OWNER’S MANUAL |
DX-392 |
PLL ALL-BAND PORTABLE RECEIVER
WITH CASSETTE RECORDER
Please read before using this equipment.
Cat. No. 20-219B
FEATURES
Your Radio Shack DX-392 PLL AllBand Portable Receiver with Cassette Recorder brings the voices of the world to you. In the 13 international shortwave (SW) bands, you can hear news broadcasts and other programs from sources such as the British Broadcasting Company, Radio Cairo, and Radio Moscow.
You can get emergency information firsthand by listening to amateur radio broadcasts, which include single sideband (SSB) voice transmissions and continuous wave (CW) Morse code transmissions.
In the longwave (LW) band, you sometimes hear hurricane reports, ship-to-shore calls, and other marine and aeronautical services. You can tune to local broadcasts in the FM and medium-wave (MW) bands. (In the United States, we commonly call the MW band the AM band.) In addition, you can use the built-in cassette recorder to record your favorite programs live or at a preset time.
Special features include:
Digital Synthesized Receiver — ensures accurate, drift-free tuning.
Large, Fast-Response Display — lets you quickly and easily view the time, band and frequency, signal strength, and other indicators.
Dual Time — lets you set a primary clock to your local time and a secondary clock to another time zone so you can quickly check the time in another part of the world.
Scan Tuning — lets you quickly find stations.
Memory Tuning — stores up to 54 frequencies in memory so you can quickly select your favorite stations.
Direct-Access Tuning — lets you use the keypad to directly enter a frequency you want to listen to.
Rotary Tuning Adjustment — lets you select a higher tuning increment for faster tuning, select a lower tuning increment for fine tuning, or lock the rotary tuning dial to prevent you from accidentally changing the frequency.
Control Lock — prevents you from accidentally changing a setting.
Alarm (Standby) — lets you set the buzzer to sound or the receiver to turn on to wake you at a specified time.
Sleep Timer — lets you set the receiver to turn off after a preset length of time (15, 30, 60, or 90 minutes), so you can fall asleep as you listen to it.
©1997 Tandy Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Radio Shack is a registered trademark used by Tandy Corporation.
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MW Step Setting — lets you choose the correct setting for whatever part of the world you are in.
AM RF Gain Control — lets you adjust the receiver’s sensitivity when you listen to SW to provide the best possible reception.
Narrow/Wide Control — lets you reduce interference from other stations when you listen to SW, MW (AM), and LW broadcasts.
BFO Controls — let you tune to stations that transmit in continuous wave (CW) and single sideband (SSB).
Built-In Cassette Recorder — lets you record and play back programs.
Standby Recording — lets you record your favorite program at a preset time.
Beat Cut Switch — reduces the hum or whistling sound sometimes heard when recording AM broadcasts.
Built-In Condenser Microphone — lets you make live recordings.
Three Power Options — let you choose from internal batteries, standard household AC power (requires an AC adapter), or DC vehicle battery power (requires a DC adapter) so you can use the receiver just about anywhere.
Battery Power Indicator — lets you know when the batteries need to be replaced.
Back-Up Battery Power — keeps the clock running, protects the stations stored in memory, and powers the display if the receiver’s primary power source is interrupted.
Memo Pad — lets you record helpful information such as the memory location numbers of your favorite stations.
We recommend you record the serial number of your receiver here. The number is inside the battery compartment.
Serial Number_________________
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CONTENTS |
|
Preparation ............................................................................................................ |
6 |
Setting the MW (AM) Tuning Increment ........................................................... |
6 |
Installing Back-Up Batteries ............................................................................. |
6 |
Connecting to Primary Power........................................................................... |
7 |
Internal Battery Power .............................................................................. |
7 |
AC Power .................................................................................................. |
8 |
DC Power .................................................................................................. |
8 |
Using the Folding Stand and Memo Pad.......................................................... |
9 |
Using the Receiver.............................................................................................. |
10 |
Turning the Receiver On/Off........................................................................... |
10 |
Tuning............................................................................................................. |
10 |
Selecting the Band .................................................................................. |
10 |
Direct-Access Tuning .............................................................................. |
10 |
Using the Rotary Dial .............................................................................. |
11 |
Tuning with the Arrow Keys ..................................................................... |
12 |
Scanning ................................................................................................. |
12 |
Memory Tuning ....................................................................................... |
13 |
Adjusting the Antenna .................................................................................... |
13 |
Connecting an External Antenna.................................................................... |
14 |
Adjusting Special Tuning Controls.................................................................. |
14 |
FM Mono/FM Stereo ............................................................................... |
14 |
AM Narrow/AM Wide .............................................................................. |
14 |
AM RF Gain ............................................................................................ |
15 |
BFO Switch and BFO Dial ...................................................................... |
15 |
Tone ........................................................................................................ |
15 |
Using the Clock Radio ........................................................................................ |
16 |
Setting the Clocks........................................................................................... |
16 |
Changing the Clock Display .................................................................... |
17 |
Using the Alarm (Standby) Feature ................................................................ |
17 |
Setting the Alarm .................................................................................... |
17 |
Silencing the Alarm ................................................................................. |
18 |
Turning the Alarm Off/On ........................................................................ |
18 |
Using the Sleep Timer .................................................................................... |
18 |
Making a Recording ............................................................................................ |
19 |
Loading a Cassette Tape................................................................................ |
19 |
Playing a Cassette Tape................................................................................. |
19 |
Fast-Forward and Rewind ....................................................................... |
20 |
Cue and Review ...................................................................................... |
20 |
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Recording....................................................................................................... |
20 |
Recording from the Radio ....................................................................... |
20 |
Recording from the Radio Using the Standby Feature ........................... |
21 |
Recording AM Broadcasts ...................................................................... |
22 |
Recording Using the Built-In Microphone ............................................... |
22 |
Additional Features ............................................................................................ |
23 |
Connecting Headphones ............................................................................... |
23 |
Listening Safely ...................................................................................... |
23 |
Lighting the Display........................................................................................ |
24 |
Locking the Controls ...................................................................................... |
24 |
Listening Hints.................................................................................................... |
25 |
Reference Sources ........................................................................................ |
25 |
Frequency Conversion ................................................................................... |
25 |
Band Allocations ............................................................................................ |
25 |
Amateur Radio Frequencies ................................................................... |
25 |
International Frequencies ....................................................................... |
26 |
Aircraft Frequencies ............................................................................... |
27 |
Ships and Coastal Station Frequencies ................................................. |
27 |
Time Standard Frequencies ................................................................... |
27 |
Longwave Band ...................................................................................... |
27 |
Listening Guide .................................................................................................. |
28 |
Birdies ............................................................................................................ |
33 |
Tape Tips and Techniques ................................................................................. |
34 |
Storing Your Cassettes ................................................................................. |
34 |
Erasing Tapes ............................................................................................... |
34 |
Accidental Erasure Prevention ...................................................................... |
34 |
Tape Tension ................................................................................................. |
35 |
Cleaning the Tape Mechanism ...................................................................... |
35 |
Troubleshooting ................................................................................................. |
36 |
Resetting the Radio ....................................................................................... |
37 |
Maintenance ........................................................................................................ |
38 |
Caring for the Receiver .................................................................................. |
38 |
The FCC Wants You to Know ........................................................................ |
38 |
Specifications ..................................................................................................... |
39 |
5
PREPARATION
SETTING THE MW (AM) TUNING INCREMENT
In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) assigns frequencies for stations in the MW band in 10-kilohertz increments. (In the United States, we commonly call the MW band the AM band.) In Europe and some other parts of the world, MW frequencies are assigned in 9-kilohertz increments.
The MW STEP switch is located inside the battery compartment. Before you install the back-up batteries, set the switch to 9k or 10k using the following guidelines:
•If you are in the United States, Canada, or another North or South American country, be sure the switch is set to 10k.
•If you are in a country where the AM frequency increments are 9 kHz, set the switch to 9k.
INSTALLING BACK-UP BATTERIES
Back-up batteries power the receiver’s clock and the display and save the stations stored in memory if the receiver’s primary power source is interrupted.
The receiver uses three AA batteries for back-up power. For the best performance, we recommend alkaline batteries, such as Radio Shack Cat. No. 23-552.
Note: You cannot operate the receiver using only the back-up batteries. If you press POWER when the back-up batteries are the only available power source, E flashes on the display.
Follow these steps to install the backup batteries.
1.Remove the battery compartment’s cover by pushing the cover in the direction of the arrow.
2.Install three AA batteries, according to the polarity symbols (+ and –) marked next to the compartment. For easy removal, place the batteries on top of the lift-out ribbon.
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3.Replace the cover, or install additional batteries for primary power as described in “Internal Battery Power.”
To check the back-up batteries’ power level, disconnect the receiver from the primary-power source. Then look at the receiver’s display. If it is dim, replace the back-up batteries.
CONNECTING TO
PRIMARY POWER
You can power the receiver from internal batteries, standard AC power, or your vehicle’s battery.
3. Replace the cover.
To check the primary-power batteries, turn off the receiver. The battery power indicator appears on the display for several seconds. Fresh batteries show a power level of 7. If the indicator shows a power level of 2 or below, replace the primary-power batteries.
Internal Battery Power
Your receiver uses four D batteries. For the best performance, we recommend alkaline batteries, such as Radio Shack Cat. No. 23-550.
Follow these steps to install batteries for use as the primary power source.
1.Remove the battery compartment’s cover by pushing the cover in the direction of the arrow.
2.Slide four D batteries into the compartment, according to the polarity symbols (+ and –) marked next to the compartment. For easy removal, place the batteries on top of the lift-out ribbon.
Note: If you press RADIO POWER to turn on the receiver when the primarypower batteries are dead, E flashes on the display if back-up batteries are installed.
AC Power
With an optional AC adapter, such as Radio Shack Cat. No. 273-1664, you can power the receiver from standard AC power.
Caution: You must use an AC adapter that supplies 6 volts with the center tip set to negative. It must deliver at least 400 milliamps, and its plug must properly fit the receiver’s DC IN 6V jack. Us-
ing an adapter that does not meet these specifications could damage the
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receiver or the adapter.
Follow these steps to use AC power.
1.Set the adapter’s voltage switch to
6V.
2.Line up the 5.5 mm outer diameter/2.1 mm inner diameter barrel plug with the adapter’s socket so it reads –TIP , and insert the plug.
3.Insert the barrel plug into the receiver’s DC IN 6V jack.
4.Plug the adapter into a standard AC outlet.
Note: Using an adapter disconnects the primary power batteries.
DC Power
With an optional DC adapter, such as Radio Shack Cat. No. 270-1562, you can power the receiver from your vehicle’s battery.
Cautions:
•You must use a DC adapter that supplies 6 volts with the center tip set to negative. It must deliver at
least 400 milliamps, and its plug must properly fit the receiver’s DC IN 6V jack. Using an adapter that does not meet these specifications could damage the receiver or the adapter.
•To protect your vehicle’s electrical system, be sure the adapter is connected to the cigarette-lighter socket only when it is also connected to the receiver.
•Follow these steps to use DC power.
1.Set the adapter’s voltage switch to
6V.
2.Line up the 5.5 mm outer diameter/2.1 mm inner diameter barrel plug with the adapter’s socket so it reads –TIP , and insert the plug.
3.Insert the adapter’s barrel plug into the receiver’s DC IN 6V jack.
4.Insert the adapter’s plug into the vehicle’s cigarette-lighter socket.
Note: Using an adapter disconnects the primary-power batteries.
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USING THE FOLDING STAND AND MEMO PAD
You can position the receiver more securely and possibly improve the sound by resting the receiver on its stand.
Lift the latch on the back of the receiver to open the stand. You can use the memo pad under the receiver’s stand to record helpful information, such as the memory location numbers of your favorite stations.
USING THE RECEIVER
TURNING THE RECEIVER ON/OFF
Press RADIO POWER to turn on the receiver, then adjust the volume.
The display shows the band, frequency, and signal strength. (A reading of 7 indicates the strongest signal.)
Press RADIO POWER again to turn off the receiver.
TUNING
Selecting the Band
Press FM, MW, LW, or SW to select the band. (Press MW for AM.) To select a smaller band within the SW band, press METER, then enter the desired band by pressing its labeled button on the keypad.
Direct-Access Tuning
Follow these steps to directly tune to a station.
1.Press FREQ. The frequency display disappears.
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2.Press the number buttons (and decimal button where appropriate) to enter the frequency.
If you make a mistake, press C (cancel) to erase the last digit.
If you wait more than 15 seconds to press a button, the previous frequency returns to the display and you must begin again at Step 1.
3.Press ENTER. The selected frequency appears.
Using the Rotary Dial
You can select a higher or lower frequency by turning the ROTARY TUNING knob up or down.
Set FAST/FINE/LOCK to select the rotary tuning increments or to lock the ROTARY TUNING dial. If you select FAST, the rotary tuning increments are the same as when you use the MANUAL/ AUTO 
or 
keys. If you select FINE, the tuning increments are small-
er so you can fine tune the frequency, as shown in the following table.
Band |
Fast |
Fine |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FM |
0.1 MHz |
0.05 MHz |
|
|
|
LW |
9 kHz |
1 kHz |
|
|
|
MW (AM) |
9/10 kHz |
1 kHz |
|
|
|
SW |
0.005 MHz |
0.001 MHz |
|
|
|
You can also set FAST/FINE/LOCK to lock the ROTARY TUNING dial. This prevents you from accidentally changing the frequency.
Note: This locks only the ROTARY TUNING dial. For information about locking the front-panel buttons, see “Locking the Controls” on Page 22.
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Tuning with the Arrow Keys
You can select a lower or higher frequency by pressing MANUAL/AUTO 
or 
. The frequency changes in the following increments.
Band |
Tuning Increment |
|
|
|
|
FM |
0.1 MHz |
|
|
LW |
9 kHz |
|
|
MW |
9 or 10 kHz (see |
(AM) |
“Setting the MW (AM) |
|
Tuning Increment” on |
|
Page 6) |
|
|
SW |
0.005 MHz |
|
|
Scanning
To automatically tune up or down to the next active frequency in the selected band, press and hold down
MANUAL/AUTO 
or 
for about 2 seconds. The receiver scans up or down the selected band and tunes to the first frequency it finds with a strong signal.
To scan for a frequency in one of 13 shortwave bands, press METER. Then press the correct button on the numeric keypad to select the shortwave band.
When scanning in a smaller band, the receiver searches only within the selected band and stops at the upper and lower limits of the band.
See “International Frequencies” on Page 23 for a list of the shortwave bands.
Note: When scanning, the receiver only searches for frequencies with strong signals. To search for stations with weaker signals, use one of the manual tuning methods.
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Memory Tuning
For easy selection, you can store the frequencies of your favorite stations in memory. You can store up to 18 SW and 18 FM frequencies, and up to 9 frequencies in each of the other bands.
Follow these steps to store a frequency into memory.
1.Use direct-access or manual tuning to tune to the frequency you want to store.
2.Press M.
3.While M flashes, enter a memory location code using the numeric keypad. For SW and FM bands, select from 1–9 and 01–09. For other bands, select from 1–9. The frequency is stored, M stops flashing, and the display shows the memory location code
Note: If you wait more than 15 seconds to press a memory location code number, M stops flashing and you must begin again at Step 2.
To select a stored frequency, press FM, MW, LW, or SW to select the band. Then enter the memory location code.
ADJUSTING THE
ANTENNA
For the best reception, adjust the telescoping antenna for the band you want to listen to.
FM — Fully extend the antenna and rotate it for the best reception.
LW and MW (AM) — Rotate the receiver. The receiver uses the internal antenna for the LW and MW (AM) bands.
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