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 briey 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 (800)767-2450 Monday
through Friday 8AM to 5PM Pacic 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, modications, 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” sufx has a Type-A plug, and “C” sufx 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 notied 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 Specication 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 dened 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 trafc, congestion on channel 16 resulting
from its use as a hailing channel can be reduced signicantly 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 trafc, 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 trafc 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 sufcient 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 specied 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 ofcials 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
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