RadioShack 12-248 Owner Manual

Cat. No. 12-248

OWNER’S MANUAL

Please read before using this equipment.

7-Channel

Digital

²

Pocket Weatheradio® Alert

FEATURES

Your Ra dioShack Sports 7-Chan­nel Digital Pocket Weatheradio
Alert is designed to receive Nation­al Weather Service (NWS) broad­casts, which provide information
about weather conditions and fore­casts 24 hours a day.

You can set the Weatheradio so it
sounds a loud alert siren when it
receives a special alert signal,
broadcast by weather stations dur­ing a weather emergency.

© 1996 Tandy Corporation.

All Rights Reserved.

RadioShack is a trademark used by

Weatheradio is a registered trademark

2

Tandy Corporation.

used by Tandy Corporation.

Your Weatheradio receives
weather transmissions from up to
50 miles away, and includes the
following featur es:

Seven Weather Frequencies —
you can choose the frequency
that provides t he best reception.

Siren Te st Button — lets you test
the radio’s alert siren at any time.

Low Battery Indicator — lets
you know when it is time to re­place the batteries.

3

Battery-Saving Circuit — mini­mizes power consumption in the
alert mode, to save batt ery power.

Lightweight Compact Design —
lets you carry the rad io anywhere.

Rugged Construction — helps
protect your radio from harsh con­ditions, so you can use it almost
anywhere.

Note: This radio is resistant to
water damage. However, it is not
waterproof and should not be
submerged in water or put directly
in front of shower spray.

4

CONTENTS

Batteries .................................. 6

Operation............................... 10

Listening to National Weath er
Service

Broadcasts....................... 10

Using Alert....................... 12

Using Alert Lock .............. 16

Testing Alert Ope ration.... 17

Testing the Alert Siren..... 21

Care........................................ 23

FCC Statement............... 25

Specifications ....................... 26

5

BATTERIES

Your radio uses three AA batter­ies for power. We recommend al­kaline batteries, such as Ra­dioShack Cat. No. 23-552.

Cautions

6

:

• Do not use rechargeable bat­teries to power the radio.

• Use only fresh batteries of
the required size and type.

• Never leave dead or weak
batteries in the radio.

• Dispose of batteries promptly
and properly; do not bury or
burn them.

• If you do not plan to use the

radio for several weeks,
remove the batteries.

Follow these steps to install bat­teries.

7

1. Loosen the screw on the bat­tery compartment cover, then
slide the cover off in the
direction of the arrow.

Note: The screw is attached
to the battery compartment
cover. Do not try to remove it.

2. Install three AA batteries as
indicated by the polarity sym­bols (+ and –) marked inside
the compartment.

3. Replace the cover and
secure it with the screw.

8

Note: If the LOW BATT indicator
lights, your radio might not sound
the alert siren when an emergen­cy or test alert is broadcast. Re­place the batteries.

9

OPERATION

LISTENING TO
NATIO NAL WEATHER
SERVICE BROADCASTS

1. Set

10

WX/ALERT/LOCK

to

WX

.

2. Turn

OFF/VOL

clockwise until
it clicks, then adjust it to the
desired volume lev el.

3. Fully extend the
telescoping
antenna.

11

CH

4. Set

to the channel (1–7)
that produces the clearest
signal.

USING ALERT

You can set the radio to sound the
alert when it detects the alert sig­nal broadcast by weather stations
during a weather emergency.

12

1. Turn on the radio, then set

CH

to the channel that pro-

duces the clearest signal.

2. Set

WX/ALERT/LOCK

ALERT

. When the radio de-

to

tects a weather alert signal, it
automatically sounds the
alert for 6 seconds.

13

Notes:

• To ensure that your radio

will sound the alert when it
receives an emergency
signal, keep the antenna
fully extended.

• When you hear the alert,

to

WX/ALERT/

to hear the

WX

you can set

LOCK

emergency information
after the alert stops.

• If severe weather threat-

ens, do not wait for an
alert; turn on your radio
and monitor the latest
weather inform ati on.

14

• The radio sounds the alert
at full power, regardless of
the volume setting.

3. Adjust

OFF/VOL

to a c om for t-

able listening le vel.

4. Return

ALERT

WX/ALERT/LOCK

if you want the radio
to monitor for more weather
alert signals.

to

15

USING ALERT LOCK

If you are out of the room or away
from your Weatheradio, you might
miss an alert. When you will be
out of hearing range of the alert,
leave

LOCK

In this mode, if the alert sounds, it
stays on until you change the
mode setting.

To turn off the alert and listen for
more emerg ency i nformati on, se t

WX/ALERT/LO CK to WX

16

WX/ALERT/LOCK

.

set to

.

TESTING ALERT
OPERATION

For your Weatheradio to be effec­tive, you must place the Weath­eradio where it can receive an
emergency alert broadcast and
where you can hear the alert.

Once you determine a location
that meets those two conditions,
leave the Weatheradio there for
the best protection.

17

The fact that you get clear voice
reception or that the alert sounds
when you press

TEST

does not
guarantee that an emergency sig­nal will trigger your Weatheradio’s
alert. Also, if you are in a fringe
area, your radio’s alert might be
triggered in one area, but not be
triggered if you place it some­where else (even cl ose by).

To test for actual reception, your
radio must receive a test or emer­gency alert broadcast. The Na­tional Weather Service (NWS)
broadcasts a test alert every
Wednesday between 11 AM and
1 PM.

18

To find out the specific test sched­ule in your area, contact your lo­cal National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) or National Weather Ser­vice office. These offices are usu­ally listed in the telephone book
under “US Government, Depart­ment of Commerce.”

To verify that your Weatheradio
receives the test alert properly,

WX/ALERT/LOCK

set

ALERT

during the time when the

to

LOCK

or

test alert is broadcast i n your local
area.

19

If the test alert does not trigger
your radio’s alert, you are either
out of range of the broadcast or
your radio’s batteries are weak.

Note: If y ou use yo ur Weath eradio
when you travel, you cannot be
sure that an emergency alert
broadcast will trigger your radio’s
alert, un less you test it at i ts new
location.

20

TESTING THE ALERT
SIREN

TEST

The
radio’s alert siren, but does not
test the radio’s receiver or guar­antee that the radio will r eceive an
emergency alert.

Follow these steps to test the ra­dio’s alert siren.

1. Turn on the radio, then set

button lets you hear the

WX/ALERT/LOCK
ALERT

.

to

LOCK

or

21

2. Hold down

TEST

for a few
seconds until you hear the
alert siren.

If you set

LOCK

until you set
to WX or

WX/ALERT/LOCK

, the alert siren sounds

WX/ALERT/LOCK

ALERT,

or turn off

the radio.
If you set

ALERT

WX/ALERT/LOCK

, the alert siren sounds

only while you hold down

TEST

.

22

to

to

CARE

To enjoy your radio for a long
time:

• Handle it gent ly.

• Keep it away from dust,

moisture, and temperature
extremes.

• Clean it with a damp cloth.

Do not use harsh chemicals.

• Do not take it apart. If some-

thing is wrong with the radio,
take it to your local Ra­dioShack store for assis­tance.

23

Modifying or tampering with the
radio’s internal components can
cause a malfunction and might in­validate the radio’s warranty and
void your FCC authorization to
operate it. If your radio is not per­forming as it should, take it to
your local RadioShack store for
assistance.

24

FCC STATEMENT

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

• Contacting your local Ra-

dioShack store for help

If you cannot eliminate the inter­ference, the FCC requires that
you stop using the radio.

25

SPECIFICA TIONS

Frequency Coverage (MHz):

Channel 1............ ........162.400

Channel 2............ ........162.425

Channel 3............ ........162.450

Channel 4............ ........162.475

Channel 5............ ........162.500

Channel 6............ ........162.525

Channel 7............ ........162.550

Power Output......240 mW (Max.)

Power ....................3 AA Batteries

Anten na............. Telescoping Rod

Size (HWD)5

Weight ...............................5.5 oz.

26

3

/

8

(136

x

x

27/

11/

8

x

73 x 26 mm)

Inches

16

(155 g)

Specifications are typical; individ-

ual units might vary. Specifica-

tions are subject to change and

improvement without not ice.

27

RadioShack Limited Warranty

y

g

y

y

j

y

This product is warranted against defects for 90 days
from date of purchase from RadioShack compan
owned stores and authorized RadioShack franchi­sees and d eale rs. Wit hin this p erio d , w e will r e pair it
without char

your RadioShack sales slip

date to an
cover transportation costs. Nor does it cover a prod­uct sub
EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, RadioShack
MAKES NO EXPRESS WARRANTIES AND ANY
IMPLIED WARRAN TIES ARE LIMITED IN DURA ­TION TO THE DURATION OF THE WRITTEN LIM­ITED WARRANTIES CONTAINED HEREIN. Some
states do not permit limitation or exclusi on of implied
warranties; therefore, the aforesaid limitation(s) or
exclusion(s) ma

This wa rr ant y give s yo u sp ecif ic le gal righ ts an d you m a y
also have other rights which vary from state to state.

e for parts and labor. Simpl

RadioShack store. Warranty does not

ected to misuse or accidental damage.

not apply to the purchaser.

as proof of purchase

We Service What We Sell

bring

10/95

-

A Division of Tandy Corporation

RadioShack

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

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