Midland ARCTIC User guide

ARCTIC

’ USER MANUAL

V H F M A R I N E T R A N S C E I V E R |

INDEX

INTRODUCTION	1
WHAT’S IN THE BOX	2
MAIN FEATURES	2
WARNINGS	3
PROGRAMMING SOFTWARE (OPTIONAL)	3

DESCRIPTION OF THE PARTS	4
RADIO	4
LCD DISPLAY	6
BATTERY RECHARGE	7
FUNCTIONS	8
POWER ON/OFF AND VOLUME ADJUSTMENT	8
SELECTION OF THE OPERATIONAL CHANNEL	8
TRANSMISSION AND RECEPTION	8
PF3 (MULTI-FUNCTION) BUTTON	9
POW – SETTING THE TRANSMISSION POWER	9
LED BACKLIGHT	9
INSTANT SELECTION OF CHANNEL 16	10
POWER SAVE	10

SQUELCH	10
PRIORITY CHANNEL	11
KEYPAD BEEP ON/OFF	11
TO CHANGE THE BAND (“BAND”)	11

ADVANCED FUNCTIONS	12
SCANNING ALL CHANNELS (BY MEANS OF THE OPTIONAL
PROGRAMMING SOFTWARE)	12
VOX	12
KEYPAD LOCK (KEYBO)	13
DUAL WATCH	13
ACTIVE BAND	14
PRIVATE CHANNELS: PROGRAMMING AND SELECTION	14

TROUBLESHOOTING	16
SOLUTION TABLE	16
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS	18
INTERNATIONAL CHANNEL (INT)	20

Arctic user manual

INTRODUCTION

The new handheld marine transceiver ARCTIC is able to satisfy communication requirements for all types of navigation whether professional or hobbyist. ARCTIC is a robust equipment with professional design, electronically advanced that enables clear and reliable communications on the VHF nautical band for all international channels assigned by ITU.

It offers security for all navigation requirements also thanks to a dedicated button that gives instant access to the emergency channel N.16.

ARCTIC boasts 57 channels and guarantees best performances in all situations, also thanks to the keypad lock that prevents accidental pushing of buttons while handling the device. Besides the LCD backlit display lets you use the transceiver in darkness or poor visibility.

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WHAT’S IN THE BOX

•1 ARCTIC transceiver

•1600mAh Li-Ion battery pack

•Belt clip

•Desktop charger

•Wall adaptor

MAIN FEATURES:

•Backlit LCD display - constantly displays radio’s parameters and settings. The backlight enables you to view the screen even in poor light conditions.

•Automatic squelch - while in standby, this function automatically eliminates bothersome background noise and reduces the battery drain.

•Channel 16 Recall button - for instant access to channel 16 (the most used marine channel and mainly used for emergency situations).

•High/low power selection - reduces transmission power in short-distance communication, allowing the radio to save energy.

•Keypad lock - locks the transceiver keypad to avoid the accidental activation of buttons or settings.

•Low battery icon - alerts you when the batteries are low.

•Sockets (Motorola type) for speaker and microphone - these sockets enable the use of optional external accessories (headphones, microphone/speakers, etc), for a more comfortable use, particularly in noisy environments.

•Channel scanning - automatically searches for signals on the marine band channels.

Note: The manufacturer, with its effort to constantly improve product quality, reserves the right to change characteristics and features without prior notice.

WARNINGS

!Do not transmit with the damaged antenna or without the antenna connected - although the radio is protected, this may seriously damage its R.F. power stages. Do not use your transceiver if the antenna is damaged.

!Do not keep the antenna too close to your head and body during transmission.

!Do not hold the transceiver by the antenna! This is a delicate part of the device and is vital for the proper functioning of the radio.

!Pay attention to environmental conditions - although the radio was designed to operate under the most severe conditions it is important to avoid exposure to environments that are excessively humid or dusty, or to temperatures outside the -15° to +55°C° range. Also avoid exposure to direct sunlight.

!Avoid strong mechanical shocks and excessive vibrations, the radio is designed to bear mechanical shocks and vibrations, provided that they’re the normal ones borne by any electrical equipment.

!Do not use the radio and its accessories in potentially explosive environments. A single spark may cause an explosion.

!Do not open the radio for any reason! The radio’s precision mechanics and electronics require experience and specialized equipment; for the same reason, the radio should under no circumstances be realigned as it has already been calibrated for maximum performance. Unauthorized opening of the transceiver will void the warranty.

!Do not use detergents, alcohol, solvents, or abrasives to clean the equipment. Just use a soft, clean cloth. If the radio is very dirty, slightly dampen the cloth with a mixture of water and a neutral soap.

!Your VHF marine handheld transceiver has a built-in VHF radio transmitter. Be aware that, when you press the PTT button, the radio emits radio frequency (R.F.) energy.

PROGRAMMING SOFTWARE (OPTIONAL)

Thanks to Midland Programming software PRG-G15, it is possible to increase the performance of your radio or to reduce its functionality by enabling or disabling some features (Power Save, VOX, SQUELCH, VOICE, SCAN).

For further information, please consult the Programming software manual. Any attempt to change frequencies or output power of the radio invalidates the approval.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PARTS

RADIO

VOLUME knobRotate it to switch on/off the transceiver and to adjust the volume in rx.

			1.	PTT (push to talk) – Press this button to switch to transmission.
			2.	Button 16 – Press it for instant access to channel 16.
			3.	Built-in microphone – Here is where sound is picked up by the micro-
				phone.
	6		4.	Built-in speaker – Here is where the speaker is housed.
	6		5.	ANTENNA – Receives and transmits radio signals.
			6.	MIC socket (under protective cover) – To connect to external audio de-
				vices (headphones, microphones, etc.) and to the optional programming
	10			cable.
	10		7.	MENU – Press this button to display the device’s menu.
			8.	PF3 (Multi-function key) – If you briefly press this button you activate
3	1			the MON function that temporarily cuts off the squelch to receive very
				weak signals. A long pressure of this button activates the Triple Watch
				function. With the optional programming software you can match further
		12		functions to this button.
	5	2	9.	Encoder/channel knob – To select the channel number and to change
	5	2	7	the setting in the menu.
	4	9	10.	PF4 (Multifunction) – Press PF4 for 5 seconds and the Dual Watch
	4	9		function will be activated. It is possible to match other functions to this
		11		button by the optional programming software.
			11.	FUN key – Push it to activate the Function mode; then if you press ENT
	14			the keypad lock is activated.
	14		12.	ENT – This button must be pressed to confirm your selections within
8	13		13.	the menu of the radio.
	ARCTIC		13.	EXIT – Push this control to exit the menu of the radio without any con-
	ARCTIC

firmation.

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LCD DISPLAY

A.	Activation of the VOX function.

B. This symbol appears during transmission (when you press

	the PTT button) or reception. When the radio is in rx
	mode, the led will light up green, while in tx mode it will
	be red (high power) or orange (low power).
C.	warns you about the battery status.

D.	These three large digits show the selected marine chan-
	nel.
E.	Indicates the operative band USA / INTERNATIONAL /
	CANADA. It can be activated through the optional pro-
	grammimg software PRG-G15 , but it is suitable only for
	extra EU countries.
F.	Appears when the keypad lock is activated.

G.	LO (Low) / Hi (High) - shows the selected power level.

I.DW DW – Appears when you activate the Dual Watch fun-

ction (steady icon) or Triple Watch (blinking).

L	FUN (Function) activated.
M.	They give indications about the menu of the radio.

BATTERY RECHARGE

ARCTIC is equipped for using a 7,4V Li-ion rechargeable battery pack, which can be recharged by connecting the socket of the AC/DC wall adaptor to a mains power socket and inserting the jack of the wall adaptor into the desktop charger plug.

It takes 4 hours to fully recharge the radio.

The led of the desktop charger indicates the status of the recharge:

Red = charging, Green = full charge

For maximum battery life, we recommend you to charge the battery pack when ARCTIC is off and the battery pack is fully discharged.

!Using a different battery charger other than the one specified can cause damage to your device or may even cause explosions and personal injuries.

The Battery power saving feature enables a reduction in consumption and saves the battery life. If it has been set, it automatically activates when the transceiver does not receive any signal for more than 5 seconds. Power saving can be disabled only through the Programming software.

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