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21-1574.fm Page 1 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM
Cat. No. 21-1574
OWNER’S MANUAL
Please read before using this equipment.
TRC-446
Deluxe 4 Watt 40-Channel
Mobile CB Radio
with Weather Alert and ACE
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21-1574.fm Page 2 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM FEATURES Your RadioShack TRC-446 Deluxe 40- RF Gain Control — lets you adjust re- Channel Mobile CB Radio with Weather ception to match the strength of the re- Alert is a high performance CB that also ceived signal. lets you tune to local and national weather service broadcasts. This CB is Convenient On-Microphone Channel perfect for recreational, business, or Up/Down Controls — let you quickly emergency use. You can call other peo- scan the ba
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21-1574.fm Page 3 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM Noise Blanking — reduces the noise FCC INFORMATION occasionally generated by nearby elec- trical motors or automotive ignition sys- The Federal Communications Commis- tems. sion (FCC) does not require you to have a license to operate this CB. However, CB/WX/PA Switch — lets you quickly the FCC does require that you read and select among normal CB operation, know Part 95 of FCC Rules. These rules weather mode, or public address mode. apply to th
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21-1574.fm Page 4 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM CONTENTS Installation ............................................................................................................... 5 Mounting the TRC-446 ....................................................................................... 5 Connecting the Microphone ................................................................................ 6 Installing an Antenna ......................................................................
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TRC-446 WEATHER RF GAIN SQUELCH SWR CAL VOLUME MIC CB NB ACE CH-9 S/RF TX/RX WX/ALERT OFF OFF CAL PA CH-19 ACE CB NB TRC-446 CH-9 S/RF WX/ALERT TX/RX PA OFF OFF CH-19 CAL RF GAIN WEATHER SWR CAL VOLUME SQUELCH MIC 21-1574.fm Page 5 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM INSTALLATION • the CB is not directly in front of heat- MOUNTING THE ing vents MICROPHONE HOLDER Cautions: Using a Philips screwdriver and the sup- plied screw and washers, attach the • If you use the TRC-446 in a vehicle, supplied m
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21-1574.fm Page 6 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM 4. Using a Phillips screwdriver, attach inside the MIC jack, then fully insert the mounting bracket to the mount- the plug into the jack. ing surface with the supplied large 2. Secure the plug by turning the plug's mounting screw and star lock wash- locking nut clockwise. ers. 3.Slide the microphone onto the 5. Attach the CB to the mounting microphone holder. bracket using the supplied rubber washers and mounting knobs. To disconnect the micro
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21-1574.fm Page 7 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM • Do not run the cable through a vehi- INSTALLING AN cle's engine compartment or other ANTENNA areas that produce extreme heat. Caution: To prevent damage to your CB, do not attempt to transmit without USING VEHICLE an antenna attached. BATTERY POWER Selecting an Antenna You can power this CB from your vehi- cle's battery or from standard AC power When you decide on an antenna and its with an optional DC power supply. For in- location, conside
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21-1574.fm Page 8 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM 3. Plug the single connector end of the USING THE CB AS A power cord into POWER 13.8V DC BASE STATION on the CB's back panel. Although this CB is designed for mobile 4. Connect the black wire to the DC use, you can also use it as a base sta- power supply's negative (–) termi- tion. For base-station installation, you nal. need a regulated 12-volt DC power sup- 5. Connect the red wire and orange ply, such as Cat. No. 22-504 available at wires, w
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21-1574.fm Page 9 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM points to CAL on the upper SWR Public Address Speaker scale. To connect a PA speaker to the CB, use 4. Release the microphone's talk but- an 8-ohm speaker capable of handling 5 ton. or more watts of power and equipped 1 with an /8-inch connector on the cable. 5. Set S/RF/SWR/CAL to SWR. Contact your local RadioShack store 6. Press the microphone's talk button for a selection of suitable speakers. again and note the actual SWR Plug into PA SP. S
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21-1574.fm Page 10 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM STANDING WAVE RATIO GUIDELINES The ideal standing wave ratio (SWR) is 1:1, or a meter reading of 1 on the SWR meter's top scale. This reading, however, can only be obtained under laboratory con- ditions. A SWR ratio of 1.5:1 to 2:1 is excellent for most mobile CB antenna applica- tions. This chart helps you interpret the different readings you might see. Standing Wave Ratio Performance Ratio Rating Evaluation 1:1 – 1.5:1 Superior Perfect matc
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21-1574.fm Page 11 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM A QUICK LOOK AT THE CONTROLS Channel Display CB/Weather Alert/Pub- Channel 9-NOR- lic Address Switch Channel 19 Switch RF Meter/SWR/ Calibrate Switch Noise Blanking On/Off Weather Alert Switch Indicator Audio Clarity Enhancer On/Off SWR Meter Switch RF Meter Transmit/Receive Indicator Hand-Held MIC with Squelch Channel Up/Down Control Rotary Channel Control RF Gain Tuning Dial Control Volume / Power Switch NOAA Standing Wave Ratio Weat
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21-1574.fm Page 12 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM OPERATION Before you start using your CB, you 6. To manually tune channels, turn the should know how to use it effectively tuning control beneath the display to and courteously. “CB Operation Tips” on select a channel. The selected Page15 contains information that will channel number appears, and the help you get more enjoyment from using SWR/RF/Signal Meter shows the your CB. signal strength. To quickly tune to Channel 9 or 19, set CH-9/NOR/C
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21-1574.fm Page 13 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM 4. To turn off the TRC-446, turn OFF/ Changing Channels Using the VOLUME counterclockwise until you Controls on the Microphone hear it click. To tune to the next higher or lower chan- nel, press UP or DOWN on the micro- phone. LISTENING TO WEATHER BROADCASTS To quickly change channels in either di- rection, hold down UP or DOWN until you The TRC-446 can receive seven pre- reach the desired channel. programmed weather channels which have been
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21-1574.fm Page 14 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM To listen to one of the seven available However, WX/ALERT turns off if you weather channels, set CB/WX/PA to WX, turn to WX or move out of the range of then rotate WEATHER to choose a chan- that NOAA channel. To turn off the indi- nel for your listening area. The channel cator you can also turn power off, then display and the SWR turn off. Readjust on. OFF/VOLUME if necessary. The orange indicator means switch to Note: When the CB radio is set
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21-1574.fm Page 15 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM CB OPERATION TIPS Like most activities, CB radio users have • Contact friends or neighbors — find customs and courtesies. The following out “what's happening” or plan a tips will help you get the most enjoyment get-together. out of your CB. • Ever have car trouble or run out of gas on the highway? With your CB you can have peace of mind know- TYPICAL USES ing you can call for assistance. FOR A CB RADIO • Camping, fishing, and other sports are
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21-1574.fm Page 16 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM USING COMMON 10-CODES Citizen's band operators have largely Code Meaning adopted the following 10-codes for stan- dard questions and answers. These 10-21 Call______by telephone. codes permit faster and more precise 10-22 Cancel last message. communication in noisy areas. This ta- ble lists codes adopted by the Associat- 10-23 Arrived at the scene. ed Public-Safety Communications 10-24 Assignment complete. Officers (APCO). 10-25 Meet___________
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21-1574.fm Page 17 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM If you suspect engine noise as a source, MAXIMUM RANGE turn off the engine and operate the CB with the ignition set to ACC. If most or all The maximum range and quality of CB of the noise stops, the problem is in ve- transmissions vary depending on the fol- hicle's ignition or electrical system. lowing typical conditions: • The type and quality of antenna The following few hints can help you re- used. duce or eliminate such noise. • The height
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21-1574.fm Page 18 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM TROUBLESHOOTING If your CB is not working as it should, follow the suggestions below to see if you can eliminate the problem. If the problem persists, take the CB to your local RadioShack store for assistance. Symptom Check That: Reception difficulties OFF/VOLUME is turned on. CB/WX/PA is set to CB OFF/VOLUME is at a sufficient listening level. RF GAIN is set to the correct level. The microphone is securely plugged into MIC. The antenna cable
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21-1574.fm Page 19 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM CARE AND MAINTENANCE Your RadioShack TRC-446 Deluxe 40-Channel Mobile CB is an example of supe- rior design and craftsmanship. The following suggestions will help you care for your TRC-446 so you can enjoy it for years. Keep the CB dry. If it gets wet, wipe it dry immediately. Liquids might contain minerals that can corrode the electronic circuits. Use and store the CB only in normal temperature environments. Tem- perature extremes can short
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21-1574.fm Page 20 Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:03 PM REPLACING THE FUSES The TRC-446's 2-amp fuses help pro- tect your CB from power surges and short circuits. • If the red wire's fuse is blown, replace it with a 2-amp, fast-acting glass fuse, such as Cat. No. 270- 1007. • If the orange wire's fuse is blown, replace it with a 1-amp, fast-acting glass fuse, such as Cat. No. 270- 1005. Follow these steps to replace each fuse. 1. Make sure the power source and CB are both off. 2. To open the fuse h
