Roberts Gemini 59 RD-59 User manual

FM RDS / DAB digital radio
Please read this manual before use
ROBERTS
Sound for Generations
RD-59

Controls ........................................................................... 2-3
Battery operation .................................................................4
Lock switch..........................................................................4
Using the AC adaptor ..........................................................5
Operating your radio - DAB .................................................6
Selecting a station - DAB ....................................................7
Secondary services - DAB ..................................................7
Display modes - DAB ..........................................................8
Finding new stations - DAB .................................................9
Manual tuning - DAB .........................................................10
Autoselect - DAB ...............................................................10
Dynamic range control - DAB............................................11
Operating your radio - FM .................................................12
Manual tuning - FM ...........................................................13
Display modes - FM...........................................................14
Presetting stations - DAB and FM .....................................15
Recalling a preset - DAB and FM......................................15
Stereo / Mono setting - FM................................................16
Scan sensitivity setting - FM..............................................17
Software version................................................................18
System reset .....................................................................18
Contents
Headphone socket ............................................................19
Display backlight ...............................................................19
General..............................................................................20
Specifications ....................................................................20
Circuit features ..................................................................20
Guarantee ............................................................back page
1

If you need any further advice, please call our Technical Helpline on :-
020 8758 0338 (Mon-Fri) 2
Controls
1. Speaker
2. Band button
3. Auto Tune button
4. Info button
(Front)
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11
9. Battery Low indicator
10. Tuning Up / Down buttons
11. Select button
12. Preset buttons
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9
356
5. Volume Down button
6. Volume Up button
7. On / Off button
8. Lock switch
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Controls
13. Battery compartment
14. Telescopic aerial
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13
15. Headphone socket
16. DC jack socket
(Back)
16

If you need any further advice, please call our Technical Helpline on :-
020 8758 0338 (Mon-Fri) 4
Battery operation
1. Remove the battery cover on the back of the unit by sliding the cover
in the direction of the arrow as shown on the diagram.
2. Insert four LR6 (AA size) alkaline batteries into the spaces in the
compartment. Take care to ensure all batteries are inserted with the
correct polarity as shown next to the battery compartment.
• The low battery indicator, short running time, reduced power, distortion
and a ‘stuttering’ sound are all signs that the batteries may need
replacing.
• Note: If the radio is not to be used for any extended period of time it
is recommended that the batteries are removed from the radio. The
radio is designed to automatically switch off as the batteries become
exhausted. This protects rechargeable batteries from damage caused
by excessive discharge.
• We would recommend for economy that the RD-59 is powered via the
AC adaptor whenever possible with battery operation for occasional or
stand-by use only. If extended listening using batteries is anticipated,
then the use of NiMH rechargeable batteries is recommended.
Lock switch
The Lock switch is used to prevent unintentional operation of your radio.
1. Set the Lock switch located on the side of your radio to the 'Lock'
position . The power and all other buttons will be disabled,
this will prevent accidental operation when your radio is packed in a
suitcase or travel bag.
2. To release the lock,slide the Lock switch down to the 'Unlock'
position .
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5
Using the AC adaptor
Your radio is supplied with a Mains Adaptor.
1. Place your radio on a flat surface.
2. Insert the adaptor plug into the DC socket located on the left hand
side of your radio.
3. Plug the adaptor into a standard 13 amp mains socket outlet. Whenever
the adaptor is used, the batteries are automatically disconnected.
The AC adaptor should be disconnected from the mains supply and
the radio when not in use.
• IMPORTANT: The mains adaptor is used as the means of connecting
the radio to the mains supply. The mains socket used
for the radio must remain accessible during normal use. In order
to disconnect the radio from the mains completely, the mains
adaptor should be removed from the mains socket outlet
completely.

If you need any further advice, please call our Technical Helpline on :-
020 8758 0338 (Mon-Fri) 6
Operating your radio - DAB
1. Carefully extend the telescopic aerial.
2. Press the On/Off button to switch on your radio. The display will show
"ROBERTS" for a few seconds and then "Welcome to DAB".
3. If this is the first time the radio is used a quick scan of the UK Band III
DAB channels will be carried out. The display will show "Welcome to
DAB". If the radio has been used before the last used station will be
selected.
4. During the scanning process, as new stations are detected the station
counter on the right hand side of the display will increase and stations
will be added to the list. The lower line of the display shows a bar-graph
indicating progress of autotune.
5. When the scanning is completed the first station (in numeric-alpha
order 0...9...A....Z) will be selected.
6. If the station list is still empty after the scan your radio will display "No
stations available".
7. If no signals are found it may be necessary to relocate your radio to
a position giving better reception.
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Selecting a station - DAB
1. The top line of the display shows the name of the station currently
selected.
2. Press the Tuning Up/Down buttons to scroll through the list of
available stations.
3. Press and release the Select button to select the station. The display
may show "Now tuning..." while your radio finds the new station.
4. Adjust the Volume buttons to the required setting.
Note: If after selecting a station the display shows "Not Available" it
may be necessary to relocate your radio to a position giving better
reception.
The use of the station presets for selecting radio stations is described
on page 15.
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4
Secondary services - DAB
1. Certain radio stations have one or more secondary services associated
with them. If a station has a secondary service associated with it the
display will show ">>" next to the station name on the station list. The
secondary service will then appear immediately after the primary
service as you press the Tuning Up button.
2. Press the Select control to select the station.
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2

If you need any further advice, please call our Technical Helpline on :-
020 8758 0338 (Mon-Fri) 8
Display modes - DAB
Your radio has seven display modes:-
1. Press the Info button to cycle through the various modes.
a. Scrolling text Displays scrolling text messages such as
artist/track name, phone in number etc.
b. Program Type Displays the type of station being listened
to e.g. Pop, Classic, News etc.
c. Multiplex Name Displays the name of DAB multiplex to
which the current station belongs.
d. Time and date Displays the current the time and date.
e. Frequency Displays the frequency of the DAB
multiplex for the station listened to.
f. Bit rate & audio type Displays the digital bit rate & audio type
for the station being listened to.
g. Signal Strength Displays a graph showing the signal
strength for the station being received.
a
b
c
d
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e
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Finding new stations - DAB
As time passes new stations may become available. To find new stations
proceed as follows:-
1. Press and release the Auto Tune button. The display will show "Fast
Scanning". Your radio will perform a scan of the UK DAB frequencies.
As new stations are found the station counter on the right-hand side
of the display will increase and stations will be added to the list.
2. To carry out a full scan of the entire DAB Band III frequencies press
and hold down the Auto Tune button for more than 2 seconds and
then release. As new stations are found the station counter on the
right-hand side of the display will increase and stations will be added
to the list.
2

If you need any further advice, please call our Technical Helpline on :-
020 8758 0338 (Mon-Fri) 10
Manual Tuning - DAB
Manual tuning allows you to tune directly to the various DAB Band III
channels. UK DAB stations are located in the range 11B to 12D.
1. Press and hold the Select button until the display shows "Manual
tune". Release the Select button.
2. Press either of the Tuning Up/Down buttons to select the required
DAB channel.
3. Press and release the Select button to select the required DAB
channel. The clear unfilled rectangle indicates the minimum signal
level required for satisfactory reception. The signal strength bar will
go up and down showing the changing signal strength as you adjust
the telescopic aerial on your radio.
4. When a DAB signal is found, the display will show the name of the
DAB multiplex. Any new radio stations found will be added to the list
stored in the radio.
5. Press and release the Select button to return to normal tuning.
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Autoselect - DAB
As an alternative to pressing the Select button to select a station your
radio can be set so as to automatically select a station.
1. Press and release either the Tuning Up or Down buttons then im-
mediately press and hold down the Select button until the display
shows "Autoselect ON".
2. Press the Tuning buttons until the station you require is visible on
the display. After a few seconds your radio will automatically select
the station shown on the display.
3. To switch off autoselect press and release the Tuning Up or Down
buttons then immediately press and hold down the Select button
until the display shows "Autoselect Off".

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Dynamic Range Control settings - DAB
Dynamic Range Control (also known as DRC) can make quieter sounds
easier to hear when your radio is used in a noisy environment.
1. Press the On/Off button to switch on your radio.
2. Press and hold in the Info button. The display will show “Station
order.”
3. Press the Tuning Up/Down buttons until the display shows "DRC
value".
4. Press and release the Select button to enter adjustment mode.
5. Press the Tuning Up/Down buttons to select the required DRC setting
(the default is 0).
DRC 0 - DRC is switched off, Broadcast DRC will be ignored.
DRC 1/2 - DRC level is set to 1/2 that sent by broadcaster.
DRC 1 - DRC is set as sent by broadcaster.
6. Press and release the Select button to confirm the setting. The display
will return to normal tuning mode.
Note: Not all DAB broadcasts are able to use the DRC function. If the
broadcast does not support DRC, then the DRC setting in the radio will
have no effect.
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6

If you need any further advice, please call our Technical Helpline on :-
020 8758 0338 (Mon-Fri) 12
Operating your radio - FM
1. Carefully extend the telescopic aerial.
2. Press the On/Off button to switch on your radio. The display will show
"ROBERTS" for a few seconds.
3. Press the Band button to select the FM band.
4. Press and release the Select button until the display shows
"Auto tune <>".
5. Press the Tuning Up button. Your radio will scan from the currently
displayed frequency direction upwards and will stop scanning when
it finds a station of sufficient strength.
6. The display will show the frequency of the signal which has been
found. If RDS information is available, after a few seconds the display
will show the radio station name. The display will also show "St" and
"RDS" on the upper line if the station is received with stereo and RDS
information.
7. Press the Tuning Down button to scan the FM band in a downwards
direction (high frequency to low frequency).
8. When the end of the waveband is reached your radio will recommence
tuning from the opposite end of the waveband.
9. Adjust the Volume control to the required setting.
10. To switch off your radio press the On/Off button.
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Manual tuning - FM
1. Press the On/Off button to switch on your radio.
2. Press the Band button to select the FM band. Fully extend the
Telescopic aerial.
3. Press and release the Select button until the display shows "Manual
tune < >".
4. Press either the Tuning Up or Down buttons to tune to a station.
The frequency will change in steps of 50kHz. Pressing and holding
one of the buttons will advance the frequency selection several times
each second.
5. When the end of the waveband is reached the radio will recommence
tuning from the opposite end of the waveband.
6. Adjust the Volume control to the required setting.
7. To cancel the Manual Tune option, press and release the Select button
again so that the display shows "Auto tune < >".
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3
2
1
6

If you need any further advice, please call our Technical Helpline on :-
020 8758 0338 (Mon-Fri) 14
Display modes - FM
In FM mode the bottom line of the display can be set any of four display
options.
1. Press the Info button to cycle through the various options.
a. Radio text Displays scrolling text messages such
as artist/track name, phone in number
etc.
b. Program Type Displays the programme information for
the station being listened to
e.g. Pop, Classic, News, etc.
c. Time and date Displays the current time and date.
d. Frequency Displays the frequency of the station
being listened to.
Note: These FM mode information displays are only available when the
radio is able to receive RDS information from the broadcaster.
a
b
c
d
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Presetting stations - DAB and FM
There are 5 memory presets for each of the two wavebands.
1. Press the On/Off button to switch on your radio.
2. Tune to the required station as previously described.
3. Press and hold the required Preset button until the display shows, for
example, "Preset 1 saved". The station will be stored under the chosen
preset button. Repeat this procedure for the remaining presets.
4. Stations stored in the presets may be overwritten by following the
above procedure.
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Recalling a preset - DAB and FM
1. Press the On/Off button to switch on your radio.
2. Select the required waveband.
3. Momentarily press the required Preset button. Your radio will then
tune to the station stored in preset memory.
23

If you need any further advice, please call our Technical Helpline on :-
020 8758 0338 (Mon-Fri)
Stereo / Mono setting - FM
Your radio will play stereo broadcasts in stereo (via headphones) so long
as the received signal is of adequate strength. However, as a stereo
signal becomes weaker the audio signal will become poorer. It may be
preferable to force the radio to play the station in mono in order to reduce
the level of audio noise.
1. Press the On/Off button to switch on your radio.
2. Tune to the required FM radio station as previously described.
3. Press and hold the Info button until the display shows "Mono override"
on the lower line. The upper line will show "Override Off" if the radio
is in the Auto-Stereo mode.
4. Press the Select button to switch on the Mono-Override. While this
setting is engaged, the radio will play the current station in mono
whether listening via headphones or the loudspeaker.
Mono Overide is a temporary setting and is applied to the currently
tuned station only. It is cancelled automatically by tuning to another
radio station.
5. If you wish to cancel Mono-Overide while listening to the currently
tuned radio station, press and hold the Info button until the display
shows "Mono override" on the lower line. The upper line will show
"Override On" if the radio is in the Mono-Overide mode.
6. Press the Select button to switch off the Mono-Override. The radio
will play then play the current station in stereo through headphones
if the signal is sufficiently strong.
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Scan sensitivity setting - FM
Your radio will normally scan for FM broadcasts which are strong enough
to give good reception. However, you may wish the Auto-scan function
to also be able to find weaker signals, possibly from more distant radio
transmitters. Your radio includes a local / distant option for the Auto-scan
function.
1. Press the On/Off button to switch on your radio.
2. If needed, press the Band button to select the FM band.
3. Press and hold the Info button until the display shows "Mono override"
on the lower line.
4. Press and release the Tuning up or down buttons until the display
shows "FM Scan Zone" then press the Select button to enter the
scan zone selection menu.
5. Press the Tuning up or down buttons to switch between Local and
Distant options on the lower line of the display. The Distant option will
allow the radio to find weaker signals when scanning.
6. Press the Select button to confirm your selection. The radio will then
revert to the normal information display. The Local or Distant setting is
stored in the radio and remains in force until changed or until a System
Reset.
Note: The intial setting (out of the box, or after a System Reset) causes
the radio to ignore weak (distant) signals.
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4,6
1
2

If you need any further advice, please call our Technical Helpline on :-
020 8758 0338 (Mon-Fri)
System reset
If your radio fails to operate correctly, or some digits on the display are
missing or incomplete carry out the following procedure.
1. Press and hold down the Info button for 2 seconds
2. Repeatedly press the Tuning Up/Down buttons until the display
shows "Factory reset", then press the Select button.
3. If you wish to perform the reset operation, press the Select button
one more time. A full reset of your radio will be performed. All presets
and station lists will be erased.
4. After a system reset a scan of the DAB band will be performed.
In case of malfunction due to electrostatic discharge, reset the product
(reconnection of power source may be required) to resume normal
operation.
If a problem persists our technical staff would be pleased to offer
any assistance on operating the radio. Our technical helpline
number is 020 8758 0338.
Software version
The software display cannot be altered and is just for your reference.
1. To view the software version on the display press and hold the Info
button for 2 seconds.
2. Repeatedly press the Tuning Up/Down buttons until “SW Version”
together with the version number appears on the display.
3. After a few seconds the display will revert to the normal display
mode.
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Headphone socket
A 3.5mm Headphone Socket located on the left hand side of your radio
is provided for use with either headphones or an earpiece. Inserting a plug
automatically mutes the internal loudspeaker.
IMPORTANT: Excessive sound pressure from earphones and headphones
can cause hearing loss.
Display backlight
1. When using on batteries, the display backlight will be switched on for
approximately 12 seconds when any button is pressed.
2. When your radio is powered by AC mains the display backlight will
always be on when the radio is switched on.