Radio Shack 21-1620 User manual

OWNER’S MANUAL Cat. No. 21-1620
TRC-235
2 Watt 3-Channel
CB Walkie-Talkie
Please read before using thisequipment.
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FEATURES
Your RadioShack TRC-235 2 Watt 3-
Channel CB Walkie-Talkie is a portable,
two-way radio you can carry almost any-
where. You can use your TRC-235
around the house, in your office, or in your
car or boat. You can also use it on fishing
and camping trips, or at your business for
supervisory, security, or warehouse per-
sonnel.
Your TRC-235 has the following features:
Factory-Installed Crystals — let you im-
mediately begin using your TRC-235 on
Channel 14.
Three-Channel Operation — comes with
Channel 14 crystals installed, but lets you
install optional crystals so you can oper-
ate the TRC-235 on any two of the other
39 available CB channels. (See “Adding
Crystals” on Page 24).
Built-In Modulation Limiter Circuit —
automatically adjusts to a variety of voice
levels to ensure a clear transmission.
Crystal-Controlled Circuitry — provides
accurate and stable channel selection.
Adjustable Squelch — helps to eliminate
noise between transmissions.
Telescoping Antenna — provides excel-
lent reception and transmission.
External Antenna Jack — lets you con-
nect an external antenna (not supplied) to
your TRC-235 for mobile or base-station
use, or to extend the TRC-235’s range.
Battery Test Button and Battery Indica-
tor — lets you check the batteries’ condi-
tion.
©1997 Tandy Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
RadioShack is a registered trademark
used by Tandy Corporation.
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Power/Charging Jack — lets you power
your TRC-235 from an AC or DC power
source,so you can use theTRC-235 with-
out draining the batteries. And, lets you
charge nickel-cadmium batteries without
removing them from the TRC-235.
Note: You need eight AA alkaline batter-
ies or ten nickel-cadmium rechargeable
batteries (not supplied) to power your
TRC-235.
FCC INFORMATION
The Federal Communications Commis-
sion (FCC) does not require you to have
a license to operate this walkie-talkie.
However, the FCC does require that you
read and know Part 95 of
FCC Rules .
These rules apply to the operation of a
Class D CB. We have provided a copy of
these regulations with your TRC-235.
Internal adjustments and/or modifications
can lead to illegal operation as defined by
Part95of
FCC Rules . Suchillegaloperation
can lead to very serious consequences.
To be safe and sure:
• Never open your TRC-235’s case
except to install or change crystals.
• Never modify your TRC-235.
We recommend you record the TRC-
235’s serial number here. The serial
number is located on the radio’s back
panel:
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Your TRC-235 might cause TV or radio
interference even when it is operating
properly. To determine whether your
TRC-235 is causing the interference, turn
off your TRC-235. If the interference goes
away, your TRC-235 is causing it. Try to
eliminate the interference by:
• Moving your TRC-235 away from the
TV or radio
• Contacting your local RadioShack
store for help
Warning: Do not open your TRC-235 to
make any internal adjustments other than
installing or changing crystals. Any inter-
nal adjustments should be made only by
authorized service personnel.
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CONTENTS
Powering the CB ................................ 6
Using the POWER Jack and
ALKALINE/NI-CD Switch................... 6
Using Batteries ................................. 7
Testing the Battery Power .......... 10
Recharging Nickel-Cadmium
Batteries ..................................... 10
Using Vehicle Battery Power........... 12
Using AC Power ............................. 13
External Antenna .............................. 15
Operation .......................................... 17
Receiving Transmissions and
Adjusting Squelch .......................... 17
Transmitting .................................... 19
CB Operation Tips ........................... 20
Common Uses for a CB Radio ....... 20
Business Uses ........................... 20
Personal Uses ........................... 20
Using Common 10-Codes .............. 21
CB Courtesy ................................... 23
Maximum Range ............................ 23
Adding Crystals ............................... 24
Troubleshooting ............................... 28
Maintenance ..................................... 29
Specifications .................................. 30
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POWERING THE CB
You can power yourTRC-235 from any of
these sources:
• Eight AA alkaline batteries (not sup-
plied) with two dummy batteries
(supplied)
• Ten rechargeable AA nickel-
cadmium batteries (not supplied)
• 12-volt vehicle battery power using a
fused power cord (not supplied)
• Standard AC power using a power
supply (not supplied)
USING THE POWER JACK
AND ALKALINE/NI-CD
SWITCH
The POWER jack lets you connect an ex-
ternal power source (such as your vehi-
cle’s battery power or AC power) to power
the TRC-235, or connect a battery charg-
er to charge nickel-cadmium batteries
while they are in the TRC-235.
The TRC-235 also has a slide switch (AL-
KALINE/NI–CD) inside the battery com-
partment which you must set correctly,
depending on what power source you are
using and whether or not you want to
charge rechargeable batteries while they
are in the TRC-235.
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•SetittoALKALINE before you con-
nect an external power source (vehi-
cle battery power or AC adapter) to
the POWER jack or while you are us-
ing internal batteries (alkaline or re-
chargeable).
•SetittoNI–CD
only when you are
connecting a battery charger in order
to charge the installed rechargeable
batteries. Be sure you set it to NI–CD
before you connect a battery charger
to the POWER jack.
Warning: To avoid injuring yourself or
damaging the TRC-235, connect a bat-
tery charger to the POWER jack
only
when nickel-cadmium batteries are in-
stalled (see “Recharging Nickel-Cadmium
Batteries” on Page 10). Never try to re-
charge non-rechargeable batteries. They
could get very hot and explode.
Note: You can connect an external pow-
er source regardless of the type of batter-
ies you installed.
USING BATTERIES
You can power the TRC-235 from eight
AA alkaline batteries (such as Ra-
dioShack Cat. No. 23-552) with the two
supplied dummy batteries, or ten re-
chargeable AA nickel-cadmium batteries
(such as Cat. No. 23-125).
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Cautions:
• Always use fresh, or freshly charged,
batteries of the required size and
type.
• Do not mix old and new batteries,
different types of batteries (stan-
dard, alkaline, or rechargeable
nickel-cadmium), or rechargeable
batteries of different capacities.
Follow these steps to install the batteries.
1. If the TRC-235 is on, turn OFF/VOLUME
fully counterclockwise until it clicks to
turn it off.
2. Slide the strap on the back of the
TRC-235 through the buckle and the
battery compartment cover to re-
move it.
3. Slide the battery compartment cover
in the direction of the arrow to
remove it.
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4. Be sure ALKALINE/NI–CD inside the
battery compartment is set to ALKA-
LINE.
5. Put eight AA alkaline batteries and
the two supplied dummy batteries, or
ten AA nickel-cadmium batteries into
the battery compartment, as indi-
cated by the polarity symbols (+ and
–) marked inside.
Note: Before you use the TRC-235
with nickel-cadmium batteries, you
need to charge the batteries (see
“Recharging Nickel-Cadmium Batter-
ies” on Page 10).
6. Replace the battery compartment
cover and the strap on the back of
the TRC-235.
Cautions:
• If you will not be using the TRC-235
from battery power for several
months, remove the batteries.
• Dispose of old batteries promptly
and properly.
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Testing the Battery Power
1. Turn on the TRC-235 by rotating
OFF/VOLUME clockwise until it clicks.
2. Hold down BATT TEST. If the indica-
tor lights, there is enough battery
power to operate the CB. If the indi-
cator is dim or does not light, replace
or recharge the batteries.
Recharging Nickel-Cadmium
Batteries
You can use a battery charger, such as
Cat. No. 23-249 (not supplied), to charge
or recharge nickel-cadmium batteries
while they are inside the TRC-235’s bat-
tery compartment.
Do not use the TRC-235 while you are
charging the nickel-cadmium batteries.
Cautions:
• Use only the recommended battery
charger to recharge the batteries in
the TRC-235. Other chargers could
damage your TRC-235 or the batter-
ies.
• Be careful not to overcharge nickel-
cadmium batteries.
• To prevent damage to rechargeable
nickel-cadmium batteries, never
charge them in an area where the
temperature is above 90°F (32°C) or
below 40°F (4.5°C).
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Follow these steps to charge nickel-
cadmium batteries in the TRC-235.
1. If the TRC-235 is on, turn OFF/VOLUME
fully counterclockwise until it clicks to
turn it off.
2. Set ALKALINE/NI–CD inside the bat-
tery compartment to NI–CD (see “Us-
ing the Power Jack and Alkaline/NI-
CD Switch” on Page 6).
3. Connect the battery charger’s barrel
plug to the POWER jack on the side
of the TRC-235, then plug the bat-
tery charger’s plug into a standard
AC outlet.
It takes about 20 hours to charge
new or fully discharged nickel-
cadmium batteries. Subsequent
charges take about 14 to 16 hours.
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4. When charging is complete, unplug
the battery charger’s plug from the
AC outlet. Then, disconnect the bat-
tery charger’s barrel plug from the
POWER jack.
Note: You can use an external charger
(such as Cat. No. 23-134, not sup-
plied) to recharge the nickel-cadmium
batteries. After removing the batteries
from the TRC-235, follow the instructions
that come with the external charger.
Important: Your TRC-235 is capable of
using nickel-cadmium batteries. At the end
of the batteries’ useful life, they must be re-
cycled or disposed of properly. Contact
your local, county, or state hazardous
waste management authorities for informa-
tion on recycling or disposal programs in
your area. Some options that might be
available are: municipal curbside collec-
tion, drop-off boxes at retailers such as
your local RadioShack store, recycling col-
lection centers, and mail-back programs.
USING VEHICLE BATTERY
POWER
You can power your TRC-235 from your
vehicle’s cigarette-lighter socket with an
optional 12-volt DC fused power cord
(such as Cat. No. 270-1533).
• You must use a DC fused cord that
supplies 12 volts and delivers at
least 1000 milliamps of vehicle
power. Its center tip must be set to
positive, and its plug must correctly
fit the TRC-235’s POWER jack. The
recommended fused cord meets
these specifications. Using a fused
cord that does not meet these speci-
fications could damage the TRC-235
or the fused cord.
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• When you finish using the TRC-235,
unplug the fused cord from the ciga-
rette-lighter socket before you dis-
connect it from your TRC-235.
1. If the TRC-235 is on, turn OFF/VOL-
UME fully counterclockwise until it
clicks to turn it off.
2. Be sure ALKALINE/NI–CD inside the
battery compartment is set to ALKA-
LINE.
3. Insert the power cord’s 5.5 mm outer
diameter/2.1 mm inner diameter bar-
rel plug into the POWER jack.
4. Plug the power cord’s other end into
your vehicle’s cigarette-lighter sock-
et.
Note: If the TRC-235 does not oper-
ate when you use the DC power
cord, unplug the cord from the ciga-
rette-lighter socket and clean any
ashes or debris from the socket. If
your TRC-235 still does not work,
check the fuse in the DC power cord
and replace it if necessary.
USING AC POWER
You can power your TRC-235 from stan-
dard AC power using an optional 12-volt
AC adapter that provides 1 amp, such as
RadioShack Cat. No. 273-1653.
Cautions:
• The adapter must be able to deliver
12 volts and at least 1 amp, its cen-
ter tip must be set to positive, and
the barrel plug must correctly fit the
TRC-235’s POWER jack. The recom-
mended adapter meets these speci-
fications. Using an adapter that does
not meet these specifications could
damage the TRC-235 or the adapter.
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• To help prevent an electrical short,
unplug the adapter from the AC out-
let before you unplug the adapter
from the TRC-235.
Follow these steps to connect the TRC-
235 to AC power.
1. Connect the adapter’s 5.5 mm outer
diameter/2.1 mm inner diameter bar-
rel plug to the adapter’s cord, setting
TIP to + (positive)
2. Be sure ALKALINE/NI–CD inside the
battery compartment is set to ALKA-
LINE.
3. Connect the adapter’s barrel plug to
the TRC-235’s POWER jack.
4. Plug the other end of the adapter into
a standard AC outlet.
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EXTERNAL ANTENNA
Your walkie-talkie comes with a telescop-
ing antenna that is ideal for most applica-
tions. However, the walkie-talkie’s EXT
ANTENNA jack makes it easy to connect
other types of antennas, too. For mobile
or base station use, you might want to
connect an optional external antenna.
Your local RadioShack store carries a
wide selection of external mobile or out-
door base-station antennas. Choose the
one that best meets your needs.
When deciding on a mobile or base-
station antenna and its location, consider
the following:
• The location of the antenna should
be as high as possible.
• The antenna and antenna cable
should be as far as possible from
sources of electrical noise (appli-
ances, other radios, and so on).
• The antenna should be vertical for
the best performance.
Notes:
• When connecting an optional an-
tenna, always use 50-ohm coaxial
cable, such as RG-58 or RG-8. For
lengths over 50 feet, use RG-8 low-
loss dielectric coaxial cable. If the
coaxial cable’s connector does not fit
into the EXT ANTENNA jack, you might
also need a PL-259-to-phono
antenna plug adapter, such as Cat.
No. 278-208. Your local RadioShack
store carries a wide variety of coaxial
antenna cable and connectors.
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• For the best performance when you
use an external antenna, do not
extend the TRC-235’s telescoping
antenna.
Follow the installation instructions sup-
plied with the antenna, route the antenna
cable to the TRC-235, then connect it to
the EXT ANTENNA jack.
Cautions:
• Do not run the cable over sharp
edges or moving parts.
• Do not run the cable next to power
cables or other CB antenna cables.
• Do not run the cable through a vehi-
cle’s engine compartment or other
areas that produce extreme heat.
• Follow all cautions and warnings
included with the antenna.
Warning: When installing or removing a
base station CB antenna, use extreme
caution. If the antenna starts to fall, let it
go! It could contact overhead power lines.
If the antenna touches the power line,
contact with the antenna, mast, cable or
guy wires can cause electrocution and
death! Call the power company to remove
the antenna. DO NOT attempt to do so
yourself.
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OPERATION
Before you use your TRC-235, we recom-
mend you read “CB Operation Tips” on
Page 20, which contains information to
help you use it effectively and courteously.
RECEIVING
TRANSMISSIONS AND
ADJUSTING SQUELCH
1. If you did not con-
nect an external
antenna, fully ex-
tend the TRC-
235’s telescoping
antenna and hold
the TRC-235 so
the antenna is ver-
tical.
Caution: Unless an external an-
tenna is attached, you should fully
extend the antenna for maximum
efficiency.
2. Set
CHANNEL to A, B, or C.
Note: Your TRC-235 comes with
Channel 14 crystals installed in
channel position A. To use other
channels, you must first install crys-
tals in channel positions B and C
inside the TRC-235 (see “Adding
Crystals” on Page 24).
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3. Turn on the TRC-235 by turning OFF/
VOLUME clockwise until you hear a
click and a hissing sound.
Note: You might not hear a hissing
sound if CHANNEL is set to Bor C
and you haven’t installed any crys-
tals in channel positions B or C.
4. Adjust OFF/VOLUME to a comfortable
listening level.
5. Adjust SQUELCH to cut out the back-
ground noise. To do this, wait until
there is no signal on the channel.
Then slowly turn SQUELCH clock-
wise until the background noise
stops.
Note: Do not turn SQUELCH too far
clockwise because you might also
cut out weak signals.
6. To turn off the TRC-235, turn OFF/
VOLUME toward OFF until it clicks.
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TRANSMITTING
1. Follow Steps 1–5 in “Receiving
Transmissions and Adjusting
Squelch” on Page 17.
2. Hold the TRC-235 2 to 3 inches from
your mouth. Hold down PUSH TO
TALK on the side of the TRC-235
and speak in a normal voice into the
microphone.
When you finish speaking, release
the button.
Note: Do not speak too loudly when
transmitting. It does not make your
signal any stronger, and might distort
your transmission.
Important: Channel 9 is reserved for
motorist assistance and for reporting
emergency information about acci-
dents, hazardous road conditions,
and so on. If you have installed the
necessary crystals in your TRC-235
and you are using Channel 9, always
give emergency messages priority.
3. To turn off the TRC-235, turn OFF/
VOLUME toward OFF until it clicks.
Microphone
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CB OPERATION TIPS
The following tips will help you get the
most enjoyment from your TRC-235.
COMMON USES FOR A CB
RADIO
Business Uses
• Truck drivers and delivery personnel
can learn road and traffic conditions
and get assistance in locating desti-
nations. A walkie-talkie is also good
company on those “long hauls.”
• On construction crews, a walkie-
talkie quickly pays for itself when you
are calling for additional materials or
coordinating the activities of differ-
ent work crews.
• For security officers, a walkie-talkie
is more than a convenience — it is a
must for both safety and efficiency.
Personal Uses
• Keep in touch with home while driv-
ing to work, to the store, or to a
social activity. Let your family know
you are tied up in traffic or that you
will stop by the store on the way
home.
• If you are a two-car (or more) family,
walkie-talkies are great for communi-
cating with family members while
they are in their cars.
• Contact friends or neighbors — find
out “what’s happening” or plan a get-
together.
• Ever have car trouble or run out of
gas on the highway? What an assur-
ance it is to be able to radio for assis-
tance.
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