550W Controls 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Speaker jack Microphone jack on/off volume PTT button MON button LCD up button 8 9 10 11 12 13 down button Microphone call/vox button scan/vibrate button light/lock button wx/ctcss button FCC Information Important: Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by Uniden could void your authority to operate this unit. Do not open your radio to make any internal adjustments. Your radio is set up to transmit a regulated signal on an assigned frequency. It is against the law to alter or adjust the settings inside the radio to exceed those limitations. Any adjustments to your radio must be made by qualified technicians using the proper test equipment. To be safe and sure: ·Never open your radio's case. ·Never change or replace anything in your radio except the batteries. Your radio might cause TV or radio interference even when it is operating properly. To determine whether your radio is causing the interference, turn it off. If the interference goes away, your radio is causing it. Try to eliminate the interference by moving your radio away from the receiver. If you cannot eliminate the interference, the FCC requires that you stop using the radio. Audio Accessories: Do not operate the radio with audio accessories at high volume levels. Hearing experts advise against continuous high volume operation. If you experience a ringing in your ears, reduce the volume level or discontinue use. Always make sure the radio is turned off before plugging audio accessories into the accessory jack. Do not operate the radio in hazardous environments. Explosion or fire may result. Do not operate the radio near unshielded electrical blasting caps. Under certain conditions, radios can interfere with blasting operations and may cause an explosion. Turn your radio OFF to prevent accidental transmission when in a blasting area or in areas posted: "Turn off two-way radio." Construction crews often use remote control RF devices to set off explosives. Care and Safety: To clean the radio, use a soft cloth dampened with water. Do not use cleaners or solvents because they can harm the body of the unit and leak inside, causing permanent damage. Use a dry, lint-free cloth to clean the battery contacts. This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device. Contents Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Included in Your Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Battery Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Low Battery Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Belt Clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Using Your Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 ·Turning the Radio On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 ·Adjusting the Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 ·Choosing a Channel and CTCSS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 ·Scan Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 ·Monitor Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 ·Talking on Your Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 ·VOX Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 ·Vibration Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 ·Locking In Your Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 ·Call Tone Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 ·Monitoring Weather Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 ·Silent Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 ·LCD Backlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 ·External Microphone and Speaker (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Appendix - FCC Part 95 Subpart B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1 1 Welcome Congratulations on your purchase of the Uniden FRS550W family radio. This product is a lightweight, palm-sized radio you can carry almost anywhere. Use it at shopping malls, amusement parks, or sporting events to stay in contact with family and friends, or in a neighborhood watch for vital communications. This compact, state-of-the-art device is equipped with the following features: · 14 Preprogrammed Channels · VOX Feature · 38 Built-in CTCSS Codes · 7 Weather Channels · Up to 2 mile range* · LCD Display · Tone/Vibration Alert for incoming calls · Channel Scan · Keypad Lock · 50 hours of operation · Low Battery Level Indicator · LCD Backlit · Silent Keypad · External Speaker and Microphone Capable * Range may vary depending on environmental and/or topographical conditions. 2 Included in Your Package Your package contains the FRS550W, this reference guide, and the accompanying belt clip with hardware. You will need to purchase three (3) AA ALKALINE batteries in order to operate the unit. If any of these items are missing or damaged, contact the Uniden Parts Department at (800)554-3988 M-F: 7:00 AM-5:00 PM CST. Belt clip and screws FRS Unit 3 Battery Installation Your FRS550W radio uses three (3) AA ALKALINE batteries for power. To install the batteries: 1. Make sure your radio is off. Do not mix old and new batteries to avoid damage to the unit. 2. Release the battery cover clip, then remove the battery cover. 3. Insert three (3) AA ALKALINE batteries according to the polarity symbols on the inside of the battery compartment. 4. Align the battery cover tabs with the FRS550W tab holes then replace the cover. Tab holes 4 Low Battery Alert The LCD on your radio shows a battery meter in the lower right corner. The icon indicates a fully powered unit. As the batteries become low, will flash. When the batteries in the unit are low, the unit will go into a Battery Low/Sleep Mode. The Scan Mode, Monitor Mode, Transmit, Transmit Call Tone Mode, CTCSS Tone Setting Mode, VOX Sensitivity Level Setting Mode, and Vibration are disabled. Replace the batteries immediately to continue using the radio. Belt Clip Because you will most likely use your radio when you are out and about, the unit comes equipped with a belt clip to fasten the unit to your belt, pocket, or purse. To remove the belt clip, turn the screws counterclockwise. To attach the belt clip: 1. Insert the belt clip screws into the slot on the belt clip. 2. Align the screws with the holes on the back of the radio and turn them clockwise, using a Phillips screwdriver to secure the belt clip. Do not over-tighten. 5 Using Your Radio To get the most out of your new radio, read this reference guide completely before attempting to operate the unit. Turning the Radio On 1. Turn the on/off volume control clockwise to turn the unit on. 2 1 When you turn on your FRS550W, the LCD backlight remains lit for 5 seconds. 2. Turn the control counterclockwise to turn the unit off. Adjusting the Volume 1. Press the MON button to hear background noise. The "BUSY" icon and icon appear. 2. Turn the on/off volume control clockwise to increase the volume and counterclockwise to decrease the volume. You may need to adjust the volume again when audio is heard from the speaker. 6 Choosing a Channel and CTCSS Your radio has 14 channels and a Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System (CTCSS) that you can use to talk to others. You can only communicate with radios that are set on the same channel and CTCSS tone code. A CTCSS tone is subaudible and selectable from the 38 standard tone frequencies. You must select the same channel as your party selected. To choose a channel for the FRS550W: Press the up or down button repeatedly to select one of the 14 channels. (The number on the LCD changes to indicate that a new channel has been selected.) The BUSY icon and icon appear while receiving a transmission. To choose a CTCSS code for the FRS550W: You may want to hear calls from specific persons in your group. The CTCSS code that you enter allows you to block other calls and only receive from those who are using the same channel and CTCSS code. This feature does not cause your conversation to be private. Anyone else on the channel will be able to listen. It only relieves you of listening to unwanted conversations. 7 1. Press and hold the wx/ctcss button for 2 seconds. The code indicator flashes. 2. Press the up or down button repeatedly to select one of the CTCSS codes (0-38). 3. After selecting the desired CTCSS code, press the wx/ctcss button again. The code indicator stops flashing. You must press the wx/ctcss button within 10 seconds or the unit will time out. If not, the setting will not be made. 4. To turn off the CTCSS code, press the up or down button until the code is selected. Then press the wx/ctcss button again. The code indicator stops flashing. If the code is selected on your radio, you can receive any signal on that channel regardless of the CTCSS code settings of the people in your party. 8 Scan Mode Your radio also allows you to scan for activity from other transmitting radios regardless of the channel and code setting. Make sure all of your CTCSS codes are set to "0" prior to scanning. Otherwise, during a scan cycle, your radio will only check for that specific channel and code combination. To use the Scan feature: 1. Press the scan/vibrate button to begin scanning channels. The LCD will indicate that you are in scan mode. If a signal is present, the radio will stop on the active channel. It will remain on the channel until the transmission ends. After 2 seconds, it will resume scanning. 2. To resume scanning prior to the transmission end, press scan/vibrate again. 3. Press the scan/vibrate, wx/ctcss, call/vox, PTT, up, or down button to exit the scan mode, stopping at the current channel. If you press scan/vibrate to exit the scan mode, the radio must be actively scanning. 9 Monitor Mode The Monitor Mode is used to check activity on a specific channel. It will allow you to receive signals that are considered too weak. To check the channel activity: 1. Press and hold the MON button until you hear a series of beeps. You will hear background noise if the channel is clear. Don't transmit if you hear conversation. 2. To turn Monitor Mode off, press the MON button again. Talking on Your Radio To talk to others using the radio; 1. Determine your communicating channel and/or code setting with the other members of your party (refer to "Choosing a Channel and CTCSS" on page 7). 2. Press and hold the PTT button and speak into the microphone. The following LCD screen appears. 3. When you finish speaking, release the PTT button. You cannot hear any signals while your PTT button is pressed. 4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to continue communication. 10 VOX Feature The built-in Voice Activated Circuit (VOX) feature enables you to transmit automatically by speaking on the microphone of a VOX headset (not supplied) without pressing the PTT button. To activate this feature: 1. Turn off the radio. Open the SPKR/MIC cover and plug in a VOX headset (not supplied). 2. Turn on the radio while pressing the call/vox button. The VOX icon appears. 3. To set the VOX sensitivity level, press the call/vox and scan/vibrate buttons simultaneously until the VOX icon and number indicator begin to flash. 4. Within 10 seconds, select one of the level numbers, 1 (the lowest sensitivity) ~ 9 (the highest), using the up or down button. 5. To complete the entry, press the scan/vibrate or call/vox button. Now the radio is ready for automatic transmission. 6. To deactivate the VOX feature, turn the radio off, then on again while pressing the call/vox button. The VOX icon is no longer displayed. Don't press the PTT button while VOX is activated. 11 Vibration Alert Your FRS550W will alert you with a vibration when there is an incoming transmission. You must be on the same channel and code setting as the party with whom you are communicating. To use the vibration alert: 1. Press and hold the scan/vibrate button until the icon appears. 2. You will be alerted with a five second vibration when you receive an incoming call. 3. To turn off the vibration alert, press and hold the scan/vibrate button again until the icon goes out. The vibration alert feature only functions when CTCSS codes are assigned to a channel. Locking In Your Selection To prevent the channel and code settings from acciden ...