User manual THOMSON GRUNDIG YB400

WORLD RECEIVER YACHT BOY 400 PE IMPORTANT NOTICE NEED HELP? CALL OUR SHORTWAVE HOTLINE f, after reading this owner's manual, you need help learning to perate your YACHT BOY 400 PROFESSIONAL EDITION, all us toll free, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., ST at: 1-800-872-2228 from the U.S. 1-800-637-1648 from Canada WNER'S RECORD his model is the GRUNDIG YACHT BOY 400 PROFESIONAL EDITION, herin after referred to as the YB400PE. he serial number is located on the sticker inside the battery ompartment. Refer to this number whenever you call GRUNDIG egarding this product. QUICK SETUP (But please read the rest of the manual later!) 1. Insert batteries or connect the included AC adaptor. 2. Set the DX/LOCAL switch to DX (left side of radio). 3. Turn the SSB switch OFF (right side of radio). 4. Fully extend the telescopic antenna. 5. With the radio off, press and release the AM button once. 6. Immediately press and release the STEP button. "10KHz" now appears in the right side of the display, and will disappear in a few seconds. (See page 4 for more information about this procedure. 7. Turn the radio on by pressing the ON/OFF button. 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS SUBJECT PAGE GRUNDIG TOLL-FREE PHONE NUMBER................................................................................................ TABLE OF CONTENTS....................................................................................................................... YOUR RADIO AT-A-GLANCE............................................................................................................... INITIAL SETUP................................................................................................................................. SUPPLYING POWER.......................................................................................................................... GENERAL RADIO OPERATION............................................................................................................. SHORTWAVE RADIO OPERATION.......................................................................................................... STORING STATIONS INTO MEMORY..................................................................................................... USING CLOCK, ALARM, AND SLEEP TIMER FEATURES................................................................................... MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SHORTWAVE....................................................................................................... SIGNLE SIDEBAND (SSB) AND TWO-WAY COMMUNICATIONS..................................................................... TIME STATIONS........................................................................................................................................................ TECHNICAL INFORMATION.................................................................................................................................. INDEX TO THE RADIO'S CONTROLS (buttons, switches, and sockets).................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 6-8 9-10 11-12 13-14 15-22 23-27 26 28 29 2 INITIAL SET-UP When traveling outside of the Americas, use the same procedure as above to set the spacing back to 9 kilohertz. ADDITIONAL SET-UP INFORMATION 1. On the right side of the radio, set the SSB switch to the OFF position. This feature is described on page 23. NOTE: the FINE TUNING control, on the right side of the radio, is only activated and needed when the YB400PE is in the SSB mode. You do not need to use this control when listening to regular AM, FM, and shortwave broadcasts. On the left side of the radio, set the DX/LOCAL switch to the DX position. DX allows for maximum sensitivity, the preferred position. IMPORTANT! SET-UP FOR NORTH AMERICAN USE North America's AM stations are exactly 10 kilohertz apart. At the factory, the radio is set up for the 9 kilohertz spacing of stations in Europe. To change this to the 10KHZ spacing: 1. With the radio OFF, press and release the AM button once. 2. Immediately press and release the STEP button. "10 KHz" now appears in the right side of the display and will disappear in a few seconds. This change will be permanently in the radio's memory as long as batteries are not taken out for a period of ten minutes or more. 4 SUPPLYING POWER AND USING EXTERNAL ANTENNAS HOW TO INSTALL BATTERIES Install six AA alkaline batteries. Follow the diagram imprinted on the back of the radio near the battery compartment. With the radio face down and the battery compartment toward you: · The flat ends (-) of the bottom batteries go toward the left. · The flat ends (-) of the top batteries go toward the right. AC ADAPTOR USE NOTE: when using the adaptor, it is OK to leave batteries in the radio. HOW TO USE THE INCLUDED "REEL" ANTENNA AND THE EXTERNAL ANTENNA SOCKET (left side of the radio) The SW EXT. ANT. Socket is for shortwave antennas. Use it with the included "reel" antenna. Always fully unroll the "reel" antenna and place it as high off the floor as possible, next to the windows. PROFESSIONALLY ENGINEERED ANTENNAS The Grundig adaptor supplied with this product is only for use in the Americas, where household AC voltage is 110-120 volts AC. Do not use this adaptor in countries with household AC voltage of 220-240 volts AC. USING YOUR GRUNDIG AC ADAPTOR 1. Plug the adaptor into a household outlet. 2. Insert plug into the radio's DC 9 V socket. Professionally engineered, outdoor shortwave antennas, available through specialized retailers, can also be used. Use the SW. EXT. ANT. Socket mentioned above. The socket is a 1/8 inch mono socket, used in conjunction with a 1/8 inch mono plug, such as the plugs often used for mono earphones. If you would like advice about shortwave antennas, please call Grundig technical support at 1-800-872-2228 for U.S. and 1-800-637-1648 for Canada. 5 GENERAL RADIO OPERATION HOW TO TURN THE RADIO ON AND OFF Press the ON/OFF button. HOW TO LISTEN TO YOUR LOCAL AM STATIONS 1. On the YB 400PE, the AM broadcast band is called medium wave. When you are listening to AM, the letters "MW" appear in the display. 2. Press the ON/OFF button to turn the radio on. 3. Press the AM button several times, until MW appears near the center of the display. 4. If "STEP" appears in the display, press the STEP button to choose 10 KHz tuning rate. 5. Automatically tune using the AUTO TUNING button. The radio will automatically stop on stations. A quick press-and-release tunes up-frequency; a long press-andrelease tunes down-frequency. 6. Manually tune using the tuning button. Experiment with this switch and let your ears be your guide. WIDE gives the best audio fidelity; NARROW best minimizes interference from other nearby stations. This switch is used for AM, shortwave, and longwave listening. HOW TO LISTEN TO YOUR LOCAL FM STATIONS 1. Press the FM Button. 2. Automatically tune using the AUTO TUNING button. The radio will automatically stop on stations. A quick press-and-release tunes up-frequency; a long pressand-release tunes down-frequency. 3. Manually tune using the TUNING BUTTONS. HOW TO USE THYE WIDE/NARROW SWITCH (left side of radio) 6 HOW TO USE THE STEREO/MONO SWITCH (left side of radio). For true stereo reproduction in FM, select STEREO when you use earphones or headphones. When STEREO is selected, and the broadcast is in stereo, two circles appear above and to the right of the frequency in the display. Use the MONO position whenver reception is poor or marginal. HOW TO USE THE TONE SWITCH Experiment and let your ears judge which position, HIGH or LOW, you like best. DIRECT FREQUENCY ENTRY If you know the exact frequency of the station you want to hear, directly enter it using the keypad and immediately press the FREQU./METER BUTTON. Pressing the FREQU./METER button finalizes the entry. Be sure to include the decimal point in FM frequencies. Any kind of frequency may be entered regardless of what kind of frequency you are presently tuned to, e.g. you can enter an FM frequency even if you are presently in shortwave. AM STATION EXAMPLE: to tune the frequency 810 kilohertz in the AM band, press 8 1 0 , then press the FREQU./METER button. FM STATION EXAMPLE: to tune the frequency 105.7 megahertz in the FM band, press 1 0 5 . 7, then press the FREQU./ METER button. Be sure to include the decimal point in FM frequencies. SHORTWAVE STATION EXAMPLE: to tune the frequency 5975 kilohertz in the shortwave 49 meter band, press 5975 then the FREQU./METER button. 7 HOW TO USE THE STEP BUTTON In AM (MW), SW, and LW (see below), the STEP button provides selection of the best tuning steps, in kilohertz. This button is not functional in FM. The tuning step rate is indicated in the lower right of the display, e.g. "STEP 5". Use these guidelines: AM (MW): 10 KHz in the Americas; 9 KHz outside of the Americas LW (longwave): 9 KHz for broadcast stations. Note: You will probably not hear any stations in the Americas, as LW is not used for broadcast stations. It is used in Europe and other parts of the world for broadcasts to those areas. SSB: 1KHz HOW TO USE THE LOCK BUTTON When lock is on, the word LOCK appears in the upper right area of the display. Using this feature has no effect on alarm functions. When the radio is on: Pressing the LOCK button locks all keys except the ON/OFF button and the SNOOZE button. 8 When the radio is off: Pressing the LOCK button locks all keys. This will keep the radio from accidentally turning on when packed in a briefcase, etc. When you want to listen to your radio, press LOCK and then the ON/OFF switch. HOW TO USE THE AM BUTTON'S LAST STATION MEMORY FEATURE Pressing the AM button over and over steps through the last station tuned in MW, SW and LW. HOW TO USE THE VOLUME CONTROL KNOB Use this to control the loudness of the radio. HOW AND WHEN TO USE THE RESET FEATURE If the radio operates erratically, gently poke an opened paper clip into the RESET hole on the front of the radio. Normal operation may be restored. Note that this procedure erases all memories and resets the clock HOW TO LISTEN TO SHORTWAVE STATIONS If you already know the specific frequency of a shortwave station, enter it, using the direct frequency entry technique described earlier. For a complete list of shortwave frequencies, use the major shortwave publications mentioned on page 22. Even if you do not know any specific frequencies of shortwave stations, you can find them by going into a shortwave band and tuning around, as described below. WHAT IS A SHORTWAVE BAND If you have ever listened to AM or FM radio, then you already know what a band is. The AM band is 530-1600 KHz; the FM band is 88-108 MHz. A band is simply a frequency range where stations are located. When you look for stations in these "bands", you simply tune around until you find a station you like. Shortwave is similar, and the shortwave bands have names like 25 meters, 31 meters, 49 meters, etc. These are abbreviated 25m, 31m and 49m. Just like in AM and FM radio, one simply gets into the shortwave band and tunes around, looking for stations. For example, the 19 meter shortwave band encompasses the frequency range of 15100 to 15600 kilohertz. The band chart on the back of the YB400PE shows the frequency range for each band. HOW TO ENTER A SHORTWAVE BAND EXAMPLE: To enter the 25 meter band 1. Press 2 5 2. Press the FREQU./METER button. HOW TO TUNE AROUND IN A SHORTWAVE BAND AUTO TUNING: The radio will find stations for you within the shortwave band you have entered. In shortwave, this feature only works within the shortwave bands shown on the back of the radio (see the chart titled "SHORTWAVE BAND AUTO TUNING RANGES"). 9 MANUAL TUNING: Use the regular TUNING buttons to go up or down frequency. Be aware that when using manual tuning, it is possible to tune right out of the shortwave band you have entered. You are in the band as long as the band's number, e.g. 25m, is in the display. HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST SHORTWAVE BAND TO TUNE AROUND IN This information and much more can be found in the section titled MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SHORTWAVE. SHORTWAVE BAND AUTO TUNING RANGES: 90m: 3200-3400 KHz 80m: 3500-3800 KHz 75m: 3900-4000 KHz 60m: 4750-5060 KHz 49m: 5950-6200 KHz 41m: 7100-7300 KHz 40m: 7000-7099 KHz 31m: 9500-9900 KHz 30m: 10100-10150 KHz 25m: 11650-12050 KHz 22m: 13600-13800 KHz 20m: 14000-14350 KHz 19m: 15100-15600 KHz 17m: 18065-18170 KHz 16m: 17550-17900 KHz 15m: 21000-21449 KHz 13m: 21450-21850 KHz 12m: 24890-24990 KHz 11m: 25650-26100 KHz 10m: 28000-29700 KHz 10 STORING STATIONS INTO MEMORY To store a station into memory, you must be tuned to that station. Then you must decide which of the 40 memories to store it into. Follow the easy steps outlined below. HOW TO TELL WHICH MEMORIES ARE EMPTY ·To determine the next available memory, press the FREE button once. The memory number is shown in the lower right hand corner of the display. ·To see all availably memories, press the FREE button repeatedly. The empty memory numbers are shown in the lower right corner of the display. HOW TO STORE A FREQUENCY INTO MEMORY There are 40 memories. Here is a specific example. To store BBC's evening frequency to North America, 5975 kilohertz, into memory 32, do the following 1. 2. 3. 4. Press 5975 Immediately press the FREQU./METER button Press 3 2 Immediately press the STORE button. If the display flashes, it means that a frequency is already stored into this memory. To overwrite it, immediately press STORE again. If you do not want to overwrite it, start over and use a different memory. HOW TO ACCESS WHAT YOU HAVE STORED INTO MEMORY 1. To access one specific memory, e.g. memory 25, press 2 5 then press either MEMO button 2. To review all filled memories, press either MEMO button repeatedly. 3. To scan filled memories, press either MEMO button for about one second, and then release it. Scan starts. To stop scan, press any button. 11 HOW TO ERASE THE CONTENTS OF A MEMORY Enter the memory's number e.g. 2 5 , then press FREE twice. 12 USING THE CLOCK, ALARM AND SLEEP TIMER FEATURES This can be done with the radio on or off. The YB400PE's clock is a 24 hour clock only, e.g. 6'oclock in the morning will read as 6:00; 6 o'clock in the evening will read as 18:00. There are two clocks, TIME I and TIME II. Select one or the other by pressing the TIME 1/2 button. TIME I or TIME II shows in the display at top center. Set the time using the examples below. EXAMPLE 1: If it is 06:00 hours press 6 . 0 0, then immediately press the TIME 1/2 button. EXAMPLE 2: If it is 15:32 hours press 1 5 . 3 2, then immediately press the TIME 1/2 button. HOW TO SET THE ALARM CLOCK The alarm time is shown in the upper left corner of the display, under "ON TIME," when the radio is off. To set the alarm to activate at 6:30: 1. Press 6 . 3 0 (be sure to include the decimal point) 2. Immediately press and release the ON TIME button. 3. Select the alarm mode using the AUTO button. 13 HOW TO CONTROL THE ALARM CLOCK ·Press the AUTO button several times while looking at the upper left corner of the display. · The "musical note" symbol wakes you to the radio playing the last station it was set to. · The "bell" symbol wakes you to a beeper sound. · When both symbols disappear and -:-- appears, THE ALARM IS DEACTIVATED. HOW TO USE THE ALARM CLOCK'S SNOOZE FEATURE (button on top of radio) Once the alarm has activated, you can get 5 minutes more sleep by briefly pressing the SNOOZE button. You can repeat this as many times as you like. By pressing the SNOOZE button for more than 2 seconds, you can completely shut off the alarm. HOW TO SET THE SLEEP TIMER Press the SLEEP button over and over. Each press changes the amount of time the radio will play before shutting off automatically, 60 through 0 minutes. HOW TO USE THE DIAL LIGHT (button on top of radio) The LIGHT button causes the display to be illuminated. After 10 seconds, or when the LIGHT button is pressed again, the light will go out. 14 MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SHORTWAVE Listed below are the characteristics of the major shortwave bands. Follow these guidelines for best listening results. Because shortwave signals depend on such factors as the sun, the ionosphere and the earth itself, signals cannot be heard on all bands throughout the day. Some bands are best during the daylight hours, and some are best at night. If the term "band" is new to you, please read the section titled, "WHAT IS A SHORTAVE BAND?" on page 9. DAYTIME LISTENING Shortwave listening is generally at its poorest during the daylight hours of about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The major reason for this is that the broadcasters are not transmitting to North America at this time. They assume that we are all either at work or at school, and are not able to listen during the day. If you want to try daytime listening, use the guidelines below. You will have some success, but not nearly as good as during the late afternoon and evenings. The best bands are BOLD. DAYBANDS 13m 16m 19m 22m 25m 31m CHARACTERISTICS Results vary. Worth trying. Similar to 19m. The best daytime band. Similar to 19m (fewer stations). Best around sunrise/sunset. Similar to 25m. 15 EVENING/NIGHT LISTENING This is the best time to listen, because the broadcasters are deliberately transmitting to North America. These bands may be extremely good around sunset and sunrise too. Best bands are BOLD. NIGHT BANDS 19m 22m 25m sunset 31m 41m CHARACTERISTICS Summer Months Summer Months Best two hours before/after sunrise/ The construction materials of some buildings simply do not let signals in very well. Signals penetrate wood frame buildings easiest, while concrete and brick buildings usually block signals. If you are in a building with one or more stories above you, signals can also be impaired in strength. In such a situation, position yourself, and especially the radio's antenna, as close to a window as possible while listening. On the following page is a list of the shortwave bands used for international broadcasts and their corresponding frequencies. Since some radios show frequency in megahertz and some in kilohertz, both are shown here. The YB400PE shows shortwave frequencies in kilohertz. Good all night everywhere Good all night in Eastern North America; varies in Western North America The best night band everywhere 49m NOTE: Getting close to a window may substantially improve your reception. 16 BAND 11m 13m 16m 19m 22m 25m 31m 41m 49m 60m 75m 90m 120m MEGAHERTZ 25.67-26.10 21.45-21.50 17.55-17.90 15.10-15.60 13.60-13.80 11.65-12.05 9.500-9.900 7.100-7.300 5.950-6.200 4.750-5.060 3.900-4.000 3.200-3.400 2.300-2.490 KILOHERTZ 25670-26100 21450-21850 17550-17900 15100-15600 13600-13800 11650-12050 9500-9900 7100-7300 5950-6200 4750-5060 3900-4000 32003400 2300-2490 WHAT IS HEARD ON SHORTWAVE RADIO? ·International foreign broadcasts, many targeting North America ·Long distance two-way amateur radio, maritime, and aeronautical communications WHAT COUNTRIES ARE HEARD ON SHORTWAVE RADIO? The next chart shows some of the countries targeting North America with their broadcasts. Unless otherwise noted, frequencies are for evening listening in North America. Other countries do not deliberately target North America, but can be heard anyway. Whether or not a country can be heard depends on many factors, including signal strength, your geographic location, and the condition of the earth's ionosphere. Frequencies in BOLD are mainly used for the country's native language broadcast. 17 Australia (Radio Australia): 9580, 9860,15365,17795 Austria (Radio Austria International): 6015, 9655 Canada (Radio Canada International): 5960, 6120, 9755 China (China Radio International): 9690, 9780, 11680, 11715, 11840 Cuba (Radio Habana): 6060, 6080, 6180, 9510, 9820 Ecuador (HCJB-voice of the Andes): 9745, 11925, 12005, 15140 France (Radio France International): 5920, 5945, 9790, 9800 Germany (Deutsche Welle): 5960, 6040, 6045, 6075, 6085, 100, 6120, 6145, 6185, 9515, 9565, 9535, 9640, 9545, 9650, 670, 9700, 9730, 9735, 11705, 11740, 11750, 11810, 11865, 13780, 15275, 15410, 17810, 17860 Holland (Radio Nederland) 6020, 6025, 6165, 9590, 9715, 9840, 9895, 11655 Japan (Radio Japan/NHK): 5960, 6025, 9610, 9680, 9725, 11885, 11895, 15230 Russia (Radio Moscow International): 7105, 7115, 7150, 7270, 9750, 9765, 11805, 11840, 12050, 15410, 15425 Taiwan (Voice of Free China): 5950, 9680, 11740, 11855, 15440 United Kingdom (BBC World Service) Morning: 5965, 6195, 9515, 9740, 11750, 17840 Evening: 5975, 6175, 7325, 9590, 9640, 15260 For fully comprehensive listings of the broadcast schedules of all countries, see the broadcast guides recommended in the section titled SHORTWAVE GUIDES AND MAGAZINES on page 22. 18 IS THERE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAMMING? Yes! Many major international broadcasters incorporate English programming. WHAT IS THE PROGRAM CONTENT LIKE? This can vary considerably from country to country; however, programming usually consists of world news, local news from the country of origin, news commentary, interview programs, culturally oriented programs, music oriented programs, and even political propaganda. ARE THE SIGNALS CLEAR? Often, but not always. Today's technology has greatly minimized the fading, static and interference that are natural aspects of international broadcast listening. CAN I HEAR A SPECIFIC COUNTRY? Yes, if that country is transmitting its signal specifically for listening in your part of the world. Otherwise, it may range from good to impossible. 19 IF A COUNTRY IS NOT TRANSMITTING ITS SIGNAL SPECIFICALLY FOR RECEPTION IN NORTH AMERICA, IS THERE ANY CHANCE OF RECEIVING IT? Yes, with detailed research into broadcast time and frequency and patience, it is possible but never guaranteed. A professionally engineered outdoor antenna can make a major difference. Call Grundig technical support for advice on such antennas. WHAT ELSE CAN AND CANNOT BE HEARD ON SHORTWAVE? You can hear long distance two-way marine, aviation, and amateur radio (ham). To receive such communications, an advanced shortwave receiver with single sideband (SSB) capability must be used. The more advanced Grundig radios can do this. Local VHF/UHF air traffic, police, fire, ambulance, and weather services CANNOT be heard. For these, use a VHF/ UHF scanner