Radio Shack TRC-503 User manual

Cat. No. 21-1703

OWNER’S MANUAL

Please read before using this equipment.

40 Channel Mobile CB Radio

with Channel 9/19 Priority Switch

TRC-503

21-1703a.fm Page 1 Thursday, August 5, 1999 4:41 PM

FEATURES

Your RadioShack TRC-503 40 Channel

Mobile CB Radio is a breakthrough in

CB design technology. You can mount it

in a vehicle for mobile use, or in your

home for use as a base station. Your CB

has these advanced features:

Emergency Channel Switch — lets

you quickly switch to Channel 9 or

Channel 19 so you can monitor or report

emergency situations.

TX and RX Indicators — light to show

when the radio is transmitting or receiv-

ing.

Full Legal Power — gives you the

greatest available range.

Automatic Noise Limiter — reduces

impulse-type noises while receiving.

External Speaker Jack — lets you con-

nect your CB to an external speaker.

Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) Frequency

Synthesizer — provides highly accurate

and stable tuning.

Two Built-In Ceramic Filters — ensure

superior channel selectivity and freedom

from adjacent channel interference.

Automatic Modulation Control — pre-

vents the transmitter signal from over-

modulating and distorting.

Universal Mounting Bracket — lets

you mount your CB securely in your ve-

hicle or on a table or shelf in your home.

Note: To use this CB, you must connect

a mobile or base station antenna. Your

local RadioShack store has a wide vari-

ety of antennas. For more information,

see “Connecting an Antenna” on

Page 6.

We recommend you record your CB’s

serial number here. The number is on

the CB’s bottom cabinet.

Serial Number _________________

RadioShack is a registered trademark used by Tandy Corporation.

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FCC INFORMATION

The Federal Communications Commis-

sion (FCC) does not require you to have

a license to operate this CB radio. How-

ever, you must know Part 95 of

FCC

Rules

. It explains the proper operation of

a Class D citizen’s band transceiver. We

enclosed a copy of Part 95 with your CB

radio.

Warning: Do not open the CB radio to

make any internal adjustments. A CB ra-

dio is set up to transmit a regulated sig-

nal on an assigned frequency. It is

against the law to alter or adjust the set-

tings inside the unit to exceed these lim-

itations.

To be safe and sure:

• Never open your CB radio’s case.

• Never change or replace anything in

your CB radio.

Your CB radio might cause TV or radio

interference even when it is operating

properly. To determine whether your CB

is causing the interference, turn off your

CB. If the interference goes away, your

CB is causing it. Try to eliminate the in-

terference by:

• moving your CB radio away from the

receiver

• contacting your local RadioShack

store for help

This device complies with Part 15 of

FCC Rules

. Operation is subject to the

following two conditions: (1) this device

may not cause harmful interference, and

(2) this device must accept any interfer-

ence received, including interference

that may cause undesired operation.

21-1703a.fm Page 3 Thursday, August 5, 1999 4:41 PM

CONTENTS

Installation ............................................................................................................... 5

Attaching the Microphone Holder ....................................................................... 5

Mounting the Transceiver .................................................................................... 5

Connecting an Antenna ...................................................................................... 6

Connecting the Microphone ................................................................................ 7

Connecting an External Speaker ........................................................................ 8

Using Vehicle Battery Power .............................................................................. 8

Using the Transceiver as a Base Station ............................................................ 9

Operation ............................................................................................................... 10

Receiving Transmissions and Adjusting Squelch ............................................. 10

Transmitting ...................................................................................................... 11

Selecting the Emergency Channel ................................................................... 11

Operational Hints .................................................................................................. 12

Common Uses for a CB .................................................................................... 12

Personal Uses ............................................................................................ 12

Business Uses ........................................................................................... 12

Transmission Courtesy ..................................................................................... 12

Using Common 10-Codes ................................................................................ 13

Maximum Range .............................................................................................. 14

Troubleshooting .................................................................................................... 15

Reducing Noise ................................................................................................ 16

Care and Maintenance .......................................................................................... 17

Replacing the Fuse ........................................................................................... 18

Specifications ........................................................................................................ 19

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INSTALLATION

ATTACHING THE

MICROPHONE HOLDER

You can attach the microphone holder to

either side of the transceiver or to anoth-

er location in your vehicle.

To attach the holder to either side of the

transceiver, secure the holder to the

side using the supplied screws, wash-

ers, and lock washers.

To attach the holder to another location

in the vehicle, such as the dashboard,

follow these steps.

1. Using the holder as a template,

mark the positions for the mounting

screw holes at the desired location.

2. At each marked position, drill a hole

slightly smaller than the supplied

mounting screws.

Caution: Be careful not to drill into

anything behind the mounting sur-

face.

3. Attach the holder at the mounting

location using the supplied 3 mm

machine screws, spring washers,

plain washers, and nuts.

Note: If you cannot reach behind

the mounting surface to attach the

nuts on the machine screws, use the

supplied 3 mm plain washers and

self-tapping screws.

MOUNTING THE

TRANSCEIVER

The most common mounting location for

this CB is under a vehicle’s dashboard.

However, if you plan to use the TRC-

503 as a base station, you can place it

on a desk, shelf, or table (see “Using the

Transceiver as a Base Station” on

Page 9.

If you are mounting the CB in a vehicle,

choose a location where:

• You can easily reach the CB.

• Wires and cables are clear of the

vehicle’s pedals or other moving

parts.

• The CB is not directly in front of

heating vents.

• All wires and cables can reach their

connection points.

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Cautions:

• If you use the CB in a vehicle, mount

it securely to avoid damage to the

CB or vehicle or injury to anyone in

the vehicle during sudden starts or

stops.

• Do not mount the CB where it could

damage or interfere with the opera-

tion of any passive restraint safety

device (an airbag or seat belt).

Follow these steps to mount the CB us-

ing the supplied hardware.

1. Using the mounting bracket as a

template, mark the positions for the

screw holes on the mounting sur-

face.

2. In each marked location, drill a hole

slightly smaller than the supplied

mounting screws.

Caution: Be careful not to drill into

objects behind the mounting sur-

face.

3. Mount the bracket to the mounting

surface with the supplied 6 mm

bolts, spring washers, plain wash-

ers, and nuts.

Note: If you cannot reach behind

the mounting surface to attach the

nuts on the bolts, use the supplied 6

mm bolts and plain washers to

secure the bracket.

4. Attach the CB to the mounting

bracket using the supplied rubber

washers and mounting knobs.

CONNECTING AN

ANTENNA

There are many different types of CB

antennas for mobile CBs. Each type has

its own benefits, so choose the one that

best meets your needs. Your local Ra-

dioShack store sells a wide variety of

antennas.

Note: If you are using this CB as a base

station, see “Using the Transceiver as a

Base Station” on Page 9.

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When you choose an antenna, keep in

mind that, for the best performance, you

should mount the antenna:

• as high as possible on the vehicle

• as far as possible from sources of

electrical noise

•vertically

Once you choose an antenna, follow its

mounting instructions. Then route the

cable to the transceiver and connect the

cable to the ANTENNA jack on the back

of the transceiver.

Cautions:

• Avoid routing the cable next to sharp

edges or moving parts, which might

damage the cable.

• Do not run the cable next to power

cables or other radio antenna

cables.

• Do not run the cable through the

engine compartment or other areas

that produce extreme heat.

To take advantage of your radio’s maxi-

mum range, adjust the antenna’s Stand-

ing Wave Ratio (SWR) 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 possible

value. SWR values of 2.0:1 are general-

ly acceptable, with readings of 1.5:1 or

lower being more desirable.

CONNECTING THE

MICROPHONE

1. Press the tab on the side of the sup-

plied microphone’s plug and insert

the plug into the MIC jack on the

front of the transceiver. Be sure the

tab is aligned with the jack’s notch.

2. Slide the microphone onto the

microphone holder.

To disconnect the microphone from the

transceiver, press the tab on the side of

the plug. Then pull out the plug.

Caution: Never pull on the microphone

cable.

Tab Notch

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CONNECTING AN

EXTERNAL SPEAKER

You can connect your transceiver to an

external CB speaker, so you can hear

an incoming call when you are outside

your vehicle.

The external speaker you use with the

transceiver should have an impedance

of 8 ohms and be able to handle 3 to 10

watts of power. The speaker cable must

have a 1/8-inch (3.5-mm) plug. Your local

RadioShack store carries a variety of

speakers and cables to meet your

needs.

To connect the external speaker to the

transceiver, insert the speaker cable’s

plug into the EXT SPEAKER jack on the

back of the CB.

Note: When you connect an external

speaker, the CB’s internal speaker dis-

connects.

USINGVEHICLE BATTERY

POWER

Follow these steps to connect the trans-

ceiver to vehicle battery power.

1. Connect the red wire (with the in-

line fuse holder) on the back of the

transceiver to a point in your vehi-

cle’s fuse block that has power only

when the ignition is in the ACC

(accessory) or ON position.

2. Connect the black wire to a metal

part of the vehicle’s frame (chassis

ground).

Caution: Do not connect the black

wire to a non-metallic (plastic) part,

or to any part insulated from the

vehicle’s chassis by a non-metallic

part.

To an 8-ohm,

3- to 10-Watt

Speaker

Black Wire

to Ground

Red Wire to

Switched

Accessory

Terminal

21-1703a.fm Page 8 Thursday, August 5, 1999 4:41 PM

USINGTHETRANSCEIVER

AS A BASE STATION

Although this transceiver is designed

mainly for mobile use, you can also use

it as a base station with an AC power

source. For base station installation, you

need these items:

• a 13.8-volt DC power supply that

can supply at least 1.5 amps

Caution: Most 13.8-volt DC power

supplies plug into a standard AC

outlet to produce DC power. Before

connecting your CB to a 13.8-volt

DC power supply, read and follow

the instructions included with the

power supply.

• base station antenna (such as Cat.

No. 21-989)

• coaxial antenna cable and connec-

tor (available at your local Ra-

dioShack store)

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 contact overhead power

lines. If the antenna touches a power

line, contact with the antenna, mast, ca-

ble, or guy wires can cause electrocu-

tion and death. Call the power company

to remove the antenna. Do not attempt

to do so yourself!

Follow these steps to install the CB as a

base station.

Mount the base station antenna as de-

scribed in its owner’s manual.

1. Connect the antenna to the

ANTENNA jack on the back of the

CB.

2. Connect the transceiver’s black

power wire to the negative (–) termi-

nal on the DC power supply.

3. Connect the transceiver’s red wire

(with the in-line fuse) to the positive

(+) terminal on the DC power supply.

4. Connect the DC power supply to a

standard AC outlet.

Caution: To prevent damage to the CB,

be sure you connect both an antenna

and the microphone before you use the

CB.

Black Wire

to Negative

Terminal of

DC Power

Supply

Red Wire

to Positive

Terminal of

Supply

DC Power

Antenna

21-1703a.fm Page 9 Thursday, August 5, 1999 4:41 PM

OPERATION

Before you use your CB, you should

know how to use it effectively and cour-

teously. “Operational Hints” on Page 12

contains information that will help you

get more enjoyment from your CB.

RECEIVING

TRANSMISSIONS AND

ADJUSTING SQUELCH

1. Turn SQUELCH fully counterclock-

wise.

2. Turn on the transceiver by turning

VOLUME clockwise until it clicks. The

channel display lights and the chan-

nel appears, and the RX indicator

lights.

3. Set OUT CH9 CH19 to OUT to select

a channel other than an emergency

channel.

4. Rotate the channel selector until the

display shows the desired channel.

5. Adjust VOLUME to a comfortable lis-

tening level.

6. To cut out background noise be-

tween transmissions, wait until there

is no signal, then slowly turn

SQUELCH clockwise until the back-

ground noise stops.

Note: To receive very weak signals,

turn SQUELCH counterclockwise.

You hear noise between transmis-

sions, but you also hear weak trans-

missions (those not strong enough

to break through a higher squelch

setting).

7. To turn off the CB, turn VOLUME

counterclockwise until you hear it

click. The display and indicators turn

off.

21-1703a.fm Page 10 Thursday, August 5, 1999 4:41 PM

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