GME GX610 User manual

GX610 1
VHF Marine Radio
GX610
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

GX610
2
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................ 3
KEY FEATURES ............................................................................................................................ 3
GENERAL INFORMATION ............................................................................................................. 3
OPERATING REQUIREMENTS ....................................................................................................... 3
WARNING: SAFETY INFORMATION ..............................................................................................................3
OPERATING RULES .......................................................................................................................................4
RANGE ..........................................................................................................................................................4
BATTERY PACK............................................................................................................................ 4
USING THE DESKTOP CHARGER ...................................................................................................................4
DIRECT CHARGING YOUR GX610..................................................................................................................5
REPLACING THE BATTERY............................................................................................................................5
CONTROLS ................................................................................................................................... 6
REAR PANEL................................................................................................................................ 7
DISPLAY ICONS............................................................................................................................ 7
OPERATION ................................................................................................................................. 8
ON/OFF..........................................................................................................................................................8
VOLUME........................................................................................................................................................8
CHANNEL SELECTION ...................................................................................................................................8
SQUELCH.......................................................................................................................................................8
TRANSMITTING.............................................................................................................................................8
CHANNEL 16 .................................................................................................................................................9
TRANSMIT POWER .......................................................................................................................................9
DISPLAY BACKLIGHTING...............................................................................................................................9
DUAL WATCH (DW).......................................................................................................................................9
TRIPLE WATCH (TW)...................................................................................................................................10
SCANNING...................................................................................................................................................11
EXTENDED CHANNELS ............................................................................................................... 12
INTERNATIONAL VHF MARINE CHANNEL FREQUENCY LIST ........................................................ 13
SPECIFICATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 16
GENERAL ....................................................................................................................................................16
TRANSMITTER ............................................................................................................................................16
RECEIVER....................................................................................................................................................16
ENVIRONMENTAL.......................................................................................................................................16
GME WARRANTY AGAINST DEFECTS.......................................................................................... 17

GX610 3
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase. The GX610 is a
VHF FM Marine handheld transceiver operating in
the 156 – 163 MHz marine band.
KEY FEATURES
• Compact, buoyant, IP68* design.
• Dual Watch and Triple Watch functions.
• Dedicated channel 16 emergency button.
• International channel set with extended channels.
• Selectable transmit Power: 2.5 watt/1 watt.
• User adjustable Squelch setting.
• Backlit LCD.
• User programmable channel scanning.
• Battery Save feature to greatly extend the
battery life
GENERAL INFORMATION
Your GX610 has a number of enhanced features
that include fully user programmable channel
scanning, Dual Watch and Triple Watch functions,
user-adjustable digital squelch level, backlit LCD and
extended international channels. Also included is
high/low transmitter power selection and a dedicated
channel 16 key providing instant access to the
emergency channel.
Your GX610 is inherently buoyant and will oat if
dropped into the water. In addition it is designed to
be IP68* compliant to give you peace of mind on the
water.
Please read this manual thoroughly to ensure you
get the best from your GX610.
* IP68 = submersible to a depth of 1.5 metres for 1
hour
OPERATING REQUIREMENTS
In Australia, any person operating a VHF marine
radio should possess at least a Short Range
Operators Certicate of Prociency (SROCP) for
VHF Radio Operations. Alternatively, operators may
choose to obtain a Long Range Operator Certicate
of Prociency (LROCP) which covers the operation of
both VHF and MF/HF equipment.
Many TAFEs and marine organisations oer courses
leading to examination for the SROCP and LROCP
although such courses are not compulsory. Persons
wishing to obtain the SROCP or LROCP should rst
purchase a copy of the Marine VHF Radio Operators
Handbook which is essential reading for every boat
owner in Australia.
The Australian Maritime College (AMC) provides the
marine examination and certicate service on behalf
of the ACMA. The AMC can provide the details of
organisations and individuals oering courses and
or conducting exams. For further information visit:
www.amc.edu.au
If you have obtained the SROCP you can operate
your VHF radio under the maritime ship class licence.
You do not need to apply for a class licence or pay
any fees.
If operating your VHF radio under the LRSOP you will
need to apply to the AMCA for a Maritime License.
In New Zealand, operators of a VHF marine radio
require a Maritime VHF Operators Certicate (MVOC)
and a callsign. Please refer to www.maritimenz.govt.
nz for further details.
Courses for the MVOC can be arranged through
www.boatingeducation.org.nz.
WARNING: SAFETY INFORMATION
The GX610 is a radio transmitting device.
• When transmitting, ensure a distance greater
than 1.5 meters is maintained between the
antenna and all persons.
• Do not transmit near electrical blasting equipment
or in explosive atmospheres.

GX610
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• Always operate the radio in accordance with the
instructions supplied.
• Always ensure an antenna is connected before
transmitting to prevent possible damage to the
radio.
• Do not allow children to operate a radio
transmitter unsupervised.
OPERATING RULES
Priorities
• Read all rules and regulations pertaining to
priorities and keep an up-to-date copy handy.
Safety and distress calls take priority over all
others.
• You must monitor Channel 16 when you are not
operating on another channel.
• False or fraudulent distress calls are prohibited
under law.
Privacy
• Information overheard but not intended for you
cannot lawfully be used in any way.
• Indecent or profane language is prohibited.
RANGE
The range of VHF transmissions depends on antenna
height, transmitter power and the terrain over
which the signals pass. For a 2.5 watt handheld
radio like the GX610, ship to ship communications
of up to 5 nautical miles should be possible. Ship to
shore ranges will often be even greater due to the
increased height of the shore antenna.
BATTERY PACK
The GX610 uses a rechargeable 3.7 Volt 1600mAh
Li-Ion battery pack. The battery pack can be charged
using the supplied drop-in charging cradle and plug
pack charger unit. Alternatively the battery can be
charged using any suitable 5V USB power source via
the USB-C charging port on the right-hand side of
the radio.
USING THE DESKTOP CHARGER
Your GX610 is supplied with a desktop charger unit
(BCD610), an AC plug pack charger (PS003) and a
USB charging cable. Connect the USB cable to the
AC charger and plug the AC charger into the mains
supply.
Connect the USB cable’s USB-C connector to the
socket on the rear of the charging cradle. The LED on
the charging cradle will light Amber.
Place the GX610 into the cradle with the display
facing forward. The LED on the charging cradle will
change to Red. Once the battery has charged the
LED will change to Green.
A fully discharged battery should achieve full charge
in around 2 hours.

GX610 5
DIRECT CHARGING YOUR GX610
Your GX610 can be directly charged via the USB
charging port on the side of the radio. The USB
charging port is located under the water-resistant
cover marked ‘CHG’ on the right hand side. Simply
lift the top of the cover and plug the USB-C cable
into the charging socket. The bottom edge of the
cover will be retained by the outer case.
While the GX610 is being charged through the USB
socket, the outer edge of the battery icon will ash
on the LCD.
When direct-charging has completed, unplug the
USB cable and ret the water resistant cover to help
maintain the radio’s waterproof integrity.
REPLACING THE BATTERY
Before removing the battery, remove the belt clip
from the radio by pressing down on the release clip
while sliding the belt clip upwards.
The battery pack should provide many years of
reliable service. If it requires replacement,
Use the following procedure.
1. Using a bladed screwdriver, turn the release
screw in the rear battery cover counterclockwise
to release the battery cover. The screw will be
retained in the cover.
2. Carefully lift out the battery and unplug it from
the radio. Plug the new battery into the radio
observing the correct orientation then place the
battery in the compartment. Ensure the cable is
secured in the recess.
3. Check the waterproof seal is undamaged then ret
the cover by inserting the two lugs at the top then
pressing the cover into place. Firmly tighten the
retaining screw and reinstall the belt clip.
Note: You should fully charge the new battery pack
before use.
Battery Cover
Battery Screw
Battery Pack
Waterproof
Seal
Battery
Connector
Slide belt clip
upwards
Press
release clip
downwards

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CONTROLS
Antenna
Lanyard Ring
Push To Talk
Hi/Lo Power
Scan
Channel Up
Channel Down
Dual Watch /
Triple Watch
Speaker
Microphone
Direct Charging
Socket
LCD
Volume Up
Volume Down
Squelch
ON/OFF
Channel 16

GX610 7
REAR PANEL
DISPLAY ICONS
Belt Clip
Battery
compartment
release screw
Desktop
Charging
Terminals
Transmitting Receiving
Scan
Hi/Lo Power
Triple Watch
Dual watch
Squelch
Volume
Battery Status
Channel in
Memory
Channel Number
International
Channels
Volume Level
Squelch Level

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OPERATION
ON/OFF
To switch ON, press and hold the key for 1
second. During switch-on the radio will briey test
the LCD then switch on. The last selected channel,
volume and squelch settings are restored.
To switch OFF, press and hold the key for 1
second. The radio will beep then switch o.
VOLUME
Press the key to increase the volume or press
the key to decrease it. The volume setting is
displayed next to the VOL: icon in values from 0 to 9.
NOTE: There will still be sucient volume for
incoming calls to be heard at the minimum volume
setting . This is a safety requirement. It is not
possible to completely silence the receiver audio.
CHANNEL SELECTION
Briey press the key to step upwards one
channel or the key to step downwards one
channel. A beep will be heard with each key press
and the channel number will change to indicate the
selected channel.
Press and hold the or key for 2 seconds to
quickly step upwards or downwards through the
channels at a rate of 10 channels per second. During
this time the channel display will update once a
second to show progress. When the display nears
the desired channel, release the key then individually
press the or keys to select the channel.
SQUELCH
The GX610 has a squelch function to ensure the
radio remains quiet when there are no signals being
received. When a signal is received the squelch
opens to allow the signal to be heard. When the
signal has gone the squelch closes again and the
receiver becomes quiet.
To manually open or close the squelch Briey press
the key. A low beep will be heard, and the
squelch will open. If there are no signals present you
will hear the receiver’s background ‘hiss’. While the
squelch is open the BUSY icon is displayed.
Briey press the key again to close the squelch. A
high beep will be heard, the BUSY icon will disappear
and the receiver will become quiet again.
Setting the Squelch Preset Level
The preset squelch level determines the sensitivity
of the squelch to incoming signals. If you are in
a noisy location or unwanted weak signals keep
opening the squelch, you can increase the preset
squelch sensitivity so the GX610 remains quiet. Note
that increasing the preset squelch level will require
stronger signals to overcome the squelch and may
result in missed calls from weaker signals.
The optimum setting is the minimum one required to
reliably keep the receiver quiet. The Squelch setting
has a range from 1 to 9, with 1 being the minimum
(most sensitive) level.
To adjust the squelch levell
Press and hold the key for 1.5 seconds until a
high beep is heard. SQL: will ash on the display.
Briey press the or keys to increase or
decrease the squelch level. The current squelch
level will be displayed next to the ashing SQL: icon.
The squelch level adjustment is ‘live’ so if you are
currently experiencing interference simply adjust the
squelch level until the radio becomes quiet.
To exit the squelch setting, briey press the key
or simply wait for 10 seconds. A low beep will be
heard and normal operation will be restored.
TRANSMITTING
To transmit, press the Push-To-Talk (PTT) key. The
TX icon will appear on the LCD to indicate the radio
is transmitting. Hold the radio in front of you with
the microphone about 3-5 cm from your face and
speak at a normal voice level. The microphone is
quite sensitive so it is not necessary to raise your
voice or shout.
For best performance speak across the microphone
rather than directly into it.
Release the PTT when you have nished talking. The
TX icon will disappear.

GX610 9
NOTE: Transmissions are inhibited on Channel
70 and any other channels that are congured as
‘Receive-only’ or ‘Data-only’. If the PTT is pressed on
these channels the radio will emit a warning beep
and the PTT will be ignored.
Time-out Timer
The GX610 incorporates a time-out-timer to
automatically disable the transmitter if the PTT has
been pressed continuously for more than 5 minutes.
This is designed to prevent accidental jamming of
the channel frequency.
When your transmission time approaches 5 minutes,
a warning beep will be heard 10 seconds before
timeout occurs and the TX icon will ash. If you
release the PTT during this period, the time-out
timer will be reset and you can begin retransmitting
immediately.
However if the PTT is not released, a second warning
beep will occur signalling that the transmitter has
been disabled. Once the transmitter is disabled, the
TX icon will continue to ash even after you release
the PTT.
To reset the timer and re-enable the transmitter
Release the PTT and wait a further 10 seconds until
the TX icon stops ashing. The timer will then reset
and you can resume transmitting.
CHANNEL 16
Channel 16 is the international Distress, Safety
and Calling channel. If you need to call for help in
an emergency or are seeking relevant information
from your local marine rescue base, use channel 16.
If the call is for an emergency you will probably be
asked to stay on channel 16 so others can provide
assistance but for less serious incidences you will
probably be transferred to a designated working
channel.
Press the key at any time to go directly to
channel 16. The transmit power will be restored to
HI (2.5 Watts) and all other functions such as Scan,
Dual Watch and Triple Watch will be cancelled.
Press the key again to return to the previously
selected channel. Alternatively, press the or
keys to manually select a dierent channel.
TRANSMIT POWER
The GX610 has both high power (2.5 Watts) and
low power (1 Watt) transmitter settings. For local
transmissions a low power setting will conserve
power and reduce interference to nearby stations. If
you require the best transmission range you should
select a high power setting. The default setting is
high (2.5 Watts).
To set the transmitter power
Briey press the key to toggle high or low power.
When high power is selected, a high beep will be
heard and the HI icon will be displayed. When low
power is selected, a low beep will be heard and the
LO icon is displayed.
NOTE: High power (2.5 Watts) will be restored
whenever Channel 16 is selected.
DISPLAY BACKLIGHTING
The LCD backlight will automatically illuminate
whenever a key is pressed then extinguish 10
seconds after the key is released.
If desired, the automatic backlighting can be
disabled so that it remains o even when a key is
pressed.
To enable or disable the automatic backlight, press
and hold the key. A high beep indicates the
automatic backlight is enabled and will switch on
whenever a key is pressed. A low beep indicates the
backlight is disabled and will remain o.
DUAL WATCH (DW)
Dual Watch is a two channel scan feature that
switches between your selected working channel
and channel 16. This allows you to monitor your
working or club channel while maintaining a listening
watch on channel 16.
To start Dual Watch
1. Select your preferred working channel using the
or keys.
2. Briey press the key.
A high beep will be heard and the DW icon will
be displayed. Your GX610 will now monitor your
working channel but will switch to channel 16

GX610
10
every 2 seconds to check for signals. Any signals
on channel 16 will have priority over those on the
working channel.
To cancel Dual Watch
Press and hold the key until a low beep will be heard.
The DW icon will disappear.
Note: To change the working channel while Dual
Watching, simply press the or keys. Dual
Watch will continue on the new working channel.
Receiving in DW mode
If a signal appears on channel 16, the radio will
switch immediately to channel 16 and the working
channel will no longer be monitored. During
this time, you may press the PTT for normal
transmissions on channel 16. Once channel 16 has
become inactive for 5 seconds, Dual Watch will
resume.
If a signal appears on the working channel,
scanning will pause on that channel but channel
16 will continue to be monitored every 2 seconds.
During this time the PTT may be pressed for normal
transmissions on the working channel. Once the
working channel has become inactive for 5 seconds,
Dual Watch will resume.
Transmitting in DW mode
To transmit on the working channel, press the PTT
while there is no activity. Dual watch will pause while
you are transmitting and will remain paused for 5
seconds after you release the PTT. If you receive no
response, Dual Watch will then resume.
To transmit on channel 16, press the key to exit
Dual Watch and switch straight to channel 16. You
may now press the PTT and transmit on channel
16 in the usual way. When your conversation has
ended, press the key to resume Dual Watching.
TRIPLE WATCH (TW)
Triple Watch is an extension of the Dual Watch
function that monitors three channels i.e. channel
16, your working channel AND a Triple Watch
channel.
Each channel is scanned for signals with priority
given rst to channel 16, then the Triple Watch
channel and nally the working channel.
When Triple Watch is selected TW is displayed
along with the working channel, with the display
quickly switching to channel 16 and the Triple Watch
channel every two seconds.
To store your Triple Watch channell
Note: Before storing your Triple Watch channel,
ensure the Dual Watch and Triple Watch modes
are switched o and the DW or TW icons is not
displayed.
1. Select the desired Triple Watch channel using the
or keys.
2. Press and hold the key. A high beep will be
heard and the Triple Watch channel number will
ash twice.
To activate Triple Watch mode:
1. Use the or keys to choose the desired
working channel.
2. Press the key twice. Two high beeps will be
heard and TW will appear.
Your working channel will be displayed with the
GX610 will quickly switching to channel 16 and the
Triple Watch channel every two seconds.
To change the working channel:
Press the or keys at any time while Triple
Watch is active. The new working channel will be
displayed and the radio will continue to monitor
Channel 16 and the Triple Watch channel.
To toggle between Dual Watch and Triple Watch
Briey press the key. A high beep will be heard
and DW or TW will be displayed as the radio
switches between Dual Watch and Triple Watch
modes.
To cancel Triple Watch
Press and hold the key. A low beep will be heard
and normal operation will be restored.