Radio Shack HTX-200 User Manual

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Cat. No. 19-1102

OWNER’S MANUAL

Please read before using this equipment.

HTX-200

Mini Handheld Two-Meter FM

Amateur Transceiver

FEATURES

Your RadioShack HTX-200 Mini Handheld Two-Meter FM Amateur Transceiver is compact and lightweight, making it easy to carry almost anywhere. The crystal controlled circuitry provides accurate and stable frequency selection, making it an ideal choice for your amateur communications needs.

Note

: You must have a Technician Class or higher Amateur Radio Operator’s License, and a call sign issued by the FCC, to legally transmit using this transceiver. Transmitting without a license carries heavy penalties. Getting a license is easier than ever. See “Introduction t o Amate ur Radio ” on Page 7 f or more information.

Here are some of your transceiver’s features.

Up To 2 Watt Output

— the transceiver transm its at 200 mW output when powered by int erna l al kaline batteries, or at 2 W att o utput when pow ered by an ext ernal 9-volt power source.

CTCSS Tone

(Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System)

— both encodes and decodes 47 subaudible tones to help

Subaudible

reduce interference from other nearby systems operating on the same frequency.

Repeater Offset

— lets you select t he appr opriate offs et value to

match a local repeater.

Scan

— the transceiver s cans the frequency ran ge and t he mem-

ory locations for transmissions.

Power Save

— conserves battery pow er wh en t he trans c eiv er i s

not transmitting or receiving.

Programmable Frequency Steps

— let you set the frequency increment for tuning or scanning t o 5, 10, 12.5, 1 5, 20, 25, 50 k Hz, or 1 MHz steps.

RadioShack and Adaptaplug are registered trademarks used by Tandy Corporation.

Paging Tones

— you can set the radio to play a shor t, sele ctable paging tone when it transmits, and sound the same tone when it receives a signal.

Signal Strength Indicator

— a graduated bar show s the relat ive

strength of the received signal.

Time-Out Timer

terval from 0 to 16

Busy Channel Lock Out

— lets you set a maximum tr ansmissi on time in-

/2 minutes in 10-second increments.

— prevents tran smitt ing wh ile the s e-

lected channel is receiving a signal.

TX Delay

— reduces squelch tail when communicating using

CTCSS.

Scan Delay

— delays the restart of scanning when the radio

locks onto a channel.

Earphone Jack and External Mic r ophon e J ack

— let you connect an optional earphone, external microphone, or combination headset, for more flexible operation.

External Power Jack

— lets you use an external power source

for maximum output.

30 Memory Locations

— let you store up to 30 frequencies and

other settings.

Back Light

— makes your transceiver easy to operate in low-

light situations.

Key Lock

— lets you lock the transceiver’s keys to prevent acci-

dentally changing settings.

We recommend you record your transceiver’s serial number here. The number is on the transceiver’s back panel.

Serial Number ____________________________

MANUAL CONVENTIONS

Your transceiver’s button s perform multiple function s. The ab breviation or symbol for a function is printed on, below, or above each button.

To activate ce rtain transceiv er features, you mus t press (function) and another button at the same time. Those key combination instructions are printed as the first button name, +, then the second button name. For example, hold down

Button names are printed in small, bold, capital letters such as

BEEP

display are printed using a distinctive typeface, such as

146.940

FUNC

while you press

or SC. Words, symbols, and numbers that appear on the

BUSY

LOCK

FUNC+LOCK

FUNC

means

FCC INFORMATION

This device complies wit h Part 15 of the FCC Rules . Ope ration i s subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

CONTENTS

Introduction to Amateur Radio ............................................. 7

Preparation ............................................................................. 9

Power Sources .................................................................. 9

Using Internal Batteries ............................................. 9

Testing Internal Batteries ......................................... 10

Using AC Power .............................................................. 11

Using Ni-Cd or Ni-MH Battery Power .............................. 11

Using Vehicle Battery Power ........................................... 12

Connecting the Antenna ................................................. 13

Attaching the Belt Clip .................................................... 13

Attaching the Wrist Strap .............................................. .. 14

Connecting a Microphone/Speaker ................................. 14

Using the Menus .................................................................. 16

Using the HTX-200’s Menus ........................................... 16

A Quick Look at the Controls .............................................. 19

A Quick Look at the Display ................................................ 22

Operation .............................................................................. 23

Turning on the HTX-200 .................................................. 23

Selecting Frequencies (Direct Tuning) ............................ 23

Receiving Transmissions ................................................. 24

Temporarily Opening Squelch ......................................... 24

Transmitting ..................................................................... 25

Understanding Repeater s ...................................... ...... ....... 26

Setting the Repeater Offset Frequency .......................... 27

Turning Duplex Operation On and Off ............................. 27

Setting the Repeater Offset Direction ............................. 28

Reversing the Transmit and Receive Frequencies .......... 28

Memory Operation ............................................................... 29

Storing a Transmit/Receive Frequency ........................... 29

Recalling Memories ........................................................ 30

Clearing A Single Memory .............................................. 30

Using the Calling-Frequency Memory ............................. 31

Scanning Operation ............................................................. 32

Scanning for Active Frequencies ..................................... 32

Using Scan Delay ..................................................... 32

Scanning Standard Memory Locations ........................... 32

Setting A Memory Location to Always Skip

During Scanning ...................................................... 33

Temporarily Locking Out (Skipping) Locations

During Memory Scanning ............................... ...... ... 34

Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System Features ......... 35

Tone Paging ..................................................................... 37

Sending Pag ing Tones ....................................... ..... ...... ... 37

Other Special features ................................................ ...... ... 38

Changing the Transmit Frequency Range ....................... 38

Locking the Keypad ......................................................... 38

Lighting the Display ......................................................... 38

Turning the Key Tone On and Off .................................... 39

Checking the Current Memory Settings .......................... 39

Setting the Frequency Step ............................................. 39

Po wer Save ................................................. ...... .............. 40

Time-Out Timer ............................................................... 40

Reducing Squelch Tail .................................................. ... 41

Busy Channel Lockout .................................................... 41

Troubleshooting .................................................................... 42

Care and Maintenance ......................................................... 43

Using the Keypad Diagnostic .......................................... 44

Resetting the HTX-200 .................................................... 44

Specifications ....................................................................... 45

INTRODUCTION TO AMATEUR RADIO

Your transceiver is the perfect first radio for anyone entering the exciting world of amateur radio, as well as a great additional transceiver for the experienced amateur radio operator. Your transceiver opens a door for you to the world from almost anywhere! All you need is an Amateur Radio Operator’s License (Technician Class or higher) issued by the Federal Communications Commissio n (FC C). If you do not h av e a l ic ens e, it is easier than ever to get one, and help from licensed operators is available. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

You can turn on your transceiver and sca n the entire band to hear what is going on;

you get your license

in violation of federal law that can lead to severe penalties. Note that ham operators take the FCC rules very seriously and want nothing to do with “bootleggers” — their term for people who operate without a license.

Find out if there is a ham rad io club in your area. Mos t cl ubs w el come newcomers and are glad to help you get your license. There are thousands of clubs across th e country, so there is probably one in or near your community. The staff at your local RadioShack store often can help you locate a club.

If you do not hear anyone talking about a local club as you listen to local transmissions, write to the American Radi o Relay League (ARRL) at the following addres s to find out how to conta ct a local affiliate. The ARRL is the national organization representing amateur radio in the United States. The league has more than 150,000 members. Most are ham operators, or members in the process of obtaining their license.

however, do not attempt to transmit until

. If you transmit without a license, you are

The American Radio Relay League

225 Main Street

Newington, CT 06111

http://www.arrl.org

Start studying for the li cense ex ams. Do not b e intimid ated by the word “study,” because most people can go from knowing absolutely nothing about amateur radio to passing the Novice and Technician written exams in less than a month.

The exams test your knowle dge of bas ic radio regulation s and elementary radio theory. Many clubs hold license classes which can be a fun and easy way to learn about amateur radio. There are good books, cassette tapes, computer programs, and many other study aids available. You r local Radio Shack store se lls

License Preparation

censes. While yo u are no lo nger re quired to l earn M orse code for a Technician Cl as s lic ense, we encourag e y ou to learn it anywa y so you can advance to higher levels of operating privileges.

There is no fee to take the No vice exam. As so on as you pass the Novice exam, you can immediately take the Technician exam. There is a small fee required for taking the Technician exam. All license level tes ts are admini stered by a three -member Vol unteer Examiner Team. Contact the ARRL for a schedule of exam opportunities in your area.

The Technician Class license lets you use the HTX-200 to communicate directly w i th o the r op erators, and use repe ate rs fo r di stant communication.

Amateur radio is a great ho bby tha t has en ric hed the l iv es of m illions of people all over the w orld. The ARRL would be glad t o hear from you if you need more information or would like to join!

study guides for amateur radio operator li-

FCC

PREPARATION

POWER SOURCES

You can operate your transceive r from any of thre e power sourc es:

• internal batteries

• AC power (using an optional power supply and DC adapter)

• vehicle battery power (using an optional DC adapter)

Using Internal Batteries

Your transceiver can use tw o AA batte ries (not supp lied) for p ower. For the best performance and longest life, we recommend RadioShack alkaline batteries.

Cautions:

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

• Do not mix old and new batteries, d ifferent types of batteries (standard, alkaline, or rechargeable), or rechargeable batteries of different capacities.

Follow these steps to install batteries.

LOCK Tab (on bottom)

1. Move the marked on the bottom of the transceiver.

tab in the opposite direction of the arrow

LOCK

2. Press down and slide the battery compartment cover in the direction of the arrow marked on the cover.

3. Put the batteries into the compartment and on top of the attached ribbon, according to the polarity symbols (+ and –) marked inside the compartment.

4. Replace the cover and slide the cover.

tab to secure the

LOCK

Testing Internal Batteries

When you turn on the HTX-200, graduated bar (the signal strentgth meter) next to the battery strength. If the batteries are weak, the graduated bar shows less than 4 boxes. The battery symbo l ( ) constantly indicates the battery strength. When only one or two bars appear inside the battery strength indicator, replace both batteries as soon as possible.

Warning

burn or bury them.

Caution

for a two week period, remove the batteries. Batteries can leak chemicals that can destroy electronic parts.

: Dispose of old batteries promptly and properly. Do not

: If you do not plan to use the transceiver with batteries

BAT

appears briefly and the

BAT

indicates

USING AC POWER

You can operate the HTX-200 from AC power using a regulated power supply capable of supplying 13.8 VDC at least 1A and a vehicle power adapter (see “Using Vehicle Battery Power” on Page 12). The supply should also have an accessory power socket into which the DC-to-DC power adapter fits. If your power supply does not have an accessory power socket, you can either wire the power cord directly to your power supply or add an accessory power socket to the supply. Suitable connectors, power supplies, power cords, and sockets are available at your local RadioShack store.

The following illustration shows how to connect a typical power supply, a DC-to-DC power adapter, and the HTX-200.

GUL

AMP

13.8 VDC

USING NI-CD OR NI-MH BATTERY POWER

You can use either Ni-Cd or Ni-MH batteries to power your HTX200; however, you cannot re charge th ese batte ries while they are inside the HTX-200. You can use a separate external charger for recharging the batterie s outside the radio. Your lo cal RadioSha ck store carries a selection of suitable batteries and chargers.

As these batteries provide less voltage than that typically

Note:

supplied by alkaline batteries, expect less transmitting output power when you use the HTX-200 with Ni-Cd or Ni-MH battery power.

USING VEHICLE BATTERY POWER

You can power the HTX-200 from a vehicle’s 12V power source (such as cigarette-lighter socket) using an 9-volt, 900 mA DC-toDC power adapter and a size I Adaptaplug® (neither supplied) with TIP se t to +. Both are available at your local RadioShack store.

Cautions:

Y ou mu st use a pow er sourc e that supp lies 9V DC and delivers at least 900 mA. Its center tip must

be set to positive and its plug must fit the HTX-

DC 9V

200's these specifications could damage the HTX-200 or the adapter.

• Always connect the DC adapter to the HTX-200 before you connect it to the power source. When you finish, disconnect the adapter from the power source before you disconnect it from the HTX-200.

Follow these steps to operate the HTX-200 from a vehicle’s battery power.

1. Insert the Adaptaplug into the HTX-200’s

2. Plug the other end of the adapter into the cigarette-lighter socket in the vehicle.

jack. Using an adapter that does not meet

jack.

DC 9V

CONNECTING THE ANTENNA

Place the threaded ba se socket of the supp lie d an ten na over the antenna connector on to p of the transc eiver and tu rn the antenna clockwise to tighten it

. Turn it clockwise to remove it.

Caution: Note:

an SMA-to-BNC adapter. This adapter, as well as suitable antennas, are available through your local RadioShack store.

Do not over-tighten the antenna

You can connect an external antenn a to the HTX-200 using

ATTACHING THE BELT CLIP

Use a Phillips screwdriver and the two supplied screws to attach the supplied belt clip to your transceiver. Do not overtighten the screws.

ATTACHING THE WRIST STRAP

To attach the supp lied wrist s trap to the top of the b elt clip, thread the strap’s small loop through the opening in the top of the clip. Then insert the longer loop through the smaller loop and pull on the strap until the loop is tight.

CONNECTING A MICROPHONE/ SPEAKER

You can connect an external communications headset (consisting of a microphone and speaker) to the transceiver so you can use it privately. Lift the hinged, rubber dust cover from the

and

MIC

the plug of an optional voice activated headset with microphone, or an optional communication headset, i nto t he j acks.

jacks on the top of the transceiver, then insert

SPK

Caution:

not share a common gro und for the speaker and the m icrophone . Doing otherwise might damage the transceiver.

Note:

ternal spea ker.

Use only microphone and speaker accessories that do

Inserting a head set’s plug automati cally disconnec ts the in-

You can also connect an optional mono earphone to the jack. This lets you use the transceiver’s push-to-talk button to transmit as usual. Your local RadioShack store carries a wide selection of suitable communications headsets, earphones, and separate components.

The following schematic diagram shows the typical wiring for a suitable external mic and speaker.

External Speaker

Speaker Plug

Barrel

SPK

–

Tip

MIC Plug

Barrel

External Microphone

ΩΩΩΩ

22k

–

Tip

PTT

USING THE MENUS

USING THE HTX-200’S MENUS

The HTX-200 provides two menus to access its features, the Main Menu and the Tone Set Menu. To see details about each operation, refer to the page number in the following chart.

To access the Main Menu, hold down HTX-200. (The

option app ears). Hold down

while turning on the

FUNC

peatedly press W or V to step through the other options. Release

Main Menu

Options

Frequency Step

bCLO

Busy Channel Lockout

t.dY

Transmit Delay Time

Scan Delay Time

and press V or W to change an option’s settings.

FUNC

Setting

( ) = default

setting Description Page

.0050

(MHz),

.0100

.0125, .0150 .0200 .0500, 1.000

(Off) On

Off (On)

1 to 30 seconds (5)

.0250

, (

Sets the increment for scanning the band.

Prevents transmitting while receiving a signal.

Prevents squelch tail.

Sets the scanning restart time.

then re-

Main Menu

Options

Setting

( ) = default

setting Description Page

tot

Time out Timer

Power Save

rPt

Repeater Offset

(Off) On 10 – 990 seconds

(Off) On

0.0

8.0

–

100kHz steps.

(0.6)

MHz in

Limits trans mit time. 40

Cycles power (PS flashes) to the receiver section to conserve batteries. The circuit remains off then turns on briefly to check for an incoming signal.

Sets the offset in 100kHz steps between the repeater’s transmit and receive frequencies.

The Tone Set Menu lets you set featu res th at rel ate t o so und and the CTCSS tones. To access these settings, turn on the HTX-200 then

hold down

pears.) Press

FUNC

and press

FUNC

+ V or W to select the opti on, the n V or W to

T.SET

. (The tone option ap-

change the setting.

Tone Set

Option

tone

Subaudible Tone

Receive Tone

Transmit Tone

MEL

Tone Paging

Setting

( ) = default setting Description Page

(Off) On

See the table on Page 36. (110.9)

(1), 2, 3, 4, 5 Lets you select a

Lets the HTX-200 transmit and receive the Subaudible Tone (CTCSS) fre quencies so you can listen only to other units with the same tone.

Lets you select one of 47 different receiving subaudible tones or turn the feature off

Lets you select one of 47 different subaudible tones or turn the feature off

tone to receive or transmit.

A QUICK LOOK AT THE CONTROLS

Most of the controls of t he H T X-200 hav e m ul tip le func tions. Use the following chart to review the function of each control.

VOL/OFF

PTT

Speaker

Key/Control Use it to:

Microphone

Use with the

FUNC + Key to:

VOL/OFF

()

Turn the radio on/off. Adjust the volume.

Set the squelch level to block weak signals.

Change (increase) the frequency by the value set for menu option on Page

16).

(see the first

Access the Main Menu.

N/A

Directly changes the frequency, one digit at a time. Repeatedly press

to access each digit of the displayed frequency.

Key/Control Use it to:

Use with the

FUNC + Key to:

(T.SET)

MO (REV)

(BEEP)

MR (MW)

SC (RPT)

Change (decrease) the frequency by the value set for menu option on Page

16). Press to override

squelch. Press and hold to cycle through

rC, tC, rPt

settings. Turn on the display’s

backlight for 4 seconds.

Enter memory setting mode. used memory location appear.

Starts and stops scanning. Hold down and power on to access expanded band coverage (142–150 MHz).

(see the first

, and CS

and the last

Accesses the T one Set Option menu and settings.

Reverse the repeater offset.

Enable/disable the key tone. appears when the key tone is enabled.

In memory mode, starts the display flashing. Then use

or to

access a frequency to store in a memory location.

Set the radio to simplex or duplex mode when in VCO mode. Set the repeater offset for a memory location when in memory mode.

Key/Control Use it to:

Use with the

FUNC + Key to:

C (LOCK)

PTT

(Push To Talk)

Press once to display and switch to the current call frequency. Hold down to change the call frequency and associated parameters, such as repeater offset and CTCSS tones.

Hold down to transmit. Press to store the settings.

Lock the controls (except

VOL

Press again to unlock the controls.

Swap the input and output frequencies for repeater operations.

PTT

, and SQ).

A QUICK LOOK AT THE DISPLAY

2 3

6 7 8 9 10 11

1.F: appears when the

2.TX: appears when the radio is transmitting.

5. : indicates the battery strength.

8. : the stronger the signal, the more boxes appear.

10.

11.MR (Memory Channel indicator): for use or for programming.

12. : paging tone active.

13. : key tone enabled.

14. : keypad control disabled to prevent accidentally

15.PS: appears when power save is enabled.

16.

17.ã: appears to indicate a positive repeater offset. – indicates a nega-

: appears when the radio receives a signal.

BUSY

: appears when tone squelch is on and the radio receives a

CALL

matching tone.

(Signal/RF Indicator): shows the level of an incoming signal.

S-RF

When transmitting, shows the relative output signal strength.

: appears when you turn on the radio — the signal strength

BAT

meter then indicates the battery strength.

Bars show remaining battery power when MO and held down at the same time.

Alpha-Numeric Display Memory Location

changing a setting.

: appears when Tone Squelch (CTCSS) is enabled.

TSQ

tive repeater offset.

: shows the memory channel in use.

key is pressed.

FUNC

: shows frequency and messages.

121314151617

PTT

switch are

OPERATION

TURNING ON THE HTX-200

To turn on the HTX-200, rotate The HTX-200 sounds a b rief melody if the k ey to ne fe ature is enabled. Then used frequency appears.

HELLO

appears for about 2 seconds and the last

VOL/OFF

clockwise until it clicks.

SELECTING FREQUENCIES (DIRECT TUNING)

You tune to the desired f requencies i n the VFO (variable frequency oscillator) mo de. You ca n either s tep to a s pecific frequenc y or directly select the frequency.

To step to a frequency, repeatedly press or hold down until the display shows the desired frequency.

The HTX-200 steps up or down in increments which you

Note:

set using the Frequency Step menu opti on. (See “Setting th e Frequency Step” on Page 39).

To directly enter a frequency, press from the left flashes), then press or to change the number. Press each number of the desired frequency, then press the selection.

Note:

and 174 MHz, and transmi t between 1 44 to 148 MHz. To expand the frequency coverage, see “Changing the Transmit Frequency Range” on Page 38.

+ again to select the next digi t. Repeat this to s elect

FUNC

The HTX-200 is preset to receive frequencies between 136

+ (the second digit

FUNC

PTT

to store

RECEIVING TRANSMISSIONS

Follow these steps to receive standard transmissions.

1. With the radio on, rotate a hissing sound. Then slowly rotate the noise stops.

Notes:

•

• Volume, po wer , an d squelch are combined in on e c ontro l.

• If the HTX-200 picks up unwanted, weak transmissions,

2. Set

appears when the HTX-200 receives a standard

BUSY

transmission or if the squelch is open. If the transmission uses CTCSS tones,

The inner control is the outer control is

rotate for these transmissions. If you want to hear weak transmissions, rotate SQ counterclockwise. When you do this, you might hear hissing between transmissions.

VOL/OFF

clockwise to prevent the squelch from opening

to a comfortable listening level.

counterclockwise until you hear

clockwise just until

also appears.

CALL

(volume) and power on/off, while

VOL

(squelch).

TEMPORARILY OPENING SQUELCH

If you use the Tone Squel ch (CTCSS) featu re, you might not h ear a trans

mission on the current fre quenc y. T squelch so you ca n hear a ll trans mission s o n the freq uency , hold down

. To resume normal operation, release MO.

o temporarily open t he

TRANSMITTING

There are two basic types of communication possible with this transceiver: radio-direct-to-radio (simplex) or radio-to repeaterto radio (duplex). Simplex operation uses the same frequency to send and receive. Duplex operation uses one frequency to transmit and another to receiv e. For more in formation about duplex, see “Understanding Repeaters” on Page 26.

Caution:

Technician Class licen se is sued by the FCC. Follow these steps to transmit.

1. Select the desired frequency usin g manual or direct entr y.

2. Hold the HTX-200 about 3 inches from your mouth.

3. Hold down

4. Release

It is illegal to transmit if you do not have at least a

, then speak slowly and clearly into the

PTT

microphone.

If you try to transmit outside the transmit frequency

Note:

range,

inhibit

appears while you transmit.

briefly appears.

when you finish transmitting.

PTT

UNDERSTANDING REPEATERS

Operation through a repeater, where you transmit on one frequency and recei ve on a nother , is ca lled ation direct to a nother station , wh ere yo u tr ansmit a nd receive on the same frequency, is called

A repeater is a station that receives a signal on one frequency

input

(the ent frequency (the ically located at the tops of tal l building s or on antenna tow ers, so a relatively low-po wer s ig nal ca n re ac h th e re pea ter. The repeater retransmits th e sig nal a t a h igher power . This gives your transceiver the ability to communicate over a much greater range.

To use a repeater, you m ust kno w the rep eater’s input an d output frequencies. Repeaters are usually identified by their output frequency. Thus, a repeater that has an output frequency of 146.94 is referred to as “the 146.942 repeater.” To determine the input frequency, you mu st know the frequency for the 2-meter band) and the kHz to the output, or – if you subtract 600 kHz from the output).

Whether the offset is positive or negative depends on:

frequency) and then retransmits that signal on a differ-

output

• which part of the band the repeater operates on

• local convention

• proximity of repeaters using the same two frequencies

simplex

frequency). Repeater ant ennas are typ-

offset direction

duplex

operation.

offset

(+ if you add 600

operation. Oper-

(typically 600 kHz

To determine the offset and the direction, obtain a copy of

ARRL Repeater Handbook

dioShack store or directly from the ARRL) which lists the locations of repeaters as well as their frequency and offset information.

above the displayed frequency indicates a positive offset,

while a – above the frequency indicates a negative offset. If neither

or – appears, the HTX-200 is set for simplex operation.

(available from your local Ra-

The

SETTING THE REPEATER OFFSET FREQUENCY

The HTX-200’s default re peater o ffset is 6 00 kHz , which a ppears as

0.6

Note:

quency offset in a memory, that setting is not affected.

1. With power off, hold down

2. Hold down current offset set.

3. Repeatedly press or until the desired offset appears. You can set an offset between 0 and 8 MHz in 100kHz steps.

4. Press

)

. Follow these steps to change the offset.

(MHz

This setting on ly aff ect s the VFO mode. If yo u s av ed a fre-

and turn on the HTX-200,

FUNC

and repeatedly press until

FUNC

appear.

to store the setting and exit the menu.

PTT

appears if no offset is currently

0.0

rpt

and

the

TURNING DUPLEX OPERATION ON AND OFF

To turn on duplex (repeater use) operation for the VFO mode, press ue is not appears above the displayed frequency. Press again to turn it off.

FUNC

0.0

+ SC (

, the current offset indicator (+ above or – below)

). Provided the current repeater offset val-

RPT

+ SC (

FUNC

RPT

)

SETTING THE REPEATER OFFSET DIRECTION

1. Set an offset frequency other than 0.0.

2. Press above or

3. Press tion.

FUNC + SC (RPT)

below).

–

+ MO (

FUNC

to see the current offset direction (

) to change the repeater offset direc-

REV

To save this setting in a memory location, must be

Note:

flashing before you store the settings (see “” on Page 31 and “Storing a Transmit/Rec eive Frequency” on Pa ge 29). Otherwise, the setting revert s to its saved v alue the next time you turn on the HTX-200.

REVERSING THE TRANSMIT AND RECEIVE FREQUENCIES

To swap the input and output frequencies, press example, if you have set the radio to repeater operation on

146.940 wit h a positive of fset, the r adio would normally rec eive on 146.94 and transmit on 146.340 MHz. After you press

FUNC+PTT,

146.940. This feature is useful if you want to determine whether you are

close enough to anoth er station to commun icate on a simplex fre quency. While the other station is transmitting, reverse the frequencies. If you can still hear the other station, you are hearing their signal directly and you do not need to use the repeater.

the radio will receive on 146.340 and transmit on

FUNC+PTT

. For

MEMORY OPERATION

Your HTX-200 has 30 standard memory locations that you can use to store frequenci es for quick acc ess. For each memory loca tion, you can also store ot her settings such as the repeater offset , CTCSS tones, and frequencies to pass or lock out during scanning.

STORING A TRANSMIT/RECEIVE FREQUENCY

1. Press

2. Repeatedly press or to select the desired memory location.

3. Press flash.

4. Select the desired frequency by repeatedly pressing

or , or use direct frequency entry to select a frequency.

5. To enter a frequency offset for repeater operation, press

FUNC

calling frequency. Then press or to select the desired offset. Press

6. Press remove an offset for simplex operation, set the repeater offset to

7. If desired, set the tone squelch settings (see “Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System Features” on Page 35).

8. Press memory mode.

and the last used memory location appear.

appears if the memory location is empty.

------

FUNC+MR

+ SC. The HTX-200 displays the current offset for the

FUNC

0.0

PTT

. The selected memory location and

to store your setting.

PTT

to select the offset direction (+ or –). To

REV

to store all settings, then press MR to exit the

RECALLING MEMORIES

To recall saved memory settings, press MR so appears. Then

press or to select the desired memory location. Press MR again to return to the VFO mode. (See “Selecting Fre-

quencies (Direct Tuning)” on Page 23.)

CLEARING A SINGLE MEMORY

Follow these steps to clear any single memory location.

1. Press

2. Repeatedly press or to select the desired memory location.

3. Press flash.

4. Hold down clears and empty.

5. Press MR to exit the memory mode.

To clear all memory loca tions, see “Resetting the HTX-

Note:

200” on Page 44.

. and the last used memory location appear.

FUNC+MR

. The selected memory location and

for several seconds. The memor y loca tion

FUNC

appears to confirm that the location is

------

USING THE CALLING-FREQUENCY MEMORY

The calling-freque nc y memory location l ets y ou quickly jump to a specific frequency at any time. The default calling frequency is

146.52 MHz. You can store a differe nt frequen cy into m emory as well as other settin gs as soci ated wi th that fre quenc y, suc h as the repeater offset and CTCSS tone.

1. Press

2. To change the frequency, hold down

to display the current calling frequency.

until and C flash.

3. Select a frequency. See “Selecting Frequencies (Direct Tuning)” on Page 23.

4. Press

to store the selected frequency in memory.

5. To enter a frequency offset for repeater operation, press

FUNC+SC

. The HTX-200 displays the current offset for the

calling freq uency. To select a new offset value, press or

. Select 0.0 Hz if you want to remove the offset. To store

the setting, press

6. To select the offset direction (+ or –), press

PTT

FUNC + REV.

To remove an offset for simplex operation, set the repeater offset to

0.0

While and

Note:

appear, you can program other settings such as CTCSS tones (see “Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System Features” on Page 35.)

To enable the calling frequency, press

at any time. The trans-

ceiver immediately tunes to that frequency with the settings you programmed. To exit the calling frequency mode, press

again.

SCANNING OPERATION

SCANNING FOR ACTIVE FREQUENCIES

1. To search for activity on a frequency, press SC. The transceiver begins to scan up or down the full frequency range, and it stops on each active frequency for the duration set by the scan delay option (see “Using Scan Delay” on Page 32).

2. To change the scanning direction, press or .

3. To stop on a frequency or to stop scanning completely,

again.

press

Using Scan Delay

If the HTX-200 stop s on a signal during scannin g, then stops, the scan de lay fe ature de lays the co ntinua tion of scann ing to allow time for the signal to restart. Access t he Main Men u (see “Using the HTX-200’s Menus” on Page 16) to set the value. With

and the current delay time s hown,

new delay time (between 1 and 30 seconds).

press or to select the

that signal

SCANNING STANDARD MEMORY LOCATIONS

1. Press

2. To change the scanning direction, press or .

3. To stop scanning, press

scans all locations except empty locations and the ones you programmed to be passed during scanning.

appears), then press SC. The transce iver

(so

again.

Setting A Memory Location to Always Skip During Scanning

The HTX-200 is preset to include all memory locations (except empty locations) during memory scanning . Follow these steps to set the transceiv er to ha ve it a lways skip (or resum e sc anning ) a specific location during scanning.

1. Press

2. Repeatedly press or to select the desired memory location.

3. Press flash.

4. To set the HTX-200 to skip the memory location, press then press or so

. and the last used memory location appear.

FUNC+MR

. The selected memory location and

SCSP ON

(scan skip) appears.

To include the displayed location during scanning, press or so

SCSP oF

5. When yo u fini sh, pre ss SC again, then press

appears.

to store the

PTT

setting.

Temporarily Locking Out (Skipping) Locations During Memory Scanning

You can set the transceiver to lock out a location while scanning the frequencies stored in memory.

When the transceiver stops at a memory location you want to

PASS

FUNC

skip, press tinues to scan, locking out (skipping) that location from then on. Repeat this for each location you want to skip.

To cancel the settings a nd have the HTX-200 inc lude th e skipp ed frequencies once again, turn the radio off then on again.

You cannot lock out all memory locations. One location is

Note

: always active. If you l ock ou t all bu t two acti ve loc ation s and th en lock out one more,

briefly appears a nd the transceiver c on-

EMPTY

briefly appears and scanning stops.

CONTINUOUS TONE CODED SQUELCH SYSTEM FEATU RES

Your HTX-200 can transmit and receive a low-level, selectable subaudible tone at th e s ame tim e a s i t tran sm its (TX) o r rec eiv es (RX) a regular signal. This speci al ton e lets you lis ten on ly to other radios set to the same tone frequency when y ou us e the HTX200 in simplex operation. It also lets you match your radio to the subaudible tone frequency used by a local repeater.

To enable the TX and RX tones for the HTX-200, follow these steps.

1. Press

tone on

2. Press or to turn on the option .

+ . The current tone setting appears (

FUNC

tONE on

tONE oF

appears

3. To set a receive (RX) tone, press Then press or to select a tone frequency from the list on Page 36. both the transmit and receive frequencies.

4. To set a transmit (TX) tone, press Then press or to select a tone frequency from the list on Page 36.

5. Press

For this example, 67.0 MHz was selected for

to store all the settings.

PTT

+. rC appears.

FUNC

+. tC appears.

FUNC

To select and store a CTC SS subaudible tone in a mem ory loc a-

tion, press

and the last used memory location appear. (In the examples sho wn on the pre cedin g page , memo ry loc ation 2 is used.) Then follow the preceding Steps 1–5.

Subaudible Tone Frequencies (Hz

)

67.0 114.8 186.2

69.3 118.8 189.9

71.9 123.0 192.8

74.4 127.3 196.6

77.0 131.8 199.5

79.7 136.5 203.5

82.5 141.3 206.5

85.4 146.2 210.7

88.5 151.4 218.1

91.5 156.7 225.7

94.8 159.8 229.1

97.4 162.2 233.6

100.0 167.9 241.8

103.5 173.8 250.3

107.2 179.9 254.1

110.9 183.5 Off

TONE PAGING

You can set the HTX-20 0 t o s oun d an alert tone when it rec eiv es a transmission th at inc ludes the c urrentl y se t suba udible rece ivetone (or any transmission, if the receive-tone or the tone feature is set to off). Turn off the radio, then press while you turn the HTX-200 on again. appears.

The first time the HTX-200 receives a transmission that matches the current CTCSS settings, it sounds the selected alert tone, then turns off the tone paging feature. To turn the featur e back on, turn the power off then on again while holding down .

Follow these steps to change the alert tone.

1. Select the VFO mode. (See “Selecting Frequencies (Direct Tuning)” on Page 23.)

2. Hold down number from

3. Repeatedly press either or to step through the five different tones. If key tone is enabled, each tone sounds as you select its number.

4. Press

PTT

and press (

FUNC

to 5 appear. Release

to store your selection and exit the menu.

T.SET

) four times.

FUNC

MEL

and a

SENDING PAGING TONES

To transmit the selected paging tone, press

PTT

while pressing

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

CHANGING THE TRANSMIT FREQUENCY RANGE

You can change the standard transmit frequency range from 144–148 MHz to an extended range of 142–149.885 MHz.

To set the transceiv er to its extended ra nge, turn off the tra nsceiver, then hold down

To return to the standard frequency range, turn off the transceiver, then hold down SC and turn it on again.

Transmitting out of the normal band is allowed only for

Note:

MARS (Military Amateur Radio Service) and CAP (Civilian Air Patrol) operators. You must have the appropriate license.

LOCKING THE KEYPAD

To lock the transceiver’s keypad so you do not accidentally change a setting, press buttons except

and turn on the transceiver again.

PTT

FUNC+LOCK

VOL

, ,

, and SQ.

. appears. This loc ks all

To unlock the keypad, press

FUNC

LOCK

again.

LIGHTING THE DISPLAY

Press to turn on the display’s backlight for about 4 seconds. If you press any key while the light is on, the light remains on for about 4 seconds more. Hold down for at least 1 second to hav e the light remain on until you press again.

TURNING THE KEY TONE ON AND OFF

The transceiver is preset to sound a beep each time you press a key. To turn off the beep, pr ess To restore the key tone, press

Note

: If the key tone feature is disabled, the power-on tone does

not sound.

FUNC

+ (

BEEP)

. disa ppears.

BEEP

) again.

CHECKING THE CURRENT MEMORY SETTINGS

If you hold down MO ( opens and the set valu es for receive tone ( tone (

tt on/off

offset (

rPt

Release

MO (REV

), scan skip co ndition (

), and frequency step (CS) appear.

) to turn on the squelch again.

) for longer than 1 second, the squelch

REV

rT on/off

)(if any), repeater

SCSP

), transmit

SETTING THE FREQUENCY STEP

To change the frequency increment used during scanning and stepping to a frequency , use the Main Men u to access the CS op tion setting (see “Using the HTX-200’s Menus” on Page 16). Then repeatedly press or until you reach the desired settin g. You can change the frequency step to 5 kHz, 10 kHz, 12.5 kHz, 15 kHz, 20 kHz, 25 kHz, 50 kHz, or 1 MHz. (The example shown here is 25 kHz.)

POWER SAVE

The power save feature lets the radio conserve battery power by turning off power to the receiver section and periodically turning it on to check for a transmission. Use the Main Menu to set the power save option (see

With PS and the curre nt sta t us (on or

16). or to turn this feature on or off.

“Using the HTX-200’s Menus” on Page

oFF

) displayed, press

TIME-OUT TIMER

When you communicate using repeaters, keep your transmissions as brief as possible. Most repeat ers have built-in tim ers that limit single transmissions to 3 minutes or less. You can set the transceiver to stop transmitting and sound a beep if you exceed a set time limit with a single transmission.

Use the Main Menu (see “Using the HTX-200’s Menus” on Page

16) to set a value fo r the ti me-ou t time r. With

setting displayed, press or to choose a value from 0 to 990 seconds.

tot

and the current

REDUCING SQUELCH TAIL

If you are communicating with a repeater or an other stat ion using subaudible tones, you can eliminate the squelch tail (the burst of noise the other person hears wh en you stop transmitt ing) by turning on the transmit delay option. When you turn on this feature and use CTCSS, the radio continues to transmit for a sho rt period of time after you release subaudible tone. This causes th e other radio to close the sq uelch before there is “dead air,” preventing the squelch tail.

Use the Main Menu (see “Using the HTX-200’s Menus” on Page

16) to set the transmit delay option. Then , with rent status displayed, press or to turn this feature on or off.

, but then it immediately drops the

PTT

t.dy

and the cur-

BUSY CHANNEL LOCKOUT

Use the Main Menu to set the busy channel lockout (see “Using the HTX-200’s Menus” on Page 16). The lockout prevents the transceiver from transmitting while it is receiving a signal. With the radio’s preset value change the display to display back to

bCLO

bCLO oF bCLO oF

to disable the lockout .

displayed, press or to

. Repeat this step to change the

TROUBLESHOOTING

If your transceiver is not working as it should and it displays an error message, these suggestions might help you eliminate the problem. If the transceiver still does not operate properly, take it to your local RadioShack store for assistance.

You see Possible Cause Remedies

S-SHORT

PLL-Error

EEP-Error

If the transceiver detects a shorted external microphone connection, it automatically s witches off power to the audio amplifier and dis-

S-SHORT

plays indicate a short circuit.

Indicates a PLL circuit malfunction due to a defect in the VCO circuit or bias supply.

The EPROM information needs to be reset.

Remove the connected microphone and replace it, or use the internal microphone.

Turn power off then on again.

Reset the transceiver. See “Resetting the HTX-200” on Page44.

CARE AND MAINTENANCE

Your RadioShack HTX-200 Mini Handheld Two-Meter FM Amateur Transceiver is an example of superior design and craftsmanship. The following suggestions will help you care for your transceiver so you can enjoy it for years.

Keep the transceiver dry. If it gets wet, wipe it dry immediately. Liquids might contain minerals that can corrode the electronic circuits.

Use and store the transceiver only in normal temperature environments. Temperature extremes can shorten the life o f el ec tron ic dev ic es , da ma ge batteri es, and distort or melt pl astic parts.

Keep the transceiver away from dust and dirt, which can cause premature wear of parts.

Handle the transcei ver ge nt ly an d caref ul ly. Dro pping it can damage circuit boards a nd cases and can cause the transceiver to work improperly .

Use only fresh batteries of the required size and recommended type. Batteries can leak chemicals that damage your transceiver’s electronic parts.

Wipe the transceiver with a damp cloth occasionally to keep it looking new. Do not use harsh chemicals, cleaning solvents, or strong detergents to clean the transceiver.

Modifying or tampering with the transceiver’s internal components can cause a malfunction and might invalidate its warranty and void your FCC authorizat ion to opera te it. If your transcei ver is not performing as it should, take it to your local RadioShack store for assist ance.

USING THE KEYPAD DIAGNOSTIC

The HTX-200 has a bu ilt-in diagnostic p rogra m tha t l ets y ou c onfirm whether the keypad switches are functioning correctly. To use this diagnostic program, follow these steps.

1. Hold down

2. Press

3. Press . If the action is correct,

4. Press . If the action is correct,

5. Press

6. Press

7. Press appears.

8. Press

9. Press

10. Press briefly and then the set frequency appears again.

MO (REV

MR (MW) SC (RPT)

(BEEP)

LOCK (C)

. If the action is correct,

FUNC

MO (REV)

) and turn on the transceiver.

) again.

. If the action is correct,

. If the action is correct, F appears.

PrESS dn

. If the action is correct,

. If this action is correct,

appears.

PrESS Up

PrES Mr

PrESS Sc PrESS bp

PrES Mo

appears.

GOOD

appears.

PrESS Lc

appears

RESETTING THE HTX-200

If the transceiver’s display locks up or the transceiver does not work properly after you turn it on, you might need to reset it.

Caution

grammed into the transceiver. Before you reset the transceiver, try turning it off th en o n a gai n t o s ee if i t begins working properl y.

: This procedure clears all the information you have pro-

To reset the transceiver, turn it off then hold down turn it on again. tion. Release

iniTial

FUNC+MO

appears to confirm the reset opera-

FUNC +MO

and

SPECIFICATIONS

GENERAL

Frequency:

RX .............................................................. 136–174 MHz

TX ............................................................... 144–148 MHz

Extended Range......................................... 142–150 MHz

Frequency Generation .............................. PLL Synthesizer

Frequency Stability ................................................ ± 5 ppm

Operating Temperature ......... 14° to 131° F (–10° to 55° C)

Power Source ............................................... DC 3.0V to 9V

Modulation .................................................................... F3E

Impedance .............................................. ...... .......... 50 ohm

Dimensions (HWD) ....................... 2

85 × 58 × 26.5 mm

Weight (without batteries) ............................. 4.2 oz (120 g)

RECEIVER

Circuit Type ................. Dual Conversion, Superheterodyne

IF Frequency:

1st IF ................................................................ 30.85 MHz

2nd IF ................................................................... 450 kHz

Sensitivity ........................................ 0.22 µV for 12 dB SND

Selectivity ........................................................... 50 dB Min.

Spurious and Image Rejection ........................... 60 dB Min.

Intermodulation .................................................. 60 dB Min.

Distortion ............................................................ 10% Max.

S/N Ratio ........................................................... 35 dB Min.

Audio Output @10%THD ................... 90 mW 16 Ohm, BTL

/4 × 33/8 × 11/16 inches

TRANSMITTER

Power Output .................... 200 mW, DC 3.0V/2W, DC 9.0V

Distortion ....................................................................... 5%

Deviation ................................................................. ± 5 kHz

S/N Ratio ................................................................... 36 dB

Current Drain ..................... 600 mA, DC 3V/900mA DC 9V

Specifications are typical; individual units might vary. Specifications are subject to change and improvement without notice.

NOTES

Limited One-Year Warranty

This product is war ranted by RadioShac k against manufactu ring defects in material and workmanship under normal use for one (1) year from the date of purchase from RadioShack company-owned stores and authorized RadioShack franchisee s and dealers. EXCEPT AS PROVIDE D HEREIN, RadioShack MAKES NO EXPRESS WARRANTIES AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING THOSE OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE DURATION OF THE WRITTEN LIMITED WARRANTIES CONTAINED HEREIN. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, RadioShack SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY TO CUSTOMER OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY WITH RESPECT TO ANY LIABILITY, LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY BY USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE PRODUCT OR ARISING OUT OF ANY BREACH OF THIS WARRANTY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY DAMAGES RESULTING FROM INCONVENIENCE, LOSS OF TIME, DATA, PROPERTY, REVENUE, OR PROFIT OR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF RadioShack HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Some states do not allow the limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts or the exclusi on of incide ntal or con sequenti al damage s, so the a bove limitations or exclusions may not apply to you. In the event of a pro duct de fect dur ing the w arra nty per iod, take the produ ct and the RadioShack sales receipt as proof of purchase dat e to any RadioShack store. RadioShack will, at its option, unless otherwise provided by law: (a) correct th e defect b y product r epair w ithout char ge for pa rts and la bor; (b) replace th e p ro duct w ith on e o f t he sam e o r simi lar d esign; or (c) refund the purchase price. All replaced part s and products, and produ cts on which a refund is made, become the property of RadioShack. New or reconditioned parts and products may be used in the performance of warranty service. Repaired or replaced parts and products are warranted for the remainder of the original warranty period. You will be charged for repair or replacement of the product made after the expiration of the warranty period. This warranty does not cover: (a) damage or failure caused by or attributable to acts of God, abuse, accident, misuse, improper or abnormal usage, failure to follow instruction s, improper installation or m aintenance, alteration, l ightning or other incidence of excess voltage or current; (b) any r epairs other than those provided by a RadioShack Authorized Service Facility; (c) consumables such as fuses or batter ies; (d) cosmetic damage; (e) transpo rtation, shipping or insu ra nce co sts; o r (f ) cos ts of p rod uct r em ova l, insta l lation , set-up service adjustment or rei nstallation. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, a nd you may also have othe r rights which vary from state to state.

RadioSha ck Customer Relations, 200 Taylor Street, 6th Floor,

Fort Worth, TX 76102

We Service Wh at We Sell

04/99

06A99 Printed in Korea

Radio Shack HTX-200 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual