Radio Shack TRC-499 User manual

Cat. No. 21-1599
OWNER’S MANUAL
40-Channel 2-Way CB Radio
Please read before using this equipment.
TRC-499
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2
INTRODUCTION
© 1995 Tandy Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
Radio Shack is a registered trademark used by Tandy Corporation.
Your Radio Shack TRC-499 40-
Channel 2-Way CB Radio is a high
performance CB with the maximum
allowable legal power and innovative
styling.
This CB is perfect for recreational,
business, 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 CB, such as an
external PA speaker, or a DC power
supply and base station antenna to
set up a base station in your home.
Your CB has these features:
PLL (Phase-Locked Loop) Fre-
quenc
y
S
y
nthesizer—provides reli-
able and exact tuning using a precise
frequency reference crystal.
Two Ceramic Filters—provide su-
perior selectivity and prevent adja-
cent-channel interference.
H
y
steresis Squelch Circuit—
compensates for fading signals and
eliminates signal chopping during re-
ception.
Automatic Noise Limitin
g
(ANL)
Circuit—reduces noise caused by
nearby electrical equipment such as
motors or automotive ignition sys-
tems.
DOWN/UP Channel Selector—
provides maximum convenience
when selecting channels.
LED Displa
y
— lets you easily see
the selected channel number.
Universal Mountin
g
Bracket—lets
you mount your CB securely in your
vehicle or on a table or shelf in your
home.
Note: To use this CB, you need a
mobile or base station antenna. Your
local Radio Shack store has a wide
variety of antennas. For more infor-
mation, see “Installing an Antenna.”
For your records, we urge you to
record your CB’s serial number inthe
space below. The serial number is on
the CB’s back panel.
Serial Number_________________
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3
FCC INFORMATION
The Federal Communications Com-
mission (FCC) does not require you
to have a license to operate this CB.
However, the FCC does require you
to 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.
Warnin
g
:Do not open your CB to
make any internal adjustments. Any
internal adjustments can be made
only by authorized service person-
nel.
Internal adjustments and/or modifi-
cations can lead to illegal operation
as defined by Part 95 of
FCC Rules
.
Such illegal operation can lead to
very serious consequences.
To be safe and sure:
• Never open your CB’s case.
• Never modify your CB.
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 iscausing the interfer-
ence. Try to eliminate the interfer-
ence by:
• Moving your CB away from the
receiver.
• Contacting your local Radio
Shack store for help.
If you cannot eliminate the interfer-
ence, the FCC requires that you stop
using your CB.
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CONTENTS
Installation ....................................................................................................... 5
Mounting the Microphone Holder ............................................................... 5
Connecting the Microphone........................................................................ 5
Mounting the TRC-499................................................................................ 5
Installing an Antenna.................................................................................. 6
Selecting an Antenna............................................................................6
Connecting an Antenna ....................................................................... 7
Using Vehicle Battery Power ...................................................................... 7
Using the CB as a Base Station................................................................. 7
Connecting an Optional External Speaker ................................................. 8
Operation ......................................................................................................... 9
Receiving Transmissions and Adjusting Squelch .......................................9
Transmitting ................................................................................................ 9
CB Operation Tips..................................................................................... 10
Common Uses for a CB Radio............................................................ 10
CB Courtesy.........................................................................................11
Maximum Range..................................................................................11
Using Common 10-Codes................................................................... 12
Troubleshootin
g
............................................................................................ 13
Reducing Noise ........................................................................................ 14
Maintenance .................................................................................................. 15
Replacing the Fuse ................................................................................... 16
Specifications ................................................................................................ 17
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INSTALLATION
MOUNTING THE
MICROPHONE HOLDER
Using a Phillips screwdriver and the
supplied small screws and small
metal washers, attach the supplied
microphone holder horizontally or
vertically to either side of the CB.
CONNECTING THE
MICROPHONE
1. Insert the microphone’s plug into
the microphone jack until it
clicks.
Caution:
The microphone’s plug
fits only one way into the micro-
phone jack. Do not force it.
2. Slide the microphone onto the
microphone holder.
To disconnect the microphone cable,
squeeze the bottom of the micro-
phone’s plug, then gently pull it out.
Caution: Never pull on the micro-
phone cable.
MOUNTING THE
TRC-499
The mostcommon mountinglocation
for this CB is under a vehicle’s dash-
board. However, if you use the TRC-
499 as a base station, you can place
it on a desk, shelf, or table (see “Us-
ing the CB as a Base Station”).
If you are mounting the CB in a vehi-
cle, choose a location where:
• You can easily reach the CB.
• Wires and cables will not inter-
fere with the vehicle’s pedals or
other moving parts.
• The CB is not directly in front of
heating vents.
• All wires and cables will reach
their connection points.
Cautions:
• The TRC-499 is designed to
work in a vehicle that has a 12-
volt DC, negative-ground electri-
cal system. Most vehicles have
this type of system. If you are
not sure about your vehicle,
check with your vehicle dealer.
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• If you use the TRC-499 in a
vehicle, mount it securely to
avoid damage to the CB or vehi-
cle during sudden starts or
stops.
Follow these steps to mount the CB
using the supplied hardware.
1. Using the mounting bracket as a
template, mark the positions for
the screw holes.
2. In each marked location, drill a
hole slightly smaller than the
supplied large screws.
Caution: Be careful not to drill
into anything behind the mount-
ing surface.
3. Using a Phillips screwdriver,
attach the mounting bracket to
the mounting surface with the
large screws and supplied lock
washers.
4. Attach the CB to the mounting
bracket using the rubber wash-
ers and mounting knobs.
INSTALLING AN
ANTENNA
Caution: To prevent damage to your
CB, you must connect an antenna to
the CB before you operate it.
Selecting an Antenna
When deciding on a mobile or base-
station antenna and its location, con-
sider these points:
• 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
(ignition systems, gauges, etc.).
• The antenna should be vertical
for the best performance.
Your local Radio Shack store sells a
variety of CB antennas for both mo-
bile and base-station use. Choose
the one that best meets your needs.
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Connecting an Antenna
Once you choose an antenna, follow
the mounting instructions supplied
with it. Then route the antenna cable
to the CB and connect the cable to
the ANTENNA jack on the back of the
CB.
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
vehicle’s engine compartment or
other areas that produce
extreme heat.
USING VEHICLE
BATTERY POWER
You can power this CB from your ve-
hicle’s battery or from standard AC
power with an optional DC power
supply. For information on using AC
power, see “Using the CB as a Base
Station.”
Follow these steps to power the CB
from your vehicle’s battery.
1. Connect the CB’s black wire to
your vehicle battery’s negative
(–) terminal or to a metal part of
the vehicle’s frame that is not
insulated from the frame by a
plastic part.
2. Connect the CB’s red wire, with
in-line fuse, to a source of volt-
age that turns on and off with the
ignition switch, such as a spare
accessory terminal in your vehi-
cle’s fuse box.
USING THE CB AS A
BASE STATION
Although this CB is designed for mo-
bile use, you can also use it as a
base station. To do so, you need the
following items.
• 12-volt DC power supply (such
as Cat. No. 22-120)
Caution: Most 12-volt DC power
supplies plug into a standard AC
outlet to produce DC power.
Before connecting your CB to a
12-volt DC power supply, read
and follow the instructions pro-
vided with the power supply.
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• Base station antenna (such as
Cat. No. 21-967)
• Coaxial antenna cable and con-
nectors
Note: Your local Radio Shack store
carries power supplies, antennas,
coaxial antenna cable, and connec-
tors.
Follow these steps to install the CB
as a base station.
1. Mount the base station antenna
as described in its owner’s man-
ual.
Warning: Use extreme caution
when you install or remove a
base station CB antenna. 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 com-
pany to remove the antenna. DO
NOT attempt to do so yourself.
2. Connect the antenna’s cable to
the ANTENNA jack on the back
of the CB.
3. Connect the CB’s black wire to
the DC power supply’s negative
(–) terminal.
4. Connect the CB’s red wire, with
in-line fuse, to the DC power
supply’s positive (+) terminal.
5. Plug the DC power supply into a
standard AC outlet.
CONNECTING AN
OPTIONAL EXTERNAL
SPEAKER
To make the CB easier to hear in
noisy environments, you can connect
it to an external CB speaker. Use an
8-ohm speaker capable of handling 3
to 5 watts of power (such as Radio
Shack Cat. No. 21-549). The speak-
er’s cable must have a1/8-inch plug.
Simply plug the speaker cable into
the CB’s EXT8 Ωjack.
Note: When you connect an external
speaker, the CB’s internal speaker
automatically disconnects.
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9
OPERATION
Before you start using your CB, you
should know how to use it effectively
and courteously. “CB Operation
Tips” contains information that will
help you use and enjoy your CB.
RECEIVING
TRANSMISSIONS AND
ADJUSTING SQUELCH
Caution: Do not attempt to use your
CB without first connecting an anten-
na to it.
1. Turn SQUELCH fully counter-
clockwise.
2. To turn on the CB, turn VOLUME
clockwise until you hear it click
and you hear a hissing sound.
The CB displays a channel num-
ber.
3. Turn SQUELCH clockwise until
the hissing sound stops.
Note: If the CB picks up
unwanted, partial, or very weak
transmissions, turn SQUELCH
clockwise to decrease the CB’s
sensitivity to these signals. If
you want to listen to a weak or
distant station, turn SQUELCH
counterclockwise.
4. Adjust
VOLUME to a comfortable
listening level.
5. Press DOWN to select lower
channels or UP to select higher
channels. The channel number
appears on the display.
Important! Channel 9 is
reserved for motorist assistance
and for reporting emergency
information about accidents,
hazardous road conditions, and
so on. Always give emergency
messages priority on Channel 9.
6. To turn off the TRC-499, turn
VOLUME counterclockwise until
you hear it click.
TRANSMITTING
Note: We recommend you try receiv-
ing transmissions before you trans-
mit.
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10
1. Follow Steps 1-5 under “Receiv-
ing Transmissions and Adjusting
Squelch.”
2. Hold the microphone 2 or 3
inches from your mouth. Then
press and hold down the micro-
phone talk button and speak into
the microphone in a normal
voice. The TX indicator turns on.
Note: Do not speak too loudly
when transmitting. It does not
make your signal any stronger,
and might distort your transmis-
sion.
3. When you finish transmitting,
release the microphone talk but-
ton. The TX indicator turns off.
You can now receive transmis-
sions.
4. To turn off the TRC-499, turn
VOLUME counterclockwise until
you hear it click.
CB OPERATION TIPS
Like most activities, CB radio has its
customs and courtesies. The follow-
ing tips will help you get the most en-
joyment from your CB.
Common Uses for a CB
Radio
Business Uses
• Truck drivers and delivery per-
sonnel can learn road and traffic
conditions and get assistance in
locating destinations. A CB is
also good company on those
“long hauls.”
• On construction crews, a CB
quickly pays for itself when you
are calling for additional materi-
als or coordinating the activities
of different work crews.
• For security officers, a CB is
more than a convenience –it is
a must for both safety and effi-
ciency.
Personal Uses
• Keep in touch with home while
driving 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, CBs are great for com-
municating 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
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