User manual RADIOSHACK TRC-236

21-1649.fm Page 1 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM OWNER'S MANUAL Cat. No. 21-1649 TRC-236 40-Channel 5-Watt CB Walkie Talkie with LED Display Please read before using this equipment. 21-1649.fm Page 2 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM FEATURES Your RadioShack TRC-236 40-Channel 5Watt CB Walkie Talkie with LED Display is a portable, two-way radio you can carry almost anywhere. You can use your TRC236 around the house, in your office, or in your car or boat. You can also use it on fishing trips, or at your business for supervisory, security, or warehouse personnel. Your TRC-236 has the following features: 2-Digit LED Display -- lets you easily see the selected channel number. Automatic Display Dimmer -- the channel display automatically brightens when you press most buttons. Then, after a few seconds, it dims to save battery power. High/Low Power Switch -- lets you increase the transmitted signal strength to increase the TRC-236's range, or decrease it to save battery power. Telescoping Antenna with CenterLoading Coil -- provides excellent reception and transmission. Adjustable Squelch -- helps to eliminate noise between transmissions. Battery Test Button and Battery Indicator -- lets you check the batteries' condition to find out if they need replacing. Built-In Modulation Limiter Circuit -- automatically adjusts to a variety of voice levels to ensure a clear transmission. Automatic Noise Limiter (ANL) Circuit -- reduces noise caused by nearby electrical equipment such as motors or automotive ignition systems. © 1997, 1998 Tandy Corporation. All Rights Reserved. RadioShack is a registered trademark used by Tandy Corporation. 2 21-1649.fm Page 3 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM Power/Charging Jack -- lets you power your TRC-236 from an AC or DC power source, so you can use the TRC-236 without draining the batteries. And, lets you charge nickel-cadmium batteries without removing them from the TRC-236. Note: To power your TRC-236 with internal batteries, you need eight AA alkaline batteries or ten nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries (not supplied). We recommend you record the TRC236's serial number here. The serial number is located on the walkie talkie's back panel: 3 21-1649.fm Page 4 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM FCC INFORMATION The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) does not require you to have a license to operate this walkie talkie. However, the FCC does require that you read and know Part 95 of FCC Rules. These rules apply to the operation of a Class D CB. We have provided a copy of these regulations with your TRC-236. Internal adjustments and/or modifications can lead to illegal operation as defined by Part 95 of FCC Rules. Such illegal operation can lead to very serious consequences. To be safe and sure: · Never open your TRC-236's case. · Never modify your TRC-236. Your TRC-236 might cause TV or radio interference even when it is operating properly. To determine whether your TRC-236 is causing the interference, turn off your TRC-236. If the interference goes away, your TRC-236 is causing it. Try to eliminate the interference by: · Moving your TRC-236 away from the TV or radio · Contacting your local RadioShack store for help Warning: Do not open your TRC-236 to make any internal adjustments. Any internal adjustments should be made only by authorized service personnel. 4 21-1649.fm Page 5 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM CONTENTS Powering the CB ................................ 6 Using the POWER Jack and ALKALINE/NI-CD Switch .................. 6 Using Batteries ................................. 7 Testing the Battery Power .......... 10 Recharging Nickel-Cadmium Batteries ..................................... 10 Using Vehicle Battery Power ........... 12 Using AC Power ............................. 13 Connecting an Optional Antenna .... 15 Operation .......................................... 18 Receiving Transmissions and Adjusting Squelch .......................... 18 Transmitting .................................... 20 CB Operation Tips ........................... Common Uses for a CB Radio ....... Business Uses ........................... Personal Uses ........................... Using Common 10-Codes .............. CB Courtesy ................................... Maximum Range ............................ 22 22 22 22 23 25 25 Troubleshooting ............................... 26 Maintenance ..................................... 27 Specifications .................................. 28 5 21-1649.fm Page 6 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM POWERING THE CB You can power your TRC-236 from any of these sources (none supplied): · Eight AA alkaline batteries with the two supplied dummy batteries · Ten rechargeable cadmium batteries AA nickel- · 12-volt vehicle battery power using a fused power cord · Standard AC power using a power supply USING THE POWER JACK AND ALKALINE/NI-CD SWITCH The POWER jack lets you connect an external power source (such as your vehicle's battery power or AC power), or connect a battery charger to charge nickel-cadmium batteries while they are in the TRC-236. The TRC-236 also has a slide switch (ALKALINE/NI-CD) inside the battery compartment that you must set correctly, depending on what power source you are using and whether or not you want to charge rechargeable batteries while they are in the TRC-236. 6 21-1649.fm Page 7 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM · Set it to ALKALINE before you connect an external power source (vehicle battery power or AC adapter) to the POWER jack or while you are using internal batteries (alkaline or rechargeable). · Set it to NI-CD only when you connect a battery charger to the POWER jack to charge the installed rechargeable batteries. Warning: To avoid injuring yourself or damaging the TRC-236, connect a battery charger to the POWER jack only when nickel-cadmium batteries are installed (see "Recharging Nickel-Cadmium Batteries" on Page 10). Never try to recharge non-rechargeable batteries. They could get very hot and explode. Note: You can connect an external power source for power regardless of the type of batteries you installed. USING BATTERIES You can power the TRC-236 from eight AA alkaline batteries (such as RadioShack Cat. No. 23-552) with the two supplied dummy batteries, or 10 rechargeable AA nickel-cadmium batteries (such as Cat. No. 23-125). 7 21-1649.fm Page 8 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM Cautions: · Always use fresh, or freshly charged, batteries of the required size and recommended type. · Do not mix old and new batteries, different types of batteries (standard, alkaline, or rechargeable nickel-cadmium), or rechargeable batteries of different capacities. Follow these steps to install the batteries. 1. If the TRC-236 is on, turn OFF/VOLUME fully counterclockwise until it clicks to turn it off. 2. Slide the strap on the back of the TRC-236 through the buckle and the battery compartment cover to remove it. 3. Slide the battery compartment cover in the direction of the arrows to remove it. 8 21-1649.fm Page 9 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM 4. Be sure ALKALINE/NI-CD inside the battery compartment is set to ALKALINE. 5. Put eight AA alkaline batteries and the two supplied dummy batteries, or ten AA nickel-cadmium batteries into the battery compartment, as indicated by the polarity symbols (+ and ­) marked inside. Note: Before you use the TRC-236 with nickel-cadmium batteries, you need to charge the batteries (see "Recharging Nickel-Cadmium Batteries" on Page 10). 6. Slide the strap on the back of the TRC-236 through the battery compartment cover to reattach it. 7. Replace the battery compartment cover. Cautions: · If you will not be powering the TRC236 from internal batteries for several months, remove the batteries. · Dispose of old batteries promptly and properly. 9 21-1649.fm Page 10 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM Testing the Battery Power 1. Turn on the TRC-236 by rotating OFF/VOLUME clockwise until it clicks. 2. Hold down BATT TEST. If the indicator lights, there is enough battery power to operate the CB. If the indicator is dim or does not light, replace or recharge the batteries. Recharging Nickel-Cadmium Batteries You can use a battery charger, Cat. No. 23-249 (not supplied), to charge or recharge nickel-cadmium batteries while they are inside the TRC-236's battery compartment. Do not use the TRC-236 while you are charging the nickel-cadmium batteries. Cautions: · Use only the recommended battery charger to recharge the batteries in the TRC-236. Other chargers could damage your TRC-236 or the batteries. · Be careful not to overcharge nickelcadmium batteries. · To prevent damage to rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries, never charge them in an area where the temperature is above 90°F (32°C) or below 40°F (4.5°C). 10 21-1649.fm Page 11 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM Follow these steps to charge nickelcadmium batteries in the TRC-236. 1. If the TRC-236 is on, turn OFF/VOLUME fully counterclockwise until it clicks to turn it off. 2. Set ALKALINE/NI-CD inside the battery compartment to NI-CD (see "Using the Power Jack and Alkaline/NICD Switch" on Page 6). 3. Connect the battery charger's 5.5 mm outer diameter/2.1 mm inner diameter barrel plug to the POWER jack on the side of the TRC-236, then plug the battery charger's plug into a standard AC outlet. It takes about 24 hours to charge new or fully discharged nickelcadmium batteries. Subsequent charges take about 16 to 18 hours. 4. When charging is complete, unplug the battery charger's plug from the AC outlet. Then disconnect the battery charger's barrel plug from the POWER jack. 5. If the TRC-236 is on, turn OFF/VOLUME fully counterclockwise until it clicks to turn it off. Then set ALKALINE/NI-CD to ALKALINE. 11 21-1649.fm Page 12 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM Note: You can use an external charger (such as Cat. No. 23-134, not supplied) to recharge the nickel-cadmium batteries. After removing the batteries from the TRC-236, follow the instructions that come with the external charger. Important: Your TRC-236 is capable of using nickel-cadmium batteries. At the end of the batteries' useful life, they must be recycled or disposed of properly. Contact your local, county, or state hazardous waste management authorities for information on recycling or disposal programs in your area. Some options that might be available are: municipal curbside collection, drop-off boxes at retailers such as your local RadioShack store, recycling collection centers, and mail-back programs. USING VEHICLE BATTERY POWER You can power your TRC-236 from your vehicle's cigarette-lighter socket with an optional 12-volt DC fused power cord (such as Cat. No. 270-1533). Cautions: · You must use a DC fused cord that supplies 12 volts and delivers at least 1200 milliamps of vehicle power. Its center tip must be set to positive, and its plug must correctly fit the TRC-236's POWER jack. The recommended fused cord meets these specifications. Using a fused cord that does not meet these specifications could damage the TRC-236 or the fused cord. 12 21-1649.fm Page 13 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM · When you finish using the TRC-236, unplug the fused cord from the cigarette-lighter socket before you disconnect it from your TRC-236. 1. If the TRC-236 is on, turn OFF/VOLUME fully counterclockwise until it clicks to turn it off. 2. Be sure ALKALINE/NI-CD inside the battery compartment is set to ALKALINE. 3. Insert the power cord's 5.5 mm outer diameter/2.1 mm inner diameter barrel plug into the POWER jack. 4. Plug the power cord's other end into your vehicle's cigarette-lighter socket. Note: If the TRC-236 does not operate when you use the DC power cord, unplug the cord from the cigarette-lighter socket and clean any ashes or debris from the socket. If your TRC-236 still does not work, check the fuse in the DC power cord and replace it if necessary. USING AC POWER You can power your TRC-236 from standard AC power using an optional AC-to12 V DC power supply (such as Cat. No. 22-504) and an optional DC fused power cord (such as Cat. No. 270-1533). 13 21-1649.fm Page 14 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM Cautions: · The power supply must be able to deliver 12 volts and at least 1200 milliamps of power. The recommended power supply meets these specifications. Using a power supply that does not meet these specifications could damage the TRC-236 or the power supply. · You must use a DC fused cord that supplies 12 volts and delivers at least 1200 milliamps of power. Its center tip must be set to positive, and its barrel plug must correctly fit the TRC-236's POWER jack. The recommended fused cord meets these specifications. Using a fused cord that does not meet these specifications could damage the TRC-236 or the fused cord. · To help prevent an electrical short, unplug the DC fused cord's plug from the AC adapter's power socket before you unplug the cord's barrel plug from the TRC-236. Follow these steps to connect the TRC236 to AC power. 1. If the TRC-236 is on, turn OFF/VOLUME fully counterclockwise until it clicks to turn it off. 14 21-1649.fm Page 15 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM 2. Connect the DC fused cord's 5.5 mm outer diameter/2.1 mm inner diameter barrel plug to the TRC-236's POWER jack. 3. Be sure ALKALINE/NI-CD inside the battery compartment is set to ALKALINE. 4. Plug the DC fused cord's other end into the power supply's power socket. 5. Plug the power supply into a standard AC outlet, then turn on the power supply. Note: If the TRC-236 does not operate when you use the DC fused cord, turn the power supply off, unplug the cord from the power supply's power socket, then clean any debris from the socket. If your TRC236 still does not work, check the fuse in the DC fused cord and replace it if necessary. CONNECTING AN OPTIONAL ANTENNA Your walkie talkie comes with a telescoping antenna that is ideal for most applications. However, the walkie talkie's EXT ANTENNA jack makes it easy to connect other types of antennas, too. For mobile or base station use, you might want to connect an optional external antenna. Your local RadioShack store carries a wide selection of external mobile or outdoor base-station antennas. Choose the one that best meets your needs. When deciding on a mobile or basestation antenna and its location, consider the following: · The location of the antenna should be as high as possible. 15 21-1649.fm Page 16 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM · The antenna and antenna cable should be as far as possible from sources of electrical noise (appliances, other radios, and so on). · The antenna should be vertical for the best performance. Note: When connecting an optional antenna, always use 50-ohm coaxial cable, such as RG-58 or RG-8. For lengths over 50 feet, use RG-8 low-loss dielectric coaxial cable. If the coaxial cable's connector does not fit into the EXT ANTENNA jack, you might also need a PL-259-to-phono antenna plug adapter, such as Cat. No. 278-208. Your local RadioShack store carries a wide variety of coaxial antenna cable and connectors. Follow the installation instructions supplied with the antenna, route the antenna cable to the TRC-236, then connect it to the EXT ANTENNA jack. Cautions: · Do not run the cable over sharp edges or moving parts. · Do not run the cable next to power cables or other CB antenna cables. · Do not run the cable through a vehicle's engine compartment or other areas that produce extreme heat. · Follow all cautions and warnings included with the antenna. 16 21-1649.fm Page 17 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM Warning: When installing or removing a base station CB antenna, use extreme caution. If the antenna starts to fall, let it go! It could contact overhead power lines. If the antenna touches the power line, contact with the antenna, mast, cable or guy wires can cause electrocution and death! Call the power company to remove the antenna. DO NOT attempt to do so yourself. 17 21-1649.fm Page 18 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM OPERATION Before you use your TRC-236, we recommend you read "CB Operation Tips" on Page 22, which contains information to help you use it effectively and courteously. RECEIVING TRANSMISSIONS AND ADJUSTING SQUELCH 1. If you did not connect an external antenna, fully extend the TRC-236's telescoping antenna and hold the TRC-236 so the antenna is vertical. Caution: Unless an external antenna is attached, if you do not fully extend the antenna, the TRC-236's efficiency is reduced. 2. Turn on the TRC-236 by turning OFF/ VOLUME clockwise until you hear a click and a hissing sound. Note: When you tune a channel, the channel's number appears or flashes on the display for several seconds then fades, to save battery power. To continuously display the channel number, press and hold DISPLAY on the side of the TRC-236. 18 21-1649.fm Page 19 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM To redisplay the channel number for several seconds, simply press and release DISPLAY. 3. Repeatedly press CH s to select higher channels, or CH t to select lower channels. To move rapidly through the channels, hold down CH s or t. 4. Adjust OFF/VOLUME to a comfortable listening level. 5. Adjust SQUELCH to cut out the background noise. Wait until there is no signal on the channel, then slowly turn SQUELCH clockwise until the background noise stops. Note: Do not turn SQUELCH too far clockwise because you might also cut out weak signals. 6. To turn off the TRC-236, turn OFF/ VOLUME toward OFF until it clicks. 19 21-1649.fm Page 20 Thursday, August 5, 1999 11:33 AM TRANSMITTING 1. Follow Steps 1­5 in "Receiving Transmissions and Adjusting Squelch" on Page 18. 2. To increase the transmitted signal strength and increase the TRC-236's range, set POWER HI/LO on the side of the TRC-236 to HI. To decrease the transmitted signal strength and save battery power, set POWER HI/LO to LO. 3. Hold the TRC-236 2 to 3 inches from your mouth. Hold down PUSH TO TALK on the side of the TRC-236 and speak in a normal voice into the microphone. Microphone When you finish speaking, release PUSH TO TALK. Note: Do not speak too loudly when transmitting. It does not make your signal any stronger, and might distort your transmission. 20