Tecsun PL-990x User manual

OPERATION MANUALFM STEREO / LW / MW / SW-SSB PLL SYNTHESIZED RECEIVER●AUDIO PLAYER TECSUN ELECTRONIC IND. LTD.

CONTENTSPL-990x at a glance ....................................................................................... 1Powering your device .................................................................................... 6Charging the battery ...................................................................................... 6Setting the clock ............................................................................................ 7Setting the FM frequency range .................................................................... 7Setting the MW tuning step and AM (MW/LW/SW) frequency range............ 7Enabling / Disabling longwave (LW) .............................................................. 8 Settings when using internal/external antennas ............................................ 8GETTING STARTEDTurning the device on/off .............................................................................. 9Volume control .............................................................................................. 9(1) LISTENING TO RADIO ........................................................................... 9VF (View Frequency) and VM (View Memory) ............................................. 9Using the radio’s antennas .......................................................................... 10Tuning into stations ...................................................................................... 11 Manual tuning ....................................................................................... 11 Auto scan .............................................................................................. 11 Direct keypad entry ............................................................................... 11 SW/SSB meter band selection .............................................................. 11Working with station memories ................................................................... 12 Storing stations manually ..................................................................... 12 Auto tuning storage (ATS) .................................................................... 13 Storing stations during auto scan .......................................................... 14 Auto sorting memory ............................................................................ 14Listening to stored stations ......................................................................... 15 Recalling stored stations ...................................................................... 15 Memory page scan ............................................................................... 15Deleting stored stations ............................................................................... 16 Deleting a single station ....................................................................... 16 Deleting stations during memory page scan ........................................ 16 Deleting all stored stations ................................................................... 16USING THE DEVICE

Using the antenna gain [ ANT.GAIN ] switch ............................................... 17AM bandwidth selection .............................................................................. 17Single sideband (SSB) ................................................................................ 18Synchronous detection (SYNC) .................................................................. 18FM stereo/mono selection ........................................................................... 18Display mode ............................................................................................... 19(2) AUDIO PLAYER MODE ........................................................................ 19Playback controls ........................................................................................ 20Album preview .............................................................................................. 21Selecting an audio track .............................................................................. 21Selecting an album ....................................................................................... 21Deleting an audio track ................................................................................ 21(3) COMPUTER SPEAKER MODE ............................................................ 22(4) OTHER SETTINGS AND FEATURES .................................................. 22Activating / Deactivating the alarm .............................................................. 22Setting the alarm time ................................................................................. 22Setting the alarm by radio or audio player .................................................. 23Snooze function .......................................................................................... 24Setting the sleep timer ................................................................................ 24Display backlight ......................................................................................... 25Keylock ........................................................................................................ 25Tone selection ............................................................................................. 25Using headphones ...................................................................................... 25Stereo audio output (line out) ...................................................................... 25Troubleshooting ........................................................................................... 26 System reset ........................................................................................ 27Precautions ................................................................................................. 28 Maintenance ......................................................................................... 28 Lithium battery safety instructions ........................................................ 28PL-990x specifications ................................................................................ 29MISCELLANEOUS

BackLeft sideBottomPL-990x at a GlanceRight sideFront1

PL-990x at a Glance - Location of Controls2POWER/SLEEP:• Power switch• Sleep timer setting Display : Stop : Play / pause / repeat track : Previous / replay / rewind: Next / fast forwardTIME: Set time/display timeTIMER A: Alarm settingFM SET:Set FM frequency rangeLW ON/OFF:Enable/Disable LW 9/10kHz: MW frequency step setting 0 - 9: Numeric keysM: Store stationsBand selection/ATS:FM / MW (AM) / LW / SWLSB: Lower SidebandPAGE -/+: Select memory pageMETER BAND: SW/SSB meter band selectionAM BANDWIDTH -/+: AM bandwidth selectionUSB: Upper SidebandTIMER B: Alarm setting : Confirm / Delete : Organize memory pagesFM ST. : Stereo MonoRADIO/MP3: Radio Audio playerVF/VM: • View Frequency View Memory Auto scan (frequency/memory)SSB/SYNC:Single sideband/synchronous detection •Keypad location guidance light for the visually impaired

3VOLUME: Adjust volume levelFINE TUNING:Fine tune frequency / select bandwidth / select a memory page / select audio album / adjust clock (minutes) TUNING:Tuning frequency / browsing in a memory page / selecting audio tracks / adjusting clock (hours) LCD backlight ON: Always-on AUTO OFF: 5-seconds light TONE:Select Bass / TrebleSpeakerANT. GAIN:Sensitivity selectionDXNORMLOCAL ANT. SWITCH:Select antennaINT. : Telescopic antennaEXT. : External antennaDigital audio input / power supply /chargingANTENNA:External antenna socket(LW / MW / SW / FM)LINE OUT:Stereo audio output : Stereo headphone socket

SD: MicroSD card slotRESET: System reset buttonFoldable kickstandBattery compartmentBack4Whip antenna (FM / SW)TopSNOOZE: Alarm snooze modeDISPLAY: Display mode : Locks keys and tuning knobsBottom

PL-990x at a Glance - Display Indication** Display indication examples:5“Timer A”: “Timer B”:Audio track number:Charging time:Organizing memory:Memory location:Shortwave meter band:Signal strength / S/N ratio: Clock time:** dBμ: Signal strength measuring unit dB: Signal-to-noise ratio measuring unit S/N: Signal-to-noise ratio mb: shortwave meter band PAGE: Memory page number PRESET: Location within memory page Charge: Charging indicator Timer A, Timer B: Alarm time Sleep timerAlarm FM Stereo receptionSynchronous detectionDisplays time/frequency/album number/ track playback progressMHz: unit display for FMkHz: unit display for SW / MW / LWKeylockSingle SidebandLSB: Lower sidebandUSB: Upper sidebandAudio player modeRepeat trackFrequency BandFM: FMSW: ShortwaveMW: Medium wave (AM)LW: Longwave Battery power Full capacity Low battery (charging required)

6Powering Your DeviceThis device is powered by a 18650 3.7V rechargeable lithium (Li-ion) battery. Open the battery compartment and install the battery following the indicated battery polarity.Tip: The device can also be powered by connecting a DC 5V/1A power adapter to the power supply socket. Connecting an external power supply causes interference when listening to radio frequencies. If experiencing reception difficulties, disconnect the external power supply and use a battery instead.Attention! Before using a power adapter, assure that it is appropriately certified and meets the (safety) standards for an adapter in your region.Charging the BatteryWhen the battery icon is displayed as “ ”, this indicates that battery power is about to run out. Charge the battery by connecting a DC 5V/1A charger to the charging socket on the left side of the radio. While charging the “Charge” indicator flashes and the charging time is displayed at the top right corner of the display. When charging is completed, the battery symbol is displayed as “ ” and the charging indicator “Charge” stops flashing.Tips: To avoid electrical noise interference, it is recommended not to charge the battery and listen to radio broadcasts at the same time. If the device is not used for a prolonged period of time, it is advisable to charge the rechargeable battery once every 3 months for about 4 hours. This may extend battery life.

Setting the Clock (24-hour format): 1) Turn the device off.2) Press and hold [ TIME ] until the clock time starts flashing.3) Use the numeric keys to enter the current time (hours + minutes is four digits). Alternatively, rotate the [ TUNING ] knob to adjust the hour, then rotate the [ FINE TUNING ] knob to adjust the minutes, followed by a quick press of the [ TIME ] button to confirm the setting.Tip: With the device on, quick press [ TIME ] to display the current time. Quick press [ TIME ] again to return to the radio frequency or audio playback display.Setting the FM Frequency RangeSet the frequency range to correspond with the country in which to use theradio.1) Turn the device off.2) Press and hold the [ 1 ] (FM SET) button, the display will show “ ”, “ ”, “ ” or “ ” to indicate the corresponding range: 64 ~ 108MHz, 76 ~ 108MHz, 87 ~ 108MHz or 87.5 ~ 108MHz. 3) Quick press the [ 1 ] button repeatedly to select an appropriate range. 4) Quick press [ ] to confirm, or wait for 2 seconds for the system to automatically confirm.Setting the MW Tuning Step and AM (MW/LW/SW) Frequency RangeWith the device off, press and hold the [ 3 ] (9/10kHz) button to set the tuning step and frequency range of MW that corresponds with the country in which to use the radio. Display indicates “ ”: MW tuning steps are set to 9 kHz. MW frequency range is 522 ~ 1620 kHz (for Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania). LW frequency range is 50 ~ 522 kHz. SW frequency range is 1621 ~ 29999 kHz. 7

8Display indicates “ ”: MW tuning steps are set to 10 kHz. MW frequency range is 520 ~ 1710 kHz (for North and South America). LW frequency range is 100 ~ 519 kHz. SW frequency range is 1711 ~ 29999 kHz. Enabling/Disabling Longwave (LW) With the device off, press and hold the [ 2 ] (LW ON/OFF) button, the display shows “ ” (enabled) or “ ” (disabled). To select the LW frequency band, power on the device and then quick press the [ MW/LW ] button twice.Settings When Using Internal/External AntennasWhen using the telescopic whip antenna, push the antenna selector switch [ ANT. SWITCH ] to “INT.”. When an external antenna is connected to the [ ANTENNA ] socket, set the selector switch to “EXT.”. Caution! When using an outdoor antenna, waterproofing and lightning protection measures must be taken.

Turning the device on/off: Quick press the [ POWER/SLEEP ] button.Volume control: Rotate the [ VOLUME ] knob upwards or downwards to select your desired volume level.Note: Volume control on this device is disabled when feeding audio through the[ LINE OUT ] socket.(1) LISTENING TO RADIOVF (View Frequency) and VM (View Memory)VF: VF mode is used when searching for new radio signals. Quick press the [ VF/VM ] button. When the frequency indicator flashes, the VF mode is activated.VM: VM mode is used for looking up stations that have been stored into memory. Quick press the [ VF/VM ] button. When the station memory indicator in the top right corner of the display flashes, the VM mode is activated.Note: When the memory contains no stored stations, it is not possible to access VM (View Memory) mode. USING THE DEVICEVF mode
Flashing 2 times
VM modeFlashing 3 times9

Using the Radio’s AntennasFM / Shortwave (SW):When listening to FM or shortwave radio, extend the antenna and adjust its length and direction in order to get the optimum reception.Medium Wave (MW) / Long Wave (LW):This radio uses an internal ferrite bar antenna to receive medium wave and long wave broadcasts, the quality of which can be enhanced by changing the device's position and direction.10

TUNING INTO STATIONSTurn on the device select your desired frequency band. You can tune into your favorite stations using any of the following tuning methods.Manual Tuning In VF mode, rotate the [ TUNING ] and [ FINE TUNING ] knobs to search for your desired stations.Auto ScanIn VF mode, press and hold the [ VF/VM ] button. The device will automatically scan the entire frequency band for available stations. When a station is found it will stay there for about 5 seconds before continuing the search.To stop the auto scan feature, quick press the [ VF/VM ] button or gently rotate the [ TUNING ] knob.Direct Keypad Entry In VF mode, quick press the numeric keys [ 0 - 9 ] (followed by [ ]) to directly enter a station frequency.Notes: For FM band, ignore the decimal point when inputting frequency numbers. For example: enter 8, 9, 3 for FM 89.3 MHz. If the entered frequency is not within the covering range, the error “ Err ” symbol will be displayed.SW / SSB Meter Band SelectionWhen tuned into a shortwave or SSB frequency, quick press [ METER BAND - ] or [ METER BAND + ] to change the SW or SSB meter band: SW meter bands: 120m / 90m / 75m / 60m / 49m / 41m / 31m / 25m / 22m / 19m / 16m / 15m / 13m / 11m .SSB meter bands: 160m / 80m / 60m / 40m / 30m / 24m / 20m / 17m / 15m / 12m / 10m . 11

WORKING WITH STATION MEMORIESThis device can store 3150 stations (presets), separated over 25 memory pages (P0 - P24).1) Page 0, indicated as “P0” on the display, can store 750 stations: 100 stations each for FM, MW, LW, SSB and SYNC, and 250 stations for SW.2) Pages 1-24 (“P1”, “P2”, etc.) can store 100 stations each for FM, MW, LW and SW. Storing Stations Manually1) Tune into a radio station. 2) Quick press the memory [ M ] button, “PRESET” flashes and indicates the first available storage location in the selected memory page. If desired, change the page and/or preset location by using the [ PAGE - ] or [ PAGE + ] button and/or the [ TUNING ] knob. 3) Quick press the [ M ] button again to confirm or wait for about 3 seconds to automatically store the station into memory.Notes: SSB and SYNC stations are only available for storage in Page 0. Stored SSB and SYNC station details include USB/LSB and frequency information, but no frequency details smaller than 1 kHz.12FMMWLWSWSSBPage 0 ( P0 ) 100 stations100 stations100 stations250 stations100 stationsEach memory page can store 100 stations.Page 1-24 SYNC100 stationsXX

Auto Tuning Storage (ATS)Automatically tune into and store FM, LW, MW and SW stations.Operation for FM and MW/LW:1) Use the [ PAGE - ] or [ PAGE + ] button to select an (empty) memory page. 2) Quick press [ FM ] or [ MW/LW ] to select the frequency band. 3) Press and hold the [ FM ] or [ MW/LW ] button until "PRESET" flashes and the frequency starts running. 4) When the frequency stops running, it means the ATS operation has been completed. Rotate the [ TUNING ] knob to view all the stored stations.Operation for SW:1) Use the [ PAGE - ] or [ PAGE + ] button to select an (empty) memory page. 2) Quick press [ SW ] to select the SW frequency band. 3) There are two ATS modes for SW: Mode A: Press and hold the [ SW ] or [ METER BAND - ] button to initiate ATS for stations within all meter bands. Mode B: Press and hold the [ METER BAND + ] button to initiate ATS within the selected meter band.Tips: ATS (except in SW mode B) replaces previously stored radio stations within a memory page. To prevent this from happening, please select an empty memory page before initiating ATS. ATS results for LW, MW and SW strongly depend on radio wave propagation conditions, the receiving environment and other factors. If the results are poor, try to initiate ATS at a different location and/or time, or tune into stations manually and then store them. 13

14Storing Stations During Auto ScanTo avoid any unwanted stations that might be stored during Auto Tuning Storage (ATS), store stations manually during “Auto Scan” (see also page 11).1) Use the [ PAGE - ] or [ PAGE + ] button to select a memory page.2) Quick press the [ VF/VM ] button. 3) Quick press the [ FM ], [ MW/LW ] or [ SW ] button to select the frequency band. 4) Press and hold the [ VF/VM ] button. The device will start to scan the entire frequency band for available stations.5) When a station of your liking is found, quick press the memory [ M ] button to store it; the device continues to scan for the next available station.6) To stop the auto scan feature, quick press the [ VF/VM ] button or gently rotate the [ TUNING ] knob.Auto Sorting MemoryThis feature can automatically organize all stations that have been stored intothe memory. Turn the device off, and then press and hold the [ ] button until the memory page number on the display starts running. Duplicate stations are deleted and the remaining stations are organized: In memory page P0, stations within a frequency band are sorted in sequence from low to high frequency. In memory pages P1-24, stations are sorted in sequence of frequency (from low to high), and in sequence of band: FM, SW, MW, LW.

15 LISTENING TO STORED STATIONSWhen recalling stored stations or initiating a memory page scan, Page 0 (P0) only shows the stations of the frequency band (FM/LW/MW/SW) or mode (SYNC/SSB) that was selected before entering the memory (VM) mode. In Pages 1-24 it is not necessary to preselect a frequency band, the device will show stored stations from all bands within the selected memory page.Recalling Stored StationsOperation for memory Page 0:1) Use the [ PAGE - ] or [ PAGE + ] button to select memory page P0. 2) Select a frequency band (FM, LW, MW, SW) or mode (SYNC, SSB).3) Quick press the [ VF/VM ] button to enter the VM mode (see also page 9). 4) Rotate the [ TUNING ] knob with some vigor to browse through the station list, or use the numeric keys to directly enter the preset station number.Operation for memory Page 1-24:1) Use the [ PAGE - ] or [ PAGE + ] button to select a memory page. 2) Rotate the [ TUNING ] knob with some vigor to browse through the selected memory page, or use the numeric keys to directly enter the preset station number. Memory Page ScanThis device can auto scan all stored stations within a memory page, staying on each station for about 5 seconds. 1) Use the [ PAGE - ] or [ PAGE + ] button to select a memory page. 2) Press and hold the [ VF/VM ] button until “PRESET” flashes in the upper right corner of the display. The device starts to scan all stored stations within the selected memory page.3) To stop scanning, quick press the [ VF/VM ] button or gently rotate the [ TUNING ] knob.

DELETING STORED STATIONSDeleting a Single Station1) Enter the memory (VM) mode and select the station that you wish to delete. 2) Press and hold the [ ] (DELETE) button until “dEL” and “PRESET” flash on the display.3) Quick press the [ ] button to delete the unwanted station.Deleting Stations During Memory Page ScanThis device can auto scan all stored stations within a memory page, staying on each station for about 5 seconds, and giving you the opportunity to delete any unwanted stations.1) Select the memory page from which you wish to delete stored stations (see also page 15 on recalling stored stations).2) Press and hold the [ VF/VM ] button to start the memory scan. 3) Upon finding an unwanted station, press the [ ] (DELETE) button. No confirmation is required and scanning continues immediately. 4) To stop the memory scan, gently rotate the [ TUNING ] knob.Deleting All Stored StationsTo delete all stations within a memory page:1) Select the memory page from which you wish to delete all stored stations.2) Press and hold the [ ] (DELETE) button until “dEL” and “PAGE” flash on the display. 3) Quick press the [ ] button again to confirm.Note: In Page 0, stored stations need to be deleted for each frequency band or mode (SYNC/SSB) separately.
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