Cobra PR3800DX User Manual

Owner’s Manual

TWO-WAY RADIO MODEL

PR 3800 DX

Nothing Comes Close to a Cobra

®

Printed in China

Part No. 480-247-P

Version A

English

Introduction

Staying in touch with your family and friends is
convenient and easy when using your microTALK

Making Life Easier and Safer

®

radio. Some of the many uses you will discover include:

Communicating with others while hiking, biking, and working;
keeping track of family and friends at a crowded public event;
checking with travel companions in another car; talking with
neighbors; arranging meeting spots with others while
shopping at the mall.

Belt Clip

Customer Assistance

Secure your microTALK
radio while on the go.

Carrying your microTALK®radio with
you is easy when using the belt clip.

The belt clip easily attaches to your belt,
purse or backpack. Simply squeeze the
clip and place it where you prefer.

®

For Assistance in the U.S.A.

In this user’s manual, you should find all the information you need
to operate your microTALK
after reading this manual, Cobra Electronics offers the following
customer assistance services:

®

radio. If you require further assistance

Automated Help Desk

English only. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 773-889-3087 (phone).

Customer Assistance Operators

English and Spanish. 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Central Time,
Monday through Friday (except holidays) 773-889-3087 (phone).

Questions

English and Spanish. Faxes can be received at 773-622-2269 (fax).

Technical Assistance

English only. www.cobra.com (on-line: Frequently Asked Questions).
English and Spanish. productinfo

@cobra.com (e-mail).

For Assistance Outside the U.S.A.

Contact Your Local Dealer

A1

English

©2005 Cobra Electronics Corporation

6500 West Cortland Street

Chicago, Illinois 60707 USA

www.cobra.com

Introduction

Antenna

Button

Call

Button

Max Range

English

A2

Talk

Light/

Button

Product Features

Wrist Strap

Connector

Belt Clip

Battery

Compartment

Battery Door

Latch

External Speaker/
Microphone/Charge Jack

On/Off
Volume

Knob

Mode/Lock

Button

Backlit LCD
Display

Enter/
Hi•Low Power

Button

Channel Up

Button

Channel Down

Button

Speaker/
Microphone

Introduction

• 22 Channels

Seven shared
with FRS/GMRS,
seven FRS
only, eight
GMRS only

•

38 Privacy Codes

• Hands-Free
Operation (VOX)

• 10 Channel Memory

• Signal Strength

Meter

• Scan
Channel, privacy
code, memory

•

Selectable
Hi•Low Power

In GMRS

•

Backlit
LCD Display

• Button Lock

• Call Alert
10 selectable tones

•

Speaker/
Microphone/
Charge Jack

• Roger Beep
Selectable on/off

•

Battery/Power Saver

• Keystroke Tones
Selectable on/off

•

Auto Squelch

• Maximum Range
Extender

• Belt Clip

English

A3

Product Features

Backlit LCD Display

Lock Icon

Signal Strength

Meter Icon

Scan Icon

Receive/
Transmit

Icons

Hi•Low

Power Icons

Channel Numbers

Power Saver Icon

Maximum range may vary and is based on
unobstructed line-of-sight communication under
ideal conditions.

Important FCC Licensing Information

This radio operates on General Mobile Radio
Service (GMRS) frequencies which require a
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
license. See page 21 for licensing and other
related information.

Keystroke Tones Icon

Roger Beep Icon

Vox Icon

Memory
Icon

Memory
Location
Number

CTCSS Privacy
Code Numbers

Battery Low
Indicator

Introduction

Operation Customer Assistance Warranty

Caring for Your microTALK®Radio

Your microTALK®radio will give you years of trouble-free service
if cared for properly. Handle the radio gently. Keep the radio away
from dust. Never put the radio in water or in a damp place.
Avoid exposure to extreme temperatures.

Remove Belt Clip

Rechargeable Batteries and
Desktop Charger

To install or replace batteries:

Remove belt clip by releasing belt clip

1.

Pull Up Latch

Insert Batteries

These rechargeable batteries must be recycled or disposed of
properly in compliance with all applicable laws. They may not be
thrown in the trash.

Certain states or municipalities require recycling and have
established collection programs. Please contact your local waste
removal authority for instructions, or return to Cobra for recycling.

Wrap batteries carefully and mail postage prepaid to:
Cobra Electronics Corporation, 6500 West Cortland Street,
Chicago, IL 60707 USA, Attn: Battery Recycling.

Do not put batteries into fire or expose to high heat.
They may explode.

latch and sliding clip up.

2. Pull up on the battery door latch to

remove the battery compartment cover.

3. Insert GA-3ANH batteries according to

polarity markings.

4. Replace battery compartment cover

and belt clip.

Estimated operation time on full charge:
12 hours.

•

•

Nothing Comes Close to a Cobra

®

1

Operation

Insert Radio(s)

Using Your Radio

For charging microTALK®radio(s) in desktop
charger:

1.

Insert radio(s) into desktop charger as shown.

2. Insert round connector of 120 volt adapter

into jack on back of charger.

3. Plug 120 volt adapter into electrical outlet.

If charging light is not
upright. The charge indicator light will stay
is in the charging well, even after the batteries are fully charged.

It normally takes about 15 hours to fully recharge batteries.
Batteries will not be damaged if they stay in the charging well

on, check position of radio. Radio should be

on as long as the radio

longer than that.
Each port can charge one radio. Uses 120 Volt adapter. Use only

Cobra NiMH batteries, model GA-3ANH with charger model
GA-CC2.

Cobra recommends your radio is turned

off while being charged.

The Basics to Get You Started

Your microTALK®radio is easy to use.
To get started, simply:

1. Rotate the On/Off Volume knob to turn
on your radio.

2. Press the Channel Up or Channel Down

button to select a channel.

Both radios must be tuned to
the same channel/privacy code
to communicate.

3. Press and hold the Talk button while
speaking into the microphone.

4. When finished talking, release the Talk
button and listen for a response.

On/Off Power

Battery Low

Battery Save Mode

Operation

Customer Assistance WarrantyIntroduction

Turning on Your microTALK®Radio

To turn on your radio:

Rotate the On/Off Volume knob clockwise
to turn

on your radio and adjust the volume.

A series of tones will indicate the radio is

Your microTALK
mode, ready to receive transmissions. The radio
is always in

®

radio is now in Standby

Standby mode, except when the

on.

Talk, Call or Mode/Lock buttons are pressed.

Battery Low

When battery power is low, the Battery Low icon
will blink. Your batteries should be recharged or
replaced if using alkaline batteries.

Auto Battery Save

Your microTALK®radio has a unique circuit
designed to extend battery life. If there are
no transmissions for 10 seconds, the radio will
automatically switch to
the

Power Saver icon will flash in the display.

This will not affect the radio’s ability to receive
incoming transmissions.

Battery Save mode and

•

•

•

2

English

Nothing Comes Close to a Cobra

®

3

Operation

Talk Button

Two Inches (five
cm) from Mouth

Channel Buttons

Channel Number

Listening

English

4

Using Your Radio

Communicating with Another Person

To talk to another person:

Press and hold the Talk button.

1.

2. With the microphone about two inches

(five cm) from your mouth, speak in a
normal voice.

3. Release the Talk button when you are

finished talking and listen for a response.

You cannot receive incoming calls while
pressing the

Channels

To select a channel:

Channels 1 through 7 are shared by FRS and
GMRS. Channels 8 through 14 are FRS only.
Channels 15 through 22 are GMRS only

Listening for a Response

When you are finished talking:

Talk button.

Both radios must be tuned to
the same channel/privacy code
to communicate.

With the radio on, select any of the 22
channels by pressing the

Channel Up or

Channel Down button.

Both radios must be tuned to the
same channel to communicate.

See page 20 for FRS/GMRS frequency
allocations and compatibility charts.

Release the Talk button to receive incoming
transmissions. Your microTALK
always in

Standby mode while the Talk or

®

radio is

Call buttons are not pressed.

Operation

•

Volume Knob

Volume

To adjust the volume:

Customer Assistance WarrantyIntroduction

•

Rotate the On/Off Volume knob.

Call Button

Call Button

To alert another person that you are calling:

•

Press and release the Call button.

The other person will hear a two second
call tone. This tone is used only to establish
voice communications.

See page 18 on how to select from
10 available call tone settings.

Enter/Hi•Low Button

•

Hi Power Icon

Low Power Icon

•

Light/Max Range

Selectable High•Low Power Output

When in close proximity to another party or
during favorable conditions, you can switch
from

High to Low Power to extend battery life.

This feature applies to GMRS Channels
1 through 7 and 15 through 22 only.
Channels 8 through 14 operate
exclusively on low power.

To toggle between high and low power:

Press the Enter/Hi•Low button for
two seconds.

When using Channels 1 through 7 and
15 through 22 on high power, the
will be visible on the display.

When using those channels on low power
and on Channels 8 through 14, the
will be visible on the display.

Hi icon

Low icon

Display Illumination

To illuminate your display:

•

•

Press and release the Light/Max Range
button to illuminate the display for
10 seconds.

Nothing Comes Close to a Cobra

®

5