YAESU VX-246 User Manual

UHF FM TRANSCEIVER

VX-246

Operating Manual

CH knob

LED Indicator

PTT Button

MONI Button

List of the practicable area

AUT  BEL DNK FIN
FRA  DEU GRC ISL
IRL ITA LIE LUX
NLD  NOR PRT ESP
SWE CHE GBR

Battery Pack Latch

IMPORTANT NOTICE

 Please read this manual carefully to become familiar with the features of this transceiver.
 Do not hold the transceiver so that the antenna is very close to (or touching exposed parts of) the

body, especially the face or eyes, while transmitting. The transceiver will perform best if the micro­phone is 3 to 5 cm away from the mouth and the transceiver is vertical.

 Do not expose the transceiver to long periods of direct sunlight, nor place it close to heating appli-

ances.

 Do not place the transceiver in excessively dusty, humid, or wet areas, nor on unstable surfaces.
 Do not modify this transceiver for any reason.
 Refer service of this apparatus to qualified technicians only.

BATTERY PACK INSTALLATION AND REMOVAL

When using the FNB-64 Ni-Cd Battery Pack

 To install the battery, hold the transceiver with your hand,

so your palm is over the speaker and your thumb is on
the top of the Belt Clip. Insert the battery pack into the
battery compartment on the back of the radio while tilt­ing the Belt Clip outward, then close the Battery Pack
Latch until it locks in place with a “click.”

 To remove the battery, turn the radio off and remove any protective cases. Open the Battery Pack Latch on

the bottom of the radio, then slide the battery downward and out from the radio while tilting the Belt Clip
upward slightly.

Battery Charging

 Install the FNB-64 Ni-Cd battery pack onto the transceiver. Ensure that the transceiver is switched off.
 Plug the NC-76 into the AC line outlet.
 Insert the transceiver into the NC-76; the antenna jack should be at the left side when viewing the charger

from the front.

 If the transceiver is inserted into the NC-76 correctly, the RED indicator will glow. A fully-discharged pack

will be charged completely in 15 hours.

When using the optional FBA-25 Battery Case

The FBA-25 Battery Case allows operation of the VX-246 using six “AA” size Alkaline batteries. When install­ing batteries, inset the (–) end first, then press in the (+) end so the battery snaps into place. Always replace all
six batteries at the same time.
To install the Battery Case into the transceiver, follow the same procedure as used for the Ni-Cd Battery Pack,
described previously.
Note: The FBA-25 must not be used with rechargeable cells of any kind.

VX-246 DEFAULT SETTING

Channel Frequency CTCSS/DCS

1 446.00625 MHz DCS (114
2 446.01875 MHz DCS (115
3 446.03125 MHz DCS (023
4 446.04375 MHz DCS (025
5 446.05625 MHz DCS (026
6 446.06875 MHz DCS (071
7 446.08125 MHz DCS (072
8 446.09375MHz DCS (073

9 446.00625MHz DCS (152
10 446.01875MHz DCS (155
11 446.03125MHz DCS (156
12 446.04375MHz DCS (162
13 446.05625MHz DCS (165
14 446.06875MHz DCS (205
15 446.08125MHz DCS (212
16 446.09375 MHz DCS (223

FREQUENCY NUMBER

Number Frequency

1 446.00625 MHz

2 446.01875 MHz

3 446.03125 MHz

4 446.04375 MHz

5 446.05625 MHz

6 446.06875 MHz

7 446.08125 MHz

8 446.09375 MHz

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Tone No. Frequency Tone No. Frequency Tone No. Frequency Tone No. Frequency Tone No. Frequency

01 67.0 Hz 09 91.5 Hz 17 118.8 Hz 25 156.7 Hz 33 210.7 Hz
02 71.9 Hz 10 94.8 Hz 18 123.0 Hz 26 162.2 Hz 34 218.1 Hz
03 74.4 Hz 11 97.4 Hz 19 127.3 Hz 27 167.9 Hz 35 225.7 Hz
04 77.0 Hz 12 100.0 Hz 20 131.8 Hz 28 173.8 Hz 36 233.6 Hz
05 79.7 Hz 13 103.5 Hz 21 136.5 Hz 29 179.9 Hz 37 241.8 Hz
06 82.5 Hz 14 107.2 Hz 22 141.3 Hz 30 186.2 Hz 38 250.3 Hz
07 85.4 Hz 15 110.9 Hz 23 146.2 Hz 31 192.8 Hz 00 CTCSS
08 88.5 Hz 16 114.8 Hz 24 151.4 Hz 32 203.5 Hz Off

DCS DCS DCS DCS DCS DCS DCS DCS DCS DCS DCS DCS DCS DCS DCS DCS DSC DCS

No. Code No. Code No. Code No. Code No. Code No. Code No. Code No. Code No. Code

001 023 013 071 025 143 037 225 049 266 061 356 073 452 085 532 097 703
002 025 014 072 026 145 038 226 050 271 062 364 074 454 086 546 098 712
003 026 015 073 027 152 039 243 051 274 063 365 075 455 087 565 099 723
004 031 016 074 028 155 040 244 052 306 064 371 076 462 088 606 100 731
005 032 017 114 029 156 041 245 053 311 065 411 077 464 089 612 101 732
006 036 018 115 030 162 042 246 054 315 066 421 078 465 090 624 102 734
007 043 019 116 031 165 043 251 055 325 067 413 079 466 091 627 103 743
008 047 020 122 032 172 044 252 056 331 068 423 080 503 092 631 104 754
009 051 021 125 033 174 045 255 057 332 069 431 081 506 093 632 000 DCS
010 053 022 131 034 205 046 261 058 343 070 432 082 516 094 654 Off
011 054 023 132 035 212 047 263 059 346 071 445 083 523 095 662
012 065 024 134 036 223 048 265 060 351 072 446 084 526 096 664

CTCSS TONE NUMBER

DCS SIGNALING NUMBER

VOL Control

Speaker

MIC/EAR Jack

Microphone

Tilt the Belt Clip

Keypad

Insert the Battery Pack

Close the Battery Pack Latch

 Switch on the transceiver by rotating the VOL control clockwise out of the click-stop. For now, adjust the VOL

control to about mid-position (12-o’clock); later you can adjust the level to suit the operating environment.

 Rotate the CH knob to select a channel for operation.
 To transmit, press the PTT (Push-To-Talk) button. Hold the radio 3 ~ 5 cm from your mouth, and speak in a

normal voice into the microphone.
Note: While you are transmitting, the LED indicator will glow red continuously. Do not transmit on a BUSY
channel (where the LED indicator is blinking green); wait until the channel is clear (no blinking green LED).

 To receive weak stations better, disable the squelch momentarily by pressing and holding in the MONI

button on the side of the radio for one second. With the squelch disabled, the LED indicator will blink green
and channel noise and weak stations will be heard. To quiet the radio again, press and hold in the MONI
button for one second.

 When your communication session is finished, switch off the radio by rotating the VOL control to the fully

counter-clockwise position (into the click-stop).

Note: The VX-246 can be programmed for DTMF Paging operation (this requires the optional FVP-25 Encryp-
tion/DTMF Pager Unit), and also for CTCSS and DCS operation. Each of these modes provides different
levels of selective calling. Refer to the “Changing the Channel Data” section for details.

ADVANCED OPERATION

BASIC OPERATION

DTMF Pager ON/OFF (requires optional FVP-25 Encryption/DTMF Pager Unit)

DTMF Pager operation allows paging and selective calling, using a user-programmed DTMF tone sequence. When
your radio is paged by a station bearing a tone sequence which matches yours, your radio’s squelch will open.
To enable or disable the DTMF Pager, press and hold in the [A] key for two seconds;

 When you hear a “low tone” beep followed by a “high tone” beep, the DTMF Pager is now activated.
 When you hear a “high tone” beep followed by a “low tone” beep, the DTMF Pager is now disabled.

CTCSS/DCS Bell Operation

When this feature is activated, the Bell will ring when a station calls you whose transceiver is sending a
CTCSS tone or DCS code which matches that set into your Decoder.
To enable or disable the CTCSS/DCS Bell Operation, press and hold in the [B] key for two seconds;
 When you hear a“low tone” beep followed by a “high tone” beep, CTCSS/DCS Bell Operation is now

activated.

 When you hear a “high tone” beep followed by a “low tone” beep, CTCSS/DCS Bell Operation is now

disabled.

Voice Encryption (requires optional FVP-25 Encryption/DTMF Pager Unit)

When the optional FVP-25 is installed, the VX-246 can be operated using voice encryption for privacy during
communications.
To enable/disable the voice encryption feature, press and hold in the [C] key for two seconds;

 When you hear a “low tone” beep followed by a “high tone” beep, voice encryption is now activated.
 When you hear a “high tone” beep followed by a “low tone” beep, voice encryption is now disabled.

Keypad Locking

The VX-246’s keypad may be locked out to prevent accidental changing of its settings.
To lock out the keypad, press and hold in the [D] key for two seconds;

 When you hear a “low tone” beep followed by a “high tone” beep, the keypad is now locked out.
 When you hear a “high tone” beep followed by a “low tone” beep, the keypad locking is now canceled.

PROGRAMMING THE CHANNEL DATA

How to activate the Programming mode.

1. Turn the radio off by rotating the VOL control fully counterclockwise (into the click-stop).

2. Press and hold in the [A] key; while holding it in, turn the radio on.

3. Press the key the function of which you wish to change, then program the new setting according to the
procedures described below.

4. When re-programming is finished, turn the radio off by rotating the VOL control fully counter-clockwise (into
the click-stop).

DTMF Paging

Programming Your ID Code

Your radio’s ID code is the three-digit code which your radio will send out when paging another radio.

1. Activate the Programming mode.

2. Press the [A] key.

3. If you wish to enable the Auto-Respond Paging feature, press the [] key. If you wish to disable the Auto­Respond Paging feature, press the [#] key.

4. Enter the three digit code that you want to use for your radio’s ID from the keypad.

Programming DTMF Paging Code

The “DTMF Paging Code” is the three-digit code of the station you wish to page, which your radio will send out
during Pager operation. Ten different Paging Codes may be stored into Paging Memory registers, allowing you
to page ten different stations (or groups of stations).

1. Activate the Programming mode.

2. Press the [A] key, then enter the DTMF Paging Code memory number (“0” ~ “9”) to be programmed from
the keypad.

3. Enter the three digit code Paging Code from the keypad.

Operating Channel

You may change the operating frequency (from among the eight available channel frequencies) of the channel
selected by the CH knob. This function may be useful if you wish to change the order in which the frequencies
are selected by the CH knob.

1. Activate the Programming mode.

2. Rotate the CH knob to select the channel on which you wish change the operating frequency.

3. Press the [B] key, then enter the frequency number from the keypad.

CTCSS Operation

“CTCSS” is a selective calling system which uses a continuous, very-low-frequency tone that is filtered out so
as not to be heard. If many stations are using the same channel frequency, CTCSS will keep your radio’s
receiver squelched until a CTCSS tone is received matching the CTCSS tone you have selected for your
radio. If CTCSS is turned off, any signal received can open your radio’s squelch.

1. Activate the Programming mode.

2. Rotate the CH knob to select a channel on which you wish change the CTCSS configuration.

3. Press the [C] key, then enter the two-digit CTCSS Tone number from the keypad.

DCS and ARTS* Operation

“DCS” is similar in use to CTCSS, except DCS uses digital codes for more reliable operation. “ARTS” is a
transponder feature, available when DCS is engaged, which will alert two ARTS-equipped radios when an “Out
of Range” condition exists. The stations can then move to a better location to re-establish communications.

1. Activate the Programming mode.

2. Rotate the CH knob to select a channel on which you wish change the DCS configuration.

3. Press the [D] key.

4. If you wish to enable ARTS operation, press the [] key. If you wish to disable ARTS operation (DCS
operation only), press the [#] key.

5. Enter the three-digit DCS signaling number from the keypad.

RESETTING THE TRANSCEIVER

This procedure initializes the transceiver into its factory-default configuration (the settings installed before you
used if for the first time). In the event of erratic behavior, resetting the microprocessor may clear up any corrupt
date, often restoring normal operation. However, any customized settings will have to be re-programmed.

1. Turn the transceiver off.

2. Press and hold in the [A] and [D] keys while turning the transceiver on.

3. Press the MONI button to initialize the transceiver.