Kaito KA1121 User manual

Copyright 2007, Kaito Electronics, Inc.
For update information, visit www.kaitousa.com
Version 1.0, Printed in China

OPERATION MANUAL
The KAITO KA1121 is a frequency synthesized radio receiver with an integrated MP3
recorder/player that covers longwave, AM, shortwave, FM and NOAA weather radio bands. The
MP3 player can be used to record what is received on the radio or it can be used as a conventional
stand-alone MP3 player.
What!s included with the KA1121?
Kaito KA1121 radio with built-in MP3 player
Soft case
Quick reference guide
User Manual
AC adaptor
3 AA rechargeable (TYPE?) batteries
DF6 Ni-MH rechargeable battery for the MP3 player
Stereo earphones
External wire antenna
Warranty card
Installation CD-ROM
USB cable
MAIN FEATURES
The radio and MP3 player can work as a single integrated unit or can be used independently of
each other.
A built-in timer exists to control the on/off switching of the radio and MP3 player.
FM direct recording and external microphone recording is possible using the MP3 player.
Alphanumeric display of up to 100 user-set station names, 400 frequency memories.
LW/MW(AM)/SW dual conversion technology for superior reception results.
PC-based editing of the receiver!s frequency and station name memories.
Local, normal and distant radio sensitivity settings.
Fast/slow tuning speed selection.
External antenna jack.
28x64 matrix LCD display.
MP3 player supports WAV and WMA formats.
MP3 or microphone standalone MP3 player recording.
MP3 player A-B repeat function.
Four playback cycle modes, 6 equalizer configurations for the MP3 player.
Built-in high quality speaker
Power Supply: 3 "AA!Batteries (Radio), 1 DF6 Battery (MP# unit) and AC Power Adapter.

INDEX
Location of controls..........…………………………..1
Power supply......................................................... 3
Using the radio and MP3 Player together...............5
Setting the radio clock.............................................5
Volume control.........................................................5
Keypad lock/unlock................................................. 6
Menu functions........................................................ 6
Tuning the radio.....................................................14
Quick operations.....................................................15
Editing the FREQTXT file........................................16
Active amplifier...................................................... ..16
Using the radio without the MP3 player....................17
How to use this radio................................................ 19
FM mono/stereo ........................................................19
Local/normal/DX sensitivity selection.........................19
Selecting narrow or wide reception bandwidth.......... 19
SSB/CW reception modes..........................................20
NOAA weather band....................................................20
Using the MP3 player with the radio............................ 21
Using the MP3 player without the radio....................... 27
Connecting to a PC and transferring data.....................29
How to upgrade firmware...............................................30
Lyric display....................................................................31
Frequently asked questions.....………………………......33
Specifications ................................................................ 35

Page One:
LOCATION OF CONTROLS
#5 should read "Numeric Keypad"
These keys appear
to be "drawn" wrong
on this page of the
manual
These keys appear
to be "drawn" wrong
on this page of the
manual

Page Two:
***FIX THE SPELLING ON ‘LOCATION’
LOCATION OF CONTROLS
Hole for Strap

Page Three:
Powering the Radio with Batteries
1. Open the battery compartment on the back of the
radio.
2. Insert 3 "AA" batteries (alkaline or rechargeable).
Note polarity signs inside the battery compartment.
3. Close the lid
Installing the Batteries for the MP3 Player
1. Open the battery compartment on the back of the
MP3 unit.
2. Insert the supplied DF6 NiMH battery. Note the
polarity signs inside the battery compartment.
3. Close the battery compartment lid
Notes on using Batteries
NOTE: When using the MP3 unit with the radio, the
DF6 battery must be installed in the MP3 unit in
order to prevent shutdown in the event of a power
failure.
Do not try to charge dry (alkaline)batteries.
Do not mix old and new batteries together.
Take the batteries out if you don't plan to use the
radio for a long period of time.
Do not use non-rechargeable batteries with the AC
adaptor plugged into the unit.
In case of battery leakage, please clean the battery
compartment immediately to avoid damage to the
radio circuits.
It is best to use batteries when listening to AM or
SW bands, as the AC adaptor may cause noise or
interfere with reception.

Page Four:
Powering the Radio with the AC Adaptor
1. Plug the supplied AC adaptor to an AC outlet as
shown above.
2. Plug the other end into the Radio's "DC Jack".
• It is normal for the AC Adaptor to become warm
during use.
• The Radio's internal batteries will be cut off when
the AC Adaptor is in use.
• If you employ the AC Adaptor for daily use,
remove the Radio's batteries.
•Use the supplied AC Adaptor only. The Radio's
software is optimized for use with this adaptor only.

Page Five:
USING THE RADIO AND MP3 UNIT TOGETHER
1. Observe the LCD screen during each step.
2. Attach the MP3 unit to the Radio
3. Supply power to the Radio (AC or Batteries)
before turning it on.
Adjusting the Radio Clock
When the Radio is turned OFF, press <button 7>
once to get into "Time Set" mode. The sub-display
will show "SET". Press <button 7> again to get into
"Entry" mode. Use the Numeric Keypad to enter the
time. Example: you will have to type "0 1 3 0" for
"1:30".
Power ON / OFF and Change Operating Mode
1. Power ON: Press <button 4> once to turn Radio
ON. The system will enter "Radio" mode.
2. Power OFF: In "Radio" mode, press <button 4>
once to turn Radio OFF.
3. Turn off Main LCD screen: In "Radio" mode,
press and hold <button 4> until the main LCD
screen shuts off.
4. Change operating mode: In "Radio" mode,
press <button 3> to switch to "MP3" mode. In
"MP3" mode, press <button 4> to switch to
"Radio" mode.
NOTE: To avoid damage to the MP3 unit, do not
insert or remove the MP3 unit while either unit
(Radio or MP3) is turned ON.
Volume Control
1. Increase Volume: Press <button 8>.
2. Decrease Volume: Press <button 12>.
3. Mute: Press <button 6>.

Page Six:
USING THE RADIO AND MP3 UNIT TOGETHER
Key Lock and Unlock
1. Lock: Press and hold <button 9>. The small
LCD will show the "lock" <symbol> symbol.
2. Unlock: Press and hold <button 9>. The "lock"
<symbol> symbol will disappear from the small
LCD.
NOTE: When Key Lock is engaged, all keys are
inactivated.
Menu Features
In "Radio" mode, press <button 17> to enter the
main Menu.
Press <button 13a> or <button 13b> to select
Menu. Press <button 17> to access the next
Menu.
Searching by Station Name
There are a total of 100 memory preset stations
available in each of 4 frequency bands, for a total
of 400 memory presets.
1. Select "Search" mode: After entering the Radio
main Menu, press <button 17> to search stations.
2. Select "Memory", then <button 17> to confirm.
Press <button 13a> or <button 13b> to change
stations.
Press <button 16> or <button 14> to change
frequencies under the same station name (Or the
same page).
See Page 14 for other ways to search.

Page Seven:
USING THE RADIO AND MP3 UNIT TOGETHER
Searching by Band
There are two ways to search for a station in the
Menu. You can only change the band while
searching in "Step" mode. Here is how to do it:
1. In "Radio" mode, access the Menu and press
<button 17> to enter "Search" mode.
2. Select "Step", and press <button 17> to confirm.
Press <button 13a> or <button 13b> to search for
stations.
3. Press <button 16> to choose bands. Press
<button 16> for FM, <button 15> for AM, or
<button 14> for SW bands. You can easily change
the band by selecting one of these three buttons.
4. For LW (140KHz - 510KHz), use the Numeric
Keypad to type in the frequency, and then use the
Tuning Knob to tune specific stations. Alternately,
you may use <button 13a> or <button 13b> to
select stations.
Station Management
Browser
Use the Browser to view saved stations and their
frequencies.
1. In "Radio" mode, press <button 17> to open the
Browser. Select "Station" to enter Station
Manager, then press <button 17> to enter the next
page.
2. Select "Browser," then press <button 17> to
confirm. Press <button 13a> or <button 13b> to
view station names, or press <button 16> or
<button 14> to see the four frequencies under the
same station name.
NOTE: See the quick reference guide on Page 15
for more information.

Page Eight:
USING THE RADIO AND MP3 UNIT TOGETHER
Save
To save a frequency to a desired station name.
1. Search for a desired Station
2. In "Radio" mode, access the Menu and select
"Station" for station management, then press
<button 17> to go to the next step.
3. Select "Save", then press <button 17> to enter
the station where you want to save the frequency.
Press <button 13a> or <button 13b> to select
station names. Press <button 14> to select a
memory position to save the frequency. Any
frequency already in that memory position will be
overwritten by the new frequency.
4. Press <button 17> to save.
NOTE: See the quick reference guide on Page 15
for more information.
Delete
To delete unwanted stations, follow the steps
below:
1. Enter the Main Menu under "Station" mode,
then select "Station" and press <button 17> to
access the next menu.
2. Select "Delete," then press <button 17> to enter
the frequency selection. Press <button 13a> or
<button 13b> to select station, then press <button
16> or <button 14> to select the frequency that
you want to delete.
3. Press< >to confirm deletion.
NOTE: See the quick reference guide on Page 15
for more information. To delete or update station
names, you can also follow the steps in
FREQ.TXT file available on the CD.

Page Nine:
USING THE RADIO AND MP3 UNIT TOGETHER
You can edit the station names and frequencies in
the FREQ.TXT file, save the FREQ.TXT file to the
MP3 unit, then use the "Import" function to load it
to the Radio's preset memory. Use the following
procedure:
1. Edit the FREQ.TXT file. You can change the
names of each page (P00 - P99), and preset 4
frequencies in each page.
2. Connect the MP3 unit to the computer, open it
as a storage device, and save the FREQ.TXT file
ot the MP3 unit.
3. Disconnect the M3 unit from the computer and
replace it in the Radio. Turn on the Radio by
pressing <button 4>. On the main LCD, access the
Menu, select "Station," and press <button 17> to
enter.
4. Select "Import" and press <button 17> to start
importing. (The save FREQ.TXT file will be copied
to the Radio's memory and update all the memory
listings. The LCD will show "Wait . . ." until it is
complete.
After importing, all pages in the Radio's memory
will be changed according to the presets in the
FREQ.TXT file.
The Weather Pages (P98 and P99) might be
changed. If the Weather Pages do not show the
correct weather bands, please reset the Radio.
This will get the default Weather stations back into
the Radio's memory. To reset the Radio, simply
remove the batteries for 1 to 3 minutes, then re-
install them. Page 98 and Page 99 should be reset
to the 7 correct Weather stations.
• Recording
You can record the current broadcast. The
duration of the recording depends on the amount of
free memory left on the MP3 unit and the sound
quality you wish to record. There are 3 sound
quality choices: 32 kbps, 80 kbps, and 128 kbps.
(kbps = kilobytes per second)

Page Ten:
USING THE RADIO AND MP3 UNIT TOGETHER
1. Open the Menu in "Radio" mode and select
"Recorder." Press <button 17> to select sound
quality (32/80/128 kbps), then press <button 13a>
or <button 13b> to select the one you want.
2. For Shortwave 32 kbps is good enough. For FM
stereo, select 80 or 128 kbps. Sound quality will be
better with a higher kbps, but recording time will be
shorter.
3. Quick Record: if you do not need the specify
the recording quality, press and hold <button 10>.
You will automatically enter 32 kbps recording
mode.
NOTES:
-Check the battery prior to recording. Make sure
you have enough battery life to record the quality
and duration you desire.
-It is recommended to record clips of less than 1
hour duration for ease of management.
-It is normal to get interference while recording.
Adjusting the LCD
The Menu will allow you to set the contrast and
backlight for the LCD.
1. Access the Menu in "Radio" mode. Select
"Setting" and press <button 17> to enter the next
menu.
2. Select "LCD" and press <button 17> to enter
your desired LCD settings. This includes contrast,
backlight time, and screen protection program.
3.Press< > to enter next page.

Page Eleven:
USING THE RADIO AND MP3 UNIT TOGETHER
Backlight Time: Select the duration for the
backlight to remain on.
Contrast: Adjust the LCD contrast.
Screen Saver: Turn ON or OFF the LCD.
4. Press <button 17> to confirm your selection.
Automatic Power Off
This feature allows you to select a power-off time
of 10 to 60 minutes, or even indefinite. When your
selected preset time is up, the radio turns itself off
automatically.
1. Access the Menu in "Radio" mode and select
"Setting." Press <button 17> to enter "Set" mode.
2. Select "AutoOff" and press <button 17> to
enter.
3. Find your desired Auto Off time, then press
<button 13a> or <button 13b> to select it.
4. Press <button 17> to confirm your selection.
NOTE: After setting an Auto Off time, the main
display will count down <symbol>.
Time Set
To adjust Clock, Timer, and Auto Power ON or
OFF.
1. Access the Menu in "Radio" mode, select
"Setting," and press <button 17> to enter "Setting"
mode.
2. Select "Time" and press <button 17> to enter
"Setting" mode. Select "Clock." You will be
prompted with a time entry display. Use the
Numeric Keypad to enter the time you want. As
soon as the time is entered, the Radio
automatically exits "Time Set" mode and returns to
"Radio" mode.

Page Twelve:
USING THE RADIO AND MP3 UNIT TOGETHER
NOTES:
1. If there is no entry for 3 seconds, the Radio will
exit "Time Set" mode and keep the previous time.
To set the time, you must begin again from Step 1.
2. Date (MM/DD/YY) is not set here. Refer to the
FREQ.TXT file on the CD for this feature.
Set Up Alarm 1
1. Access the Menu from "Radio" mode, select
"Setting", and press <button 17> to enter the
"Setting" mode.
2. Select " Time", press < > to enter, then
select "Alarm1".
3. Press <button 17> to enter "Alarm 1" setting
mode.
After you enter "Alarm Set" mode, you can set the
ON / OFF time and select what to turn ON or OFF.
-Auto ON Time: Use the Numeric Keypad to input
the time directly. If you do not want to change the
existing Auto ON Time, press <button 13b> to
enter the next option. (See the "Auto ON
Frequency")
After the time is set, you are prompted to enter
"Band" and "Frequency".
-Auto ON Frequency: After setting the Time, you
need to select the Band. Press <button 16> ,
<button 14>, or <button 15> to select the band,
then use the Numeric Keypad to input the
frequency you want to hear (NOTE: Weather
stations are not available for Alarm Set Up). If you
do not want to change the current frequency, just
press <button 13b> to skip and enter the next
option.
After the Auto ON Time and Frequency are set, you
can activate or deactivate the feature.
- To Activate Alarm 1, press <button 17> - the
symbol <symbol> is shown. This indicates the alarm
is Activated. Press <button 17> again - the symbol
<symbol> is shown. This indicates the alarm is
Deactivated. If you do not want to change the
existing setup, press <button 13b> to exit "Alarm
Setup" mode.
- Exit: When the "Set" arrow is at the <symbol>
symbol, press <button 17> to exit "Alarm Setup"
mode, or press <button 13b> to continue to the next
options.

Page Thirteen:
USING THE RADIO AND MP3 UNIT TOGETHER
When the Auto ON Time is set, follow the steps to
select what device you want to turn on.
You have 4 options: 1. Radio, 2. Radio and MP3
unit Recorder, 3. MP3 unit, 4. Recorder with built-
in microphone.
-To select the Auto ON device: After entering the
Auto ON Frequency, press <button 17> to select
the device. <Symbol> will turn on the radio only.
<Symbol> will turn on the Radio and begin
recording to the MP3 unit. <Symbol> will turn on
the built-in microphone to record ambient noises.
<Symbol> will turn on the MP3 unit.
After selecting the device to be turned on, you can
select the Auto ON volume.
-Change the Volume: After selecting the device, a
number appears showing the volume of the device
when it comes on. Press <volume up> or <volume
down> to adjust the volume to the proper level.
The volume control has a 40-unit range.
When the Volume is set, you can select the Auto
OFF time.
-Auto OFF Time: After selecting the Volume, you
can select the Auto OFF Time. Use the Numeric
Keypad to set the Auto OFF Time. To keep the
existing setting, just press <button 13b> to exit
and finish setting Alarm 1. If you wish to change
the time, the Alarm setup is completed as soon as
the number is entered, and the Radio returns to
"Radio" mode.
4. If the setting is completed correctly, the symbol
<symbol> will appear on the LCD. For more
details on setting the Alarm, please see the
following section.
Auto ON Tim Auto ON Status
Auto ON Frequency Auto ON Volume
Activate/Deactivate Auto OFF
NOTES:
1. To set up Alarm 2 and 3, follow the same
procedures, but begin by selecting Alarm 2 or Alarm
2. It is easy to fill the MP3 memory by using the
"MP3 Record" function in the "Auto ON" mode.
Because of this, it is better to select a different
device for the "Auto ON" feature.

Page Fourteen:
USING THE RADIO AND MP3 UNIT TOGETHER
Battery Charging (Radio)
Install the rechargeable batteries in the radio,
making sure the polarity is correct.
Plug in the AC adaptor in and connect it to the
Radio. Leave the Radio and MP3 unit OFF. Press
<symbol> to charge the Radio batteries.
1. Access the Menu in "Radio" mode and find
"Setting" in the Browser. Press <button 17> to
select "Charge".
2. To select "charge" mode, press <button 13a>
or <button 13b>.
3. Select "Radio" to charge the Radio batteries.
Select "MP3" to charge the MP3 battery.
4. Press <button 17> to begin charging.
<Symbol> shows the charging status on the LCD.
NOTE: In Method 1, press and hold <button 17>
to charge the MP3. Refer to Page 21 for charging
details. AA batteries will charge for no more than
ten hours.
Radio Tuning
There are 2 ways to tune the radio: Step and
Memory. Step: "Step" mode changes the band
and searches the frequency under the selected
band. You can change the band and step search
for frequencies in "Step" mode only.
Memory: Only "Memory" mode allows you to
select preset stations and frequencies.
To search for FM or SW stations, fully extend the
telescopic antenna for best reception. For best
AM reception, you may need to reposition the
Radio.

Page Fifteen:
USING THE RADIO AND MP3 UNIT TOGETHER
Inputting frequencies directly to the Radio.
1. Press <button 7> to clear the LCD.
2. Select the band you want: <button 16> for FM,
<button 15> for AM, <button 14> for SW.
3. Use the Numeric Keypad to enter the number of
the station you want to hear. To hear station 101.7,
press <1> <0> <1> <7>.
4. Press <button 7> to confirm your entry.
NOTE: To delete the last entry, press <button 6> to
go back.
Quick Tuning
You can use the Shuttle Knob to Quick Tune in
order to find a station quickly. You can watch the
frequency change in the LCD. Select the
appropriate "Step" before using the Shuttle knob.
The "Step" symbol shows in the small LCD. In FM,
Fast Tune is 0.1 MHz, and Slow Tune is 0.05 MHz.
1. Press the "Step" selector on the right side of the
Radio. <Symbol> indicates Fast Tune, <Symbol>
indicates Slow Tune, and <Symbol> indicates Lock.
2. Press and hold the "Step" selector to lock or
unlock the "Step" selector.
3. Turn the Shuttle Knob to search for stations.
4. In "Fast Tune" mode, the FM range is 88-108
MHz only, and the SW range is in Meter bands
only.
Browsing the Stations
You can use the Browser to preview stations on the
LCD without changing the current station. You can
view all Pages, as well as all frequencies in each
Page.
1. Press <button 10> to enter "Browse" mode.
2. Press <button 13a> or <button 13b> to Browse
station names.
3. Press <button 16> or <button 14> to Browse
frequencies in one station. Select the frequency you
wish to listen to, then press <button 10> or <button
17> to switch the Radio to that frequency.
4. Press <button 15> to exit.

Page Sixteen:
USING THE RADIO AND MP3 UNIT TOGETHER
Quick save of a station
1. Search for a station.
2. Press <button 9> to enter "Save" mode. Press
<button 13a> or <button 13b> to select a station
name, or use the Numeric Keypad to enter the
number of the station.
Press <button 16> or <button 14> to select a
memory preset to save the station in. Any existing
frequency in that preset will be over-written.
3. Press< > to save the station.
Quick Delete of a Station
1. Press <button 11> to enter "Delete" mode.
2. Press <button 13a> or <button 13b> to select a
station name. Press <button 16> or <button 14>
to select a frequency.
3. Press <button 11> or <button 17> to confirm
the deletion.
Edit FREQ.TXT File
On your computer, open the FREQ.TXT file from
the CD or from the MP3 unit (if it is attached to the
computer). Read the last few lines in the file
before making any changes. DO NOT CHANGE
THE FILE NAME. If you open the file from the CD,
you will need to save it to your computer or to the
MP3 unit. Refer to Page 29 for more information.
After saving the FREQ.TXT file to the MP3 player,
use the Radio's "Import" feature to send data to
the Radio's memory.
Active Amplifier/iPod Speaker function
There is an audio lin-in jack on the Radio, so you
can use it as a speaker for an iPod, MP3 player,
or a portable CD player.
1. Press "Play" on the external player you wish to
use, the turn the Radio ON.
2. Connect the external player to the Radio using
the included stereo-mini to stereo-mini cable.
NOTE: This feature only works in "Radio" mode.

Page Seventeen:
USING THE RADIO WITHOUT THE MP3 UNIT
Use the Radio Only:
1. When using the Radio only, watch the small
LCD.
2. Remove the MP3 unit from the Radio and install
batteries in the Radio only.
Charging the battery
In the "Power OFF" mode, press <button 11> to
charge the Radio battery. Press button 6 to exit
"Charge" mode.
Turn the Radio ON / OFF
When the Radio is OFF, press <button 4> to turn
the Radio ON. When the Radio is ON, press
<button 4> to turn the Radio OFF.
Search for Stations
1. When the Radio is on, press <button 17> to
select the manner of search (Station Name or
Step).
2. In "Step" search, press <button 13a> or <button
13b> to search for stations. Press <button 16> for
FM, <button 15> for AM, <button 14> for SW.
3. When searching by Station Name, press
<button 13a> or <button 13b> to select the
frequency, then press <button 10> to check the
related station and frequency.
Saving the Frequency
Select the frequency you want, then press <button
9>, followed by the two-digit address. The
frequency will be saved in the two-digit address.
Deleting a Frequency
Select a station, then press <button 11> to show the
station number and press <button 11> to delete the
frequency.
NOTE: In "Radio Only" mode, all operations on
frequency are limited to the first frequency only.