 turns per minute.
How do you switch from hand crank direct power to just
charging the battery? When in the OFF position, cranking or solar
cell is charging the cell phone or MP3; when the switch is at the other
3 positions, both the solar cell and cranking can charge the battery.
Can the solar cell power the radio on its own, or is it just
used to charge the battery? Yes, the solar cell can power the radio
on its own, and also charge the battery.
How long does it take the solar cell to charge the battery? It
will take 12-15 hours for the solar cell to charge the battery.
A fully charged battery will last about 6 hours at low volume when
receiving radio programs and about 5 hours at low volume when
receiving aircraft band.

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CHARGING CELL PHONES
If you revolve the Power Supply Knob to the OFF/PHONE
CHARGER position the radio will charge cell phones. Plug the cell
phone charging cord into the jack at the rear of the radio. Plug the cell
phone charging adapter tip (one of the 5 tips in the plastic bag) into
the other end of the cord and then into the jack of the cell phone.
Then put the radio in the sun or revolve the hand crank to charge the
cell phone. About 10 minutes of cranking results in one or two short
emergency calls.
CHARGING AND POWER LIGHT
Charging Light
• If charged by turning the hand crank, the charging light is green.
• If charged by solar, the charging light is orange.
• If charged by the external adaptor, the charging light is red.
Power Light
• If the battery power is full, the power light is green.
• If the battery power is medium, the power light is orange.
• If the battery power is low, the power light is red, please charge.
LCD BACKLIGHT
Press the LIGHT button to turn on the LCD backlight. It will light for
5 seconds and then turn off.

FR550 OWNER’S MANUAL
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FR550 OWNER’S MANUAL
SELECTING BANDS AND TUNING IN STATIONS
Turn the radio on. Select the band with the BAND Selection Knob
and by looking at the red light above the radio’s display. The red light
appears to the left of the band or the weather channel that you’ve
selected.
When listening to FM and Shortwave, pull up the telescopic antenna
all the way. When tuning AM and LW stations the telescopic antenna
is not needed and can be lowered. Tune in stations by revolving the
Frequency Tuning Knob.
LISTENING TO SHORTWAVE
For best results, listen to SW1 from about an hour before sunset, all
night until about an hour after sunrise. Most stations in SW1 will be
in the 49 meter band (5.8-6.2 MHz), the 41 meter band (7.1-7.7 MHz)
and the 31 meter band (9.4-10 MHz).
Listen to SW2 mostly during the day, except the 25 meter band
(11.6-12.2 MHz), which can be used day and night. The daytime
bands in SW2 are 25 meters (11.6-12.2 MHz), 19 meters (15.1-15.7
MHz), 16 meters (17.55-18 MHz) and 13 meters (21.45-21.6 MHz).

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SETTING THE TIME AND ALARM
The clock is a 12-hour clock, showing PM in the display starting at
Noon. Turn off the radio. While pressing and holding the TIME or
ALARM SET button, toggle the HR button (located above the dis-
play) to adjust the hour. Then toggle the MIN button (located above
the display) to set the minutes.
TURNING THE ALARM ON AND OFF
With the radio on or off press the AL ON/OFF button. Notice that
when it’s on, ALARM appears in the lower right of the display.
SNOOZE BUTTON
When the alarm activates, pressing the SNOOZE button deactivates
it for 5 minutes, then it starts again.
SLEEP FEATURE
The sleep timer can be activated with the radio turned on or off.
Activating the sleep timer enables the radio to play for 90, 60, 30
and 10 minutes, then shut off automatically.
To activate it press the SLEEP button (in the upper right corner of
the front of the radio). 90 minutes appears. If you don’t want it to
play for 90 minutes, keep pressing the button over and over and