Standard Horizon HX-300 User Manual

HX300

Floating VHF FM Marine Transceiver

Owner’s Manual

Page 1HX300

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Quick Reference Guide .................................................................................................................................... 3

1. GENERAL INFORMATION ........................................................................................................................ 4

1.1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................ 4

1.2 SAFETY INFORMATION .............................................................................................................. 5

2. ACCESSORIES .......................................................................................................................................... 6

2.1 PACKING LIST .............................................................................................................................. 6

2.2 OPTIONS ....................................................................................................................................... 6

3. ABOUT THIS RADIO ................................................................................................................................ 8

3.1 ABOUT THE VHF MARINE BAND ............................................................................................ 8

3.2 ABOUT WATER RESISTANCE ................................................................................................... 8

3.3 DISTRESS AND HAILING (CHANNEL 16) ................................................................................ 8

3.4 CALLING ANOTHER VESSEL (CHANNEL 16 OR 9) ............................................................... 9

3.5 OPERATING ON CHANNEL 13 ................................................................................................ 10

3.6 OPERATING ON CHANNEL 67 ................................................................................................ 10

3.7 SIMPLEX / DUPLEX CHANNEL USE ........................................................................................ 10

3.8 AUTOMATED RADIO CHECK SERVICE ..................................................................................11

4. GETTING STARTED................................................................................................................................ 12

4.1 RADIO CARE ............................................................................................................................... 12

4.2 BATTERIES AND CHARGERS .................................................................................................. 12

4.2.1 BATTERY SAFETY ......................................................................................................... 13

4.2.2 BATTERY INSTALLATION / REMOVAL .......................................................................... 14

4.2.3 BATTERY CHARGING .................................................................................................... 15

4.3 BELT CLIP INSTALLATION / REMOVAL ................................................................................... 16

HAND STRAP INSTALLATION .................................................................................................. 16

4.4 INSTALLATION OF OPTION ..................................................................................................... 17

5. CONTROLS AND INDICATORS ............................................................................................................ 18

6. BASIC OPERATION ................................................................................................................................ 23

7. MENU (“SET”) MODE .............................................................................................................................. 32

8. MAINTENANCE ........................................................................................................................................ 34

9. VHF MARINE CHANNEL ASSIGNMENT ............................................................................................. 36

10. WARRANTY.............................................................................................................................................. 42

11. SPECIFICATIONS .................................................................................................................................... 45

12. FCC AND CANADA RADIO LICENSE INFORMATION ..................................................................... 46

13. FCC NOTICE ........................................................................................................................................... 47

4.4.1 FBA-44 ALKALINE BATTERY CASE ............................................................................ 17

5.1 CONTROLS AND SWITCHES ................................................................................................... 18

5.2 LCD INDICATORS ...................................................................................................................... 21

6.1 PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS ............................................................................................ 23

6.2 INITIAL SETUP ........................................................................................................................... 23

6.3 RECEPTION ................................................................................................................................ 23

6.4 TRANSMISSION .......................................................................................................................... 24

6.4.1 TRANSMIT TIME-OUT TIMER (TOT) .............................................................................. 24

WATER ENABLED LIGHT ........................................................................................................... 24

6.5 USA, CANADIAN, AND INTERNATIONAL CHANNELS .......................................................... 25

6.6 KEYPAD LOCK ........................................................................................................................... 25

6.7 NOAA WEATHER CHANNELS .................................................................................................. 25

6.7.1 NOAA WEATHER ALERT ................................................................................................ 26

6.7.2 NOAA WEATHER ALERT TESTING ................................................................................ 26

6.8 PRESET CHANNELS (0 ~ 9): INSTANT ACCESS ................................................................... 27

6.8.1 PROGRAMMING ............................................................................................................. 27

6.8.2 OPERATION ..................................................................................................................... 27

6.8.3 DELETING A PRESET CHANNEL ................................................................................ 27

6.9 SCANNING .................................................................................................................................. 28

6.9.1 PROGRAMMING SCAN MEMORY ............................................................................... 28

6.9.2 SELECTING SCAN TYPE .............................................................................................. 28

6.9.3 OPERATION ..................................................................................................................... 29

6.9.3.1 Priority Scan ....................................................................................................... 29

6.9.3.2 Memory Scan ..................................................................................................... 30

6.10 DUAL WATCH ............................................................................................................................. 30

6.11 TRI-WATCH ................................................................................................................................. 31

8.1 GENERAL .................................................................................................................................... 34

8.2 REPLACEMENT PARTS............................................................................................................. 34

8.3 FACTORY SERVICE ................................................................................................................... 35

8.4 TROUBLESHOOTING CHART ................................................................................................... 35

11.1 GENERAL .................................................................................................................................... 45

11.2 TRANSMITTER............................................................................................................................ 45

11.3 RECEIVER ................................................................................................................................... 45

HX300Page 2

Quick RefeRence Guide

This transceiver is equipped with the E2O (Easy-To-Operate) system. You
can do the basic operation in numerical order of the illustration below.

Press and hold the key to turn on or off the radio.
Press the key (“VOL” indicator blinks), then press the / key to

adjust the speaker audio volume.

Press the / key to selects the operating channel.
Press the key two times (“SQL” indicator blinks), then press the

key to squelch or press the key to un-squelch the radio.

Press the key to toggle the transmit power between High (5W) and

Low (1W).

Press the key briey to recall channel 16.
Press and hold the
Press the

Place your mouth about 1 inch (2.5 cm) away from MIC hole and speak

in a normal voice level while pressing the PTT switch.

key again to revert to the last selected channel.

key for two seconds to recall channel 9.

MIC Hole

Page 3HX300

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on your purchase of the HX300! Whether this is your
first portable marine VHF transceiver, or if you have other STANDARD
HORIZON equipment, the STANDARD HORIZON organization is commit­ted to ensuring your enjoyment of this high performance transceiver, which
should provide you with many years of satisfying communications even in the
harshest of environments. STANDARD HORIZON technical support person­nel stands behind every product sold, and we invite you to contact us should
you require technical advice or assistance by calling [phone] Monday
through Friday 8AM to 5PM Pacic time.

The HX300 is a Submersible Floating 5-Watt portable two way marine trans­ceiver. The transceiver has all allocated USA, International, or Canadian
channels. It has emergency channel 16 which can be immediately selected
from any channel by pressing the
mospheric Administration) Weather channels can also be accessed immedi­ately by press and holding the

The HX300 includes the following features: Memory Scanning, Priority Scan­ning, Dual and Tri-watch, NOAA Weather Alert, easy-to-read large LCD dis­play, Battery Life displayed on LCD, the Water Enabled Light which blinks
automatically when the radio comes in contact with water even if the radio is
turned off, and a transmit Time-Out Timer (TOT).

key. NOAA (National Oceanic and At-

key.

The HX300 transmitter provides a full 5 Watt of transmit power and also is
selectable to 1 Watt to assist the user in ensuring maximum battery life.

We appreciate your purchase of the HX300, and encourage you to read this
manual thoroughly, so as to learn and fully understand the capabilities of the
HX300.

HX300Page 4

1.2 SAFETY INFORMATION

Your wireless handheld portable transceiver contains a low power transmit­ter. When the Push-to-Talk (PTT) button is pushed, the transceiver sends out
radio frequency (RF) signals. In August 1996, the Federal Communications
Commission adopted RF exposure guidelines with safety levels for hand­held wireless devices.

This device is authorized to operate at a duty factor not to exceed 50% (this
corresponds to 50% transmission time and 50% reception time).

WARNING: To maintain compliance with the FCC’s RF exposure guidelines,
this transmitter and its antenna must maintain a separation distance of at
least 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) from your face. Speak in a normal voice, with
the antenna pointed up and away from the face at the required separation
distance.

Use only the supplied antenna. Unauthorized antennas, modications, or at­tachments could damage the transmitter, and may violate FCC regulations.

Page 5HX300

2. ACCESSORIES

2.1 PACKING LIST

When the package containing the transceiver is rst opened, please check it
for the following contents:

HX300 Transceiver



CAT460 Antenna



FNB-122LI 3.7 V, 1560 mAh Li-ion Battery Pack



PA-54B USB Wall Charger (100-240 VAC, Type-A plug) and Cable



CLIP-22 Belt Clip



Hand Strap



Owner’s Manual



2.2 OPTIONS

CN-3 Radio-to-Ship’s-Antenna Adapter

FNB-122LI 3.7 V, 1560 mAh Li-ion Battery Pack
FBA-44 Alkaline Battery Case (3 x “AAA” Cell Size)
PA-54B/C USB Wall Charger and Cable

:



“B” sufx has a Type-A plug, and “C” sufx has a Type-C plug. Both ver-

sions of the USB Wall Charger are available in 100-240 VAC.

Note: Before operating the HX300 for the rst time, it is recommended that
the battery be charged. Please see section “4.2.3 BATTERY CHARGING”
for details.

HX300Page 6

MEMO

Page 7HX300

3. ABOUT THIS RADIO

3.1 ABOUT THE VHF MARINE BAND

The radio frequencies used in the VHF marine band lie between 156 and 158
MHz with NOAA Weather stations available between 161 and 163 MHz. The
marine VHF band provides communications over distances that are essen­tially “Line of sight” Actual transmission range depends much more on an­tenna type, gain and height than on the power output of the transmitter. On a
xed mount 25 W radio transmission expected distances can be greater than
15 miles, for a portable 5 W radio transmission the expected distance can be
greater than 5 miles in “Line of sight”.

The user of a Marine VHF radio is subject to severe nes if the radio is used
on land. The reasoning for this is you may be near an inland waterway, or
propagation anomalies may cause your transmission to be heard in a water­way. If this occurs, depending upon the marine VHF channel on which you
are transmitting, you could interfere with a search and rescue case, or con­tribute to a collision between passing ships. For VHF Marine channel assign­ments refer to section “9 VHF MARINE CHANNEL CHART ASSIGNMENT”.

WARNING

This radio is capable of transmitting on Marine VHF.

The FCC allows the use of VHF Marine band on water areas only. How­ever the FCC does not allow the use of the VHF Marine band when
on land. If persons use the VHF Marine Band on land and interfere
with others communicating, the FCC will be notied and search for the
interference. Responsible parties found to be transmitting on the VHF
Marine Band on land could be ned up to $10,000 for the rst offense.

3.2 ABOUT WATER RESISTANCE

The HX300 is only submersible※ when the Battery Cover is latched and the
Charge (CHG) Cover is snapped closed.

IPX8 Specication for submersibility: 5 ft. (1.5 m) for 30 minutes.

※

3.3 DISTRESS AND HAILING (CHANNEL 16

Channel 16 is known as the Hail and Distress Channel. An emergency may
be dened as a threat to life or property. In such instances, be sure the trans­ceiver is on and set to “Channel 16”. Then use the following procedure:

1. Press the PTT (Push-To-Talk) switch and say “Mayday, Mayday, May-
day. This is _____, _____, _____” (your vessel’s name).

2. Then repeat once: “Mayday, _____” (your vessel’s name).

)

HX300Page 8

3. Now report your position in latitude/longitude, or by giving a true or mag­netic bearing (state which) to a well-known landmark such as a naviga­tion aid or geographic feature such as an island or harbor entry.

4. Explain the nature of your distress (sinking, collision, aground, re, heart
attack, life-threatening injury, etc.).

5. State the kind of assistance your desire (pumps, medical aid, etc.).

6. Report the number of persons aboard and condition of any injured.

7. Estimate the present seaworthiness and condition of your vessel.

8. Give your vessel’s description: length, design (power or sail), color and
other distinguishing marks. The total transmission should not exceed 1
minute.

9. End the message by saying “OVER”. Release the PTT switch and listen.

10. If there is no answer, repeat the above procedure. If there is still no re­sponse, try another channel.

3.4 CALLING ANOTHER VESSEL (CHANNEL 16 OR 9

Channel 16 may be used for initial contact (hailing) with another vessel.

However, its most important use is for emergency messages. This channel
must be monitored at all times except when actually using another channel.

It is monitored by the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards and by other ves­sels. Use of channel 16 for hailing must be limited to initial contact only. Call­ing should not exceed 30 seconds, but may be repeated 3 times at 2-minute
intervals. In areas of heavy radio trafc, congestion on channel 16 resulting
from its use as a hailing channel can be reduced signicantly in U.S. waters
by using Channel 9 as the initial contact (hailing) channel for non-emergency
communications. Here, also, calling time should not exceed 30 seconds but
may be repeated 3 times at 2-minute intervals.

Prior to making contact with another vessel, refer to the channel charts in this
manual, and select an appropriate channel for communications after initial
contact. For example, Channels 68 and 69 of the U.S. VHF Charts are some
of the channels available to non-commercial (recreational) boaters. Monitor
your desired channel in advance to make sure you will not be interrupting
other trafc, and then go back to either channel 16 or 9 for your initial contact.

When the hailing channel (16 or 9) is clear, state the name of the other ves­sel you wish to call and then “this is” followed by the name of your vessel
and your Station License (Call Sign). When the other vessel returns your
call, immediately request another channel by saying “go to”, the number of
the other channel, and “over”. Then switch to the new channel. When the
new channel is not busy, call the other vessel.

)

Page 9HX300

After a transmission, say “over”, and release the PTT (Push-To-Talk) switch.
When all communication with the other vessel is completed, end the last
transmission by stating your Call Sign and the word “out”. Note that it is not
necessary to state your Call Sign with each transmission, only at the begin­ning and end of the contact.

Remember to return to Channel 16 when not using another channel. Some
radios automatically monitor Channel 16 even when set to other channels or
when scanning.

3.5 OPERATING ON CHANNEL 13

Channel 13 is used at docks, bridges and for maneuvering in port. Messages
on this channel must concern navigation only, such as meeting and pass­ing in restricted waters. In emergencies and when approaching blind river
bends, High power is allowed. Pressing the
output from Low Power (1 Watt) to High (5 Watts). When you change from
this channel then return to it, low power will be automatically selected.

key will change the power

3.6 OPERATING ON CHANNEL 67

When channel 67 is used for navigational bridge-to-bridge trafc between
ships, Normal, High or Medium power may be used temporarily (in the USA
band) by pressing the
transceiver will revert to low power.

key. When you select this channel again, the

3.7 SIMPLEX/DUPLEX CHANNEL USE

Refer to the section “9 VHF MARINE CHANNEL CHART ASSIGNMENT” for
instructions on use of simplex and duplex channels.

NOTE

All channels are factory-programmed in accordance with FCC (USA),
Industry Canada and International regulations. The mode of opera­tion cannot be altered from simplex to duplex or vice-versa. Simplex
(ship to ship) or duplex (marine operator) mode is automatically acti­vated, depending on the channel and whether the USA, International
or Canadian operating band is selected.

HX300Page 10

3.8 AUTOMATED RADIO CHECK SERVICE

In areas across the country, Sea Tow offers boaters a way to conduct radio
checks. To use Sea Tow’s free Automated Radio Check service, simply tune
your VHF radio to the appropriate channel for your location and conduct a
radio check as you typically would. Upon releasing your radio’s microphone,
the system will play an automated message and relay your transmission
back to you, thereby letting you know how your signal will sound to other
boaters.

The Automated Radio Check Service is currently available in the areas listed
below.

West Coast

Sea Tow Newport/LA - Ch. 27
Sea Tow San Diego - Ch. 27

Northeast

Sea Tow Portland-Midcoast (Maine) - Ch. 27
Sea Tow Boston - Ch. 27
Sea Tow South Shore (Mass.) - Ch. 28
Sea Tow Rhode Island - Ch. 24
Sea Tow Eastern Long Island - Ch. 27
Sea Tow Huntington (N.Y.) - Ch. 27
Sea Tow Manasquan (N.J.) - Ch. 28

Mid-Atlantic

Sea Tow Northern Chesapeake (Md.) - Ch. 28
Sea Tow Central Chesapeake (Md.) - Ch. 27
Sea Tow Hampton Roads (Va.) - Ch. 28

North Carolina

Sea Tow Wrightsville Beach - Ch. 28
Sea Tow Ocean Isle Beach - Ch. 28

Florida

Sea Tow Sebastian - Ch. 28
Sea Tow Fort Lauderdale - Ch. 27
Sea Tow Charlotte Harbor - Ch. 24
Sea Tow Tampa Bay - Ch. 27
Sea Tow Horseshoe Beach - Ch. 27
Sea Tow Carrabelle/St. Marks - Ch. 27
Sea Tow Pensacola/Orange Beach (Ala.) - Ch. 27

Page 11HX300

4. GETTING STARTED

4.1 RADIO CARE

CAUTION

Before following the instructions below, insure the battery pack is in
place and the cover is latched. Care must be taken if the radio was
dropped and a close inspection may be needed to insure the radio
case and gaskets are in adequate condition.

After using the HX300 in salt water environment is recommended to clean
the radio with fresh by rinsing the radio under a sink faucet or by dunking the
radio in a bucket of fresh water. After washing, use a soft cloth and thorough­ly dry all parts of the radio. This is to keep the rubber switches and speaker
grill clean and in top operating condition.

4.2 BATTERIES AND CHARGERS

If the radio has never been used, or its charge is depleted, it may be charged
by connecting the PA-54B USB Wall Charger with the Charge Cable, see
section “4.2.3 BATTERY CHARGING”. The PA-54B will charge a completely
discharged FNB-122LI battery pack in about 6 hours.

If the USB port is available (such as your personal computer), You may
charge the FNB-122LI battery pack by connecting the supplied Charge Ca­ble between the HX300 and USB port.

The FNB-122LI is a high performance Li-ion battery providing high capacity
in a compact package.

FNB-122LI Rechargeable Battery Pack

Capacity 1560 mAh
Nominal Voltage 3.7 V

Temperature Range

Charge 5 41 35 95
Discharge –20 –4 60 140
Storage

To avoid risk of explosion and injury, FNB-122LI battery pack should
only be removed, charged or recharged in non-hazardous environments.

Minimum Maximum

°C °F °C °F

–10 14 35 95

CAUTION

HX300Page 12

4.2.1 BATTERY SAFETY

Battery packs for your transceiver contain Li-ion batteries. This type of bat­tery stores a charge powerful enough to be dangerous if misused or abused,
especially when removed from the transceiver. Please observe the following
precautions:

DO NOT SHORT BATTERY PACK TERMINALS: Shorting the terminals
that power the transceiver can cause sparks, severe overheating, burns, and
battery cell damage. If the short is of sufcient duration, it is possible to melt
battery components. Do not place a loose battery pack on or near metal sur­faces or objects such as paper clips, keys, tools, etc. When the battery pack
is installed on the transceiver, the terminals that transfer current to the trans­ceiver are not exposed. The terminals that are exposed on the battery pack
when it is mounted on the transceiver are charging terminals only and do not
constitute a hazard.

DO NOT INCINERATE: Do not dispose of any battery in a re or incinerator.
The heat of re may cause battery cells to explode and/or release dangerous
gases.

Battery Maintenance
For safe and proper battery use, please observe the following:

Battery packs should be charged only in non-hazardous environments;



Use only STANDARD HORIZON-approved batteries;



Exceeding the specied temperature limits;



Reversing charge polarity. Use only the proper charger. If this is tam-



pered with or another charger is used, permanent damage may result;

Use only a STANDARD HORIZON approved charger. The use of any



other charger may cause permanent damage to the battery.

Follow charging instructions provided with the chargers.



Submersing the battery in water, or attempting to open the battery casing.



Keep the battery contacts clean.



Battery Storage
When a battery pack is not used for a long time, please remove it from the
transceiver. Also, while in storage, the charge will drain slightly over time and
the battery should be recharged each six months.

Store the batteries in a cool place to maximize storage life. Since batteries are
subject to self-discharge, avoid high storage temperatures that cause large
self-discharge rates. After extended storage, a full recharge is recommended.

Page 13HX300

Battery Recycling

DO NOT PLACE USED BATTERIES IN YOUR REGULAR TRASH!
LI-ION BATTERIES MUST BE COLLECTED, RECYCLED
OR DISPOSED OF IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND
MANNER.

The incineration, land lling or mixing of Li-ion batteries with the municipal
solid waste stream is PROHIBITED BY LAW in most areas.

Return batteries to an approved Li-ion battery recycler. This may be where
you purchased the battery.

Contact your local waste management ofcials for other information regard­ing the environmentally sound collection, recycling and disposal of Li-ion bat­teries.

4.2.2 BATTERY INSTALLATION / REMOVAL

Open the Battery Cover Latch on the bottom of the radio, then remove



the Battery Cover from the radio while pulling the bottom side of the Bat­tery Cover.

Install the FNB-122LI Battery Pack into the radio, by carefully mating the



battery’s two alignment tabs on the top side
of the Battery Pack with their corresponding
alignment slots in the Battery Nest of the ra­dio, then gently press the bottom side of the
Battery Pack until it locks in place.

Install the Battery Cover by carefully align-



ing the two tabs on the top of the cover with
the slots on the radio, then gently press the
bottom side of the Battery Cover. Confirm
that a Rubber Gasket of the Battery Cover
is installed correctly.

Close the Battery Cover Latch until it locks



in place with a “Click”.

CAUTION

To insure the HX300 will not have a problem
with water intrusion, make sure the battery
cover is properly installed and the battery
latch is closed.

HX300Page 14

4.2.3 BATTERY CHARGING

1. Turn the transceiver off.

2. Slide the CHG cover button (with arrow)
up to open the CHG cover, then connect
the supplied Charge Cable to the CHG
jack on the HX300.

3. Connect the other side plug of the sup­plied Charge Cable to the PA-54B, then
plug the PA-54B into the AC line outlet.

4. If the connection is correct, the “ ”
and “ ” icon will appear in the display.
A fully-discharged pack will be charged
completely in approximately 6 hours.

5. When charging is completed, the “ ”
icon disappears and “FL” will appear
in the display. Disconnect the Charge Cable from the HX300 and close
the CHG cover securely (make sure a click is heard), then unplug the

PA-54B from the AC line outlet.

CAUTION

When using the radio, make sure the CHG cover is completely



closed to insure water integrity.

The PA-54B is NOT designed to be waterproof. Do not attempt to



charge in water hazardous locations.

NOTE

The HX300 may also be charged by connecting the USB cable to



the radio and a USB connector on a PC. It will take about 6 hours
to charge the battery and FL will be shown on the HX300 display
when charging is completed.

The PA-54B is only designed for the charging of the HX300’s bat-



tery pack, and is not suitable for other purposes. The PA-54B may
contribute noise to TV and radio reception in the immediate vicin­ity, so it do not recommend its use adjacent to such device.

When carefully maintained, a pack should be useful for about 300



charge/discharge cycles.

Page 15HX300

4.3 BELT CLIP INSTALLATION / REMOVAL

To install the Belt Clip: align the



Belt Clip to th e groove of the
Battery pack, then press the Belt
Clip downward until it locks in
place with a “Click”.

To remove the Belt Clip: press



the Belt Clip Tab away from the
battery pack to unlock the Belt
Clip, then slide the Belt Clip up-

ward to remove it.

ê

Belt Clip Tab

HAND STRAP INSTALLATION

é

HX300Page 16

4.4 INSTALLATION OF OPTION

4.4.1 FBA-44 ALKALINE BATTERY CASE
FBA-44 is a Battery Case that holds three “AAA” size Alkaline Batteries and
is used with the HX300 transceiver.

CAUTION

To insure the HX300 will not have a problem with water intrusion, make
sure the battery cover is properly installed and the battery latch is closed.

IMPORTANT NOTE

The power output will be reduced to “Low Power” (1 W) automatically
when using the FBA-44.

Install the three “AAA” size Alkaline Batteries into the



FBA-44 Battery Case with the Negative (–) side of the
batteries touching the spring connections inside the
FBA-44 Battery Case (Figure 1).

Turn over the FBA-44 Battery Case, then insert the



FBA-44 Battery Case into the Battery Compartment,
by a same manner of the installation of the FNB-122LI
(Figure 2).
Re-install the Battery Cover (Figure 3), then close the



Battery Cover Latch until it locks in place with a “Click”
(Figure 4).

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

NOTE

The FBA-44 is designed for use only with “AAA” size Alkaline



Cells. Do not attempt to install any rechargeable battery cell.

If you do not use the HX300 for a long time, remove the Alkaline



batteries from the FBA-44, as battery leakage could cause dam­age to the FBA-44 and/or HX300.

Page 17HX300

5. CONTROLS AND INDICATORS

5.1 CONTROLS AND SWITCHES

NOTE

This section denes each control of the transceiver. For detailed oper­ating instructions, refer to section “6 BASIC OPERATION”. Refer to
illustrations for the location of the following controls, switches, and
connections.

ANT Jack (Top Panel

The supplied CAT460 exible antenna is attached here.

PTT (PUSH-TO-TALK) Switch (Left Side Panel

When pushed activates the transmitter.

LCD Display

This display shows current operating conditions, as indicated on the

page 21.

)

)

HX300Page 18

Keypad

Key

Pressing this key immediately recalls channel 16 from any channel loca-

tion. Holding down this key recalls channel 9. Pressing this key again
reverts to the previous selected working channel.

Press to stop the Scan, Priority Scan, Dual or Tri-Watch feature.
Secondary use:
Press and hold this key to immediately recall the last-used NOAA (National

Advanced use:
When the

Press this key to toggle the transmitter output power between “High”

Secondary use:
Hold down this key to lock the keypad (except the

Press this key to change the operating channel, receiver volume level,

Press the key momentarily, the channel (or level) will increase one step.

Key

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Weather Channel from any
channel location. Recalls the previously- selected working channel when
the key is pressed again.

key is held and the key is pressed, the radio will
change the marine band between the USA, International, and Canadian
channels.

Key

(5 Watts) and “Low” (1 Watt) power. This key does not function on the
“Transmission Inhibited” and “Low power only” channels.

, and PTT
keys) so that they are not accidentally changed. The “
will appear at the top left on the display, to indicate that the functions are
locked. Hold down this key until the “ ” Keylock icon disappears to un­lock the radio.

Key

and squelch threshold level.

Holding the key, the channel (or level) will increase continuously.

” Keylock icon

Press this key to change the operating channel, receiver volume level,

Press the key momentarily, the channel (or level) will decrease one step.

Press and hold this key for two seconds to turn the radio “on” or “off”.

Key

and squelch threshold level.

Holding the key, the channel (or level) will decrease continuously.

Key

Page 19HX300

Key
Press this key to toggle the operation mode from Speaker Volume ad-

justment, SQL adjustment, and Channel selection.

Secondary use:

a. Press and hold this key to open the squelch, allowing you to moni-

tor the operating channel. Release the key to resume normal (quiet)
monitoring.

b. Setup mode may be enabled. Refer section “7. MENU (“SET”)

MODE” for details

Starts scanning and priority scanning of channels programmed into

Secondary use:

Immediately recalls one of up to 10 user preset memories for each band

Secondary use:
Used top program channels into the Preset Channel memory. Refer to

The internal speaker is located here.

This mini-USB (Type-B) jack allows to connection to the supplied PA-54B

The internal microphone is located here.
When transmitting, position your mouth about 1/2 to 1 inch (1.2 ~ 2.5 cm)

Key

memory. Refer to section “6.9.1 PROGRAMMING SCAN MEMORY”.

a. Press and hold the key for two seconds to activate the Dual

Watch feature.

b. Used to program channels into Scan memory. Refer to section “6.9.1

PROGRAMMING SCAN MEMORY”.

Key

(shown as “P0” - “P9” on the LCD). Refer to section “6.8.2 OPERATION”.

section “6.8.1 PROGRAMMING”.

Speaker

CHG (Charge) Cover/Jack (Left Side Panel

USB Wall Charger with the supplied Charge Cable.

Microphone

away from the small mic hole. Speak slowly and clearly into the micro­phone.

)

Water Enabled Light

When the HX300 comes in contact with water, the light will blink red to

assist nding the radio in low light conditions. This feature operates when
the radio is on or off. To setup the blinking of the light refer to section “7.
MENU (“SET”) MODE”.

HX300Page 20

Water Enabled Light Terminals

These terminals are used to detect water to enable the Water Enabled

Light.

When these terminals touch water, the Water Enabled Light blinks. Keep

these terminals clean.

Battery Cover Latch (Bottom side

Open the battery cover lock latch allows access to remove the Lithium-

Ion battery or optional Alkaline battery tray.

)

5.2 LCD INDICATORS

“ ” Keylock Indicator

Whe n the “

lo ck icon is shown on
the L CD, a ll ke ys ar e
disabled except for the

PTT, , and keys.

“ ” Indicator

This indicator appears

during transmission.

“ ” Indicator

This indicator appears

when a signal is being received or the radio is un-squelched.

“U/I/C” Indicator

These indicators show the “band” of operation. “U” indicates the USA

band; “I” indicates the International band; and “C” indicates the Canadian
band.

” Ke y -

“SCN” Indicator

This indicator appears when the Scan is activated.

“ ” Battery Indicator

“

“
“ ”: Battery is very low

Shown when the channel is programmed into the Preset Channel memory.

”: Full battery
”: Lower battery

“ (Blinking)”: Prepare to charge the battery

“PRESET” Indicator

Page 21HX300

“PRI” Indicator

This indicator shows the channel is in the “Priority Channel”.

“CHG” (Charge) Indicator

This indicator appears during battery charging.

“M” Indicator

This indicator shows the channel is in the transceiver’s “Scan Memory”.

“ ” Indicators

This indicator shows the TX output power is “Low” (1 Watt) power.

NOTE

When the “

“WX ALT” Indicator

“WX”: NOAA weather channel is selected.
“WX ALT”: “Weather Alert” is received.

“TW DW” Indicator
“TW”: Tri-Watch is activated.
“DW”: Dual Watch is activated.

VOL Indicator
This indicator shows the receive audio volume level.

SQL Indicator
This indicator shows the squelch level.

” icon is not shown the power is set to 5 Watts.

Channel Display
The operating channel is shown on the LCD in both the transmission and

reception modes.

HX300Page 22

6. BASIC OPERATION

6.1 PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS

The FCC prohibits the following communications:

False distress or emergency messages:



Messages to “any boat” except in emergencies and radio tests;



Messages to or from a vessel on land;



Transmission while on land;



Obscene, indecent, or profane language (potential ne of $10,000).



6.2 INITIAL SETUP

1. Install the battery pack on the transceiver (see section “4.2.2 BATTERY
INSTALLATION/REMOVAL”).

2. Install the antenna onto the transceiver; hold the bottom end of the an­tenna, then screw it onto the mating connector on the transceiver until it
is snug. Do not over-tighten.

6.3 RECEPTION

1. Press and hold the key for two seconds to turn the radio “on”.

2. Press the

3. While “SQL” is blinking, press the
“

press the

4. Press the

5. While “VOL” is blinking, press the
the noise or audio from the speaker is at a comfort­able level, then press the

6. Activate the squelch adjusting mode by pressing the

key twice (the “SQL” indicator blinks). Press the

key until the random noise disappears, then
press the
Threshold”.

5. Press the
nel. Refer to section “9. VHF MARINE CHANNEL
ASSIGNMENTS” for available channels.

6. When a signal is received, adjust the volume (press
the key, followed by the / key) to the de-

sired listening level. The “ ” indicator in the LCD
is displayed indicating that the channel is being used
or the radio is not squelched.

key twice (“SQL” will be blinking).

key until the

” indicator will appear on the display, then

key.

key (“VOL” will be blinking).

/ key until

key.

key. This state is known as the “Squelch

or key to select the desired chan-

Page 23HX300

6.4 TRANSMISSION

1. Perform “6.3 RECEPTION” discussion above.

2. Before transmitting, monitor the channel and make sure it is clear.
THIS IS AN FCC REQUIREMENT!

3. For communications over short distances, press the
key to select the Low power (1 watt: “ ” icon ap-

pears).

Note: Transmitting on Low power prolongs battery life.

Low power should be selected whenever possible.

4. If using Low power is not effective, select High power (5

watts: “ ” icon is not shown) by pressing the key.

5. When receiving a signal, wait until communications

stops before transmitting.

NOTE

The transceiver cannot transmit and receive simultaneously.

6. Press the PTT (Push-To-Talk) switch to transmit. Dur-

ing transmission, the “
the display.

7. Position your mouth about 1/2 to 1 inch (1.2 ~ 2.5 cm)

away from the mic hole on the top right above the display. Speak slowly
and clearly into the microphone.

8. When the transmission is nished, release the PTT switch.

” indicator will appear on

6.4.1 TRANSMIT TIME - OUT TIMER (TOT

While the PTT switch is held down, transmission time is limited to 5 minutes.
This prevents prolonged (unintentional) transmissions. About 10 seconds
before automatic transmitter shutdown, a warning beep will sound from the
speaker. The transceiver automatically switches to the receiving mode, even
if the PTT switch is held down. Before transmitting again, the PTT switch
must rst be released, then wait 10 seconds and then pressed again. This
Time-Out-Timer (TOT) prevents a continuous transmission that would result
from an accidentally stuck PTT switch.

WATER ENABLED LIGHT

When the HX300 comes in contact with water a red light will blink to
assist retrieving it in low light conditions. The light will automatically
turn off in about 15 seconds when it is removed from water.
The HX300 has a menu selection to enable, disable and select differ­ent blinking light times. Refer to Menu Mode Item “FL (WATER EN-

ABLED LIGHT)” on page 33 for details.

)

HX300Page 24

6.5 USA, CANADIAN, AND INTERNATIONAL CHANNELS

1. To change from US to International or Canadian Marine Channels, hold
down the
to International, and to Canadian with each press.

2. “U” appears on the LCD for the USA band, “I” ap­pears for the International band, and “C” appears for
the Canadian band

3. Refer to the marine channel charts in section “9. VHF MARINE CHAN-
NEL ASSIGNMENTS” for allocated channels.

key and press the key. The band will change from USA,

6.6 KEYPAD LOCKING

In order to prevent accidental channel change, the HX300’s keypad may be
locked.

Hold down the
PTT,

tally changed. The “
number of the display, to indicate that the functions are
locked.

Hold down the

, and keys) so that they are not acciden-

key to lock the keypad (except the

” icon will appear on the channel

key until the “ ” icon disappears to unlock the radio.

6.7 NOAA WEATHER CHANNELS

1. To receive a NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra­tion) weather broadcast, press and hold the key for two seconds.
The transceiver changes to the weather channel
mode and the radio will be set to the last used NOAA
weather channel. This mode consists of a preset
memory bank containing the NOAA weather chan­nels.

2. Press the or key to change to other weather channels.

3. To exit from the weather channel mode, press and hold the key for
two seconds. The transceiver will revert to the channel you were using
prior to switching to the weather channel mode.

Page 25HX300

6.7.1 NOAA WEATHER ALERT

To set the radio to decode a NOAA Weather Alert while on a channel:

1. Press the key, the press the or to choose the weather chan­nel in your area.

2. Press the

The HX300 can be set up to alert while in Scan or Priority scan modes. To
memorize the weather channel:

key.

1. Press and hold the

key to select the weather channel in your area.

2. Turn the radio off by pressing and holding the
key.

3. Press and hold the

key. The display will show “ ” in the top left

corner of the display.

4. Conrm the WX channel selected in step on is shown
and press the

” is shown to the right of the channel number).

(“

5. Refer to programming 6.9 Scanning to program addi­tional channels and selecting Memory Scan or Prior­ity Scan.

When a “Weather Alert” is received on a weather chan­nel, the transceiver emits a beep tone and “
is shown on the display. Press the key to stop the
beep tone and listen to the weather reports.

Options for the Weather Alert feature are available, refer to Menu
Mode Item “AL (WX ALERT)” on page 33 for details.

key, then press the or

key, then press and hold the

key to memorize the WX channel

” icon

NOTE

6.7.2 NOAA WEATHER ALERT TESTING

In the event of a major storm or other appreciable weather condition requiring
vessels at sea (or other bodies of water) to be notied, the NOAA (National
Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration) broadcasts a 1050 Hz tone
that some VHF radios, including your transceiver, can detect for “Weather
Alarm” purposes (refer to section “6.7.1 NOAA WEATHER ALERT” for a
discussion of how to use this feature). The 1050 Hz tone, when detected,
will produce a loud beep in the speaker of the transceiver, to signal that a
Weather Alert Broadcast is being received.

HX300Page 26

In order to test this system, NOAA broadcasts the 1050 Hz tone every
Wednesday sometime between 11 AM and 1 PM local time. You may use this
opportunity to test your transceiver periodically to conrm that the Weather
Alert feature is working, or for training crew members on how to congure
the transceiver to receive the NOAA Weather Alerts.

6.8 PRESET CHANNELS (0 ~ 9): INSTANT ACCESS

Ten user assigned channels can be programmed for instant access. Pressing
the key activates the user assigned channel bank (Preset Channel Bank).

6.8.1 PROGRAMMING

1. Select the desired channel to be assigned into the
Preset Channel Bank using the

2. Press and hold the
blinks at the left of the channel number on the display.

3. Press the
Channel (“P0” ~ “P9”).

4. Press the
the Preset Channel Bank.

5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 to program the other channel into Preset Chan­nels, if desired.

6.8.2 OPERATION

1. Press the
“
pear on the display.

2. Press the
Channel (“P0” ~ “P9”).

3. Press the
channel. The “
display.

or key to select the desired Preset

key to program the current channel into

key to recall the Preset Channel. The

” icon and Preset Channel Number will ap-

or key to select the desired Preset

key again to return to the last selected

key until the “ ” icon

” icon will disappear from the

or key.

6.8.3 Deleting a Preset Channel

1. Press the

2. Press the
nel to be deleted.

3. Press and hold the
blinking.

4. Press and hold the
cation is removed from the display.

5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 to delete the desired chan­nels from Preset Channels “P0” ~ “P9”.

key to recall the Preset Channel.

or key to select the Preset Chan-

key until the “ ” icon is

key until “ ” icon indi-

Page 27HX300

6. To nish the deleting the Preset Channel, press the key again to re­turn to the last selected normal channel.

6.9 SCANNING

The HX300 allows the user to select the scan type from “Memory Scan” or
“Priority Scan”. “Memory Scan” scans the channels that were programmed
into Scan Memory and also channels stored in the Preset Channel (“P0” ~
“P9”). “Priority Scan” is similar to the “Memory Scan” scan, however it scans
the priority channel (channel 16) and dual watches to channels programmed
in memory scan and preset channel memory. When an incoming signal is
detected on one of the channels during scan, the radio will pause on that
channel, allowing you to listen to the incoming transmission.

6.9.1 PROGRAMMING SCAN MEMORY

1. Turn the transceiver off by press and holding the
key.

2. Hold down the key, and then turn on the trans­ceiver while still holding down the key. “ ” icon
will appear on top right of the display.

3. Press the
be scanned, then press the
pears on the display, which indicates the channel has
been selected to the scan channel.

4. Repeat step 3 for all desired channels to be programmed into scan mem­ory.

5. To DELETE a channel from the scan memory, select the channel by
pressing the or key, then press the key. The “ ” icon disap­pears from the display.

6. When you have completed programming scan memory, turn the trans­ceiver off and on by press and holding the key.

or key to select desired channel to

key. The “ ” icon ap-

6.9.2 SELECTING SCAN TYPE

1. Turn the transceiver off by press and holding the

2. Hold down the
er while still holding down the

3. “

4. Press the

5. Press the or key to select “PS (Priority Scan)”

” icon will appear on the display, indicating the

Menu (“Set”) Mode has been activated.

right of the display.

or “MS (Memory Scan)”. The factory default is “PS
(Priority Scan)”.

key, and then turn on the transceiv-

key.

key until “SC” is shown in the bottom

key.

HX300Page 28

Priority Scan: Scans the Scan Memory Channel,

Pre set Cha nnel , and the Pri ori ty
Channel (Channel 16).

Memory Scan: Scans the Scan Memory and chan-

nels progra mme d i nto the Pres et
Channel memory.

6. After completing your selection, turn the transceiver
off and on by press and holding the key.

MeMory ScanPriority Scan

6.9.3 OPERATION

The operation of the “Priority Scan” or “Memory Scan” is determined via the
section “6.9.2 SELECTING THE SCAN TYPE”

6.9.3.1 Priority Scan

1. Press the
the squelch adjusting mode, then press the

key two times until the “SQL” indicator blinks, to activate

/ key until the back-

ground noise disappears.

2. Press the key to start scanning, a “ ” icon and
blinking “ ” and “ ” icons will appears on the dis­play during scanning.

3. When the HX300 receives a transmission on a work­ing channel, it will stop on the working channel and
“Dual Watch” (described in next chapter) to the prior­ity channel until the incoming signal disappears, then
start scanning again.

4. When the HX300 receives a signal on the Priority
channel it will stay on this channel until the incoming
signal disappears, then start Priority scanning again.

5. To stop the scanning, press the key.

Page 29HX300

6.9.3.2 Memory Scan

1. Press the
vate the squelch adjusting mode, then press the

background noise disappears.

2. Press the key to start scanning, a “ ” icon and
blinking “ ” icon will appears on the display during
scanning.

3. When the HX300 receives a transmission, it will stop
on the channel until the incoming signal disappears, then start scanning
again.

4. To stop the scanning, press the key.

key several times until the “SQL” indicator blinks, to acti-

/ key until the

6.10 DUAL WATCH

The Dual Watch feature allows the radio watch the Priority Channel (Channel

16) and one other channel.

1. Select the desired channel using the

2. Press and hold the
vate the Dual Watch feature. A “ ” icon will appear
on the display when the Dual Watch feature is acti­vated.

3. When a transmission is received on the “Priority
Channel”, the radio receives the “Priority Channel”
until the incoming signal disappears.

4. When the HX300 receives a transmission on the work­ing channel, the radio will dual watch between the
working channel and Priority Channel (Channel 16).

5. The Dual Watch feature will resume when the incom­ing signal disappears at the end of the transmission.

6. To stop the Dual Watch feature and return to normal
operation, press and hold the key for two sec­onds again.

key for two seconds to acti-

or key.

Dual Watch

HX300Page 30

6.11 TRI-WATCH

You may change the Dual Watch feature to Tri-Watch via the Menu (“Set”)
Mode. Refer to Menu Mode Item “dt (DUAL WATCH MODE)” on page 33 for
details.

The Tri-Watch scans Channel 16, 9, and one other channel. When enabled,

” icon will appear on the display when the Dual Watch feature is acti-

a “
vated.

1. Press the
9 and 16.

2. Press and hold the key for two seconds to acti­vate the TRI-Watch feature. “ ” icon will appear on
the display when the Tri-Watch feature is activated.

3. When a transmission is received on the channel 16,
HX300 will stay on the channel 16 until the incoming
signal disappears.

4. When a transmission is received on the channel 9,
the HX300 will Dual watch between the channel 16
and channel 9.

5. When the HX300 receives a transmission on the
working channel, the HX300 will Tri-watch between
the working channel, channel 16, and channel 9.

6. To stop the Tri-watch feature and return to normal op­eration, press the key.

/ key to select the channel to scan along with Channel

tri Watch

Page 31HX300

7. MENU (“SET”) MODE

The HX300’s Menu Mode allows a number of the HX300 operating param­eters to be custom-congured.

The Menu Mode is easy to activate and set, using the following procedure:

1. Turn the transceiver off by press and holding the

2. Hold down the
er while still holding down the

3. After “
keys.

4. The
item:

LP

- Lamp mode,

bP

- key beep,

SC

- Scan Mode,

dt

- Dual watch or Tri-Watch mode,

FL

- Water Enabled Strobe Menu,

AL

- Weather alert

5. Press the
the selected menu item.

6. Press the key to save the menu selection.

7. After completing your adjustment, turn the transceiver off and on by
press and holding the

” icon appears on the display let go of both

key when pressed scrolls through each menu

key, and then turn on the transceiv-

key.

or key will change the selection of

key.

key.

LP (LAMP MODE
Function: Selects the Lamp illumination method for the

LCD/Keypad.

Available Values: on / ky / oF
Default: kEY

on: Illuminates the LCD/Keypad continuously.
ky: Illuminates the LCD/Keypad for 5 seconds when any key is pressed.
oF: Turns off the backlight for the LCD and keys.

bP (BEEP
Function: Enable/Disable the Keypad beeper.
Available Values: HI / Lo / oF
Default: HI

)

)

HX300Page 32

SC (SCAN TYPE
Function: Selects the Scan mode.
Available Values: PS (Priority Scan) / MS (Memory

Scan)
Default: PS (Priority Scan)

)

dt (DUAL WATCH MODE
Function: Selects dual or tri-watch as desired.
Available Values: du (Dual Watch) / tr (Tri Watch)
Default: d (Dual Watch)

tr (Tri Watch): T he HX 300 w atche s the acti vity of

Channel 16, Channel 9, and the current channel.

du (Dual Watch): The HX300 watches the activity of the current channel and

the Channel 16.

FL (WATER ENABLED LIGHT
Function: Enables the water enabled light when the
HX300 comes in contact with water with the radio on or

off. The light will turn on with the radio off or turned on.

Available Values: F1 / F2 / F3 / F4 / SO (SOS) / OF (OFF)
Default: F1

F1: Blinks slowly.
F2: Blinks fast.
F3: Blinks Medium.
F4: Blinks Rapidly.
SO: Blinks “S.O.S” Morse Code (
OF: Disables the Water Enabled Light.

AL (WX ALERT
Function: Enable/Disable the Weather Alert feature.
Available Values: on / oF
Default: on

on: Enables the Weather Alert function.
oF: Disables the Weather Alert function.

)

)

)

---





).

Page 33HX300

8. MAINTENANCE

8.1 GENERAL

The inherent quality of the solid-state components in STANDARD HORIZON
radios will provide many years of continuous use. Take the following precau­tions to prevent damage to the radio.

To prevent corrosion of electrical contacts and keep the water resistance,



keep the battery cover latched and the charge cover closed while boat­ing.

Never press the PTT switch unless an antenna or suitable dummy load is



connected to the antenna receptacle.

Use only STANDARD HORIZON-approved accessories and replacement



parts.

8.2 REPLACEMENT PARTS

Occasionally an owner needs a replacement part. Items can be ordered from
our Parts Department by writing or calling (in USA or Canada), or Standard
Horizon/Vertex Standard authorized dealers (outside USA or Canada).

YAESU USA
6125 Phyllis Drive, Cypress, California 90630
Telephone [phone]

Commonly requested parts, and their part numbers are listed below.

CAT460 Antenna: AY139X001



PA-54B USB Wall Charger: Q9500197



Charger Cable: T9101606



Battery Cover: RA1377600



CLIP-22 Belt Clip: CP9672002



Hand Strap: S6000418



HX300Page 34

8.3 FACTORY SERVICE

In the unlikely event that the radio fails to perform or needs servicing, please
contact the following:

For repairs In USA

Standard Horizon
Attention Marine Repair Department
6125 Phyllis Drive, Cypress, California 90630
Telephone [phone]

For repairs in Canada

Westcom Marine
488 East 62nd Avenue
Vancouver BC V5X2G1
Phone [phone]

An “RA” Return Authorization number is not necessary to send a product in
for service. Include a brief note describing the problem along with your name,
return address, phone number, and proof of purchase.

8.4 TROUBLESHOOTING CHART

SYMPTOM PROBABLE CASE REMEDY

The

key does not start the

scan.

Cannot select be twe en USA,
INTL, Canadian bands.

Speak er audi o is no t hea rd
when the

hold.

Some keys does not operate. Key lock is on.

“

” indicator on the LCD does

not appear while charging.

key is press and

No channel memorized. Enter desired channels into the

transceiver’s Scan memory. Refer
to section 6.9.1 “PROGRAMMING
SCAN MEMORY”.

Squelch is not adjusted.

Proper operation not fol­lowed.

Low battery. Charge battery. Refer to section

Audio volume is too low.

Detective battery FNB-
122LI.

Press th e
until the “SQL” indicator blinks,
then press the
“ ” icon disappears. Further
adjustment of the squelch level
may eliminate incoming signal.

Hold down the
the

4.2.3 “BATTERY CHARGING”.
Press th e

until the “VOL” indicator blinks,
th en pres s the
times.

Hold down the
onds to turn the Key Lock off.

Contact your S tandard H orizon
dealer.

key several times

key until the

key and press

key.

key several times

key sev er al

key for 2 sec-

Page 35HX300

9. VHF MARINE CHANNEL ASSIGNMENTS

Tables on the following columns list the VHF Marine Channel assignments
for USA. and International use. Below are listed some data about the charts.

1. VTS. Where indicated, these channels are part of the U.S. Coast Guard’s
Vessel Trafc System.

2. Alpha channel numbers, that is, channel numbers followed by the letter A
(such as Channel 07A) are simplex channels on the USA. or Canadian
channel assignments whose counterparts in the International assign­ments are duplex channels. International channels do not use “alpha”
numbers. If you call the Coast Guard on Channel 16, they will sometimes
ask you to “go to channel 22 Alpha.” This is a channel assigned to USA,
and Canadian Coast Guards for handling distress and other calls. If your
radio is set for International operation you will go to Channel 22 instead
of 22A, and will not be able to communicate with the Coast Guard. To
use Channel 22A, your radio must be set for USA or Canada operation,
usually by a U/I/C (USA/International/Canada) control or combination of
controls. Channel 22 (without an “A”) is an International duplex channel
for port operations. Some radios indicate an “A” adjacent to the alpha
channels on the display; on others “alpha” is not indicated but the proper
channel is selected based on the U/I/C setting.

3. Bridge-to-Bridge channels (for example, Channel 13) are for use by
bridge operators on inter-coastal waterways and rivers. It is also used by
marine vessels in the vicinity of these bridges for navigation and for com­municating with the bridge operators. Note that a limit of 1 Watt is speci­ed for these channels.

4. The S/D column on the chart indicates either S (simplex) or D (duplex).
Simplex means transmitting and receiving on the same frequency. Only
one party at a time can talk, unlike a telephone. Be sure to say “over”
and release your microphone push-to-talk switch at the end of each
transmission. Duplex operation involves the use of one frequency for
transmitting and a separate frequency for receiving. On channels speci­ed as duplex on the charts, correct mode of operation is established au­tomatically by your radio when you select a channel; you cannot change
the mode. And you still must release the push-to-talk switch after each
transmission in order to listen to the radio.

5. Channels normally used by recreational boaters are those that include
the term “non-commercial” in the Channel Use column of the chart.
Some of these are shared with other users and some are used only in
certain geographic regions.

HX300Page 36

6. Marine vessels equipped with VHF radios are required to monitor Chan­nel 16.

7. 156.050 MHz and 156.175 MHz are available for port operations and
commercial communications purposes when used only within the U.S.
Coast Guard designated Vessel Trafc Services (VTS) area of New Or­leans, on the lower Mississippi River from the various pass entrances
in the Gulf of Mexico to Devil’s Swamp Light at River Mile 242.4 above
head of passes near Baton Rouge.

8. 156.250 MHz is available for port operations communications use only
within the U.S. Coast Guard designated VTS radio protection areas of
New Orleans and Houston described in Sec. 80.383. 156.250 MHz is
available for intership port operations communications used only within
the area of Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors, within a 25- nautical
mile radius of Point Fermin, California.

9. 156.550 MHz, 156.600 MHz and 156.700 MHz are available in the U.S.
Coast Guard designated port areas only for VTS communications and
in the Great Lakes available primarily for communications relating to the
movement of ships in sectors designated by the St. Lawrence Seaway
Development Corporation or the U.S. Coast Guard. The use of these fre­quencies outside VTS and ship movement sector protected areas is per­mitted provided they cause no interference to VTS and ship movement
communications in their respective designated sectors.

10. Use of 156.875 MHz is limited to communications with pilots regarding
the movement and docking of ships. Normal output power must not ex­ceed 1 watt. 5: 156.375 MHz and 156.650 MHz are available primarily for
intership navigational communications. These frequencies are available
between coast and ship on a secondary basis when used on or in the
vicinity of locks or drawbridges. Normal output power must not exceed 1
watt. Maximum output power must not exceed 10 watts for coast stations
or 25 watts for ship stations.

11. On the Great Lakes, in addition to bridge-to-bridge communications,

156.650 MHz is available for vessel control purposes in established
vessel trafc systems. 156.650 MHz is not available for use in the Mis­sissippi River from South Pass Lighted Whistle Buoy “2” and Southwest
Pass entrance Mid-channel Lighted Whistle Buoy to mile 242.4 above
Head of Passes near Baton Rouge. Additionally it is not available for use
in the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet, the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Ca­nal, and the Inner Harbor Navigational Canal, except to aid the transition
from these areas.

12. Use of 156.375 MHz is available for navigational communications only

Page 37HX300

in the Mississippi River from South Pass Lighted Whistle Buoy “2” and
Southwest Pass entrance Mid channel Lighted Whistle Buoy to mile

242.4 above head of Passes near Baton Rouge, and in addition over the
full length of the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Canal from entrance to its
junction with the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal, and over the full length
of the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal from its junction with the Mississippi
River to its entry to Lake Pontchartrain at the New Seabrook vehicular
bridge.

13. Within 120 km (75 miles) of the United States/Canada border, in the area
of the Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca and its approaches,

157.425 MHz is half of the duplex pair designated as Channel 88. In this
area, Channel 88 is available to ship stations for communications with
public coast stations only. More than 120 km (75 miles) from the United
States/Canada border in the area of the Puget Sound and the Strait of
Juan de Fuca, its approaches, the Great Lakes, and the St. Lawrence
Seaway, 157.425 MHz is available for intership and commercial commu­nications. Outside Puget Sound area and its approaches and the Great
Lakes, 157.425 MHz is also available for communications between com­mercial shing vessels and associated aircraft while engaged in commer­cial shing activities.

14. When the frequency 156.850 MHz is authorized, it may be used addition­ally for search and rescue training exercises conducted by state or local
governments.

15. The frequency 156.850 MHz is additionally available to coast stations on
the Great Lakes for transmission of scheduled Coded Marine Weather
Forecasts (MAFOR), Great Lakes Weather Broadcast (LAWEB) and
scheduled Notices to Mariners or Bulletins. F3C and J3C emissions are
permitted. Coast Stations on the Great Lakes must cease weather broad­casts which cause interference to stations operating on 156.800 MHz
until the interference problem is resolved.

16. The frequency 157.100 MHz is authorized for search and rescue train­ing exercises by state or local government in conjunction with U.S. Coast
Guard stations. Prior U.S. Coast Guard approval is required. Use must
cease immediately on U.S. Coast Guard request.

17. The duplex pair for channel 20 (157.000/161.600 MHz) may be used for
ship to coast station communications.

18. Available for assignment to coast stations, the use of which is in accord
with an agreed program, for the broadcast of information to ship stations
concerning the environment.

HX300Page 38

VHF MARINE CHANNEL CHART

CH U C I S/D TX RX CHANNEL USE

01 X X D 156.050 160.650 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)

01A X S 156.050 Port Operation and Commercial.

02 X X D 156.100 160.700 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
03 X X D 156.150 160.750 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)

03A X S 156.150 U.S. Government Only, Coast Guard

04 X D 156.200 160.800 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

04A X S 156.200 Pacic coast: Coast Guard, East Coast:

05 X D 156.250 160.850 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

05A X X S 156.250 Port operation. VTS in Seattle

06 X X X S 156.300 Inter-ship Safety
07 X D 156.350 160.950 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

07A X X S 156.350 Commercial

08 X X X S 156.400 Commercial (Inter-ship only)
09 X X X S 156.450 Boater Calling channel, Commercial &

10 X X X S 156.500 Commercial

11 X X X S 156.550 Commercial. VTS in selected areas
12 X X X S 156.600 Port operation. VTS in selected areas
13 X X X S 156.650 Inter-ship Navigation Safety (Bridge-to-bridge)
14 X X X S 156.700 Port operation. VTS in selected areas
15 X S - - - 156.750 Environmental (Receive only)

15 X X S 156.750 Commercial, non-commercial,

16 X X X S 156.800 International Distress, Safety and Calling
17 X X X S 156.850 State Controlled (1 W)
18 X D 156.900 161.500 Port operation, ship movement

18A X X S 156.900 Commercial

19 X D 156.950 161.550 Port operation, ship movement

19A X S 156.950 US: Commercial
19A X S 156.950 Coast Guard

20 X X X D 157.000 161.600 Canadian Coast Guard Only,

20A X S 157.000 Port operation

21 X D 157.050 161.650 Port operation, ship movement

21A X X S 157.050 U.S. Government Only,

22 X D 157.100 161.700 Port operation, ship movement

22A X X S 157.100 US an d Can adian Coas t Gua rd Li aison

23 X X D 157.150 161.750 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)

23A X S 157.150 U.S. Government Only

24 X X X D 157.200 161.800 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
25 X X X D 157.250 161.850 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
26 X X X D 157.300 161.900 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
27 X X X D 157.350 161.950 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
28 X X X D 157.400 162.000 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)

VTS in selected areas

Port operation, ship movement

Commercial shing

Port operation, ship movement

Port operation, ship movement

Non-commercial (Recreational)

ship movement (1 W)

International: port operations and shipment

Canadian Coast Guard

and aritime Safety Information Broadcasts
announced on channel 16

Page 39HX300

VHF MARINE CHANNEL CHART

CH U C I S/D TX RX CHANNEL USE

60 X X D 156.025 160.625 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
61 X D 156.075 160.675 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

61A X X S 156.075 Public Coast: Coast Guard;

62 X D 156.125 160.725 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

62A X S 156.125 Public Coast: Coast Guard;

63 X D 156.175 160.775 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

63A X X S 156.175 Port Operation and Commercial.

64 X X D 156.225 160.825 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

64A X X S 156.225 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

65 X D 156.275 160.875 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

65A X X S 156.275 Port Operations

66 X D 156.325 160.925 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

66A X X S 156.325 Port Operations

67 X X X S 156.375 US: Commercial.

68 X X X S 156.425 Non-commercial (Recreational)
69 X X X S 156.475 US: Non-commercial (Recreational),

70 X X X S 156.525 Digital selective calling

71 X X X S 156.575 US, Canada: Non-commercial (Recreational),

72 X X X S 156.625 Non-commercial (Inter-ship only)
73 X X X S 156.675 US: Port Operations,

74 X X X S 156.725 US: Port Operations,

75 X X X S 156.775 Port Operations (Inter-ship only) (1W)
76 X X X S 156.825 Port Operations (Inter-ship only) (1W)
77 X X S 156.875 Port Operations (Inter-ship only) (1W)
77 X S 156.875 Port Operations (Inter-ship only)
78 X D 156.925 161.525 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

78A X X S 156.925 Non-commercial (Recreational)

79 X D 156.975 161.575 Port operation and Ship movement

79A X X S 156.975 Commercial

Port operation, ship movement

East Coast: commercial shing only

Port operation, ship movement

East Coast: commercial shing onl

Port operation, ship movement

VTS in selected areas

Port operation, ship movement

Port operation, ship movement

Port operation, ship movement

Port operation, ship movement

Used for Bridge-to-bridge communi-cations in
lower Mississippi River. Inter-ship only,
Canada: Commercial shing, S&R

Canada: Commercial shing only,
International: Inter-ship, Port operations and
Ship movement

(voice communications not allowed)

Inter na tiona l: Port op er at ion s and Ship
movement

Canada: Commercial shing only,
International: Inter-ship, Port operations and
Ship movement

Canada: Commercial shing only,
International: Inter-ship, Port operations and
Ship movement

Port operation, ship-movement

HX300Page 40

VHF MARINE CHANNEL CHART

CH U C I S/D TX RX CHANNEL USE

80 X D 157.025 161.625 Port operation, ship movement

80A X X S 157.025 Commercial

81 X D 157.075 161.675 Port operation, ship movement

81A X S 157.075 U.S. Government Only -

81A X S 157.075 Canadian Coast Guard Only

82 X D 157.125 161.725 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

82A X X S 157.125 U.S. Government Only,

83 X D 157.175 161.775 Canadian Coast Guard Only
83 X D 157.175 161.775 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)

83A X X S 157.175 U.S. Government Only,

84 X X X D 157.225 161.825 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
85 X X X D 157.275 161.875 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
86 X X X D 157.325 161.925 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
87 X X S 157.375 Port operation, ship movement

87A X S 157.375 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)

88 X X S 157.425 Port operation, ship movement

88A X S 157.425 Commercial, Inter-ship Only
WX01 X X X D - - - 162.550 Weather (receive only)
WX02 X X X D - - - 162.400 Weather (receive only)
WX03 X X X D - - - 162.475 Weather (receive only)

WX04 X X X D - - - 162.425 Weather (receive only)
WX05 X X X D - - - 162.450 Weather (receive only)
WX06 X X X D - - - 162.500 Weather (receive only)
WX07 X X X D - - - 162.525 Weather (receive only)
WX08 X X X D - - - 161.650 Weather (receive only)
WX09 X X X D - - - 161.775 Weather (receive only)
WX10 X X X D - - - 163.275 Weather (receive only)

NOTE: Simplex channels, 03A, 21A, 23A, 61A, 64A, 81A, 82A and 83A CANNOT be lawfully

used by the general public in U.S.A. waters.

Environmental protection operations

Port operation, ship movement

Canadian Coast Guard Only

Canadian Coast Guard Only

Page 41HX300

10. WARRANTY

Marine Products Limited Warranty

PLEASE NOTE

The following “Limited Warranty” is for valid for products that have
been purchased in the United States and Canada. For limited Warran­ty details outside the United States, contact the dealer in your country.

STANDARD HORIZON (a division of YAESU USA.) warrants, to the origi­nal purchaser only, each new Marine Communications Product (“Product”)
manufactured and/or supplied by STANDARD HORIZON against defects
in materials and workmanship under normal use and service for a period of
time from the date of purchase as follows:

Fixed Mount and Portable Transceivers

1 year - if purchased before 01/01/91
3 years - if purchased between 01/01/91 and 01/01/94
3 years Waterproof - if purchased after 01/01/94

Loud hailers

1 year - if purchased before 01/01/91
3 years - if purchased after 01/01/91

Associated Chargers

1 year - if purchased before 01/01/91
3 years - if purchased after 01/01/91

Associated Batteries - 1 year. Note: Batteries will be deemed defective only

if storage capacity drops below 80% of rated capacity or if leakage develops.

Associated Accessories - 1 year. Includes: Microphones/Handsets, Exter­nal Speakers, Antennas, Carrying Accessories, Power Supplies, and Signal­ing Boards.

To receive warranty service, the purchaser must deliver the Product, transpor­tation and insurance prepaid, to STANDARD HORIZON (a division of YAESU
USA.). Include proof of purchase indicating model. serial number, and date
of purchase. STANDARD HORIZON will return the Product to the purchaser
freight prepaid. Products purchased prior to January 1, 1991 will bear the
STANDARD HORIZON warranty terms in effect prior to that date.

In the event of a defect, malfunction or failure of the Product during the war­ranty period, STANDARD HORIZON’s liability for any breach of contract or
any breach of express or implied warranties in connection with the sale of
Products shall be limited solely to repair or replacement, at its option, of the
Product or part(s) therein which, upon examination by STANDARD HORI-

HX300Page 42

ZON, appear to be defective or not up to factory specications. STANDARD
HORIZON may, at its option, repair or replace parts or subassemblies with
new or reconditioned parts and subassemblies. Parts thus repaired or re­placed are warranted for the balance of the original applicable warranty.

STANDARD HORIZON will not warrant installation, maintenance or service
of the Products. In all instances, STANDARD HORIZON’s liability for dam­ages shall not exceed the purchase price of the defective Product.

This warranty only extends to Products sold within the 50 States of the Unit­ed States of America and the District of Columbia.

STANDARD HORIZON will pay all labor to repair the product and replace­ment parts charges incurred in providing the warranty service except where
purchaser abuse or other qualifying exceptions exist. The purchaser must
pay any transportation expenses incurred in returning the Product to STAN­DARD HORIZON for service.

This limited warranty does not extend to any Product which has been sub­jected to misuse, neglect, accident, incorrect wiring by anyone other than
STANDARD HORIZON, improper installation, or subjected to use in violation
of instructions furnished by STANDARD HORIZON, nor does this warranty
extend to Products on which the serial number has been removed, defaced,
or changed. STANDARD HORIZON cannot be responsible in any way for an­cillary equipment not furnished by STANDARD HORIZON which is attached
to or used in connection with STANDARD HORIZON’s Products, or for the
operation of the Product with any ancillary equipment, and all such equip­ment is expressly excluded from this warranty. STANDARD HORIZON dis­claims liability for range, coverage, or operation of the Product and ancillary
equipment as a whole under this warranty. STANDARD HORIZON reserves
the right to make changes or improvements in Products, during subsequent
production, without incurring the obligation to install such changes or im­provements on previously manufactured Products.

The implied warranties which the law imposes on the sale of this Product are
expressly LIMITED, in duration, to the time period specied above. STAN­DARD HORIZON shall not be liable under any circumstances for consequen­tial damages resulting from the use and operation of this Product, or from
the breach of this LIMITED WARRANTY, any implied warranties, or any con­tract with STANDARD HORIZON. IN CONNECTION WITH THE SALE OF
ITS PRODUCTS, STANDARD HORIZON MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EX­PRESS OR IMPLIED AS TO THE MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR OTHERWISE, EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET
FORTH HEREIN.

Page 43HX300

Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or conse­quential damages, or limitation on how long an implied warranty lasts, so the
above limitations or exclusions may not apply. This warranty gives specic
legal rights, and there may be other rights which may vary from state to state.

ONLY PRODUCTS SOLD ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 1991 ARE COV­ERED UNDER THE TERMS OF THIS LIMITED WARRANTY.

ON-LINE WARRANTY REGISTRATION

THANK YOU for buying STANDARD HORIZON (a division of YAESU
USA.) products! We are confident your new radio will serve your
needs for many years!

Please visit www.standardhorizon.com to register the HX300 Marine
VHF. It should be noted that visiting the Web site from time to time
may be benecial to you, as new products are released they will ap­pear on the STANDARD HORIZON Web site.

Product Support Inquiries

If you have any questions or comments regarding the use of the
HX300, you can visit the STANDARD HORIZON Web site to send
an E-mail or contact the Product Support team at [phone] ext
6300 M-F 8:00-5:00PST.

In addition to the warranty, STANDARD HORIZON includes a lifetime
"at rate" program to provide service after the warranty period has ex­pired. If you wish to obtain the at rate price for out-of-warranty repair,
you must include the information on the Owner’s Record with the unit
when you return it to your Dealer or to STANDARD HORIZON.

Lifetime Flat Rate Service Program: For the original Owner only, for
the lifetime of the unit, STANDARD HORIZON will repair the unit to
original specications.

Note: The at rate amount is payable by the Owner only if STAN­DARD HORIZON or the STANDARD HORIZON Dealer determines
that a repair is needed. After the repair, a 90-day warranty will be in
effect from the date of return of the unit to the .Owner.

This service program is not available for equipment which has failed
as a result of neglect, accident, breakage, misuse, improper installa­tion or modication, or water damage (depending on the product).

HX300Page 44

11. SPECIFICATIONS

Performance specications are nominal, unless otherwise indicated, and are
subject to change without notice.

11.1 GENERAL

Frequency Ranges: TX: 156.025 MHz - 157.425 MHz

RX: 156.050 MHz - 163.275 MHz

Channel Spacing: 25 kHz
Frequency Stability: ±5 ppm

(–4 °F to +140 °F [–20 °C to +60 °C])

Emission Type: 16K0G3E
Antenna Impedance: 50
Operating Voltage: 3.7 V DC, Negative Ground
Current Consumption: 330 mA (Receive, Typical at AF MAX.)

20 mA (Standby)

2.3 A / 0.9 A (TX: 5 W / 1 W)

Battery Life (Approx.): 10 hours (5/5/90 duty cycle)
Operating Temperature: –4 °F to +140 °F (–20 °C to +60 °C)
Case Size (W x H x D): 2.3” x 5” x 1.3”

(59 x 128 x 33 mm)
(w/o knob & antenna)
Weight (Approx.): 8.4 oz (240 g)
(with FNB-122LI, Belt Clip, & Antenna)



11.2 TRANSMITTER

RF Power Output: 5 W / 1 W (@3.7 V )
Modulation Type: Variable Reactance
Maximum Deviation: ±5 kHz
Spurious Emission: –75 dBc typical
Microphone Impedance: 2 k



11.3 RECEIVER

Circuit Type: Double-Conversion Superheterodyne
Intermediate Frequencies: 1st: 21.7 MHz, 2nd: 450 kHz
Adjacent Channel Selectivity: 70 dB typical
Intermodulation: 68 dB typical
Hum & Noise Ratio: 40 dB typical
Sensitivity: 0.25 µV for 12 dB SINAD
Selectivity: 25 kHz (–70 dB)
AF Output (Internal SP): 600 mW @8  for 10 % THD (@3.7 V)

Measured in accordance with TIA/EIA-603.

Page 45HX300

12. FCC AND CANADA RADIO LICENSE INFORMATION

Standard Horizon radios comply with the Federal Communication Commis­sion (FCC) and Industry-Canada requirements that regulate the Maritime
Radio Service.

MARITIME STATION LICENSE

An FCC ship station license is no longer required for any vessel traveling in
U.S. waters which uses a VHF marine radio, RADAR or EPIRB, and which is
not required to carry radio equipment. However, any vessel required to carry
a marine radio on an international voyage, carrying a HF single side band
radiotelephone or marine satellite terminal. FCC license forms, including ap­plications for ship (605) and land station licenses can be downloaded via the
Internet at www.fcc.gov/Forms/Form605/605.html. To obtain a form from the
FCC, call [phone].

MARINE RADIO CALL SIGN

Currently the FCC does not require recreational boaters to have a Ship Ra­dio Station License. The USCG recommends the boats registration number
and the state to be used.

CANADIAN SHIP STATION LICENSING

You may need a license when traveling in Canada. If you do need a license
contact their nearest eld ofce or regional ofce or write:

Industry Canada
Radio Regulatory Branch
Attn: DOSP
300 Slater Street
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada, KIA 0C8

FCC / INDUSTRY CANADA INFORMATION

The following data pertaining to the transceiver is necessary to ll out the li­cense application.

FCC Type Accepted: ............................................................................. Part 80

Output Power with FNB-122LI: ....................................... 1.0/5.0 W (Low/High)

Emission: .......................................................................................... 16K0G3E

Frequency Range: ......................................................156.025 to 163.275MHz

FCC Type Number: .................................................................... K6630493X20

Industry Canada Type Approval: ............................................ 511B-30493X20

HX300Page 46

13. FCC NOTICE

NOTICE

Unauthorized changes or modications to this equipment may void
compliance with FCC Rules. Any change or modification must be
approved in writing by STANDARD HORIZON, a division of YAESU
USA.

NOTICE

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:

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 marine electronics techni-



cian for help.

CAUTION

This device is intended for general population use to satisfy FCC RX
exposure compliance. See section “1.2 SAFETY INFORMATION” for
specic operating requirement.

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is sub­ject to the condition that this device does not cause harmful interfer­ence.

Part 15.21: Changes or modifications to this device not expressly
approved by YAESU MUSEN could void the User’s authorization to
operate this device.

Page 47HX300

YAESU USA

6125 Phyllis Drive, Cypress, California 90630

Copyright 2012
YAESU MUSEN CO., LTD.
All rights reserved.

No portion of this manual
may be reproduced
without the permission of
YAESU MUSEN CO., LTD.

EM049N101

Printed in China

HX300Page 48