Radio Shack TRC-488 User's Manual
Contents
1. e 21 1585 fm Page 1 Thursday August 5 1999 9 39 AM e S Cat No 21 1585A OWNER S MANUAL Please read before using this equipment TRC 488 40 CHANNEL 2 WAY CB RADIO Radie Shack VJ Ei E o 21 1585 fm Page 2 Thursday August 5 1999 9 39 AM FEATURES Your Radio Shack TRC 488 40 Chan nel 2 Way CB Radio is a high perfor mance citizen s band radio that also lets you tune to national weather ser vice broadcasts This CB is perfect for recreational business or emergency use It lets you talk to other people with CBs at home in their vehicles or at camp sites You can also connect op tional equipment to your CB such as a DC power supply and base station an tenna to set up a base station in your home Your CB has the following features 7 Channel WX Band Receiver lets you tune to seven national weather fre quencies so you can hear your local weather conditions as well as weather forecasts wherever you travel Emergency Channel Selector lets you quickly switch to Channel 9 so you can report or monitor emergency situ ations PLL Phase Locked Loop Frequen cy Synthesizer provides reliable and exact tuning Hysteresis Squelch automatically adjusts receiver sensitivity to compen sate for fading signals and to eliminate signal chopping during reception Two Ceramic Filters provide supe rior channel selectivity and elimi2. can lead to illegal operation as defined by Part 95 of FCC Rules Such illegal operation can lead to very serious con sequences To be safe and sure Never open your CB s case Never modify your CB Your CB might cause TV or radio inter ference even when it is operating prop erly To determine whether your CB is causing the interference turn off your CB If the interference goes away your CB is causing the interference Try to eliminate the interference by Moving your CB away from the receiver Contacting your local Radio Shack store for help If you cannot eliminate the interfer ence the FCC requires that you stop using your CB zm p Wi Sp NS 21 1585 fm Page 19 Thursday August 5 1999 9 39 AM Bi SPECIFICATIONS RECEIVER Weather Frequency Coverage ssseeeeen 162 400 MHz 162 425 MHz 162 450 MHz 162 475 MHz 162 500 MHz 162 525 MHz 162 550 MHz Frequency Coverage sseeeeen All 40 CB Channels Class D 26 965 to 27 405 MHz Sohe MVI tiet e bebe tn eeceee stt reu toe bant ets 0 7 uV or better for 10 dB S N N Adjacent Channel Rejection essen 50 dB at 10 kHz Audio OUUU rh RP NR 4 5 Watts Nominal Frequency Response ssssssssssssssseeesenereen enne 450 2500 Hz Intermediate Frequency eeeccceeeeesneeeeeeeenneeeeseenaeeeeseenaaeeeeenenaes 1st IF 10 695 MHz 2nd IF 455 00 kHz Cross
3. minal 3 Connect the black GROUND wire to a metal part of your vehicle s frame illus Note Be sure the metal part is not insulated from the vehicle s frame by a plastic part 4 Connect the red TO SWITCHED ACCESSORY wire with in line fuse to a source of voltage that turns on and off with the ignition switch such as a spare accessory terminal in your vehicle s fuse box illus 5 Connect the orange BATT wire with in line fuse to your vehicle battery s positive terminal or to a point in the vehicle s fuse box fuse that provides a continuous source of 12 volts even when the ignition is turned off illus This connection is for last channel memory backup 6 Reconnect the cable to the vehi cle battery s negative terminal Using Standard AC Power You can power the CB from a standard AC outlet using a 12 volt DC power supply such as Cat No 22 120 Caution Most 12 volt DC power sup plies plug into a standard AC outlet to produce DC power Before connecting your CB to a 12 volt DC power supply read and follow the instructions includ ed with the power supply 1 Make sure the CB is turned off 2 Make sure the power supply is turned off p Wi VJ Ei o 21 1585 fm Page 8 Thursday August 5 1999 9 39 AM 3 Connect the black GROUND wire to the DC power supply s negative terminal illus 4 Connect both the red TO SWITCHED ACC
4. 5 1999 9 39 AM INSTALLATION MOUNTING THE TRC 488 If you use the TRC 488 as a base sta tion you can mount it on a desk shelf or table The most common mounting location for the CB is under a vehicle s dash board If you use the TRC 488 in a ve hicle mount it securely to avoid damage to the CB or vehicle or injury to anyone in the vehicle during sudden starts or stops When you mount the CB in a vehicle make sure You can easily reach the CB Its wires and cables do not inter fere with any of the vehicle s mov ing parts The CB is not directly in front of heating vents All wires and cables reach their connection points Follow these steps to mount the CB using the supplied bracket screws washers and knobs 1 Using the mounting bracket as a template mark the positions for the screw holes illus 2 In each marked location drill a hole slightly smaller than the sup plied screws Caution Be careful not to drill into any objects behind the mounting surface 3 Using a Phillips screwdriver attach the mounting bracket to the mounting location with the sup plied screws and lock washers illus p E o 21 1585 fm Page 5 Thursday August 5 1999 9 39 AM VJ T 4 Attach the CB to the mounting bracket using the supplied rubber washers and mounting knobs illus MOUNTING THE MICROPHONE HOLDER With a Phillips screwdriver and the s
5. take it to your local Radio Shack store for assistance 17 T VJ Ei iM o 21 1585 fm Page 18 Thursday August 5 1999 9 39 AM REPLACING THE FUSES The TRC 488 s red wire 2 amp in line fuse helps protect your CB from power surges and short circuits If the fuse has blown replace it with a 2 amp fast acting glass fuse such as Cat No 270 1007 The orange wire s 1 amp in line fuse helps protect your CB s memory chan nel backup from power surges and short circuits If the fuse has blown re place it with a 1 amp fast acting glass fuse such as Cat No 270 1005 Follow these steps to replace either fuse 1 Make sure the power source and CB are both off 2 Hold the fuse holder by both ends push the fuse holder ends together then turn counterclock wise and release either end The fuse holder opens illus 3 Replace the fuse with one of the same type and rating 4 Push the fuse holder ends together then turn the large end clockwise The fuse holder closes 18 FCC INFORMATION The Federal Communications Com mission FCC does not require you to have a license to operate this CB However the FCC does require you to read and know Part 95 of FCC Rules These rules apply to the operation of a class D CB A copy of these regula tions is included with your CB Warning Do not open your CB to make any internal adjustments Inter nal adjustments and or modifications
6. that the ground connec tion black wire is secure If problems persist check your alterna tor generator regulator and gauges Noise from these sources can be re duced or eliminated using bypass ca pacitors at the various output voltage points Your local Radio Shack store has a wide selection of noise suppression accessories p EA Sp NS 21 1585 fm Page 17 Thursday August 5 1999 9 39 AM B MAINTENANCE Your TRC 488 40 Channel 2 Way CB Radio is an example of superior design and craftsmanship The following suggestions will help you care for your CB so you can enjoy it for years mm Keep the CB dry If it gets wet wipe it dry immediately Liquids might VN contain minerals that can corrode the electronic circuits Handle the CB gently and carefully Dropping it can damage circuit boards and cases and can cause the CB to work improperly Temperature extremes can shorten the life of electronic devices and distort or melt plastic parts Use and store the CB only in normal temperature environments Keep the CB away from dust and dirt which can cause premature wear of parts Wipe the CB with a damp cloth occasionally to keep it looking new Do not use harsh chemicals cleaning solvents or strong detergents to clean the CB Modifying or tampering with the CB s internal components can cause a malfunction and might invalidate your CB s warranty If your CB is not performing as it should
7. ESSORY and orange BATT wires with in line fuses to the DC power supply s positive terminal illus These wires supply power to oper ate your CB and backup the last channel memory 5 Connect the DC power supply to a standard AC outlet INSTALLING AN ANTENNA Caution To prevent damage to your CB you must connect an antenna to the CB before you operate it Note Your local Radio Shack store sells a variety of CB antennas for both mobile and base station use and co axial antenna cable and connectors For the best performance consider the following when deciding on an antenna and its location The antenna and cable should be as far as possible away from sources of electrical noise The antenna should be located vertically and as high as possible Follow these steps to connect an an tenna 1 Follow the mounting instructions that come with the antenna Warning Use extreme caution when you install or remove a base station CB antenna If the antenna starts to fall let it go It could con tact overhead power lines If the antenna touches the power line your contact with the antenna mast cable or guy wires can cause electrocution and death Call the power company to remove the antenna DO NOT attempt to do so yourself p EA VJ Ei o 21 1585 fm Page 9 Thursday August 5 1999 9 39 AM 2 Route the cable between the antenna and the CB 3 Conne
8. G If you hear low level popping noises while receiving transmissions slide ANL OFF to ANL to turn on the auto matic noise limiting circuit Otherwise leave ANL OFF set to OFF see Re ducing Noise on Page 16 illus LISTENING TO WEATHER BROADCASTS The FCC Federal Communications Commission has allocated 11 chan nels for use by the National Oceano graphic and Atmospheric Admin istration NOAA NOAA broadcasts your local forecast and regional weath er information on one or more of these channels in your area p EA VJ T o 21 1585 fm Page 11 Thursday August 5 1999 9 39 AM e Your TRC 488 receives the following frequencies available to NOAA 162 400 MHz 162 500 MHz 162 425 MHz 162 525 MHz 162 450 MHz 162 550 MHz 162 475 MHz To select one of the seven available weather channels set the mode selec tor to W1 W7 The yellow WX LED lights illus RECEIVING TRANSMISSIONS ON THE CHANNELS After setting squelch follow these Steps to receive transmissions 1 Set the mode selector to CB illus 2 To select the emergency channel 9 slide CH9 OUT to CH9 CH9 flashes on the display illus Important The emergency chan nel is used for reporting and moni toring emergency information about accidents hazardous road conditions etc Do not use Chan nel 9 for non emergency mes sages Note You cannot receive trans missions on Channel 9 when
9. Modulation ener ene dee ens 50 dB Squeleh e rore eh eet Adjustable from 0 6 uV to 1 mV TRANSMITTER Frequency Coverage sssseeeeeeeen All 40 CB Channels Class D 26 965 to 27 405 MHz Output POWOLFr atem tte eee rte 4 Watts FCC Maximum Type of Modulation AM Double Sideband Full Carrier Modulation Modulation Capability sese 90 Spurious EMISSION ennaa oe Eee e Mane Re el Less than 65 dB Frequency Tolerance ccccecccceeesecceceeeeeeeaeeeeeneececeeeneaceeseesnsaeeeeeenseaaeeeeenaaes 0 002 Antenna Impedarice ioi te EE RE ERRORES aude En ELS REP FAEERE is 50 Ohm Current Drain 13 8 volt supply ssssss 1 Amp with No Modulation 1 5 Amps with Full Modulation t aa lt KA EA Sp NS 21 1585 fm Page 20 Thursday August 5 1999 9 39 AM GENERAL Power Requirements seseseee 12 16 Volts DC Negative Ground DIMENSIONS eei itai teat esit vec iens stas 113 16 513 46 X 71 2 Inches HWD 46 X 147 X 190 mm Weight Rc 2 Ib 2 oz 1 Kg Specifications are typical individual units might vary Specifications are subject to change and improvement without notice RADIO SHACK LIMITED WARRANTY This product is warranted against defects for 90 days from date of pur chase from Radio Shack company owned stores and authorized Radio Shack franchisees and dealers Within th
10. ct the cable to the ANTENNA jack on the back of the CB illus Caution Do not run the cable Over sharp edges or moving parts that might damage the cable Next to power cables or other CB antenna cables Through the engine compartment or other areas that produce extreme heat E ADJUSTING THE ANTENNA S SWR To achieve your CB s maximum range the antenna s Standing Wave Ratio SWR should be adjusted using an SWR meter not supplied Follow the instructions supplied with the SWR meter and antenna to adjust your antenna s SWR to the lowest pos sible value SWR values of 2 0 1 are generally acceptable with readings of 1 5 1 or lower being more desirable T p Wi VJ T o 21 1585 fm Page 10 Thursday August 5 1999 9 39 AM OPERATION SETTING SQUELCH Caution Do not attempt to use your CB without first connecting it to an an tenna 1 Turn VOLUME clockwise until it clicks to turn on the CB then set it to about halfway between the min imum and maximum settings The CB tunes to the last selected channel illus 2 Turn SQUELCH fully counterclock wise You hear background noise and the green BUSY LED lights illus 3 Adjust VOLUME to a comfortable setting 4 Turn SQUELCH clockwise just until the background noise stops Note To receive weaker transmis sions turn SQUELCH counter clockwise e USING AUTOMATIC NOISE LIMITIN
11. is period we will repair it with out charge for parts and labor Simply bring your Radio Shack sales slip as proof of purchase date to any Radio Shack store Warranty does not cover transportation costs Nor does it cover a product subjected to misuse or accidental damage EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN RADIO SHACK MAKES NO EXPRESS WARRANTIES AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES ARE LIM ITED IN DURATION TO THE DURATION OF THE WRITTEN LIMITED WARRANTIES CONTAINED HEREIN Some states do not permit limita tion or exclusion of implied warranties therefore the aforesaid limita tion s or exclusion s may not apply to the purchaser This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state We Service What We Sell 9 94 RADIO SHACK A Division of Tandy Corporation Fort Worth Texas 76102 Printed in Thailand 3p n E
12. mum range and quality of CB transmissions vary depending on The type and quality of antenna used The height of the antenna s mounting location the higher the antenna the better the reception The surrounding terrain moun tains and tall buildings limit the range The weather conditions The number of nearby CBs oper ating on the same channel The standing wave ratio SWR between the antenna and the CB You can set the SWR by using an SWR tester such as Radio Shack Cat No 21 523 Follow the instructions that come with the SWR tester REDUCING NOISE The Automatic Noise Limiting ANL circuit helps keep background noise to a minimum However strong sources of noise such as your vehicle s igni tion another radio or spark plugs may be more than the circuit can compen sate for If you operate the TRC 488 with the vehicle s engine off you should not have any problems with noise If you use the CB with the engine on you can determine the source of the noise by turning off the engine and operating the CB with the ignition set to ACC If most or all of the noise goes away the problem is in your vehicle s ignition or electrical system Here are a few hints to help you reduce or eliminate such noise Replace old ignition wires with new high voltage noise suppres sion wires Install noise suppressors on your spark plugs or install new spark plugs that have built in suppres sors Be sure
13. nate adjacent channel interference Automatic Noise Limiting ANL reduces noise caused by nearby elec trical equipment such as motors or au tomotive ignition systems LED Channel Display displays the selected channel 1 40 When chan nel 9 is selected with the emergency channel switch the 9 flashes continu ously When a weather channel is se lected the display blanks out RF Gain Control lets you adjust the receiver gain to match the strength of the received signal Universal Mounting Bracket lets you mount your CB securely in your vehicle or on a table or shelf in your home Important To use this CB you must connect a mobile or base station an tenna available at your local Radio Shack store See Installing an Anten na on Page 8 For your records we recommend you record your CB s serial number in the space below The serial number is lo cated on the CB s back panel Serial No 1996 Tandy Corporation All Rights Reserved Radio Shack is a registered trademark used by Tandy Corporation 2 p EA Sp NS 21 1585 fm Page 3 Thursday August 5 1999 9 39 AM contents Installation sis 4 Mounting the TRC 488 sse nennen nnne nnne nn nnn nennen 4 Mounting the Microphone Holder sese 5 enne 6 Connecting the Microphone sa
14. nd courtesies The following tips meet new friends this way will help you get the most enjoyment out of your CB Ever have car trouble or run out of gas on the highway It s a relief to be able to use the CB to call for assistance COMMON USES FOR A Camping fishing or other sports CB RADIO are more fun with a CB Locate a buddy or find out what s cooking Business Uses back at camp Truck drivers and delivery person nel use it to get road and traffic conditions and obtain assistance CB COURTESY in locating destinations A CB is good company on those long hauls Please follow these guidelines of radio courtesy when using your CB Wait for a pause in someone else s transmission before you ask for a break Construction crews use it to call for additional materials or for coor dinating the activities of different work crews If you do not receive an answer to your call after a second attempt sign off and wait several minutes before trying again To security officers a CB is more than a convenience it is a must for both safety and efficiency Do not hold down the microphone talk button when you are not talk Personal Uses ing This is called dead keying Keep in touch with home while Assist callers with directions driving to work to the store or to information about road conditions a social activity Let your family and any other reasonable know you are tied up in traffic or reques
15. rei anneo A eene eee nnne 6 Connecting an Optional External Speaker sss 6 Connecting FOWE ot ete e re tee Pena eene hut cess 7 Using Vehicle Battery Power sss enn 7 Using Standard AC Power sse eren enne 7 Installing an Antenna i pp E PRURDOPRIReB OUR RIBREE 8 Adjusting the Antenna s SWR sss 9 enrpcuppBee t E 10 Setting Squelel 2 certet e give eres Pete eet e tete be nett eee uta 10 Using Automatic Noise Limiting sseesen m 10 Listening to Weather Broadcasts ssseeem en 10 Receiving Transmissions on the Channels seseeeeene 11 Transmitting gm 12 CB gre LEER 13 Common Uses for a CB Radio sse enne 13 Business USCS a une cio eR ODE Iu 13 Personal Uses cedar core nete nete eee d iens 13 CB Courtesy M 13 Using Common 10 Codes seriinin aE ARE ee eninene retineret enne 14 Tro bleshooting 5 ectetuer tuere cue cne ce ace nn cc cta nuoc Ie AAEE aAA 15 Maximum Range 2s 4st ie roe rite at da e ER 16 Reducing Noise eoi asm ed eei ee en ned 16 Maintenance eie erinnere 17 Replacing the FUSES i dtr t peer Pete teer s e reete d 18 FOO Information seasca a EE E AS 18 Specifications ecceer scree ror oraa a ENA T AOR 19 gt aa p EA VJ T o 21 1585 fm Page 4 Thursday August
16. the mode selector is set to any of the W1 W7 weather channels 3 To select one of the other 39 channels slide CH9 OUT to OUT Turn CHANNEL to select the desired channel The channel number appears on the LED channel display illus KA EA Sp NS 21 1585 fm Page 12 Thursday August 5 1999 9 39 AM 4 If necessary turn RF GAIN clock 4 Hold the microphone 2 or 3 inches wise to increase the signal sensi from your mouth then press and tivity hold down the microphone talk button and speak into the micro phone in a normal voice The red TX indicator lights illus illus To turn off the TRC 488 turn VOLUME counterclockwise until you hear it click Note Do not speak too loudly when transmitting It does not illus make your signal any stronger and might distort your transmis sion 5 When you finish transmitting release the microphone talk but ton You can now receive trans missions TRANSMITTING 6 To turn off the TRC 488 turn VOL We recommend you spend some time UME counterclockwise until you receiving transmissions before you try hear it click to transmit a message yourself Follow these steps to transmit 1 Set the mode selector to CB 2 Slide CH9 OUT to OUT 3 Turn CHANNEL to the desired channel 12 ee E NS 21 1585 fm Page 13 Thursday August 5 1999 9 39 AM CB TIPS Like any other activity CB radio has its plan a get together You can even rules a
17. the chan conditions nel 10 14 Information 10 34 What time is it 10 15 Message delivered 10 36 The correct time is 10 16 Reply to message 10 41 Switch to Channel 10 17 Enroute 14 p n EA NN tle Bi TROUBLESHOOTING id If your CB is not working as it should follow the suggestions below to try to eliminate the problem If the CB is still not working properly take the CB to your local Radio Shack store for assistance Problem Solution Trouble with reception Be sure the CB is turned on Be sure VOLUME is turned up Be sure SQUELCH is adjusted properly Be sure the microphone is securely con nected to the CB Be sure the antenna cable is securely con nected to both the antenna and the CB Trouble with transmission Be sure the microphone is securely con nected to the CB Extend the antenna to its full length Clean and tighten all connectors Be sure you are fully pressing the micro phone talk button Be sure the antenna cable is securely con nected to both the antenna and the CB No channel selection Be sure CH9 OUT is set to OUT CB does not work at all Check the power supply either vehicle or stan dard AC and in line fuses replace only with identical fuses see Replacing the Fuses on Page 18 15 VJ Ei o 21 1585 fm Page 16 Thursday August 5 1999 9 39 AM MAXIMUM RANGE The maxi
18. ts that you will stop by the store on the way home CBs are great on trips to commu nicate with family members while they are in separate cars Contact friends or neighbors find out whats happening or 13 Sp NS 21 1585 fm Page 14 Thursday August 5 1999 9 39 AM USING COMMON 10 CODES Citizen s band operators have largely adopted the 10 codes for standard questions and answers These codes permit faster communication and better intelligibility in noisy areas The following table lists some of the more common codes and their meanings Code Meaning Code Meaning 10 1 Receiving poorly Cannot 10 18 Urgent understand your message 10 19 Contact 10 2 Receiving well Your signal is good 10 20 What is your location 10 3 Stop transmitting 10 21 Call by telephone 10 4 OK Message received and 10 22 Cancel disregard previous understood message 10 5 Relay information to 10 23 Arrived at the destination 10 6 I am busy or are you busy 10 24 Assignment complete 10 7 Outof service 10 25 Meet 10 8 In service 10 26 Estimated time of arrival is 10 9 Repeat last message 10 29 Check records 10 10 Negative No or standing by 10 30 Use caution Unauthorized 10 11 in service use of radio 10 12 Stand by 10 31 Pick up 10 13 Request report road weather 10 33 Emergency Clear
19. upplied screws and washers attach the supplied microphone holder to the CB s right side illus di VJ T o 21 1585 fm Page 6 Thursday August 5 1999 9 39 AM CONNECTIONS CONNECTING THE MICROPHONE 1 Make sure the pins on the micro phone cable s plug are aligned with the holes in the CB s MICRO PHONE jack on the CB s left side and insert the plug into the jack illus 2 Slide the microphone onto the microphone holder illus To disconnect the microphone cable press and hold down the small tab on the microphone plug then pull out the plug illus Caution Never pull on the micro phone cable CONNECTING AN OPTIONAL EXTERNAL SPEAKER You can connect an external speaker to the CB Notes You must use an 8 ohm speaker capable of handling up to 5 watts of power such as Radio Shack Cat No 21 549 The speaker s cable must have a s inch plug To connect an external speaker sim ply plug the speaker s cable into the CB s EXT jack illus Note When you connect an external speaker the CB s internal speaker dis connects p Wi VJ T o 21 1585 fm Page 7 Thursday August 5 1999 9 39 AM e CONNECTING POWER Using Vehicle Battery Power Follow these steps to power the CB from your vehicle s battery 1 Make sure the CB is turned off 2 Disconnect the cable from your vehicle battery s negative ter
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