Icom PCR100 User Manual
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules.Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause
harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept an y interference
received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
iPCR100
COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVER FOR COMPUTER
i
IMPORTANT
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS carefully and com-
pletely before using the receiver.
SA VE THIS INSTRUCTION MANUAL— This
instruction manual contains important operating instructions
for the IC-PCR100 COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVER FOR
COMPUTER.
USEantenna(s), such as a w ell-matched 50 Ωantenna and
feedline. For radio communications, the antenna is of critical
importance, along with sensitivity.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
•IBM PC/AT compatible computer
•An RS-232C serial port (38400 bps or faster)
•Microsoft
®
Windows®95 or Microsoft®Windows®98
• Intel i486DX4 processor or faster (Pentium
®
100 MHz or
faster recommended)
•At least 16 MB RAM
•At least 10 MB of hard disk space
•At least 640 × 480 pixel display (800 × 600 pixel display recommended)
OPERATING THEORY
Electromagnetic radiation which has frequencies of 20,000
Hz (20 kHz*) and above is called radio frequency (RF) energy
because it is useful in radio transmissions.The IC-PCR100
receives RF energy from 0.5 MHz* to 1300 MHz and converts
it into audio frequency (AF) energy which in turn actuates a
loudspeaker to create sound wav es .AF energy is in the range
of 20 to 20,000 Hz.
* kHz is an abbreviation of kilohertz or 1000 her tz, MHz is abbrevia-
tion of megahertz or 1,000,000 her tz, where hertz is a unit of fre quency.
OPERATING NOTES
The IC-PCR100 may receive its o wn oscillated frequency, resulting in no reception or only noise reception, on some frequencies.
The IC-PCR100 may receive interference from extremely
strong signals on different frequencies or when using an external high-gain antenna.
Versions of the IC-PCR100 which display “CE” on the serial number seal, comply with the essential requirements of the
89/336/EEC directive for Electromagnetic Compatibility.
CAUTIONS
RWARNING! NEVER connect the receiver to an AC
outlet. This may pose a fire hazard or result in an electric
shock.
NEVER connect other than the specified AC adapter to the
receiver .This connection will ruin the receiver.
NEVER connect the receiver to a power source of more
than 16 V DC such as a 24 V battery. This connection will ruin
the receiver .
NEVER expose the receiver to rain, snow or any liquids.
DO NOTuse or place the receiver in areas with tempera-
tures below 0°C (+32°F) or above +50°C (+122°F) or, in areas
subject to direct sunlight.
AVOID placing the receiver in excessively dusty environ-
ments.
AVOID the use of chemical agents such as benzine or al-
cohol when cleaning, as they damage the receiver surfaces.
Place unit in a secure place to avoid inadvertent use by children.
For U.S.A. only (FCC information)
CAUTION: Changes or modifications not expressly ap-
proved by Icom Inc.could void the user’s authority to operate
this receiver .
Class B digital device users
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits
for Class B digital devices, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may
cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there
is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that
to which the receiver is connected.
- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
For Canada only
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.
ii
IBM is registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation in
the U.S.A.and other countries.Microsoft
®
and Windows®are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S.A and other countries.Screen shots
produced with permission from Microsoft Corporation. All other products or
brands are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders.
iii
IMPORTANT ...................................... i
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS .............. i
OPERA TING THEOR Y ....................... i
OPERATING NOTES ......................... i
CAUTIONS ........................................ ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS .................... iii
1 INSTALLATION ...................... 1 – 5
■Hardware installation ................ 1
■Antenna installation .................. 2
■Grounding ................................. 2
■AF output level selection ........... 3
■Software installation ................. 4
■RS-232C port setting ................ 5
■Mouse property setting ............. 5
2 PANEL DESCRIPTION ........ 6–15
■Multi-function receiver screen ... 6
■Function display ...................... 10
■Simple function receiver
screen ..................................... 12
■Function controller screen ...... 14
■Simple function receiver sub
screens ................................... 15
3 BASIC OPERATION ........... 16–21
■Receiving ................................ 16
■Setting a frequency ................. 17
■Setting a tuning step ............... 18
■Receive mode selection ......... 18
■Automatic mode selection ...... 19
■Setting squelch level ............... 20
■IF filter selection ..................... 20
■Attenuator function ................. 21
■Automatic noise limiter ........... 21
4 MEMORY CHANNELS ....... 22–25
■General ................................... 22
■Saving memory channels........ 22
■Selecting a memory channel... 23
■Memory channel
programming .......................... 24
■Clearing a memory channel .... 24
■Editing the memory list ........... 25
5 SCAN OPERATION ............ 26–33
■Scan types .............................. 26
■Programmed scan .................. 27
■Setting scan edges ................. 28
■Auto memory write scan ......... 29
■Memory scan .......................... 30
■Versatile memory scan ........... 31
■Scan resume condition ........... 32
■Scan speed setting.................. 33
6 BAND SCOPE .................... 34–35
■Operation ................................ 34
■Changing the automatic
sweep step limit ...................... 35
7
TONE SQUELCH OPERATION
... 36
8 TROUBLESHOOTING .............. 37
9
SPECIFICATIONS AND SUPPLIED
ACCESSORIES
.................... 38–39
■Specifications ......................... 38
■Supplied accessories .............. 39
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
1
INSTALLATION
■ Hardware installation
Refer to the diagram below for connections.
Ground
Supplied antenna
to an AC adapter
to an
RS-232C port
External speaker
Personal computer
2
1
INSTALLATION
■ Antenna installation
Antennas play a very important role in receiver operation.
Connecting a poor quality antenna to the IC-PCR100 will result in less than optimum performance.
Select antenna(s), such as a well-matched 50 Ω antenna and
feedline. 1.5:1 of Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) is recommended for a desired band. Of course, the antenna line
should be a coaxial cable.
CAUTION: Protect your receiver from lightning by
using a lightning arrestor.
NOTE:The supplied antenna is a simple plain antenna which
may not obtain indicated specifications. To obtain maximum
performance from the IC-PCR100, you must purchase an external wide band antenna such as an optional Icom AH-7000
(25–1300 MHz), etc.
Contact your nearest Icom Dealer or Service Center for regarding optimum antenna locations.
The antenna connector type is BNC, so an adapter ma y be
necessary to connect an optional antenna.
■ Grounding
R WARNING: NEVER use a gas pipe or electrical
conduit pipe for grounding.
To prevent accidents involving electricity and interference
from computers, ground the receiver through the GROUND
terminal on the rear panel.
For best results, connect a heavy gauge cable to a w ater pipe
or long, earth-sunk copper rod. Make the distance between
the [GND] terminal and ground as short as possible.
3
1
INSTALLATION
■ AF output level selection
The received audio can be input into your computer via the
sound card.
Before inputting the received audio into the [LINE IN] connector (connector name depends on your sound card), the
output level of the [EXT-SP] must be set properly. Perform as
follows:
CAUTION: Setting ‘STEREO’ and connecting a 2-con-
ductor plug cause a short-circuit. This may damage the
audio power amplifier .
D Multi-function receiver screen
q Select ‘EXT-Speaker’ in the option menu to bring up the
[EXT-Speaker Setting] dialog box.
w Select the plug type as shown below.
•“STEREO” for 3-conductor stereo plug.
•“MONO” for 2-conductor
monaural plug.
e Select the output level
as shown at right.
•“SP” for internal or exter-
nal speaker.
•“LINE” for PC sound
card or headphones.
r Connect an appropriate cable between IC-PCR100 and
PC.
•Use a 3-conductor stereo plug for connecting to the receiver.
D Simple function receiver screen
q Right-click* the frequency indication to display shortcut
menu and select ‘EXT-Speaker’ in the Option menu to bring
up the [EXT-Speaker Setting] dialog box.
* When the mouse property is set for right-handed.
w Select the plug type.
•“STEREO” for 3-conductor stereo plug.
•“MONO” for 2-conductor monaural plug.
e Select the output level.
•“SP” for internal or external speaker.
•“LINE” for PC sound card or headphones.
r Connect an appropriate cable between IC-PCR100 and
PC.
[EXT-SP]
to [LINE IN]
(depends on
your sound card)
4
1
INSTALLATION
■ Software installation
NOTE: Before using the program, make a backup copy of
the original disk. After making a backup copy, keep the
original disk in a safe place.
NOTE: Depending on the Windows
®
system files, the PC
may require rebooting. In this case, repeat the installation
from the beginning.
D Installation
q Boot up Windows.
•Quit all applications when windows is running.
w Insert the backup disk 1 into the appropriate floppy drive.
e Select ‘Run’from the [Start] menu.
r Type the setup program name with full path name, then
press the [Enter] key.(A:\SETUP [Enter])
t Following dialog appears.Follow the prompts.
y Program group ‘IC-PCR100’ appears in the ‘Programs’
folder of the [Start] menu.
D Software update information
Software update information will be available at the Icom
America home page:
http://www.icomamerica.com/
5
1
INSTALLATION
■ RS-232C port setting
‘COM Port Error’or ‘Communication f ailed’dialog box appears
when the RS-232C serial port is not set correctly.
NOTE: When launching the program for the first time, this
setting dialog appears for setting the RS-232C serial port.
D Multi-function receiver screen
q Before launching the program, make sure the IC-PCR100
interface unit is connected correctly.
w Launch the IC-PCR100 software.
e Click the [POWER] button in the tool bar or select ‘Power
OFF’in the File menu to temporarily pause the program.
r Click the [PORT] button or select ‘COM Port’ in the Option
menu to bring up the [COM Port Setting] dialog box.
t Click the desired
COM port number to
choose it.
y Click the [OK] button.
D Simple function receiver screen
q Before launching the program, make sure the IC-PCR100
interface unit is connected correctly.
w Launch the IC-PCR100 software.
e Click the [POWER] button to temporarily pause the pro-
gram.
r Right-click* the frequency indication to display shortcut
menu and select ‘COM Port’ in the Option menu to bring
up the [COM Port Setting] dialog box.
* When the mouse property is set for right-handed.
t Click the desired COM port number to choose it.
y Click the [OK] button.
■ Mouse property setting
The IC-PCR100 uses left and right buttons to rotate a control
knob on the multi-function receiver screen or to call up the
shortcut menu from the simple function receiver screen. Depending on the mouse property setting of the control panel,
main and sub mouse button functions are alternated.
In this instruction manual, the operation is described with
setting for right-handed (Windows
®
default setting).
D Setting the button configuration
q Select ‘Settings’ from the [Start] menu and click ‘Control
Panel.’
w Open the mouse control panel.
e Select the button configuration to right- or left-handed.
r Click [OK] to set and exit the control panel.
■
Multi-function receiver screen
q POWER BUTTON [POWER]
Toggles the receiver power ON and OFF.
w FILE MENU [File]
Used for turning the software on/off, saving memory channel contents or quitting the program, etc.
e VIEW MENU [View]
Used for showing/hiding the memory list screen/tool bar or
selecting the simple function receiver screen.
r SIMPLE FUNCTION RECEIVER BUTTON
Push to selects the simple function receiver screen.
t BANK MENU [BANK]
Used for selecting the memory bank.
y MEMORY LIST SCREEN BUTTON
Push to display or to hide the memory list screen.
u EXTERNAL SPEAKER SETTING BUTTON (p.3)
Push to display the external speaker setting dialog box.
i OPTION MENU [Option]
Used for displaying the e xternal speaker setting dialog box
or COM port setting dialog box.
o COM PORT SETTING BUTTON (p.5)
Push to display the COM port setting dialog box.
!0 EXIT BUTTON
Push to quit and exit this software.
6
2
PANEL DESCRIPTION
Function display
quw erty i
o!0 !1
!2 !3 !7 !8 !9 @0 @1 @2 @3!4 !5 !6
7
2
PANEL DESCRIPTION
!1 CLOSE BUTTON
Push to quit and exit this software.
!2 ATTENUATOR BUTTON [ATT] (p.21)
Push to turn the 20 dB attenuator on and off.
!3 VOLUME CONTROL [VOLUME] (p.16)
Adjusts the audio output.
•Right-click* to increase the volume level; left-click* to decrease
the volume level.
!4 AUTOMATIC NOISE LIMITER BUTTON [ANL] (p. 21)
Push to turn the automatic noise limiter for receiving AM
signals on and off.
!5 SQUELCH CONTROL [SQUELCH] (p. 20)
Adjusts the squelch threshold level.The squelch removes
noise output from the speaker (closed condition) when no
signal is received.
•Right-click* to increase the squelch level; left-click* to decrease
the squelch level.
!6 TONE SQUELCH BUTTON [T-SQL] (p.36)
Push to show or hide the [TONE SQUELCH] dialog box for
setting tone squelch frequencies.
!7
RECEIVE MODE BUTTONS [FM],[WFM], [AM], [AUT-M]
(pgs.18, 19)
Select a receive mode. The [AUT-M] button, automatic
mode, selects a previously progr ammed receive mode automatically depending on a receive frequency.
!8 SCAN SPEED CONTROL [SPEED] (p. 33)
Sets the speed at which scans search through frequencies/memories for signals.
•Right-click* to increase the speed; left-click* to decrease the
speed.
!9 SCAN DELAY TIME CONTROL [DELAY] (p.32)
Sets the period in which a scan pauses after receiving a
signal.
•Right-click* to increase the period;left-click* to decrease the period.
@0 TUNING STEP UP/DOWN BUTTONS [TSJ]/[TSK]
(p.18)
Push to select the tuning steps.
@1 TUNING DIAL (p. 17)
Push to set the receive frequency with the selected tuning
step.
•Right-click* to increase the frequency;left-click* to decrease the
frequency.
@2 MEMORY BANK UP/DOWN BUTTONS
[BANK
∧]/[BANK∨] (p.23)
Push to select the memory bank.
@3 MEMORY CHANNEL UP/DOWN BUTTONS
[CH
∧]/[CH∨] (p. 23)
Push to select the memory channel.
* When the mouse property is set for right-handed.
8
2
PANEL DESCRIPTION
@4 KEYPAD [0]–[9], [•], [CE] (p.17)
➥[0] to [9] are used to input a receive frequency or mem-
ory channel directly.
➥[•] (Decimal) button is used to set the MHz digit when in-
putting a frequency.
➥[CE] (Clear) button is used to clear mistakes while in-
putting a receive frequency or memory channel.
@5 IF FILTER BUTTONS [NAR]/[WID] (p. 20)
Push to change the IF filter in use.The [WID] button selects a wider filter, the [NAR] button selects a narrower fil-
ter.
•Usable IF filters vary according to receive mode.
@6 SCAN STOP BUTTON [STOP] (p. 26)
Push to cancel scan operation.
@7 PROGRAMMED SCAN BUTTON [PROG] (p. 27)
Push to start/stop programmed scan.
•“PROG”flashes while scanning.
@8 SPAN +/– BUTTONS [SPAN+]/[SPAN–] (p.34)
Push to select one of four levels for the band scope frequency span.
@9 AUTO MEMORY WRITE SCAN BUTTON [AUTO] (p.29)
Push to start/stop auto memory write scan.
•“AUTO”flashes while scanning.
@4
@5 @6 @7 @8 @9 #1 #2 #3 #6 #7#4 #5#0
9
2
PANEL DESCRIPTION
#0 SWEEP START/PAUSE BUTTON [ss/❙❙] (p. 34)
Push to start/pause the band scope (sweep) function
which is used to observe signal conditions around the receive frequency.
NOTE: While using the band scope function, audio is
NOT output. To monitor the frequency, push [s/❙❙] to
pause the function, or push [■] to cancel the function.
#1 MEMORY SCAN BUTTON [MEMO] (p.30)
Push to start/stop any of the memory scans.
•“MEMO”flashes while scanning.
#2 SWEEP STOP BUTTON [■] (p. 34)
Push to stop a band scope (sweep) function.
#3 SET BUTTON [SET]
Push to show the setting screen used to adjust settings for
scan functions, the band scope function and the automatic
mode function.
10
2
PANEL DESCRIPTION
■ Function display
q MEMORY BANK INDICATOR (p. 23)
Indicates the memory bank number (and its name if it has
one) being received.
w MEMORY CHANNEL INDICATOR (p.23)
Indicates the memory channel number (and its name if it
has one) being received.
•The name darkens when the receive frequency changes from the
stored one.
e FREQUENCY INDICATION (p.17)
Indicates the receive frequency and data as it is being
input such as memory channel numbers, etc.
r S (SIGNAL) METER (pgs. 16, 20)
Indicates the receive signal strength. Also indicates the
S-meter squelch receive lev el set via the [SQ UELCH] control.
t BAND SCOPE PAUSE INDICATOR [PAUSE] (p. 34)
Appears when pausing the band scope.
y BUSY INDICATOR [BUSY]
Appears when receiving a signal or when signal noise
opens the squelch.
u RECEIVE MODE INDICATORS (p. 18)
Indicate the current receive mode.
•“WFM” lights in red when receiving a stereo broadcast program.
i TUNING STEP INDICATOR (p. 18)
This is the frequency increment used when selecting a frequency using the tuning dial and when searching for signals using a scan function.
o IF FILTER INDICATOR (p. 20)
Indicates the selected IF filter and signal passband width.
!0 ATTENUATOR INDICATOR [ATT] (p. 21)
Appears when the attenuator function is on.
e
qw
!2 !3
!7!4 !4!5
!6
u
r
t
y
i
o
!0 !1
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