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21-1678.fm Page 1 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM
Cat. No. 21-1678
OWNER’S MANUAL
Please read before using this equipment.
TRC-234
5-Watt, 40-Channel
CB Walkie-Talkie
with 10 Weather Channels
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21-1678.fm Page 2 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM FEATURES Your Radio Shack TRC-234 5-Watt 40-Channel CB Walkie-Talkie is a high performance transceiver that also lets you tune into local and national weather ser- vice broadcasts. This CB is perfect for recreational, business, or emergency use. You can call other peo- ple who have CBs at home, in their vehicles, or at camp sites. You can also connect optional equip- ment to your CB, such as external speakers, or a DC power supply and base s
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21-1678.fm Page 3 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM High/Low Power Button — lets you save power by selecting a suitable transmitting power for long or short distances. For your records, we recommend you record your CB’s serial number here. The number is located on the CB’s back panel. Serial Number _____________________ FCC INFORMATION The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) does not require you to have a license to operate this CB. However, you must know Part 95 of FCC Rules. It explains
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21-1678.fm Page 4 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM 1. This device must not cause harmful interfer- ence. 2. This device must accept any interference re- ceived, including interference that may cause undesired operation. CONTENTS Preparation ........................................................... 6 Connecting Power ........................................... 6 Using Internal Batteries ............................ 6 Using Vehicle Battery Power .................... 8 Using Standard AC Power
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21-1678.fm Page 5 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM PREPARATION CONNECTING POWER You can power your transceiver from any of three sources: • Internal batteries (not supplied) • Vehicle battery power (using an optional DC cig- arette lighter power cord) • Standard AC power (using an optional DC power supply) Note: Connecting a DC power cord automatically disconnects internal batteries. Using Internal Batteries You can power your transceiver with nine AA batter- ies. For the longest operation a
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21-1678.fm Page 6 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM • Never leave dead, old, or weak non- rechargeable batteries in the transceiver. They can leak chemicals and corrode or dam- age electronic circuits. • Do not expose batteries to extreme heat or fire. They might explode and cause personal injury or damage equipment. 4. Position the NI/AL switch to match the battery type. • NI: for rechargeable nickel-cadmium batter- ies (see “Charging Nickel-Cadmium Batter- ies”). • AL: for standard or alkal
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21-1678.fm Page 7 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM • If you do not plan to use batteries in the trans- ceiver for a month or more, remove the bat- teries. This protects the transceiver from possible battery leakage. 6. Replace the cover. When BATT (battery low) appears on the display, re- place or recharge the batteries. Using Vehicle Battery Power You can power your transceiver from your vehicle’s cigarette lighter socket with an optional DC cigarette lighter power cord (such as Cat. No. 27
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21-1678.fm Page 8 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM Notes: • If you installed rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries in the transceiver, connect the DC power cord to the DC13.8V CHARGE jack and be sure the NI/AL switch is set to NI. This pow- ers the transceiver and recharges the batter- ies at the same time. See “Charging Nickel- Cadmium Batteries.” • If the transceiver does not operate when you use the power cord, unplug the cord from the cigarette lighter socket and clean the socket to rem
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21-1678.fm Page 9 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM Follow these steps to power the transceiver from AC power. 1. Using the double-sided foam tape supplied with the cigarette lighter accessory outlet, mount the accessory outlet to the DC power supply. 2. Insert the power cord’s barrel plug into the trans- ceiver’s DC13.8V CHARGE jack. Note: If you installed rechargeable nickel-cad- mium batteries in the transceiver, connect the power cord to the DC13.8V CHARGE jack and be sure the NI/AL switc
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21-1678.fm Page 10 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM CHARGING NICKEL-CADMIUM BATTERIES The transceiver has a built-in circuit that lets you re- charge nickel-cadmium batteries while they are in the transceiver. To charge the batteries, connect a DC power cord to the transceiver’s DC13.8V CHARGE jack and be sure the NI/AL switch is set to NI (see “Using Standard AC Power” or “Using Vehicle Bat- tery Power”). Warning: Do not connect a power cord to the trans- ceiver’s DC13.8V CHARGE jack if yo
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21-1678.fm Page 11 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM CONNECTING AN ANTENNA Your transceiver comes with a flexible rubber anten- na that is ideal for most applications. However, the transceiver’s BNC antenna connector makes it easy to connect other types of antennas. Your local Radio Shack store sells a wide variety of antennas. Choose the one that best meets your needs. Follow these steps to connect the supplied antenna. illustration 1. Position the antenna’s BNC connector over the antenna ja
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21-1678.fm Page 12 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM USING AN EXTERNAL SPEAKER In a noisy area, an external speaker (such as Cat. No. 21-549) positioned in the right place might provide more comfortable listening. Plug the speaker cable’s 1 /8-inch (3.5 mm) mini-plug into the transceiver’s SPK jack. This disconnects the internal speaker. illustration USING AN EXTERNAL SPEAKER/ MICROPHONE You can use an external speaker/microphone (such as Cat. No. 19-310). Plug the speaker/microphone’s connec
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21-1678.fm Page 13 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM USING THE WRIST STRAP You can use the supplied wrist strap to keep the transceiver accessible. Hook the strap’s connecting ring to the tab, as shown. Then simply slip the strap over your hand. illustration USING THE BELT CLIP Use the supplied belt clip to make the transceiver easier to take with you. Use the two supplied screws to attach the belt clip to the transceiver. Slide the belt clip over your belt or waistband. illustration 13
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21-1678.fm Page 14 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM OPERATION Before you use your transceiver, you should know how to use it effectively and courteously. “Operation- al Hints” contains information that will help you get more enjoyment from your transceiver. RECEIVING TRANSMISSIONS AND ADJUSTING SQUELCH 1. Turn SQUELCH fully counterclockwise. illustration 2. Rotate VOLUME clockwise until it clicks to turn on the power. A channel number appears on the display. illustration 3. Press CHANNEL s
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21-1678.fm Page 15 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM 4. Adjust VOLUME to a comfortable listening level. 5. To cut out background noise between transmis- sions, wait until there is no signal on the chan- nel, then slowly turn SQUELCH clockwise until the background noise stops. Note: Do not turn SQUELCH too far clockwise because you might cut out weak signals, too. 6. To turn off the transceiver, turn VOLUME counter- clockwise until you hear it click. TRANSMITTING We recommend you try receiving
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21-1678.fm Page 16 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM 3. If you are transmitting to nearby units, press H/L to set the output power to low output power, if necessary. LOW appears on the display. illustration If the other transceiver is farther away or the receiving person complains of noise, press H/L again to set it to high output power. LOWdisap- pears from the display. 4. To turn off the transceiver, turn VOLUME counter- clockwise until you hear it click. TURNING ON/OFF THE LIGHT Press LIGH
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21-1678.fm Page 17 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM LOCKING THE FUNCTIONS Use the KEY LOCK switch to lock the transceiver’s functions (except the talk button and LIGHT) to pre- vent accidental program changes. Press KEY LOCK so LOCK appears on the display. illustration To release the lock, press KEY LOCK again. LOCK disappears from the display. USING CHANNEL 9 For emergency call monitoring or transmitting on Channel 9, just press CH-9. 9 and EMG appear on the display. illustration Importan
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21-1678.fm Page 18 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM LISTENING TO THE WEATHER BAND The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has allocated 11 channels for use by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA broadcasts your local forecast and regional weather information on one or more of these channels in your area. We have preprogrammed your CB with 10 of the U.S frequencies used by NOAA. See “Channel Assignments.” To select a weather broadcast, press WEATHER the
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21-1678.fm Page 19 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM OPERATIONAL HINTS Like most activities, CB radio has its customs and courtesies. The following tips will help you get the most enjoyment from your transceiver. COMMON USES FOR A CB Business Uses • Truck drivers and delivery personnel can learn road and traffic conditions and get assistance in locating destinations. A CB is also good com- pany on those “long hauls.” • On construction crews, a CB quickly pays for itself when you are calling f
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21-1678.fm Page 20 Thursday, August 5, 1999 12:45 PM TRANSMISSION COURTESY • Wait for a pause in someone else’s transmission before you ask for a break. • If you do not receive an answer to your call after a second attempt, sign off and wait several min- utes before trying again. • Do not hold down the talk button when you are not talking. (This is called dead keying.) • Assist callers with directions, information about road conditions, and any other reasonable requests. MAXIMUM RANGE The max
