Icom IC-F61M User manual

INSTRUCTION MANUAL
UHF MARINE TRANSCEIVER
iF61M

i
FOREWORD
Thank you for purchasing this Icom transceiver. The IC-F61M uhf marine
transceiver is designed and built with Icom’s state of the art technology
and craftsmanship. With proper care this product should provide you with
years of trouble-free operation.
IMPORTANT
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS carefully and completely before
using the transceiver.
SAVE THIS INSTRUCTION MANUAL— This instruction
manual contains important operating instructions for the IC-F61M uhf
marine transceiver.
EXPLICIT DEFINITIONS
WORD DEFINITION
RDANGER Personal death, serious injury or an explo-
sion may occur.
RWARNING Personal injury, fire hazard or electric
shock may occur.
CAUTION Equipment damage may occur.
NOTE
If disregarded, inconvenience only. No risk
of personal injury, fire or electric shock.

ii
RECOMMENDATION
CLEAN THE TRANSCEIVER
THOROUGHLY WITH FRESH
WATER after exposure to saltwater, and
dry it before operation. Otherwise, the
transceiver’s keys, switches and controllers
may become inoperable due to salt crystal-
lization.
NOTE: DO NOT wash the transceiver in water if there is any reason
to suspect the waterproofing may not be effective. For example, in cases
where the transceiver/battery pack is cracked or broken, or has been
dropped, or when the battery pack is detached from the transceiver.
PRECAUTIONS
DANGER! NEVER short terminals (or charging terminals) of the bat-
tery pack. Also, current may flow into nearby metal objects such as a
key, so be careful when placing the battery packs (or the transceiver) in
handbags, etc.
Simply carrying with or placing near metal objects such as a key, etc.
may cause shorting. This may damage not only the battery pack, but
also the transceiver.
DANGER! Use and charge only specified Icom battery packs with
Icom transceivers or Icom chargers. Only Icom battery packs are tested
and approved for use with Icom transceivers or charged with Icom
chargers. Using third-party or counterfeit battery packs or chargers may
cause smoke, fire, or cause the battery to burst.
RWARNING! NEVER hold the transceiver so that the antenna is
very close to, or touching exposed parts of the body, especially the face
or eyes, while transmitting. The transceiver will perform best if the micro-
phone is 5 to 10 cm away from the lips and the transceiver is vertical.

iii
RWARNING! NEVER operate the transceiver with a headset or
other audio accessories at high volume levels. The continuous high vol-
ume operation may cause a ringing in your ears. If you experience the
ringing, reduce the volume level or discontinue use.
RWARNING! NEVER operate the transceiver while driving a vehi-
cle. Safe driving requires your full attention—anything less may result in
an accident.
RCAUTION! NEVER connect the transceiver to a power source other
than the BP-226, BP-227 or BP-274. Such a connection will ruin the trans-
ceiver.
RCAUTION! MAKE SURE the flexible antenna, battery pack and
jack cover are securely attached to the transceiver, and that the antenna
and battery pack are dry before attachment. Exposing the inside of the
transceiver to dust or water will result in serious damage to the trans-
ceiver.
DO NOT push [PTT] when you do not actually intend to transmit.
DO NOT operate or place the transceiver in direct sunlight or in areas
with temperatures below –20°C or above +55°C.
DO NOT modify the transceiver. The specifications may change and
then not comply with the requirements of a corresponded regulation. The
transceiver warranty does not cover any problems caused by unauthor-
ized modification.
DO NOT operate the transceiver near unshielded electrical blasting
caps or in an explosive atmosphere.
BE CAREFUL! The IC-F61M meets IP67* requirements for dust-
tight and waterproof protection. However, once the transceiver has been
dropped, dust-tight and waterproof protection cannot be guaranteed
because of possible damage to the transceiver’s case or the waterproof
seal.
*Only when the supplied battery pack, flexible antenna and jack cover
are attached.
PRECAUTIONS

DO NOT use harsh solvents such as benzine or alcohol when cleaning,
as they will damage the transceiver surfaces.
BE CAREFUL! The transceiver will become hot when operating it
continuously for long periods of time.
MAKE SURE to turn OFF the transceiver power before connecting or
disconnecting the supplied/optional accessory.
Even when the transceiver power is OFF, a slight current still flows in
the circuits. Remove the battery pack or batteries from the transceiver
when not using it for a long time. Otherwise, the installed battery pack
or batteries will become exhausted, and will need to be recharged or
replaced.
Keep the transceiver out of children’s reach.
Keep the transceiver at least 1 m away from your vessel’s magnetic
navigation compass.
Icom optional equipment is designed for optimal performance when
used with this transceiver. We are not responsible for the transceiver
being damaged or any accident caused when using non-Icom optional
equipment.
• When transmitting with a portable transceiver, hold the transceiver in a
vertical position with its microphone 5 to 10 cm away from your mouth.
Keep the antenna at least 2.5 cm from your head and body.
• If you wear a portable transceiver on your body, ensure that the an-
tenna is at least 2.5 cm from your body when transmitting.
iv
Icom, Icom Inc. and Icom logo are registered trademarks of Icom Incorporated
(Japan) in Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France,
Spain, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, and/or other countries.
PRECAUTIONS
OPERATING NOTES

v
FOREWORD ........................................................................................ i
IMPORTANT......................................................................................... i
EXPLICIT DEFINITIONS...................................................................... i
RECOMMENDATION .......................................................................... ii
PRECAUTIONS................................................................................... ii
OPERATING NOTES.......................................................................... iv
1 ACCESSORIES ......................................................................... 1–3
■Supplied accessories.................................................................. 1
■Accessory attachments .............................................................. 2
2 PANEL DESCRIPTION ............................................................ 4–12
■Front, top and side panels .......................................................... 4
■Function display.......................................................................... 6
■Programmable function keys ...................................................... 7
3 BASIC OPERATION .............................................................. 13–22
■Turning power ON..................................................................... 13
■Channel selection ..................................................................... 13
■Call procedure .......................................................................... 14
■Receiving and transmitting ....................................................... 15
■User set mode .......................................................................... 19
■Emergency transmission .......................................................... 20
■Scrambler function.................................................................... 20
■Stun function............................................................................. 20
■Recording function (Depends on the version) .........................21
4 BATTERY CHARGING .......................................................... 23–32
■Caution ..................................................................................... 23
■Optional battery chargers ......................................................... 26
5 BATTERY CASE .................................................................... 33–34
■Optional battery case (BP-226) ................................................ 33
6 SPEAKER-MICROPHONE .................................................... 35–36
■Optional HM-168 description .................................................... 35
■Attachment................................................................................ 36
TABLE OF CONTENTS

vi
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
7 SWIVEL BELT CLIP .............................................................. 37–38
■Optional MB-86 contents .......................................................... 37
■Attaching................................................................................... 37
■Detaching.................................................................................. 38
8 OPTIONS ............................................................................... 39–42
9 TROUBLESHOOTING ........................................................... 43–44
10 UHF MARINE CHANNEL LIST ................................................... 45
11 SPECIFICATIONS........................................................................ 46
12 INFORMATION ............................................................................ 47
■Country code list....................................................................... 47
■Disposal.................................................................................... 47
TABLE OF CONTENTS

1ACCESSORIES
1
■Supplied accessories
Battery pack
Antenna
Belt clip
Key sticker*Jack cover
*There are no names on the programmable function keys since
the functions can be freely assigned to [P0] to [P3], [Red], [ ]
and [ ] keys.
Put the supplied key stickers on the appropriate keys for easy
recognition of that key’s assigned function.

■Accessory attachments
DFlexible antenna
Connect the supplied flexible antenna to the
antenna connector.
CAUTION:
• NEVER carry the transceiver by holding the
antenna.
• DO NOT connect the antenna other than
listed on page 41.
• Transmitting without an antenna may damage the transceiver.
DBattery pack
To attach the battery pack:
Slide the battery pack on the back of the transceiver in the direc-
tion of the arrow (q), then lock it with the battery release button.
• Slide the battery pack until the battery release button makes a ‘click’
sound.
To release the battery pack:
Push the battery release button in the direction of the arrow (w)
as shown below. The battery pack is then released.
NEVER release or at-
tach the battery pack
when the transceiver
is wet or soiled. This
may cause water or
dust to get into the
transceiver/battery
pack and may result
in the transceiver be-
ing damaged.
NOTE: Keep the battery pack terminals clean. It’s a good idea
to occasionally clean them.
q
w
Battery pack
Battery release button
2
1
ACCESSORIES
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
20

3
1ACCESSORIES
DJack cover
Attach the jack cover when the optional equipment is not used.
To attach the jack cover:
qInsert the jack cover into the
[SP MIC] jack.
wTighten the screw.
To detach the jack cover:
eUnscrew the screw using a
phillips screwdriver.
rDetach the jack cover for the
optional equipment connec-
tion.
DBelt clip
Attach the belt clip to the back of the transceiver with the supplied
screws.
Supplied screws
w
Jack cover
[SP MIC] jack
Screw
q
e
r

4
2
PANEL DESCRIPTION
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
■Front, top and side panels
qVOLUME CONTROL [VOL]
Turns power ON and adjusts the audio level.
wRED BUTTON
The desired function can be assigned by your dealer. (p. 7)
eANTENNA CONNECTOR
Connects the supplied antenna. (p. 2)
Microphone
Function display
(p. 6)
w
e
r
t
y
u
q
iSpeaker

5
2PANEL DESCRIPTION
rEXTERNAL SPEAKER-MICROPHONE JACK [SP MIC]
Connects the optional speaker-microphone, etc.
[SP MIC] jack cover
NOTE: KEEP the [SP MIC]
jack cover attached to the
transceiver when the optional
equipment is not used.
(See p. 3 for details)
tDEALER-PROGRAMMABLE KEYS [P0] to [P3]
The desired functions can be assigned independently by your
dealer. (p. 7)
yCH UP AND DOWN KEYS []/[ ]
Push to select an operating channel, etc.
*Desired functions can be assigned independently by your dealer.
(p. 7)
uTRANSMIT/BUSY INDICATOR
Lights red while transmitting; lights green while receiving a sig-
nal, or when the squelch is open.
iPTT SWITCH [PTT]
➥Push and hold to transmit; release to receive.
➥When the recording function is activated, TX voice message
can be recorded while pushing and holding [PTT]. (p. 21)

6
2
PANEL DESCRIPTION
2
■Function display
u
o
qtiyrew
q RECORD INDICATOR
➥Appears when an unread message is in the memory.
➥Blinks while recording.
w LOW POWER INDICATOR
Appears when low output power is selected.
eAUDIBLE INDICATOR
➥
Appears when the channel is in the ‘audible’ (unmute) condition.
➥ Appears when a specific 5-tone code is received.
rCOMPANDER INDICATOR
Appears when the compander function is activated.
tKEY LOCK INDICATOR
Appears when the key lock function is activated.
ySCRAMBLER INDICATOR
Appears when the voice scrambler function is activated.
uBELL INDICATOR
Appears or blinks when a specific 5-tone code is received, ac-
cording to the pre-programming.
iBATTERY INDICATOR
Appears or blinks when the battery power decreases to a spe-
cific level.
oALPHANUMERIC DISPLAY
Displays an operating channel number, channel names, Set
mode contents, DTMF code, etc.

7
2PANEL DESCRIPTION
■Programmable function keys
The following functions can be assigned to [P0], [P1], [P2], [P3],
[Red], [ ] and [ ] programmable function keys.
Consult your Icom dealer or system operator for details concern-
ing your transceivers programming.
If the programmable function names are bracketed in the following
explanations, the specific key is used to activate the function de-
pending on the programming.
CH UP AND DOWN KEYS
➥ Push to select an operating channel.
➥ Push to select a transmit code channel after pushing [TX Code
CH Select].
➥ Push to select a DTMF channel after pushing [DTMF Autodial].
➥ Push to select a scan group after pushing and holding [Scan A
Start/Stop]/[Scan B Start/Stop].
ZONE SELECT KEY
Push this key, then select the desired zone using [CH Up]/[CH
Down].
What is a “zone”?—The desired channels are assigned into a
zone according to the intended use for grouping. For example,
‘Staff A’ and ‘Staff B’ are assigned into a “Business” zone, and
‘John’ and ‘Cindy’ are assigned into a “Private” zone.
SCAN A START/STOP KEY
➥ This key’s operation depends on the Power ON Scan setting.
When the power ON scan function is turned OFF;
Push to start and cancel scanning operation.
When the power ON scan function is turned ON;
Push to pause scanning, then resume scanning after a specific
time period has passed.
➥Push and hold this key for 1 sec. to indicate the scan group, then
select the desired scan group using [CH Up]/[CH Down].

8
2
PANEL DESCRIPTION
2
SCAN B START/STOP KEY
➥ Push to start and cancel scanning operation. Scan resumes
after a specific time period has passed when scan is cancelled
except for this key.
➥ Push and hold for 1 sec. to indicate the scan group, then select
the desired scan group using [CH Up]/[CH Down].
SCAN ADD/DEL (TAG) KEY
➥
Push to add or delete the selected channel to/from the scan group.
1. Push to indicate the scan group, then push [CH Up]/[CH Down]
to select the desired group.
2.
Push to add or delete the channel to/from the selected scan group.
3. Push and hold for 1 sec. to exit the scan group selection mode.
➥ Push this key while scan is paused (a signal is detected) on
a channel (except for priority channel,) the channel is cleared
from the scan group.
Depending on the setting, the cleared channel is added to
the scan group again after the scan is cancelled. (Nuisance
Delete function)
PRIORITY CHANNEL KEYS
➥Push to select Priority A or Priority B channel.
➥
Push and hold [Prio A (Rewrite)] / [Prio B (Rewrite)] for 1 sec. to
set the operating channel as the Priority A or Priority B channel.
MR-CH 1/2/3/4 KEYS
Push to select the memory channel 1 to 4 directly.
LOCK KEY
Push and hold for 1 sec. to turn the key lock function ON or OFF.
• All programmable keys except the following are electronically locked
when the key lock function is activated: [PTT], [Light], [Lone Worker],
[Surveillance], [Call] (incl. Call A and Call B), [Moni(Audi)] and [Emer-
gency].

9
2PANEL DESCRIPTION
MONITOR KEY
➥Activates one of the following functions on each channel inde-
pendently.
• Push and hold for 1 sec. to un-mute the channel (audio is emitted;
‘Audible’ condition).
• Push to mute the channel (sets to ‘Inaudible’ only).
NOTE: The un-mute condition (‘Audible’ condition) may auto-
matically return to the mute condition (‘Inaudible’ condition)
after the specific time period.
LIGHT KEY
Push to turn the backlight ON for about 5 sec. even if the backlight
function is turned OFF in user set mode.
LONE WORKER KEY
Push to turn the Lone Worker function ON or OFF.
• If the Lone Worker function is activated, the Emergency function is
automatically turned ON after the specific time period has passed
with no operation is performed.
HIGH/LOW KEY
Push to select the transmit output power temporarily or perma-
nently, depending on the pre-setting.
• Ask your dealer for the output power level for each selection.
C.TONE CHANNEL ENTER KEY
Push to enter the continuous tone channel selection mode, and
push [CH Up]/[CH Down] to change the tone frequency/code set-
ting. The selected channel remains set as the continuous tone
channel until another channel is designated as such.

10
2
PANEL DESCRIPTION
2
TALK AROUND KEY
Push to turn the talk around function ON or OFF.
• The talk around function equalizes the transmit frequency to the re-
ceive frequency for transceiver-to-transceiver communication.
DTMF AUTODIAL KEY
➥Push to enter the DTMF channel selection mode. Then select
the desired DTMF channel using [CH Up]/[CH Down].
➥After selecting the DTMF channel, push again to transmit the
selected DTMF code.
DTMF RE-DIAL KEY
Push to transmit the last-transmitted DTMF code.
• TX memories are cleared after turning the transceiver OFF.
CALL KEYS
Push to transmit a 5-tone code.
• Call transmission is necessary before calling another station depend-
ing on your signalling system.
• [Call A] and/or [Call B] may be available when your system employs
selective ‘Individual/Group’ calls. Ask your dealer which call is as-
signed to each key.
SURVEILLANCE KEY
Push to turn the surveillance function ON or OFF.
When this function is turned ON, the beep is not emitted and the
LCD backlight and the LED indicator do not light when a signal is
received or a key is pushed.

11
2PANEL DESCRIPTION
EMERGENCY KEYS
Push and hold to transmit an emergency call.
• The emergency call transmits with beeps; the display does not
change.
• The transceiver can transmit an emergency call silently or with the
display changes depending on the pre-setting. Ask your dealer for
details.
• If you want to cancel the emergency call, push and hold the key
again before transmitting the call.
• The emergency call is transmitted one time only or repeatedly until
receiving a control code, depending on the pre-setting.
TX CODE ENTER KEY
Push to enter the TX code edit mode. Then set the desired digit
using [CH Up]/[CH Down]. (p. 18)
TX CODE CHANNEL SELECT KEY
➥Push to enter the TX code channel selection mode. Then select
the desired channel using [CH Up]/[CH Down]. (p. 17)
➥While in the TX code channel selection mode, push and hold for
1 sec. to enter the TX code edit mode. Then set the desired digit
using [CH Up]/[CH Down]. (p. 17)
TX CODE CHANNEL UP/DOWN KEYS
Push to select a TX code channel directly.
ID-MR SELECT KEY
➥Recalls detected ID codes.
• Push this key, then push [CH Up]/[CH Down] for selection.
• Up to 5 ID codes can be memorized.
➥ Push and hold for 1 sec. to erase the selected memorized ID code.
VOICE SCRAMBLER FUNCTION
Push to turn the voice scrambler function ON or OFF.

12
2
PANEL DESCRIPTION
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
COMPANDER KEY
Push to turn the compander function ON or OFF.
The compander function reduces noise components from the trans-
mitting audio to provide clearer communication.
USER SET MODE KEY
➥ Push and hold for 1 sec. to enter the User Set mode.
• While in the User Set mode, push this key to select an item, and
push [CH Up]/[CH Down] to change the value or condition.
➥ Push and hold this key for 1 sec. again to exit the User Set mode.
PLAYBACK KEY (p. 22)
➥ Push
to playback the recorded messages in sequence, starting
with the latest one.
• A short beep is emitted after playing back each message.
• A long beep is emitted after playing back all messages.
• An error beep is emitted when there are no messages in the
memory.
➥ While playing back the message, push and hold for 1 sec. to de-
lete the selecting message.
PLAYBACK/REC KEY (pgs. 21, 22)
➥ Push
to playback the recorded messages in sequence, starting
with the latest one.
• A short beep is emitted after playing back each message.
• A long beep is emitted after playing back all messages.
• “NO REC” is displayed when no message is in the memory.
➥ Push and hold for 1 sec. to start recording. Push again to stop
recording.
➥
While playing back the message, push and hold for 1 sec. to de-
lete the selecting message.

13
3BASIC OPERATION
■Turning power ON
qRotate [VOL] to turn power ON.
• When the opening vibration function is turned ON, the transceiver
vibrates for 2 sec. Ask your dealer for details.
wIf the transceiver is programmed for a start up password, input
digit codes as directed by your dealer.
• The keys in the table below can be used for password input:
• The transceiver detects numbers in the same block as identical.
Therefore “01234” and “56789” are the same.
KEY
NUMBER 0
5
4
9
3
8
2
7
1
6
or
eWhen the “PASSWORD” indication does not clear after input-
ting 4 digits, the input code number may be incorrect. Turn the
power off and start over in this case.
■Channel selection
Several types of channel selections are available. Methods may
differ depending on your system set up.
NON-ZONE TYPE:
Push [CH Up]/[CH Down] to select the desired operating channel
in sequence; or, push one of [MR-CH 1] to [MR-CH 4] to select a
channel directly.
ZONE TYPE:
Push [Zone] then push [CH Up]/[CH Down] to select the desired zone.
AUTOMATIC SCAN TYPE:
Channel setting is not necessary for this type. When turning the
power ON, the transceiver automatically starts scanning. Scanning
stops when receiving a call.