Yaesu VX-2R User manual

VHF/UHF
ULTRA-COMPACT DUAL-BAND TRANSCEIVER
WITH WIDE BAND COVERAGE
OPERATING MANUAL
VERTEX STANDARD CO., LTD.
4-8-8 Nakameguro, Meguro-Ku, Tokyo 153-8644, Japan
VERTEX STANDARD
US Headquarters
10900 Walker Street, Cypress, CA 90630, U.S.A.
International Division
8350 N.W. 52nd Terrace, Suite 201, Miami, FL 33166, U.S.A.
YAESU EUROPE B.V.
P.O. Box 75525, 1118 ZN Schiphol, The Netherlands
YAESU UK LTD.
Unit 12, Sun Valley Business Park, Winnall Close
Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 0LB, U.K.
VERTEX STANDARD HK LTD.
Unit 5, 20/F., Seaview Centre, 139-141 Hoi Bun Road,
Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Contents
MemoryMode ..................................................36
Regular Memory Operation ..........................37
Memory Storage ........................................37
Storing Independent
Transmit Frequencies (“Odd Split”) ........37
Memory Recall ..........................................38
HOME Channel Memory .........................38
Labeling Memories ...................................39
Memory Offset Tuning .............................40
Masking Memories ...................................41
Moving Memory Data to the VFO ...........41
Mem0ory Bank Operation ........................42
Memory Only Mode..................................43
Special Memory Channel Operation ............44
Weather Broadcast Channels....................44
VHF Marine Channels..............................45
Sort-wave Broadcast Station
Memory Channels .....................................46
Scanning ............................................................47
VFO Scanning ...............................................48
How to skip (Omit) a Frequency
during VFO Scan ......................................49
Memory Scanning .........................................50
Temporary Memory Skip..........................50
How to Skip (Omit) a Channel
during Memory Scan Operation ...............50
Preferential Memory Scan ........................51
Programmable (Band Limit) Memory Scan
(PMS) .............................................................52
“Priority Channel” Scanning
(Dual Watch) .................................................52
Automatic Lamp Illumination
on Scan Stop ..................................................53
Band Edge Beeper .........................................53
Smart Search Operation.................................54
Channel Counter Operation ..........................56
Internet Connection Feature..........................58
Sensor Mode .....................................................68
ResetProcedures .............................................60
Cloning ..............................................................61
Set Mode ...........................................................62
Specifications....................................................74
“AUTO” Mode Preset Operating Parameters ....75
General Description ..........................................1
Controls & Connections ...................................2
Keypad Functions............................................ 3
Display Icons & Indicators ............................. 3
Accessories & Options ......................................4
Installation of Accessories ................................5
Antenna Installation ........................................ 5
Installation of the Supplied Belt Clip ............. 5
Installation of FNB-82LI Battery Pack .......... 6
Interface of Packet TNCs .................................7
Operation............................................................8
Switching Power On and Off.......................... 8
Adjusting the Volume Level ........................... 8
Squelch Adjustment ........................................9
Selecting the Operating Band .......................10
Frequency Navigation ...................................11
Transmission .................................................12
Keyboard Locking .........................................13
Keypad/LCD Illumination ............................14
Disabling the Keypad Beeper .......................14
Advanced Operation .......................................15
Checking the Battery Voltage.......................15
Changing the Channel Steps.........................15
Changing the Receiving Mode .....................16
Display Dimmer ............................................16
RF Squelch ....................................................17
Repeater Operation .......................................18
CTCSS Operation..........................................21
DCS Operation ..............................................22
Tone Search Scanning...................................23
CTCSS/DCS Bell Operation.........................24
Split Tone Operation .....................................24
Tone Calling (1750 Hz) ................................25
ARTS (Automatic Range Transponder System) .......26
DTMF Operation ...........................................29
Emergency Channel Operation.....................31
ATT (Front End Attenuator) .........................31
Receive Battery Saver Setup.........................32
TX Battery Saver ...........................................32
Automatic Power-Off (APO) Feature...........33
Transmitter Time-Out Timer (TOT).............34
Busy Channel Lock-Out (BCLO) .................34
Changing the TX Deviation Level................35

VX-2R OPERATING MANUAL 1
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The VX-2Risamicro-miniaturemultibandFMtransceiver
with extensive receive frequency coverage, providing lo-
cal-area two-way amateur communications along with un-
matched monitoring capability.
The VX-2R’s incredibly small size allows you to take it
anywhere - hiking, skiing, or while walking around town -
and its operating flexibility brings the user many avenues
of operating enjoyment. Its incredibly tiny FNB-82LI
Lithium-Ion Battery Pack provides up to 1½ Watts of trans-
mit power on VHF, and 1 Watt on UHF. Besides 144- and
430-MHz transceive operation, the VX-2R provides re-
ceive coverage of the AM (MF) and FM broadcast bands,
HF Shortwave Bands, VHF and UHF TV bands, the VHF
AM aircraft band, and a wide range of commercial and
public safety frequencies!
Additional features include a convenient access key for
Vertex Standard’s WIRESTM (Wide-Coverage Internet Re-
peater Enhancement System), a transmit Time-Out Timer
(TOT), Automatic Power-Off (APO), Automatic Repeater
Shift(ARS),Yaesu’sexclusiveARTSTM (Auto-RangeTran-
sponder System) which “beeps” the user when you move
out of communications range with another ARTSTM
equipped station, plus provision for reduction of the TX
deviation in areas of high channel congestion. And an RF
squelch circuit allows the owner to set the squelch to open
at a programmable setting of the S-Meter, thus reducing
guesswork in setting the squelch threshold.
We appreciate your purchase of the VX-2R, and encour-
age you to read this manual thoroughly, so as to learn about
the many exciting features of your exciting new Yaesu
hand-held transceiver!

VX-2R OPERATING MANUAL2
CONTROL & CONNECTIONS
DIAL
The main tuning Dial
is used for setting
the operating fre-
quency, and also is
used for menu se-
lections and other
adjustments.
VOLUME
This control adjusts
the audio volume
level. Clockwise ro-
tation increases the
volume level.
MIC/SP
This four-conductor
miniature jack pro-
vides connection
points for micro-
phone audio, ear-
phone audio, PTT,
and ground.
ANTENNA
Connect the sup-
plied rubber flex an-
tenna (or another
antenna presenting
a 50-Ohm imped-
ance) here.
PTT (Push To Talk)
Press this switch to
transmit, and re-
lease it (to receive)
after your transmis-
sion is completed.
MONI
Pressing this key
disables the noise
squelching action,
allowing you to hear
very weak signals
near the back-
ground noise level.
POWER
Press and hold in
this switch for one
second to toggle the
transceiver’s power
on and off.
EXT DC
This coaxial DC jack
allows connection to
an external DC
power source (3.2-
7.0V DC). The cen-
ter pin of this jack is
the Positive (+)con-
nection.
SPEAKER
The internal
speaker is located
here.
MIC
The internal micro-
phone is located
here.
KEYPAD
These seven keys
select many of most
important operating
features on the VX-
2R. The functions of
the keys are de-
scribed in detail on
the pages to follow.
BUSY/TX
This indicator glows
green when the
squelch opens, and
turns red during
transmit. During
“Emergency” opera-
tion See page 31,
this indicator will
glow (or flash) white.

VX-2R OPERATING MANUAL 3
Key
[BAND]Key
[H/L]Key
[V/M]Key
[F/W]Key
[HM/RV]Key
[ ] Key
[MD]Key
Press Key
Moves operation to the
next-highest frequency
band.
Activates the “Memory
Bank” feature while in the
Memory Recall mode.
Switches the transmit
power output between
“HI” and “LOW.”
Switches frequency con-
trol between the VFO and
Memory Systems.
Activates the “Alternate”
key function.
Reverses the transmit
and receive frequencies
while working through a
repeater.
Activates the WIRESTM
(Internet Connection) fea-
ture.
Switches the operating
mode.
Press and Hold Key
Activates the Scanner.
Enters the Set (Menu)
Mode.
Activates the Dual Watch
feature.
Activates the “Memory
Write” mode (for memory
channel storage).
Activates the “Emer-
gency” Function. See
page 31.
Activates the ARTSTM
feature.
Activates the Smart
SearchTM and Channel
Counter features.
Press + [F/W]Key
Moves operation to the
next-lowest frequency
band.
Selects the synthesizer
steps to be used during
VFO operation.
Activates the “Memory
Tune” function while in
the Memory Recall mode.
Disables the “Alternate”
key function.
Switches operation to the
“Home” (favorite fre-
quency) channel.
Recalls the “Weather
Broadcast” channels and
Short-wave broadcast
station channels.
Activates CTCSS or DCS
operation.
KEYPAD FUNCTIONS
CONTROL & CONNECTIONS
CTCSS/DCS Operation
Internet Connection Feature Active
Repeater Shift Direction
Operating Band Number or
Memory Channel Number
Priority Channel
Key Lock Active
BellAlermActive
Automatic Power-Off Active
Battery Indicator
Battery Saver Active
Operating Mode
Low TX Power Selected
Alt. Keypad Active
Operating Frequency
Skip Memory Channel or
Preferential Memory Channel
S- & PO Meter
Dual Watch Active
LCD DISPLAY

VX-2R OPERATING MANUAL4
SUPPLIED ACCESSORIES
FNB-82LI 3.7 V, 1000 mAh Rechargeable Lithium Ion Battery Pack ..........1
NC-85B, C, or Uø2.5-Hour Charger ......................................................................1
Belt Clip .....................................................................................................................1
Antenna ......................................................................................................................1
Operating Manual........................................................................................................1
Warranty Card.............................................................................................................1
AVAILABLE OPTIONS
•CSC-90 Soft Case
‚CN-3 BNC-to-SMAAdapter
ƒVC-25 VOX Headset
„MH-34B4B Speaker/Microphone
…MH-37A4B Ear piece/Microphone
†CT-27 Cloning Cable
‡CT-44 MicrophoneAdapter
ˆFNB-82LI 3.7 V, 1000 mAh Rechargeable Lithium Ion Battery Pack
‰E-DC-21 DC Cable w/Cigarette-Lighter Adapter
ŠNC-85B, C, Uø2.5-Hour Charger
ø:“B” suffix is for use with 120 VAC, “C” suffix is for use with 230-240 VAC, and “U”
suffix is for use with 230 VAC.
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 War-
ranty on this apparatus.
ACCESSORIES & OPTIONS
•
‚
ƒ „ …
†
‡
ˆ
‰Š

VX-2R OPERATING MANUAL 5
ANTENNA INSTALLATION
The supplied antenna provides good results over the entire frequency range
of the transceiver. However, for enhanced base station medium-wave and
shortwave reception, you may wish to connect an external (outside) an-
tenna, as the supplied antenna is very small and cannot be expected to
provide high performance at these frequencies.
To install the supplied antenna, hold the bottom end of the antenna, then
screw it onto the mating connector on the transceiver until it is snug. Do
not over-tighten by use of extreme force.
Notes:
¦Never transmit without having an antenna connected.
¦When installing the supplied antenna, never hold the upper part of the
antenna while screwing it onto the mating connector on the transceiver.
¦If using an external antenna for transmission, ensure that the SWR
presented to the transceiver is 1.5:1 or lower, to avoid excessive feedline
loss.
INSTALLATION OF THE SUPPLIED BELTCLIP
1. Remove the dummy cover and its screw from the rear panel of the transceiver.
Keep the dummy cover and screw in case you need to replace them in the future.
2. Connect the supplied Belt Clip, along with its mounting screw, to the rear panel.
Do not use the Belt Clip screw to affix the dummy cover!
INSTALLATION OF ACCESSORIES

VX-2R OPERATING MANUAL6
INSTALLATION OF FNB-82LI BATTERYPACK
The FNB-82LI is a high-performance Lithium-Ion battery providing high capacity in a
very compact package. Under normal use, the FNB-82LI may be used for approximately
300 charge cycles, after which operating time may be expected to decrease. If you have an
old battery pack which is displaying capacity which has become diminished, you should
replace the pack with a new one.
Installation of the battery is easy and quick:
rSlide the Battery Cover Latch to the
Unlock position, then slide the Battery
Cover toward the bottom to remove it.
rInstall the FNB-82LI into the Battery
Compartment.
rReplace the Bat-
tery Cover, then
slide the Battery
Cover Latch to
the Lock position.
If the battery has never been used, or its charge is de-
pleted, it may be charged by connecting the NC-85
Battery Charger, as shown in the illustration, to the
EXT DC jack. If only 12 ~ 16 Volt DC power is avail-
able, the optionalE-DC-21DC Adapter (with its ciga-
rette lighter plug) may also be used for charging the
battery.
While the battery is being charged, the display will
indicate “CHGING” and the BUSY/TX indicator will
glow red. The S-meter will deflect according
to the charging status. When charging is fin-
ished, the display will change to indicate
“CHGFUL” and the BUSY/TX indicator will
glow green.
Should you connect the NC-85 to the VX-2R without having the battery inside, the display
will indicate “FL/NBT” to notify you that you need to install the battery. Similarly, if you
connect the NC-85 to the VX-2R when the battery is fully charged, the display will indi-
cate “CHGFUL,” the same display that you see at the end of the charge cycle.
The NC-85 is only designed for the charging of the VX-2R’s battery, and is not suitable for
other purposes. Please be advised that the NC-85 may contribute noise to TV and radio
reception in the immediate vicinity, so we do not recommend its use adjacent to such devices.
INSTALLATION OF ACCESSORIES
á
UNLOCK
s LOCK
LOCK
á

VX-2R OPERATING MANUAL 7
The VX-2Rmay be used for Packet operation, using the optionalCT-91microphone adapter
(available from your Yaesu dealer) for easy interconnection to commonly-available con-
nectors wired to your TNC. You may also build your own cable,using a four-conductor
miniature phone plug, per the diagram below.
The audio level from the receiver to the TNC may be adjusted by using the VOLUME
knob, as with voice operation. The input level to the VX-2R from the TNC should be
adjusted at the TNC side; the optimum input voltage is approximately 5 mV at 2000 Ohms.
Be sure to turn the transceiver and TNC off before connecting the cables, so as to prevent
voltage spikes from possibly damaging your transceiver.
When you are operating on Packet, switch the Receive Battery Saver OFF, as the “sleep”
cycle may “collide” with the beginning of an incoming Packet transmission, causing
your TNC not to receive the full data burst. See page 32 for details regarding Battery
Saversetup.
INTERFACE OF PACKET TNCS

VX-2R OPERATING MANUAL8
Hi! I’m R. F. Radio, and I’ll be helping you along as you learn the many
features of the VX-2R. I know you’re anxious to get on the air, but I encour-
age you to read the “Operation” section of this manual as thoroughly as
possible, so you’ll get the most out of this fantastic new transceiver. Now. . .let’s get
operating!
SWITCHING POWER ONAND OFF
1. Be sure the Battery Pack is installed, and that the battery is fully charged. Connect the
antenna to the top panel ANTENNA jack.
2. Press and hold in the POWER switch (on the left side of the transceiver) for one
second. Two beeps will be heard when the switch has
been held long enough, and the current DC supply volt-
age will indicated on the display for 2 seconds; if you
are using the FNB-82LI Battery Pack, the small “Lit”
icon at the top of the display confirms that the Lithium-
Ion Battery Pack has been detected. After this 2-sec-
ond interval, the display will resume its normal indica-
tion of the operating frequency.
3. To turn the VX-2R off, press and hold in the POWER switch again for one second.
1) If you don’t hear the two “Beep” tones when the radio comes on, the Beeper
may have been disabled via the Menu system. See page 14, which tells you
how to reactivate the Beeper.
2)You can change the Opening Message (DC supply voltage indication) to any desired
message (up to 6 characters) via Set Mode Item 30: OPNMSG; see page 68 for details.
ADJUSTING THE VOLUME LEVEL
Rotate the VOLUME control (inner knob) to set the de-
sired audio level. Clockwise rotation increases the volume
level.
OPERATION

VX-2R OPERATING MANUAL 9
SQUELCH ADJUSTMENT
The VX-2R’s Squelch system allows you to mute the background noise when no signal is
being received. Not only does the Squelch system make “standby” operation more pleas-
ant, it also significantly reduces battery current consumption.
The Squelch system may be adjusted independently for the FM and Wide-FM (FM Broad-
cast) modes.
1. Press the [F/W]key, then press the MONI switch on the left side of the radio. This
provides a “Short-cut” to Set Mode Item 41: SQL.
2. Now, rotate the DIAL knob to set the Squelch so that the background noise is just
silenced (typically at a setting of about “1” or “2” for FM, and “2” or “3” for Wide-
FM); this is point of maximum sensitivity to weak signals.
3. When you are satisfied with the Squelch threshold setting, press the PTT key momen-
tarily to save the new setting and exit to normal operation.
1) A special “RF Squelch” feature is provided on the VX-2R. This feature
allows you to set the squelch so that only signals exceeding a certain S-meter
level will open the squelch. See page 17 for details.
2) If you’re operating in an area of high RF pollution, you may need to consider “Tone
Squelch” operation using the built-in CTCSS Decoder. This feature will keep your ra-
dioquiet untila call isreceived froma stationsending acarrier whichcontains a matching
(subaudible) CTCSS tone. Or, if your friends have radios equipped with DCS (Digital
Coded Squelch) like your VX-2R has, try using that mode for silent monitoring of busy
channels.
OPERATION

VX-2R OPERATING MANUAL10
SELECTING THE OPERATING BAND
The VX-2R covers an incredibly
wide frequency range, over
which a number of different op-
erating modes are used. There-
fore, theVX-2R’s frequency cov-
erage has been divided into dif-
ferent operating bands, each of
which has its own pre-set chan-
nel steps and operating modes.
Youcanchange the channel steps
and operating modes later, if you
like (see page 15).
To Change Operating Bands:
1. Press the [BAND]key repetitively. You will see the LCD indication move toward a
higher frequency band each time you press the[BAND]
key.
2. If you wish to move the operating band selection down-
ward (toward lower frequencies), press the [F/W]key
first, then press the [BAND]key.
3. Once you have selected the desired band, you may ini-
tiate manual tuning (or scanning) per the discussion in
the next chapter.
When receiving in the AM Broadcast or Shortwave bands (0.5-30 MHz), we
recommend that you connect an external antenna, for improved reception.
OPERATION
BAND FREQUENCY RANGE
[BAND NUMBER]USA VERSION EXP VERSION
BC Band [1]0.5 - 1.8 MHz 0.504 - 1.8 MHz
SW Band [2]1.8 - 30 MHz 1.8 - 30 MHz
50 MHz Ham Band [3]30 - 59 MHz 30 - 88 MHz
FM BC Band [4]59 - 108 MHz 88 - 108 MHz
Air Band [5]108 - 137 MHz 108 - 137 MHz
144 MHz Ham Band [6]137 - 174 MHz 137 - 174 MHz
VHF-TV Band [7]174 - 222 MHz 174 - 222 MHz
Action Band 1 [8]222 - 420 MHz 222 - 420 MHz
430 MHz Ham Band [9]420 - 470 MHz 420 - 470 MHz
VHF-TV Band [A]470 - 800 MHz 470 - 800 MHz
Action Band 2 [b]803 - 999 MHz 800 - 999 MHz

VX-2R OPERATING MANUAL 11
OPERATION
FREQUENCY NAVIGATION
The VX-2R will initially be operating in the “VFO” mode, a channelized system which
allows free tuning throughout the currently-selected operating band.
Two basic frequency navigation methods are available on the VX-2R:
1)Tuning Dial (Outer ring of dual control on Top Panel)
Rotation of the DIAL allows tuning in the pre-programmed steps established for the current
operating band. Clockwise rotation of the DIAL causes the
VX-2Rto be tuned toward a higher frequency, while counter-
clockwise rotation will lower the operating frequency.
If you press the [F/W]key momentarily, then rotate the
DIAL, frequency steps of 1 MHz will be selected. This fea-
ture is extremely useful for making rapid frequency excur-
sions over the wide tuning range of the VX-2R.
2)Scanning
From the VFO mode, press and hold in the [BAND]key for one second, and rotate the
DIAL knob while holding in the [BAND]key to select the
bandwidth for the VFO scanner, then release the [BAND]
key to begin scanning toward a higher frequency. The scan-
ner will stop when it receives a signal strong enough to break
through the Squelch threshold. The VX-2R will then hold
on that frequency according to the setting of the “RESUME”
mode (Set Mode Item 31: RESUME). See page 47 for de-
tails regarding Scan Operatin.
If you wish to reverse the direction of the scan (i.e. toward a lower frequency, instead of a
higher frequency), just rotate the DIAL one click in the counter-clockwise direction while
the VX-2R is scanning. The scanning direction will be reversed. To revert to scanning
toward a higher frequency once more, rotate the DIAL one click clockwise.
Press the PTT switch momentarily to cancel the scanning. This only stops the scan; it does
not cause transmission to occur.
Notice
The VX-2R may receive very strong signals on the Image frequency. If you experi-
ence interference that you suspect may be coming in via an “Image” path, you may
calculate the possible frequencies using the formulas below. This information may be
used in the design of effective countermeasures such as traps, etc.
¦3.579545 MHz x n¦11.7 MHz x n(nis an integer: 1, 2, 3, …)

VX-2R OPERATING MANUAL12
TRANSMISSION
Once you have set up an appropriate frequency inside one of the 144 MHz or 430 MHz
Amateur bands on which the VX-2R can transmit, you’re ready to go on the air! These are
the most basic steps; more advanced aspects of transmitter operation will be discussed
later.
1. To transmit, press the PTT switch, and speak into the front panel microphone (located
in the upper left-hand corner of the speaker grille) in a
normal voice level. The BUSY/TX indicator will glow
red during transmission.
2. To return to the receive mode, release the PTT switch.
3. During transmission, the relative power level will be
indicated on the bar graph at the bottom of the LCD;
full scale deflection confirms “High Power” operation,
while deflection of two bars indicates
“LowPower”operation. Additionally, the
“LOW” icon will appear at the bottom
of the display while operating on the
“Low Power” setting.
4. If you’re just talking to friends in the immediate area,
you’ll get much longer battery life by switching to Low
Power operation. To do this, press the [H/L]key so that
the “LOW” icon appears at the bottom of the display.
And don’t forget: always have an antenna connected
when you transmit.
Transmission is possible only on the 144 MHz and
430 MHz bands.
The VX-2R is smart! You can set up Low power on 144 MHz band, while
leaving 430 MHz on High power, and the radio will remember the different
settings on both bands. And when you
store memories, you can store High and Low
power settings separately in each memory, so you
don’t waste battery power when using very close-
in repeaters!
2) When you are operating on the Low power setting, you can press the [F/W] key, when
press the PTT switch, to cause the VX-2R to transmit (temporarily) on High power. After
one transmission, the power level will revert to the previously-selected (Low power) set-
ting.
OPERATION
BAND FNB-82LI EXT DC
(3.7 V) (6.0 V)
144 MHz HI: 1.5 W HI: 3.0 W
LOW: 0.1 W LOW: 0.3 W
430 MHz HI: 1.0 W HI: 2.0 W
LOW: 0.1 W LOW: 0.3 W

VX-2R OPERATING MANUAL 13
KEYBOARD LOCKING
In order to prevent accidental frequency change or inadvertent transmission, various as-
pects of the VX-2R’s keys and switches may be locked out. The possible lockout combina-
tions are:
KEY:Just the front panel keys are locked out
DIAL:Just the top panel DIAL is locked out
K+D:Both the DIAL and Keys are locked out
PTT:The PTT switch is locked (TX not possible)
K+P:Both the keys and PTT switch are locked out
D+P:Both the DIAL and PTT switch are locked out
ALL:All of the above are locked out
To lock out some or all of the keys:
1. Press and hold in the [H/L]key for one second to enter the Set mode.
2. Rotate the DIAL knob to select Set Mode Item 25: LOCK.
3. Press the [H/L]key momentarily to enable adjustment of this Item.
4. Rotate the DIAL knob to choose between one of the locking schemes as outlined above.
5. When you have made your selection, press the PTT key to save the new setting and
return to normal operation.
To activate the locking feature, press the [F/W]key, then press and
hold in the [BAND]key for one second. The “ ” icon will appear
on the LCD. To cancel locking, repeat this process.
OPERATION

VX-2R OPERATING MANUAL14
KEYPAD/LCD ILLUMINATION
Your VX-2R includes a reddish illumination lamp which aids in nighttime operation. The
red illumination yields clear viewing of the display in a dark environment, with minimal
degradation of your night vision. Three options for activating the lamp are provided:
KEY Mode: Illuminates the Keypad/LCD for five seconds when any key pressed.
CONT Mode: Illuminates the Keypad/LCD continuously.
OFF Mode: Disables the Keypad/LCD lamp.
Here is the procedure for setting up the Lamp mode:
1. Press and hold in the [H/L]key for one second to enter the Set mode.
2. Rotate the DIAL knob to select Set Mode Item 24: LAMP.
3. Press the [H/L]key momentarily to enable adjustment of this Item.
4. Rotate the DIAL knob to select one of the three modes described above.
5. When you have made your choice, press the PTT key to save the new setting and
return to normal operation.
You may also adjust the Keypad/LCD illumination level and LCD contrast by
use of the Set Mode. See page 16 for details.
DISABLING THE KEYPAD BEEPER
If the keypad’s Beeper creates an inconvenience (particularly when operating in a quiet
room), it may easily be disabled.
1. Press and hold in the [H/L]key for one second to enter the Set mode.
2. Rotate the DIAL knob to select Set Mode Item 7: BEEP.
3. Press the [H/L]key momentarily to enable adjustment of this Item.
4. Rotate the DIAL knob to change the setting from ON to OFF.
5. When you have made your selection, press the PTT key to save the new setting and
return to normal operation.
6. If you wish to re-enable the Beeper, just repeat the above procedure, rotating the DIAL
knob to select ON in step “4” above.
OPERATION

VX-2R OPERATING MANUAL 15
Now that you’re mastered the basics of VX-2R operation, let’s learn more about some of
the really neat features.
CHECKING THE BATTERYVOLTAGE
The VX-2R’s microprocessor includes programming which will detect the battery type
and measure the current battery voltage.
1. Press and hold in the [H/L]key for one second to enter the Set
mode.
2. Rotate the DIAL knob to select Set Mode Item 13: DC VLT.
3. Press the [H/L]key momentarily to display the battery type and
the current DC voltage being supplied.
Lit:FNB-82LI is in use.
Edc:An external DC source is in use.
4. Press and hold in the [H/L]key for one second to return to
normal operation.
CHANGING THE CHANNEL STEPS
The VX-2R’s synthesizer provides the option of utilizing channel steps of 5/9/10/12.5/15/
20/25/50/100 kHz per step, as well as an automatic step selection based on the current
operating frequency (“AUTO”), any number of which may be important to your operating
requirements. The VX-2R is set up at the factory in the “AUTO” configulation, which
probably is satisfactory for most operation. However, if you need to change the channel
step increments, the procedure to do so is very easy.
1. Press and hold in the [H/L]key for one second to enter the Set mode.
2. Rotate the DIAL knob to select Set Mode Item 43: STEP.
3. Press the [H/L]key momentarily to enable adjustment of this Item.
4. Rotate the DIAL knob to select the new channel step size.
5. When you have made your selection, press the PTT key to save the new setting and
return to normal operation.
1) 9 kHz steps are available only when receiving on the BC band.
2) While operating on the BC band, you may only select channel steps of 9
kHz or 10 kHz; the other step selections are disabled.
3) 5 kHz steps are not available for use on 250 - 300 MHz, nor above 530 MHz.
-

VX-2R OPERATING MANUAL16
CHANGING THE RECEIVING MODE
The VX-2R provides for automatic mode changing when the radio is tuned to different
operating frequencies. However, should an unusual receiving situation arise in which you
need to change other receiving mode, just press the [MD] key. The receiving modes avail-
able are:
AUTO:Automatic mode setting per default values for the selected frequency range.
N-FM:Narrow-bandwidth FM (used for voice communication)
W-FM:Wide-bandwidth FM (used for high-fidelity broadcasting)
AM:Amplitude Modulation
Unless you have a compelling reason to do so, leave the Automatic Mode
Selection feature on so as to save time and trouble when changing bands. If
you make a mode change for a particular channel or station, you can always
store that one channel into memory, as the mode setting will be memorized along with
the frequency information.
DISPLAYDIMMER
The LCD and keypad illumination level may be adjusted using the Set Mode.
1. Press and hold in the [H/L]key for one second to enter the Set mode.
2. Rotate the DIAL knob to select Set Mode Item 16: DIMMER.
3. Press the [H/L]key momentarily to enable adjustment of this Set Mode Item.
4. Rotate the DIAL knob to adjust the display illumination for a comfortable brightness
level. As you make the adjustment, you will be able to see the effects of your changes.
5. When you have completed the adjustment, press the PTT key to save the new setting
and exit to normal operation.
ADVANCED OPERATION

VX-2R OPERATING MANUAL 17
RF SQUELCH
A special RF Squelch feature is provided on this radio. This feature allows you to set the
squelch so that only signals exceeding a certain S-meter level will open the squelch.
To set up the RF squelch circuit for operation, use the following procedure:
1. Press and hold in the [H/L]key for one second to enter the Set mode.
2. Rotate the DIAL knob to select Set Mode Item 32: RF SQL.
3. Press the [H/L]key momentarily to enable adjustment of this Item.
4. Rotate the DIAL knob to select the desired signal strength level for the squelch thresh-
old (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S8, S9+, or OFF).
5. Press the PTT key to save the new setting and return to normal operation.
The receiver’s squelch will open based on the higher of the levels set by the two squelch
systems (Noise Squelch and RF Squelch).
For example:
1) If the Noise Squelch (SQL control) is set so that signals at a level of S-3 will open the
squelch, but the RF Squelch (Set Mode Item 32) is set to “S5,” the squelch will only
open on signals which are “S-5” or stronger on the S-meter.
2) If the RF Squelch is set to “S3,” but the Noise Squelch is set to a high level which will
only pass signals which are Full Scale on the S-meter, the squelch will only open on
signals which are Full Scale on the S-meter. In this case, the Noise Squelch overrides
the action of the RF Squelch.
ADVANCED OPERATION

VX-2R OPERATING MANUAL18
REPEATER OPERATION
Repeater stations, usually located on mountaintops or other high locations, provide a dra-
matic extension of the communication range for low-powered hand-held or mobile trans-
ceivers. The VX-2R includes a number of features which make repeater operation simple
and enjoyable.
Repeater Shifts
Your VX-2R has been configured, at the factory, for the repeater shifts customary in your
country. For the 144 MHz band shift will be 600 kHz; on the 430 MHz band, the shift may
be 1.6 MHz, 7.6 MHz, or 5 MHz (USA version).
Depending on the part of the band in which you are operating, the repeater shift may be
either downward ( ) or upward ( ), and one of these icons will appear at the top of the
LCD when repeater shifts have been enabled.
Automatic Repeater Shift (ARS)
The VX-2R provides a convenient Automatic Repeater Shift feature, which causes the
appropriate repeater shift to be applied automatically whenever you tune into the desig-
nated repeater sub-bands in your country. These sub-bands are shown below.
If the ARS feature does not appear to be working, you may have accidentally disabled it.
To re-enable ARS:
1. Press and hold in the [H/L]key for one second to enter the Set mode.
2. Rotate the DIAL knob to select Set Mode Item 4: ARS.
3. Press the [H/L]key momentarily to enable adjustment of this Item.
4. Rotate the DIAL knob to select “ON” (to enable Automatic Repeater Shift).
5. When you have made your selection, press the PTT key to save the new setting and
return to normal operation.
ADVANCED OPERATION
European Version
Version A
2-m
145.1 145.5
145.6 145.8
146.0 146.4 147.0 147.6 148.0
146.6 147.4
Euro Version 1
Euro Version 2
Version A
70-cm
440.0
445.0
450.0
439.45
438.20
433.00 433.40
ARS-Repeater Subbands