Radio Shack MICRO Owner's Manual

Micro Cassette Tape
Recorder

with Voice Activation

Owner’s Manual

Please read before using this equipment.



The FCC Wants

Y ou to Know

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

This equipment has been tested and
found to comply with the limits for a Class
B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the

FCC Rules

provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference in a residential instal­lation. This equipment generates, uses
and can radiate radio frequency energy
and, if not installed and used in accor­dance with the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communica­tions.

However, there is no guarantee that inter­ference will not occur in a particular instal­lation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television

2001 RadioShack Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

©

RadioShack and RadioShack.com are trademarks used

. These limits are designed to

by RadioShack Corporation.

2

The FCC Wants You to Know

reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, the user
is encouraged to try to correct the interfer­ence by one or more of the following mea­sures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving
antenna.

• Increase the separation between the
equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet
on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected.

• Consult your local RadioShack store
or an experienced radio/TV techni­cian for help.

• If you cannot eliminate the interfer­ence, the FCC requires that you stop
using your recorder.

Changes or modifications not expressly
approved by RadioShack may cause in­terference and void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.

The FCC Wants You to Know

3



Contents

The FCC Wants You to Know ............ 2

Contents .............................................. 4

Features .............................................. 6

A Quick Look at Your Recorder ........ 7

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

Connecting Power ......................... 9

Using Battery Power .............. 9

Using AC or DC Power ........ 10

Connecting an Earphone ............ 11

Listening Safely ................... 12

Traffic Safety ........................ 12

Connecting an External

Microphone ................................. 13

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

Operation .......................................... 14

Loading a Microcassette Tape .... 14

Recording .................................... 15

Voice Activated (VOX)

Recording ............................ 15

Manual Recording ................ 17

Using Quick Record ............. 18

Playing a Tape ............................ 19

Rewinding/

Fast-Forwarding ................... 19

Using Quick Review ............. 20

Using Index Markers ............ 20

4

Contents

Tape Tips ........................................... 21

Storing Cassette Tapes ............... 21

Restoring Tape Tension and

Sound Quality .............................. 21

Erasing Tapes .............................. 22

Preventing Accidental Erasure .... 22

Care .................................................... 24

Cleaning the

Tape-Handling Parts .................... 24

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

Contents

5



Features

Your RadioShack Micro Cassette Tape
Recorder is ideal for quick note taking. Its
light weight and ultra-thin size makes it
easy to slip into a pocket, purse, or brief­case. You can use it at school, at busi­ness conferences, for dictation in the
office, or anywhere on the go! You can
record manually or set the recorder so
sound activates recording.

Voice-Activated Recording (VOX)

lets you set the tape recorder so it records
when it picks up sound and stops a few
seconds after the sound stops.

Quick Record

playback to recording.

Auto Stop

corder reaches the end of the tape.

6

— instantly changes from

— stops the tape when the re-

Features

—



A Quick Look at

Y our Recorder

Cassette
Compartment
Door

EAR

MIC

REC

PLAY

STOP/
EJECT

A Quick Look at Your Recorder

7

PAUSE/
OFF

REV/REW
/FF/CUE

Tape
Speed
Switch

VOX

INDEX

F-PLAY

Battery
Compartment

VOLUME

8

A Quick Look at Your Recorder



Preparation

CONNECTING POWER

Using Battery Power

Your recorder requires one AAA battery
(not supplied) for power. For the best per­formance and longest life, we recommend
a RadioShack alkaline battery.

Caution:

required size and recommended type.

1. Slide the battery compartment cover

2. Place the battery in the compartment

3. Replace the cover.

When the recorder stops operating prop­erly, replace the battery.

Warning:

promptly and properly. Do not burn or
bury them.

Use only a fresh battery of the

in the direction of the arrow.

as indicated by the polarity symbols
(+ and –) on the case beneath the
opening.

Dispose of old batteries

Preparation

9

Caution:

corder for several days, remove the bat­tery. Batteries can leak chemicals that can
destroy electronic parts.

If you do not plan to use the re-

Using AC or DC Power

You can power the recorder from AC pow­er using the supplied power adapter and
an AC adapter with a size A Adaptaplug™
(not supplied), or from a vehicle’s battery
using the supplied power adapter and a
DC adapter with a size A Adaptaplug.
Both are available at your local Ra­dioShack store.

Cautions:

You must use a Class 2 (for
AC power) power source

!

that supplies 3 volts DC
and delivers at least 200 mA. Its cen­ter tip must be set to positive and its
plug must fit the recorder's power
adapter jack. Using an adapter that
does not meet these specifications
could damage the recorder or the
adapter.

• Always connect the adapter to the
recorder before you connect it to
power. When you finish, disconnect

10

Preparation

the adapter from power before you
disconnect it from the recorder.

1. If necessary, set the adapter's volt­age switch to 3V.

2. Attach the Adaptaplug to the AC
adapter's cord with the tip set to posi­tive (+).

3. Open the battery compartment and
insert the power adapter so that the
wire attached to the dummy battery
rests in the adjustable groove under
the battery compartment.

4. Close the compartment cover.

5. Insert the adapter’s barrel plug into
the recorder's power adapter jack.

6. Plug the adapter’s other end into the
power source.

CONNECTING AN
EARPHONE

For private listening, you can use an op­tional mono earphone with a 3/32-inch (2.5
mm) plug. You can also use an earphone
to monitor what the recorder picks up
through the internal or an external micro-

Preparation

11

phone. Your local RadioShack store car­ries a wide selection of earphones.

Insert the earphone’s plug into the record­er’s
matically disconnects.

jack. The built-in speaker auto-

EAR

Listening Safely

To protect your hearing, follow these
guidelines when you use an earphone.

• Set the volume to the lowest setting
before you begin listening. After you
begin listening, adjust the volume to a
comfortable level.

• Do not listen at extremely high vol­ume levels. Extended high-volume
listening can lead to permanent hear­ing loss.

• Once you set the volume, do not
increase it. Over time, your ears
adapt to the volume level, so a vol­ume level that does not cause dis­comfort might still damage your
hearing.

Traffic Safety

• Do not wear an earphone while oper­ating a motor vehicle or riding a bicy-

12

Preparation

cle. This can create a traffic hazard
and could be illegal in some areas.

• Even though some earphones let you

hear some outside sounds when lis­tening at normal volume levels, they
still can present a traffic hazard.

CONNECTING AN
EXTERNAL MICROPHONE

You can use an optional microphone with
a subminiature 3/32-inch (2.5 mm) plug to
extend the recording range. Your local
RadioShack store carries a wide selection
of microphones.

Insert the microphone’s plug into the re­corder’s
automatically disconnects.

jack. The built-in microphone

MIC

Preparation

13

ATTACHING THE WRIST
STRAP

Thread the strap’s small loop beneath the
metal pin located in the lower right-hand
corner of the recorder. Slip the larger end
of the strap through the smaller loop. Pull
the loop to tighten it around the pin.

Note

: Use a straightened paper clip to
hook the smaller loop if you have difficulty
threading the loop beneath the pin.



Operation

LOADING A
MICROCASSETTE TAPE

Note:

We recommend MC-60 microcas­sette tapes for up to two hours of record­ing/playback time, or MC-90 micro
cassette tapes for up to three hours of re­cording/playback time. We do not recom­mend long-playing cassette tapes such
as MC-120s, because they are extremely
thin and can easily tangle in the playback
mechanism.

14

Operation

1. Use a pencil to turn the cassette’s
hub and remove any tape slack.
Avoid touching the tape.

2. Press
compartment door opens.

3. Insert the microcassette into the
door’s guides with the tape’s open
edge facing out and the full reel posi­tioned toward the top of the recorder.

4. Close the door.

STOP/EJECT.

The cassette

RECORDING

Cautions:

• Do not change the tape speed while
recording.

• Do not force down
sette erase-protection tab is not in
place. See “Erasing Tapes” on
Page 22.

Voice Activated (VOX)
Recording

Follow these steps to have the recorder
start and stop recording automatically
based on sound it detects.

when a cas-

REC

Operation

15

1. Slide

VOX

to ON.

2. Load a tape.

3. Set the tape speed switch on the side
of the recorder as follows:

• To double the tape’s recording/

playback time, slide the tape
speed switch to

. This setting

1.2

allows 120 minutes of total record­ing/playback time on an MC-60
tape, or 180 minutes on an MC-90
tape.

• For better sound quality, slide the

tape speed switch to

. This set-

2.4

ting allows 60 minutes of total
recording/playback time on an MC­60 tape, or 90 minutes on an MC­90 tape.

4. Press

REC

record indicator next to the

to begin recording. Both

REC

and

lock down, and the

PLAY

MIC

jack
lights. Recording begins when the
recorder picks up sound and stops a
few seconds after the sound stops

5. To temporarily stop recording, slide

PAUSE

recording, slide

16

away from

PAUSE

Operation

. To resume

OFF

back.

Notes

:

•The

VOLUME

setting determines
the sound level that activates the
VOX circuit and starts recording.
At higher settings, a softer sound
starts VOX recording. At lower set­tings, a louder sound starts VOX
recording. At extremely low

settings, VOX might not oper-

UME

ate.

• The built-in automatic level control
(ALC) automatically sets the
recording level once recording
starts.

6. Recording stops when the tape
reaches its end. To stop it sooner,
press

STOP/EJECT

: When the tape reaches the

Note

.

end, the motor stops automatically.
The tape handling parts, however,
are still engaged. When recording or
play stops, always press

STOP/EJECT

to disengage the tape handling parts.

Manual Recording

VOL-

1. Slide

VOX

to

OFF

Operation

.

17

2. Load a tape.

3. Slide the tape speed switch to
double the recording time, or to

1.2

2.4

for

better sound quality.

4. Press

REC. PLAY

also locks down.
Recording starts and the built in auto­matic level control sets the recording
level.

5. For maximum clarity, place the
recorder as close to the sound source
as possible, with nothing between the
source and the recorder that might
block the sound.

6. To temporarily stop recording, slide

away from

PAUSE

recording, slide

PAUSE

. To resume

OFF

back.

7. Recording automatically stops when
the tape reaches its end. To stop
recording sooner, press

STOP/EJECT

Using Quick Record

To go directly from playback to recording
while a tape is playing, press
pressing

STOP/EJECT

first). This is handy
when you want to add additional com­ments to an existing recording.

REC

(without

to

.

18

Operation

PLAYING A TAPE

1. Load the microcassette tape.

2. Slide the tape speed switch to the
or

speed (

1.2

was recorded.

3. To liste n to the tape at normal speed,

press

PLAY

about 30% faster than normal speed,
slide

F-PLAY

) used when the tape

2.4

. To listen to the tape at

to ON.

4. Adjust

VOLUME

to a comfortable lis-

tening level.

5. Press

STOP/EJECT

to stop playback.

Rewinding/Fast-Forwarding

Slide

REV/REW FF/CUE

rapidly rewind a tape, or to
forward a tape.

To hear the tape play at a faster speed as
it fast-forwards or rewinds, slide

to

FF/CUE

REV/REW

playback. When you release the switch,
normal playback resumes.

Caution:

parts, press

To protect the tape-handling

STOP/EJECT

Operation

to

or

REV/REW

to fast-

FF/CUE

REV/REW

during

FF/CUE

or slide

to

REV/

19

REW FF/CUE

to the center when the tape

reaches the end.

Using Quick Review

During recording, slide
to

REV/REW

to hear a portion of what you

REV/REW FF/CUE

have just recorded without first pressing

STOP/EJECT

and

PLAY

. Press

REC

to re-

sume recording.

Using Index Markers

Use
so you can quickly find that point using
Quick Review. See “Using Quick Review”.

1. Press

2. Press

3. Press

4. Slide

to add a special tone to a tape

INDEX

to mark the beginning of

INDEX

a recorded section. The record indi­cator flashes while the recorder­records an index marker tone on the
tape.

to mark each desired

INDEX

reference point.

to begin play.

PLAY

REV/REW FF/CUE

to

REV/REW

to rapidly review the tape. The tape
rewinds, and at each index marker,
you hear the index tone, letting you
stop at desired points on your tape.

20

Operation



T ape Tips

STORING CASSETTE TAPES

Do not expose microcassette tapes to
high temperatures, high humidity, dust,
dirt, motors, transformers, or other sourc­es of strong magnetic fields.

RESTORING TAPE TENSION
AND SOUND QUALITY

After you play a cassette tape several
times, the tape might become tightly
wound on the reels. This can cause play­back sound quality to deteriorate.

To restore the sound quality, fast-forward
the tape from the beginning to the end of
one side, then completely rewind it. Then
loosen the tape reels by gently tapping
each edge of the cassette on a flat sur­face.

Caution:

cassette when tapping it. Do not touch the
exposed tape or allow any sharp objects
near the cassette.

Be careful not to damage the

Tape Tips

21

ERASING TAPES

To record over a cassette tape, simply
record as usual. The cassette deck
records over the previous recording.

You can quickly erase both sides of a cas­sette tape using a RadioShack bulk tape
eraser.

Note

: If you use metal or high-bias type
tape, the recorded sound might not be
erased properly.

PREVENTING ACCIDENTAL
ERASURE

Cassette tapes have two erase-protection
tabs, one for each side. When a tab is in
place, you can record on that side.

To prevent accidental erasure of a tape
recording, use a screwdriver to remove
one or both of the cassette tape’s erase­protection tabs. This prevents
being pressed.

If you later decide to record on a tape side
after you have removed the erase-protec­tion tab, place a piece of strong plastic
tape over that side’s erase-protection

REC

from

22

Tape Tips

hole. Be sure you cover only the hole orig­inally covered by the erase-protection tab.

Caution:

Removing the erase-protection
tabs does not prevent a bulk eraser from
erasing a cassette tape.

Tape Tips

23



Care

Keep the recorder dry; if it gets wet, wipe
it dry immediately. Use and store the re­corder only in normal temperature envi­ronments. Handle the recorder carefully;
do not drop it. Keep the recorder away
from dust and dirt, and wipe it with a damp
cloth occasionally to keep it looking new.

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

CLEANING THE
TAPE-HANDLING PARTS

Dirt, dust or particles of the tape's coating
can accumulate on the tape heads and
other parts that the tape touches. This can
greatly reduce the performance of the
cassette player. After every 20 hours of
tape player operation, follow these steps
to clean the tape-handling parts or use a
RadioShack cassette deck cleaning kit.

1. Remove the batteries and discon­nect any other power source.

24

Care

2. Open the cassette compartment door
and press

to expose the tape-

PLAY

handling parts.

Use a cotton swab dipped in denatured al­cohol or tape head cleaning solution to
clean the tape guides, record/play head,
erase head, pinch roller, and capstan.
.

Capstan

Pinch
Rollers

Tape
Guides

Record/Playback
Heads

3. When you finish cleaning, press

STOP/EJECT

and close the cassette
compartment door. Then reconnect
power.

Note:

Your local RadioShack store carries
a full line of cassette deck cleaning sup­plies.

Care

25



Specifications

Tape Type .................................. Microcassette

Tracks .............. 2 Tracks, 1 Channel Monaural

Drive System ............................ Capstan Drive

15

Tape Speed ............ 2.4 cm/sec. (

1.2 cm/sec. (

Recording Time (with MC-60 Microcassette):

2.4 cm/sec. ............................ 30 min. per side

1.2 cm/sec. ............................ 60 min. per side

Practical Max. Output ......................... 110 mW

Fast Play Speed:

2.4 cm/sec. ............................................. +30%

1.2 cm/sec. ............................................. +35%

Frequency Response ................ 400–4,000 Hz

Microphone Sensitivity:

Automatic Level Adjustment

Power Sources:

Internal Battery ................................ 1.5 V DC,

AC Power ..................... 120V with AC Adapter

Vehicle Battery .............. 12V with DC Adapter

Dimensions (HWD) .............. 4.6 × 2.5 × 0.7 in.

(117 × 52 × 18 mm)

Weight (with Battery) ............................. 3.6 oz

/16 ips) and

15

/32 ips)

at 2.4 cm/sec.

in Record Mode

One AAA Battery

(102 g)

26

Specifications

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

Specifications

27

This product is warranted by RadioShack against manufacturing defects

Limited Ninety-Day Warranty

in material and workmanship under normal use for ninety (90) days from
the date of purchase from RadioShack company-owned stores and au­thorized RadioShack franchisees and dealers. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED
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 limitatio ns on how long an implie d warranty
lasts or the exclusion or limita tion of incidental or consequ ential dam­ages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you.
In the event of a product defect during the warranty period, take the
product and the RadioShack sales receipt as proof of pur chase date to
any RadioShack store. RadioShack will , at its option, unl ess otherwise
provided by law: (a) correct the defect by product repair without c harge
for parts and labor; (b) replace the product with one of the same or sim­ilar design; or (c) refund the purchase price. All replaced parts and prod­ucts, and products on which a refund is made, become the property of
RadioShack. New or reconditioned parts a nd 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 f ail ure ca used by or attrib­utable to acts of God, abuse, accident, m isuse, improper or abnorm al
usage, failure to follow instructions, improper insta llation or mainte­nance, alteration, lightning or other incidence of excess voltage or cur ­rent; (b) any repairs other than those provided by a RadioShack
Authorized Service Facility; (c) consumables such as fuses or batteries;
(d) cosmetic damage; (e) transportation, shipping or insurance costs; or
(f) costs of product removal, in stallation, set-up service adjust ment or
reinstallation.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have
other rights which vary from state to state.

RadioShack Customer Relations, 200 Taylor

Street, 6th Floor, Fort Worth, TX 76102

We Service What We Sell

12/99

01A01 14-1170
E2-2589-02 Printed in Hong Kong