Yaesu FTA-230 User manual

Operating Manual
AIR BAND TRANSCEIVER

Contents
Important Notice! .......................................................... 1
Introduction ................................................................... 2
Accessories & Options ................................................ 3
Control & Connectors .................................................. 5
Top Panel ........................................................................... 5
Front Panel ......................................................................... 6
Side Panel .......................................................................... 7
Keypad ............................................................................... 8
LCD Display ...................................................................... 9
Before You Begin ........................................................ 10
Precautions ....................................................................... 10
Battery Installation and Removal .................................... 10
Battery Charging .............................................................. 11
Low Battery Indication .................................................... 12
Installing the FBA-25A Alkaline Battery Case ............... 13
Basic Operation .......................................................... 14
Preliminary Steps ............................................................. 14
Operation Quick Start ...................................................... 14
Squelch Adjustment ......................................................... 16
Accessing the 121.5 MHz Emergency Frequency ........... 16
Transmission .................................................................... 16
Flip-Flop Feature (Frequency Recall) ............................. 17
Advanced Operation .................................................. 18
Tuning Methods ............................................................... 18
Reception of Weather Channel Broadcasts ...................... 19
Monitor Key .................................................................... 20
ANL (Automatic Noise Limiter) Feature ........................ 20
LOCK Function ............................................................... 21
DIAL and []/[] key Swap Conguration .................. 21
Receive Battery Saver Setup ........................................... 22
Beep On/Off ..................................................................... 23
Changing the Channel Steps ............................................ 24
VOX Operation ................................................................ 25
Side Tone Feature ............................................................ 26
Timer Operation ............................................................... 27
Memory Operation ...................................................... 28
Memory System Operation .............................................. 28
Memory Storage .............................................................. 28
Recalling the Memories ................................................... 30
Deleting Memories .......................................................... 31
Scanning Operation ................................................... 32
Channel-Skip Scanning ................................................... 33
Dual Watch Operation ................................................ 34
Priority Dual Watch Operation .................................. 35
Split Operation ............................................................ 36
Programming a Transmit Frequency ............................... 36
Operating in the Split Mode ............................................ 37
Field Programming Mode .......................................... 38
CPU Resetting ............................................................. 39
Menu (“Set”) Mode ..................................................... 40
Specications ............................................................. 46
Troubleshooting ......................................................... 48
Book Memory Channel List ....................................... 49
NOTICE
There are no user-serviceable parts inside this
transceiver. All service jobs must be referred to
your Authorized Service Center.

FTA-230 OperATing MAnuAl 1
Important notIce!
FCC RF Exposure Compliance Requirements for Occupational Use Only:
This FTA-230 has been tested and complies with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) RF exposure lim-
its for Occupational Use/Controlled Exposure Environment. In addition, it complies with the following Standards and
Guidelines:
 FCC 96-326, Guidelines for Evaluating the Environmental Effects of Radio-Frequency Radiation.
 FCC OET Bulletin 65 Edition 97-01 (1997) Supplement C, Evaluating Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Hu-
man Exposure to Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Fields.
 ANSI/IEEE C95.1-1992, IEEE Standard for Safety Levels with Respect to Human Exposure to Radio Frequency
Electromagnetic Fields, 3 kHz to 300 GHz.
 ANSI/IEEE C95.3-1992, IEEE Recommended Practice for the Measurement of Potentially Hazardous Electromag-
netic Fields - RF and Microwave.
 When transmitting, hold the radio in a vertical position with its microphone 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) away from
your mouth and keep the antenna at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) away from your head and body.
 The radio must be used with a maximum operating duty cycle not exceeding 50%, in typical Push-to-
Talk configurations. DO NOT transmit for more than 50% of total radio use time (50% duty cycle). Trans-
mitting more than 50% of the time can cause FCC RF exposure compliance requirements to be exceeded.
The radio is transmitting when the red LED on the front panel of the radio is illuminated. You can cause the radio to
transmit by pressing the P-T-T button.
 Always use Yaesu authorized accessories.

FTA-230 OperATing MAnuAl
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IntroductIon
The YAESU FTA-230 is a compact, stylish, solid, submersible (IP7: 3 ft for 30 minutes) hand-held transceiver provid-
ing communication (transmit and receive) capability on the International Aircraft Communication Band (“COM” band:
118 ~ 136.975 MHz), and it additionally provides receive on the “NAV” band (108 ~ 117.975 MHz).
The FTA-230 boasts 0.7 Watt of clean audio output from its 1.4” (36-mm) diameter loudspeaker, and it also provides 8.33
kHz synthesizer steps for the new narrow-band channel plan.
The FTA-230 displays with our exclusive Omni-GlowTM display back-lighting for minimal degradation of your night
vision, NOAA weather band monitoring, 8-character Alpha/Numeric Display, 150 Memory Channels, and 100 “Book
Memory” Channels.
We recommend that you read this manual in its entirety, so as to understand the many features of the FTA-230 com-
pletely. Keep this manual handy, so you may use it for reference.
Congratulations!
You now have at your ngertips a valuable communications tool, a YAESU two-way radio! Rugged, reliable and
easy to use, your YAESU radio will keep you in constant touch with your friends and colleagues for years to come,
with negligible maintenance or down-time.
Please take a few minutes to read this manual carefully. The information presented here will allow you to derive
maximum performance from your radio, in case questions arise later on.
We’re glad you joined the YAESU team. YAESU products cover the entire spectrum of radio communications ap-
plications, and our worldwide support network is here to serve you. Let us help you get your message across.

FTA-230 OperATing MAnuAl
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accessorIes & optIons
Supplied Accessories
Ni-MH Battery Pack (7.2V) FNB-83
100-240 VAC Wall Charger PA-48B/C
100-240 VAC Charging Cradle CD-32
12 V DC Charging Cradle CD-59
Helical Antenna YHA-73
Headset Cable CT-96
Alkaline Battery Case FBA-25A
Operating Manual
Warranty Card
: “B” sufx is for use with 120 VAC or “C” sufx is
for use with 230-240 VAC.
Available Options
YHA-73
Helical Antenna
MH-44B4B Speaker Microphone
FBA-25A Alkaline Battery Case
FNB-83 Ni-MH Battery Pack (7.2V)
CD-32 Charger Cradle
E-DC-5B DC Cable w/Noise
E-DC-6 DC Cable; plug and wire only
CT-96 Headset Cable
Availability of accessories may vary. Some accessories
are supplied as standard per local requirements, while
others may be unavailable in some regions. Consult
your YAESU Dealer for details regarding these and any
newly available options.
Connection of any non-YAESU-approved accessory,
should it cause damage, may void the Limited Warranty
on this apparatus.

FTA-230 OperATing MAnuAl
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accessorIes & optIons
PTTSwitch (not supplied)
An external PTT switch is
required for use with an
aviation headset.
Headset
(not supplied)
E-DC-5B
DC Cable w/Noise Filter (Option)
CT-96
Headset Cable
CD-59
12 V DC Charging Cradl

FTA-230 OperATing MAnuAl
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controls & connectors (top panel)
 Antenna Jack
This BNC connector jack accepts the supplied ex-
ible antenna, or another antenna designed to provide
50 Ohm impedance on the Aircraft Communication
Band.
 MIC/EAR Jack
You may connect the supplied CT-96 Headset Cable
or the (optional) MH-44B4B Speaker/Microphone to
this jack.
1) Never connect any Speaker/Microphone
that is not recommended by the manufac-
turer. Because these jack connections are unique,
using a Speaker/Microphone that is not specied
by Yaesu may damage the FTA-230.
2) Do not allow the FTA-230 to become sub-
merged in water while the rubber cap over the
MIC/EAR jack is removed.
 DIAL Selector Knob
This (outer) 20-position detented rotary switch tunes
the operating frequency or selects the memory chan-
nels.
This rotary switch also adjusts the audio volume
level by the setting of the Secondary function of the
[5(DIAL/)] key. See page 21 for details.
 

FTA-230 OperATing MAnuAl
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controls & connectors (Front panel)
 Loudspeaker
The internal speaker is located in this position.

Microphone
Speak across this opening in a normal voice level,
while pressing the PTT switch, to transmit.
 LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)
The display shows selected operating conditions, as
indicated on page 9.
 Keypad
The keypad is used for most radio command opera-
tions. Several keys have triple functions.
The primary functions are activated by simply
pressing the key momentarily.
The secondary functions are activated by pressing
the [F] key followed by the key.
The third functions are activated by pressing and
holding in the key for 2 seconds.
These functions are described in detail on page 8.
 BUSY/TX Indicator Lamp
This lamp glows green when a signal is being re-
ceived, and red when transmitting.
 Battery Pack Latch
Open this latch for battery removal.







FTA-230 OperATing MAnuAl
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controls & connectors (sIde panel)

PTT (Push To Talk) Switch
Press this button to transmit when you are operating
in the COM band. Release this button to return to
the “Receive” mode. See page 16 for details.

MONITOR Switch
This button may be pressed to “open” the squelch
manually, allowing you to listen for very weak
signals. Press and hold this button for 2 seconds
to “open” the squelch continuously. Press this but-
ton again to resume normal (quiet) monitoring. See
page 20 for details.

POWER Switch
Press and hold this button for 3 seconds to toggle
the transceiver’s power on and off.
 EXTDC Jack
When an external 12-Volt DC power source is avail-
able, you may connect the (optional) E-DC-5B Ex-
ternal DC Cable here.
1) Do not connect any wire to this jack if
that wire is connected directly to a 28-Volt
DC source. Connecting the FTA-230 directly to a
source which exceeds 15.0 Volts DC will result in
damage to the unit, and this type of damage is not
covered by the Limited warranty on this product.




2) Do not allow the FTA-230 to become sub-
merged in water while the rubber cap over the
EXT DC jack is removed.

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controls & connectors (Keypad)
PrimaryFunction
(PressKey)
SecondaryFunction
(Press[F]+key)
ThirdFunction
(PressandHoldkey)

PrimaryFunction
(PressKey)
SecondaryFunction
(Press[F]+key)
ThirdFunction
(PressandHoldkey)

PrimaryFunction
(PressKey)
SecondaryFunction
(Press[F]+key)
ThirdFunction
(PressandHoldkey)

PrimaryFunction
(PressKey)
SecondaryFunction
(Press[F]+key)
ThirdFunction
(PressandHoldkey)
Frequency Entry Digit 1
None
None

Frequency Entry Digit 4
Activates the Stop Watch
Timer
None

Frequency Entry Digit 7
Activates Split (Duplex)
mode.
None
None
Split-Memory
“Write” Command
Memory “Write”
Command
Frequency Entry Digit 2
None
None
Frequency Entry Digit 5
Exchange the functions of
the DIAL and []/[] keys
None
Frequency Entry Digit 8
Enable/Disable the
Keypad Beeper
None

Frequency Entry Digit 0
Adjusts the Automatic
Noise Limiter
None
Frequency Entry Digit 3
None
None
Frequency Entry Digit 6
Activates the Dual Watch
Feature
Activates the VOX Feature
Frequency Entry Digit 9
Allows Skipping of
Channel during Scan
None

Activates “Secondary” key
mode.
Cancel the “Secondary”
key mode of the [F] key.
None
Selects Emergency
Channel (121.5 MHz).
None
None
1) Selects the Memory Display Type
2) Switches between VFO mode and Flip-Flop display
Activates the Set (Menu)
Mode
Activates the Scanner
Select the tuning methods among
the VFO, MR, BMR, and WX
Activates the Key Lockout
Feature
None
Decrease the audio
level or select the
operating channel
Increase the audio
level or select the
operating channel
:
Depends on setting of the
Secondary function of the key.
See page 18 for details.

FTA-230 OperATing MAnuAl
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controls & connectors (lcd dIsplay)
These digits provide frequency or alpha-numeric
information about the channel you are using.
This indicator confirms
that “Dual Watch” is
active. See page 34.
This indicator confirms
that “Automatic Noise
Limiter” is active. See
page 20.
This indicator confirms
that “Split” (Duplex) mode
is activated. See page
38.
This icon indicates that
the “Weather Alert” feature
is active. See page 45.
This icon indicates that
the “Book” Memory Bank
is in use. See page 18.
This indicator confirms
that this channel will be
skipped during scan. See
page 35.
This indicator confirms
that the Key Lock is
activated. See page 21.
This indicator confirms
th a t “V O X” s yst em i s
active. See page 25.
This indicator confirms
t h a t Secondary K e y
Function is active. See
page 8.
Th is i co n i s t he “ Lo w
Battery” indicator, which
blinks when the battery
voltage becomes too low
for proper operation.

FTA-230 OperATing MAnuAl
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BeFore you BegIn
Precautions
 The
FTA-230
is apparatus is capable of two-way
communication on channels used for critical avia-
tion safety communications. Therefore, it is impor-
tant that this radio be kept away from children or
other unauthorized users at all times.

When making DC connections via the (optional) E-
DC-5B DC cable, be absolutely certain to observe
the proper voltage level and polarity guidelines. Do
not connect this radio directly to any 24 ~ 28 Volt
DC source, nor to AC power of any kind. Connecting
the FTA-230 directly to a source which exceeds 15.0
Volts DC will result in damage to the unit. The Lim-
ited Warranty for this product does not cover dam-
age caused by the application of improper voltage.
 Do not dispose of the Ni-MH Battery Pack in a re.
Do not carry a Ni-MH Battery Pack in your pocket,
where keys or coins could short the terminals. This
could create a serious re/burn danger, and possibly
cause damage to the Ni-MH pack.
 Although the
FTA-230
is designed to be Submers-
ible (3 ft., 30 min.), its enclosure is not designed to
guarantee protection from ingress of water under
extreme pressure. Do not allow the radio to become
submerged in deep water, and do not subject it to
water spray under pressure.
Battery Installation and Removal
 To install the battery, hold the transceiver with your
left hand, so your palm is over the speaker and your
thumb is on the top of the Belt Clip. Insert the bat-
tery pack into the battery compartment on the back
of the radio while tilting the Belt Clip outward, then
close the Battery Pack Latch until it locks in place
with a “Click.”
 To remove the battery, turn the radio off and remove
any protective cases. Open the Battery Pack Latch
on the bottom of the radio, then slide the battery
downward and out from the radio while unfolding
the Belt Clip.
Do not attempt to open any of the recharge-
able Ni-MH packs, as personal injury or dam-
age to the Ni-MH pack could occur if a cell or cells
become accidentally short-circuited.
InserttheBatteryPack
ClosetheBatteryPackLatch

FTA-230 OperATing MAnuAl
11
BeFore you BegIn
Battery Charging
It is necessary to charge the Ni-MH battery fully before
its rst use. Follow these procedures:
 Install the supplied FNB-83 Ni-MH battery pack
onto the transceiver. Ensure that the transceiver is
switched off.
UseforPA-48/CD-32
1. Insert the cable plug into the jack located on the
right side of the CD-32 Charging Cradle then plug
the PA-48Battery Charger into the AC line outlet.
2. Insert the transceiver and battery pack into the CD-
32; the antenna jack should be at the left side when
viewing the charger from the front.
3. If the transceiver and battery pack are inserted cor-
rectly, the RED
indicator on the
CD-32 will glow.
A fully-discharged
pack will be charged
completely in 12
hours.
UseforCD-59
1. Insert the cigarette lighter plug into the cigarette
lighter socket (DC 11 V ~ 16 V).
2. Insert the transceiver and battery pack into the CD-
59; the antenna jack should be at the left side when
viewing the charger from the front.
3. If the transceiver and battery pack are inserted cor-
rectly, the RED indicator on the CD-59 will glow. A
fully-discharged pack will be charged completely in
15 hours.
CD-32
PA-48
CD-59
DC11V~16V

FTA-230 OperATing MAnuAl
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Important Notes:
 The PA-48 is not designed to power the transceiver
for operation (reception or transmission).
 Do not leave the charger connected to the trans-
ceiver for continuous periods in excess of 24 hours.
Long term overcharging can degrade the Ni-MH
battery pack and signicantly shorten its useful life.
 If using a charger other than the PA-48/CD-32,
CD-59, or if using a battery pack other than the
FNB-83, follow the appropriate instructions pro-
vided with the charger/battery. Contact your Dealer
if you have any doubts about the appropriateness of
the particular charger or battery pack you intend to
use.
BeFore you BegIn
Low Battery Indication
 As your battery discharges during use, the voltage
will gradually become lower. When the battery volt-
age is becoming too low for reliable operation, the
“” icon will blink on
the LCD display, indicat-
ing that the battery pack
must be recharged before
further use.

Avoid recharging Ni-MH batteries before the “ ”
indicator is observed, as this can degrade the charge
capacity of your Ni-MH battery pack. Yaesu recom-
mends that you carry an extra, fully-charged pack
with you so you will not lose communications capa-
bility due to a depleted Ni-MH battery.

FTA-230 OperATing MAnuAl
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BeFore you BegIn
Installing the FBA-25A Alkaline Battery
Case
The supplied FBA-25A Battery Case allows operation
of the FTA-230 using six “AA” size Alkaline batteries.
When installing batteries, insert the (–) end first, then
press in the (+) end so the battery snaps into place. Al-
ways replace all six batteries at the same time, paying
attention to the polarity indicated inside the case.
The FBA-25A must not be used with re-
chargeable cells. The FBA-25A does not con-
tain the thermal and over-current protection circuits
(provided in the “FNB” series of Ni-MH Battery
Packs) required when utilizing Ni-Cd and Ni-MH
cells.

FTA-230 OperATing MAnuAl
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BasIc operatIon
Preliminary Steps
 Install a charged battery pack onto the transceiver,
as described previously.
 Twist the supplied antenna onto the Antenna jack.
Never operate this transceiver without an antenna
connected.
 If you have an optional Speaker/Microphone or
headset, we recommend that it not be connected
until you are familiar with the basic operation of the
FTA-230.
Operation Quick Start
 To turn the radio on,
press and hold in the
[POWER] Switch of
for 3 seconds.
 A channel frequency
should appear on the
display. If not, press
the [ENT()] key
(repeatedly, if neces-
sary) so that “- VFO -”
appears on the display,
followed by a channel frequency.
 Directly entering frequencies from the keypad is the
easiest method if you know the frequency on which
you wish to operate. Just enter the ve digits of the
frequency to move to that frequency. However, there
is a short-cut for frequencies ending in zero - press
the [(SET)] key after the last non-zero digits.
For example, to set 134.35 MHz,
Press [1]  [3]  [4]  [3]  [5].
To set 118.00 MHz:
Press [1]  [1]  [8]  [ (SET)].

FTA-230 OperATing MAnuAl
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To set 118.275 MHz, you do not need to press the
nal “5” in the frequency:
[1]  [1]  [8]  [2]  [7].
 You may also turn the
top panel’s DIAL selec-
tor knob1 to choose
the desired operating
frequency. The channel
frequency will appear
on the LCD.
 Press the []/[]
key2 to set the vol-
ume level. If no signal
is present, press and
hold the [MONITOR]
button for 2 seconds;
b a c k g r o u n d n o i s e
will now be heard,
and you may use this
noise to set the desired
audio level. Press the
[MONITOR] button
momentarily to silence
the noise and resume
normal (quiet) monitoring.
1: If you change the function of DIAL and []/[]
key by pressing the [F] key followed by the
[5(DIAL/)] key, you may choose the operat-
ing frequency by pressing the []/[] key.
2: If you change the function of DIAL and []/
[] key by pressing the [F] key followed by
the [5(DIAL/)] key, you may set the volume
level by turning the DIAL selector knob.
 To turn the radio off,
press and hold in the
[POWER] switch for
3 seconds.
BasIc operatIon

FTA-230 OperATing MAnuAl
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Squelch Adjustment
 Press the [F] key momentarily, then press the [
(SET)] key to activate
the Menu (SET) mode.
 Rotate the DIAL selec-
tor knob to select Menu
Item “SQL.”
 Press the [ENT( )]
key to enable adjust-
ment of this Menu item.
 Rotate the DIAL selector knob to set the squelch
threshold (0 to 8) so that the receiver is just silenced.
A higher number indicates that a higher signal level
is required in order to open the squelch.
 Press the [ENT( )] key to save your new setting.
 Press the PTT switch to exit the Menu (“SET”)
mode.
BasIc operatIon
Accessing the 121.5 MHz
Emergency Frequency
The FTA-230 can quickly access the 121.500 MHz
Emergency Frequency. This function can be activated
even when the keypad lock function (described on page
21) is in use.
 To access the Emer-
gency Frequency, press
the [121.5] key mo-
mentarily.
 To exit the Emergency
Frequency, press the
[ENT( )] key.
Transmission
 To transmit, press and
hold the PTT switch.
Speak into the micro-
phone area of the front
panel grille in a normal
voice level.
 To return to the receive
mode, release the PTT switch.

FTA-230 OperATing MAnuAl
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BasIc operatIon
Flip-Flop Feature (Frequency Recall)
The FTA-230 can memorize up to 10 operating frequen-
cies automatically, and recall them for later use.
Up to 10 frequencies may be memorized. Once all 10
memories have data in them, previous data (starting with
“R0”) will be over-written, on a rst-in, rst-out basis.
Recall Frequency
 Press the [ENT()] key several times to select
“- VFO -” mode.
 Press the [(SET)] key to select “- F/F -” mode
on the VFO mode. You
will see the previously
selected recall number
appearing on the LCD.
 Rotate the DIAL selector knob or press the []/[]
key to select previously stored frequencies.
[0R]ó[1R]ó[2R]ó[3R]ó[4R]
[9R]ó[8R]ó[7R]ó[6R]ó[5R]
 To exit the Flip-Flop mode, press the [(SET)]
key to return to the VFO mode.
ó ó
Erasing the memorized Frequencies
 Recall the memorized frequency that you wish to
erase using the DIAL selector knob or press the
[]/[] key.
 Press the [F] key momentarily, then press and hold
in the [(SET)] key to erase the memorized fre-
quency.
: If you change the function of DIAL and []/
[] key by pressing the [F] key followed by the
[5(DIAL/)] key, you may select the previous
frequency by pressing the []/[] key.

FTA-230 OperATing MAnuAl
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advanced operatIon
Tuning Methods
Throughout this manual, you will see references to sev-
eral different frequency setting methods. Each will be
particularly useful in a particular operating situation,
and they are described below:
 VFO (Variable Frequency Oscillator)
The VFO is a “tuning
dial” system which al-
lows you to tune through
the NAV or COM bands
using the DIAL selector knob, the Keypad, or the
scanner.
 MR (Memory Recall)
The MR (Memory Recall)
mode of the FTA-230
provides the user with
the ability to store and
recall as many as 150 channels in the radio’s main
memory bank. These memory channels may also be
labeled by you with an alpha/numeric name of up to
8 characters in length, to aid in quick identication
of the channel. See page 28 for details on creating
alpha/numeric labels.
 BOOK (Pre-Programmed) Memories
The Book memories are
pre-programmed, either
at the factory or by your
Dealer (depending on
your country’s requirements), typically including
the major COM and NAV band station frequen-
cies used in your area. The Book memories can be
changed by the user. See page 38 for details.

WX (Weather Channel) Memories (USA version only)
Ten Weather Channels
are pre-programmed at
the factory. The FTA-230
will automatically scan
this special bank when it is selected by the user.