Sony U-Ceiver ICB-U655, ICB-U655 Operating Instructions Manual

Sony Corporation © 1999 Printed in Japan

Owner’s record

The model and serial numbers are located in the
battery compartment. Record the serial number
in the space provided below. Refer to them
whenever you call your Sony dealer regarding
this product.

Model No. ICB-U655
Serial No. _________________________

You are cautioned that any changes or
modifications not expressly approved in this
manual could void your authority to operate
this equipment.

INFORMATION

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.
These limits are designed to 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 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 the dealer or an experienced radio/

TV technician for help.

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.

Warning

Never use this unit while skiing or during
any other sport activity as it may lead to
accidents or injury.

Never use this unit in an airplane, as the
electromagnetism from the unit may
endanger flight safety.

Caution

Never use this unit near medical equipment
without confirming safety and consent from
due authorities. The electromagnetism from
the unit may interfere with the equipment.
In hospitals or in other medical facilities, turn
off the power of this unit where use is
prohibited.

Before You Begin

Thank you for choosing the Sony FRS Two-way
radio! The unit will give you many hours of
reliable service.
Before operating the unit, please read these
instructions thoroughly and retain them for future
reference.

Features

The ICB-U655 is an FRS (Family Radio Service)
two-way radio and can be used without any
licences or qualifications within the United States.

• A transmitting output of 500 mW, with 14
channels. Can communicate with other FRS two­way radios with the same frequency channels.

• Handy size, easy to operate.

• Group Talk feature — Allows you to communi­cate only with units on the same channel with
the same group number, including other models
with the same feature.

• Search feature — Automatically searches for
unused channels and calls up members of your
group.

• 180º rotating antenna for convenience and
compactness.

• Liquid Crystal Display to show operation status.

Precautions

Placement

• Do not leave the unit near heat sources, such as
radiators or air ducts, or in a place subject to
direct sunlight, excessive dust, humidity, rain,
mechanical vibration or shock.
Do not leave the unit in a car parked in the sun,
especially in the summer.

• In vehicles or in buildings, transmission and
reception may be difficult or noisy. Try using the
unit near a window.

Safety

• Operate the unit on 4.5 V DC.
For battery operation, use three size AA (R6)
batteries.
For car battery operation, use only the car battery
cord recommended for this unit (not supplied).
Do not use any other car battery cord.

• When the unit is not to be used for a long time,
remove the batteries to avoid possible damage
caused by undue battery discharge, leakage or
corrosion.

• The nameplate indicating operating voltage,
etc. is located at the rear exterior.

• Should any solid object or liquid fall into the
unit, remove the batteries and have the unit
checked by qualified personnel before operating
it any further.

• Since a strong magnet is used for the speaker,
metallic objects such as pins, etc. may cling to the
unit. Keep personal credit cards using magnetic
coding or spring-wound watches away from the
unit to prevent possible damage from the
magnet.

• When the casing becomes soiled, clean it with a
soft cloth dampened with mild detergent
solution. Never use abrasive cleansers or
chemical solvents, as they may mar the casing.

• Keep the unit away from metallic objects.

• Handle the antenna with care, so as not to bend
or break it.

Notes on using the two-way radio

• Use this unit only within the United States of
America in accordance with the regulations
governing two-way radios in the United States of
America.

• Do not use this unit near a TV set, radio, or any
type of broadcast station, as it may cause
interference.

• You are warned that your transmission could be
heard by some other party.

• Do not disclose or use the transmission of other
parties in any form.

• Two-way radios are not protected from
interference by broadcast stations or other high
frequency facilities.

If you have any questions or problem concerning
your unit, please consult your nearest Sony dealer.

FRS Two-way Radio

Operating Instructions

3-866-276-11 (1)

ICB-U655

Troubleshooting

Should any problem persist after you have made
the following checks, consult your nearest Sony
dealer.

The power turns off unexpectedly.

• The unit turned itself off by the Auto Power Off
function (i.e., there was no reception or the unit
was left unoperated for about 6 hours). Press
POWER to turn the unit on again.

• The batteries have gone out. Replace all batteries
with new ones.

The power does not turn on.

• The batteries are not inserted with correct
polarity.

• The batteries are weak. Replace all batteries with
new ones.

• Key protection is active (“H” is displayed).
Press LIGHT/BATT/H for 2 seconds or longer
and disable key protection.

• The car battery cord is not connected securely.

Display is dim.

• The batteries are weak.

• The unit is being used in excessive heat or
humidity.

There is no sound at all.

• The volume is turned down completely. Adjust
with VOL.

You cannot establish contact with the
member(s) of your group.

• You are on a different channel (in the Basic mode
or the Group Talk mode).

• You are on a different group number (in the
Group Talk mode or the Search mode).

• You are too distant from each other. See “On
effective range”.

Specifications

Operating frequency

462.5625 - 462.7125 MHz

467.5625 - 467.7125 MHz
14 channels

Antenna

Whip antenna

Communicating system

Press-to-talk system (single transmission)

Modulation

F3E

Transmitting output

500 mW

Reception

Double superheterodyne system

Speaker

Approx. 3.6 cm (1

7

/16 inches) dia., 4 ohms

Power output

100 mW (at 10% harmonic distortion)

Power requirements

4.5V DC, three size AA (R6) batteries

External power source

DC IN 4.5V jack accepts:
12V/24 V car battery with the recommended
Sony car battery cord (not supplied)

Auto Power Off

Approx. 6 hours

Dimensions

Approx. 60 × 101 × 29.5 mm (w/h/d) (2

3

/8 × 4

× 1

3

/16 in.) not incl. projecting parts and controls

Mass

Approx. 165 g (5.9 oz.) incl. batteries and a belt
clip

Supplied accessory

Belt holder (1)

Optional accessories

Speaker microphone CBM-20

Design and specifications are subject to change
without notice.

Power Sources

The unit can be powered by batteries or a car
battery.

Installing Batteries (See

Fig. A)

Flip up the antenna and detach the belt clip if
attached before inserting the batteries.

1 Open the lid of the battery compartment.
2 Insert three size AA (R6) batteries (not

supplied) with correct polarity as shown
in the illustration.

3 Close the lid.

Battery life

Using size AA (LR6) Sony alkaline batteries:
Approximately 40 hours*

* Battery life when the unit is used continuously,

repeating sets of 30-second transmission, 30­second reception, and a 9-minute Power-Save
standby. Battery life varies with temperature
conditions, and may be shorter especially in
colder areas.

When to replace the batteries

When n flashes in the display, replace all three
batteries with new ones.

When the batteries have been
replaced

Your current channel and group number setting
will be erased. Set them again.

To check battery power

Press LIGHT/BATT/H lightly (shorter than 2
seconds) when the power is turned on.
The battery power indication will light up for about
15 seconds, and then disappear. Press again to turn
off the display manually.

Battery power is sufficient.

µ

Battery power is decreasing.

µ

There is little battery power. The battery
warning beep will start to sound.

µ

Replace the batteries.

When the radio turns off
unexpectedly

If there is no reception for 6 hours, or if you did not
press any key (except LIGHT/BATT/H) for 6
hours, the unit will beep several times and then
shut itself off to prevent unnecessary wear of the
batteries (Auto Power Off function).
To turn the unit on again, press POWER.
If the power does not turn on by pressing POWER,
or if the radio turns off unrelated to the Auto
Power Off function, the batteries are exhausted.
Replace them with new ones.

Car battery (See Fig. B)

Connect the recommended Sony car battery cord
(not supplied).

• For details, see the Operating Instructions of the
car battery cord.

• The display will light up when the unit is
powered by the car battery.

• When the DC IN 4.5V jack is not being used, close
the rubber cap securely to ensure water­resistance.

Notes

• The unit will not run on batteries as long as the
DC IN 4.5V jack is plugged in.

• Use only the recommended car battery cord.
Using any other car battery cord may cause
damage to the unit.

Operation

The unit has three transmission modes: the Basic
mode, Group Talk mode and the Search mode. The
explanation here is for the Basic mode. For the
other transmission modes, see “Switching
transmission modes”.

For the Basic mode, you first need to decide on a
channel number with the member(s) of your group.

Preparation (See Fig. C)

1 Flip up the antenna.

The antenna rotates 180 degrees. Adjust the
antenna so that it is vertical to the ground.

2 Press POWER to turn on the power.

If “H” is displayed, key protection is active.
Press LIGHT/BATT/H for 2 seconds or
longer to disable key protection.

3 Press MODE repeatedly so that neither

nor is displayed.

The unit goes into the Basic mode.

4 Switch CH/GROUP to CH, and press

+/– to select the channel.

Set the unit to the same channel as your group
member(s).
Each press of + or – will increase or decrease,
respectively, the channel number by one. Hold
down either button to change the channel
continuously.

Transmission (See Fig. D)

1 To transmit, hold down TALK and speak

into the MIC (microphone).

Keep the MIC at about 2 inches from your
mouth and speak in your normal voice.

During transmission, the transmission status
indicator will repeat the following indication.

2 To receive, release TALK.

Adjust the reception volume with VOL.

To continue transmission

Repeat the steps for transmission above.
Notify the person at the other end that you are
switching to reception with the word “over”. Then,
release TALK. When the person on the other end
finishes with “over”, hold down TALK again to
respond.

On the Power-Save mode

When there is no reception for about 8 seconds
during the reception mode, the unit automatically
goes into the Power-Save mode, and will consume
less battery power. The unit will automatically exit
the Power-Save mode when there is reception.

To end transmission

Notify the person on the other end that you are
ending the transmission with the word “out”. Press
POWER to turn off the power.
If “H” is displayed, press LIGHT/BATT/H for 2
seconds or longer to disable key protection, and
then turn off the power.

To use a speaker microphone or an
earphone

Connect an optional speaker microphone to the
MIC SP jack. Connect an optional earphone to the
@ jack (see the respective Operating Instructions
for details).

Notes

• Do not plug in any other equipment than the
recommended Sony U-ceiver accessories (not
supplied) to the MIC SP or the @ jack even if the
plug seems to be similar, as it may cause damage
to the unit.

• When the jacks are not in use, close the rubber
cap securely to ensure water-resistance.

Switching transmission
modes

This unit has three transmission modes. Select
according to situation.

Basic mode When there is no intereference.
Group Talk mode When there is interference by

other groups using the same
channel.

Search mode When you have trouble finding

an unused channel.

Each press of MODE will change the transmission
mode as follows:

Basic mode

1 Decide on a channel number (1 to 14)

with the member(s) of your group.

2 Press MODE repeatedly so that neither

nor is displayed.

The unit goes into the Basic mode.

3 Switch CH/GROUP to CH and press

+/– to select the channel.

4 Transmit.

Example: When using channel number 5

You can talk with anyone with a Sony or other
FRS two-way radio that is within the effective
range and is set to the same channel .

In the Basic mode, you can hear transmission
by any other two-way radio on the same
channel that is within the effective range.

Group Talk mode

In the Group Talk mode, the unit communicates
only with other units that are on the same channel
and the same group number.

1 Decide on a channel number (1 to 14) and

a group number (1 to 38) with the
member(s) of your group.

2 Press MODE repeatedly so that is

displayed and is not displayed.

The unit goes into the Group Talk mode.

3 Switch CH/GROUP to CH and press

+/– to select the channel.

4 Switch CH/GROUP to GROUP and press

+/– to select the group number.

5 Transmit.

Example: When using channel number 3, group
number 38.

When there are a number of groups on the
same channel, you can block out transmission
of other groups by switching to the Group Talk
mode. (Transmission of other groups may still
interfere, however, if the other groups use the
same channel and group number).

Search mode

In the Search mode, the unit will search for an
unused channel and call up the members of your
group (i.e., other users with their ICB-U655s set to
the Search mode and to the same group number).
After first setting the group number, you need to
initiate Search by sending the call signal.

Setting the group number

1 Decide on a group number (1 to 38) with

the members of your group.

2 Press MODE repeatedly so that both

and are displayed.

The unit goes into the Search mode.

3 Switch CH/GROUP to GROUP and press

+/– to select the group number.

Example: When using group number 38.

The channel number will go into the Search
standby status, and the segments of the channel
number display will light up in a rotating
motion.

D

E

A

C

B

Initiating Search

1 Hold down TALK.

The unit searches for an unused channel.
When the unit finds an unused channel, it rings
and sends off a call signal to other members of
your group.

2 Release TALK when your unit rings.

The ring will continue for about 10 seconds.
To stop the call signal manually, press TALK
again. The ringing will stop.

When you receive the call signal

Your unit switches automatically to the same
channel with the unit that sent the call signal, and
will ring. The ring will continue for about 10
seconds.

Let the ring sound for about 5 seconds, then hold
down TALK to respond.

• If you do not answer the call while the unit is
ringing, the unit goes back to Search standby
status.

When the transmission is terminated, the unit goes
back to Search standby status in about 10 seconds.

Note

The Search system does not work with models
other than the ICB-U655.

On channels

Two-way radios can only locate other units that
are on the same channel. Please note that the
frequency range may differ with the model of the
two-way radio.

On effective range

The effective range of the unit depends upon
operating conditions, but should cover about 2
miles in suburban areas, with full battery power.
Clarity of transmission may worsen at locations
with heavy car or railroad traffic.

On transmission modes, channel and
group number settings

When the unit is turned on by pressing POWER,
the transmission mode, channel and group number
settings for the previous transmission will be
displayed.
If, however, the batteries have been replaced or the
car battery cord have been plugged or unplugged
from the DC IN 4.5V jack since the last transmis­sion, the channel and group number may change
to 1.

Notes

• You cannot transmit and receive at the same time
on this unit, as with telephones.

• Do not touch the antenna during operation, as
this may reduce sensitivity.

Other features

Key protection

Press LIGHT/BATT/H for 2 seconds or
longer while the power is on.

“H” will light up in the display, and the unit will
not accept any key operation than the TALK
button and this key.

• If LIGHT/BATT/H is pressed for 2 seconds or
longer while the power is off, the unit will be
protected from turning on accidentally.

• Press LIGHT/BATT/H again for 2 seconds or
longer to disable key protection. “H ” will go
off in the display, and the unit will accept all key
operation once again.

Attaching the belt holder

(See Fig. E)

Screw the belt holder onto the main unit as
shown in the illustration.

Select either vertical or horizontal position.

Polarity of the plug

∫

Size AA (R6)

TALK

VOL

MIC

Speaker

Group Talk
mode

Search modeBasic mode

TALK

... and sends out
the call signal.

Stops at an unused channel...

... and stops at the same
channel as the caller.

Receives the
call signal...

To DC IN 4.5V

To a cigarette lighter
socket

MIC SP jack

@ jack

Antenna

+/–

POWER

MODE

LIGHT/BATT/H

CH/GROUP