Radio Shack Compact Deluxe CB Walkie-Talkie User manual

Owner’s Manual Please read before using this equipment.
Compact Deluxe
CB Walkie-Talkie
with Digital Weather Alert
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2
ˆ
Contents
Features ........................................................................................................... 4
A Look at Your Walkie-Talkie .......................................................................... 6
Preparation ...................................................................................................... 7
Powering the Walkie-Talkie ........................................................................ 7
Using the Ni-MH Battery Pack ............................................................ 7
Using the AA Battery Case ................................................................. 8
Using AC Power .................................................................................. 9
Using Vehicle Battery Power ............................................................... 9
Connecting an Antenna ........................................................................... 10
Connecting an Optional Antenna ...................................................... 10
Connecting an External Speaker ............................................................. 11
Connecting an External Speaker/Microphone .......................................... 11
Operation ....................................................................................................... 12
Receiving Transmissions and Adjusting Squelch .................................... 12
Transmitting ............................................................................................. 12
Turning the Back Light On/Off .................................................................. 13
Turning the Key Tone On/Off .................................................................... 13
Using the Key Lock .................................................................................. 13
Using Channel 9/19 .................................................................................. 13
Scanning the Channels ............................................................................ 14
Power Save .............................................................................................. 14
Listening to the Weather Band ................................................................. 14
Listening to a Weather Channel ........................................................ 14
Turning Digital Weather Alert On/Off ................................................ 14
Understanding Digital Weather Alert ................................................. 15
Operational Hints .......................................................................................... 16
Common Uses For a CB .......................................................................... 16
Business Uses .................................................................................. 16
Personal Uses .................................................................................. 16
Transmission Courtesy ............................................................................ 16
Maximum Range ...................................................................................... 17
Using Common10-Codes ......................................................................... 17
Care ................................................................................................................ 18
Specifications ................................................................................................ 19
©2000 RadioShack Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
RadioShack, RadioShack.com, and Adaptaplug are trademarks used by RadioShack Corporation.
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3
ˆ
The FCC Wants You to Know
The Federal Communications Com-
mission (FCC) does not require you
to have a license to operate this CB.
However, the FCC does require that
you read and know Part 95 of
FCC
Rules
. These rules apply to the oper-
ation of a Class D CB. We have pro-
vided a copy of these regulations with
your CB.
Warning: Do not open your CB to
make any internal adjustments. Any
internal adjustments can be made
only by an authorized service techni-
cian.
Unauthorized internal adjustments
and/or modifications can lead to ille-
gal operation as defined by Part 95 of
FCC Rules
. Such illegal operation
can lead to very serious consequenc-
es.
Your CB might cause TV or radio in-
terference even when it is operating
properly. To determine whether your
CB is causing the interference, turn
off your CB. If the interference goes
away, your CB is causing it. Try to
eliminate the interference by either
moving your CB away from the re-
ceiver or contacting your local Ra-
dioShack store for help. If you cannot
eliminate the interference, the FCC
requires that you stop using your CB.
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4Features
ˆ
Features
Your RadioShack Compact Deluxe
CB Walkie-Talkie is a high perfor-
mance CB transceiver that also lets
you tune into local weather service
broadcasts, letting you hear local
weather conditions and forecasts
wherever you travel. This walkie-talk-
ie is perfect for recreational, busi-
ness, or emergency use. You can call
other people who have CBs at home,
in their vehicles, or at camp sites. You
can also connect optional equipment
to your walkie-talkie, such as external
speakers, or a DC power supply and
base station antenna to set up a base
station in your home.
Your walkie-talkie has the following
features.
Seven Weather Channels — let you
select and hear your local National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration (NOAA) weather broadcasts.
Digital Weather Alert— uses Specif-
ic Area Message Encoding (SAME)
digital information to determine and
display the level of weather events
(does not limit alerts to a specific ar-
ea).
Supplied Ni-MH Rechargeable Bat-
tery and Battery Charger — pro-
vides plenty of power for your walkie-
talkie.
40 CB Channels, Full Legal Power
— lets you use the full range of CB
channels with the full legal power al-
lowed for a handheld CB.
No License Required — you can
use your walkie-talkie without fees,
age restrictions, or licensing require-
ments.
Flexible Antenna with BNC Con-
nector — provides adequate recep-
tion in strong signal areas and is
designed to help prevent antenna
breakage. Or, you can connect an ex-
ternal antenna for better reception.
Instant Channel 9/19 Switching —
lets you quickly tune to emergency
channel 9 or channel 19, making it
easy to report or monitor emergency
situations.
Scan — lets you quickly search all
CB and weather frequencies, so you
can quickly find transmissions in or
about your area.
High/Low Power Button — lets you
save power by selecting a suitable
transmitting power for long or short
distances.
Supplied AA Battery Case — lets
you use inexpensive AA batteries to
power your walkie-talkie.
Four Power Options — let you pow-
er the walkie-talkie using the supplied
Ni-MH battery pack or AA battery
case, external AC power using an op-
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5
Features
tional DC power supply, or DC power using an optional DC cigarette-lighter pow-
er cable.
Your walkie-talkie receives and transmits on these CB channels.
In addition, your walkie-talkie can receive these weather service channels:
Channel Frequency
(MHz) Channel Frequency
(MHz) Channel Frequency
(MHz)
1 26.965 15 27.135 28 27.285
2 26.975 16 27.155 29 27.295
3 26.985 17 27.165 30 27.305
4 27.005 18 27.175 31 27.315
5 27.015 19 27.185 32 27.325
6 27.025 20 27.205 33 27.335
7 27.035 21 27.215 34 27.345
8 27.055 22 27.225 35 27.355
9 27.065 23 27.255 36 27.365
10 27.075 24 27.235 37 27.375
11 27.085 25 27.245 38 27.385
12 27.105 26 27.265 39 27.395
13 27.115 27 27.275 40 27.405
14 27.125
Channel Frequency
(MHz) Channel Frequency
(MHz) Channel Frequency
(MHz)
1 162.400 4 162.475 7 162.550
2 162.425 5 162.500
3 162.450 6 162.525
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6A Look at Your Walkie-Talkie
ˆ
A Look at Your Walkie-Talkie
SQUELCH OFF/VOLUME
PTT
H/L / BEEP
LIGHT
ALERT OFF / LOCK
CB/WX
CH9/19 / SCAN
MIC (Microphone)
Using the Wrist Strap
To attach the supplied wrist strap, thread
thestrap’ssmallloopthrough thewriststrap
hole at the right side of the walkie-talkie.
Then insert the longer loop through the
smaller loop and pull on the strap until the
loop is tight.
Using the Belt Clip
To remove the belt clip, pull the tab on the
back of the walkie-talkie and slide the belt-
clip down.
To reattach the belt clip, slide it up until it
locks into place.
Tab
(Push-to-Talk)
Charging Ni-MH
Jack
CHARGE
Indicator
12V DC Adapter Jack
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7
Preparation
ˆ
Preparation
POWERING THE
WALKIE-TALKIE
You can power your walkie-talkie
from any of these sources:
• supplied rechargeable Ni-MH
(nickel-metal-hydride) battery
pack
• eight AA batteries (not supplied)
using the supplied AA battery
case
• vehicle power using an optional
DC power cord
• standard AC power using an
optional DC power supply
Note: If you attach the supplied AA
battery case to the walkie-talkie, you
can operate the walkie-talkie and re-
charge the Ni-MH battery pack at the
same time. See “Using the Ni-MH
Battery Pack” below and “Using the
AA Battery Case” on Page 8.
Using the Ni-MH
Battery Pack
You can use the supplied Ni-MH
battery pack to power the walkie-
talkie. You must charge the Ni-MH
battery pack (using the supplied bat-
tery charger) for about 18 hours the
first time you use it. It takes about 14–
16 hours to recharge a Ni-MH battery
pack that is fully discharged. You can
charge the Ni-MH battery pack while
it is installed or removed.
Cautions:
You must use a Class 2
power source that sup-
plies 16V DC and de-
livers at least 200 mA. Its center
tip must be set to positive and its
plug must fit the walkie-talkie’s
CHG jack. The supplied battery
charger meets these specifica-
tions. Using a battery charger
that does not meet these specifi-
cations could damage the walkie-
talkie or the battery charger.
• Always connect the battery
charger to the Ni-MH battery
pack before you connect it to AC
power. When you finish, discon-
nect the battery charger from AC
power before you disconnect it
from the Ni-MH battery pack.
• Use only the supplied battery
charger to recharge the Ni-MH
battery pack. Other battery
chargers might damage your
walkie-talkie or the Ni-MH battery
pack.
1. If the walkie-talkie is on, turn
OFF/VOLUME fully counterclock-
wise until it clicks to turn it off.
!
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8Preparation
2. Connect the supplied battery
charger’s barrel plug to the CHG
jack on the side of the Ni-MH bat-
tery pack, then insert the battery
charger’s plug into a standard
AC outlet.
3. To install the Ni-MH battery pack,
slide it onto the walkie-talkie until
it clicks.
Caution: The battery pack fits
onto the walkie-talkie only one
way. Do not force it.
To remove the Ni-
MH battery pack,
slide the case in
the direction of the
arrow as shown
here while holding
up the latch on the
side of the walkie-
talkie.
Notes:
• The Ni-MH battery pack will last
longer and deliver more power if
you occasionally let it fully dis-
charge. To do this, simply use the
walkie-talkie until it no longer
transmits or receives.
• Do not charge the Ni-MH battery
pack at temperatures below 14°F
(–10°C) or above 131°F (55°C).
• Do not overcharge the Ni-MH
battery pack. Overcharging can
severely reduce its useful life.
Using the AA Battery Case
Your walkie-talkie can use eight AA
batteries (not supplied), installed in
the supplied battery case, for power.
For the best performance and longest
life, we recommend RadioShack alka-
line batteries.
Cautions:
• Use only fresh batteries of the
required size and recommended
type.
• Do not mix old and new batteries,
different types of batteries (stan-
dard, alkaline, or rechargeable),
or rechargeable batteries of dif-
ferent capacities.
1. If the walkie-talkie is on, turn
OFF/VOLUME fully counterclock-
wise until it clicks to turn it off.
2. If the battery case is attached to
the walkie-talkie, slide the case
in the direction of the arrow while
holding up the latch on the side
of the walkie-talkie.
3. Pull the halves of the battery
case apart to open it.
4. Place the
batteries
inside
both
halves of
the bat-
tery case,
as indicated by the polarity sym-
bols (+ and –) marked inside.
Latch
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9
Preparation
5. Snap the halves of the battery
case together to close it, then
slide the case onto the walkie-
talkie until it clicks.
Caution: The battery case fits
onto the walkie-talkie only one
way. Do not force it.
When the sound becomes weak or
distorted, appears, or the walkie-
talkie stops operating properly, re-
place the batteries.
Warning: Dispose of old batteries
promptly and properly. Do not burn or
bury them.
Caution: If you do not plan to use the
walkie-talkie with batteries for two
weeks or longer, remove the batter-
ies. Batteries can leak chemicals that
can destroy electronic parts.
Using AC Power
You can power the walkie-talkie using
an optional DC power cord that pro-
vides 12V at 2.5 amps and a regulat-
ed 12V DC power supply, (neither
supplied). Both are available from
your local RadioShack store.
Cautions:
You must use a Class 2
power source that sup-
plies regulated 13.8V
DC and delivers at least 2.5A. Its
center tip must be set to positive
and its plug must fit the walkie-
talkie’s 12V DC PWR jack. Using a
power cord that does not meet
these specifications could dam-
age the walkie-talkie or the
adapter.
• Always connect the power supply
to the walkie-talkie before you
connect it to AC power. When
you finish, disconnect the power
supply from AC power before
you disconnect it from the walkie-
talkie.
Follow these steps to operate the
walkie-talkie from AC power.
1. If the walkie-talkie is on, turn
OFF/VOLUME fully counterclock-
wise until it clicks to turn it off.
2. Insert the power cord’s barrel
plug into the walkie-talkie’s 12V
DC PWR jack.
3. Plug the power cord’s other end
into the DC power supply.
4. Plug the power supply’s cord into
a standard AC outlet.
Using Vehicle Battery Power
You can power the walkie-talkie from
a vehicle’s 12V power source (such
as a cigarette-lighter socket) using a
DC adapter and a size H Adapta-
plug™ connector (neither supplied).
Both are available from your local
RadioShack store.
!
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10 Preparation
Cautions:
You must use a regu-
lated Class 2 power
source that supplies
regulated 12V DC and delivers at
least 2.5A. Its center tip must be
set to positive and its plug must
fit the walkie-talkie’s 12V DC PWR
jack. Using a power cord that
does not meet these specifica-
tions could damage the walkie-
talkie or the adapter.
• Always connect the power supply
to the walkie-talkie before you
connect it to DC power. When
you finish, disconnect the power
supply from DC power before
you disconnect it from the walkie-
talkie.
Caution: You cannot use DC power
to recharge the supplied Ni-MH bat-
tery pack.
Follow these steps to operate the
walkie-talkie from DC power.
1. If the walkie-talkie is on, turn
OFF/VOLUME fully counterclock-
wise until it clicks to turn it off.
2. Insert the Adaptaplug into the
adapter so it reads TIP +, then
insert the barrel plug into the
walkie-talkie’s
12V DC PWR jack.
3. Plug the other end into your vehi-
cle’s 12V power source.
CONNECTING AN
ANTENNA
To attach the supplied flexible anten-
na to the connector on the top of your
walkie-talkie, align the slots around
the antenna’s connector with the tabs
on the walkie-talkie’s BNC connec-
tor. Then slide the antenna’s connec-
tor down over the walkie-talkie’s
connector and rotate the antenna
connector’s outer ring clockwise until
it locks into place.
Connecting an Optional
Antenna
The walkie-talkie’s BNC connector
makes it easy to connect a variety of
optional antennas, including an exter-
nal mobile antenna or outdoor base
station antenna. Your local
RadioShack store sells a wide selec-
tion of antennas.
Always use 50-ohm, RG-58, or RG-8,
coaxial cable to connect an outdoor
antenna. If the antenna is over 50 feet
from the walkie-talkie, use RG-8 low-
loss dielectric coaxial cable. If your
antenna’s cable does not have a BNC
connector, your local RadioShack
store carries a variety of BNC adapt-
ers.
Warning: When you install an out-
door 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,
!
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