Clear Channel Ranger AR3500
Documentation Project

CBTricks.com


OPERATION

Once installed, your transceiver is ready to use. The frequency range is preset at 28.000 to 29.999.9 MHZ and the radio automatically scans in 100 Hz increments. Basic operation using these pre-established Settings is described below.

The Ranger provides the flexibility to change these settings, scan only your favorite frequenci~5 saved in memory, and use the split frequency feature. These advanced methods of operation also are described in this section.

NOTE:
Many of the controls described in this section perform multiple functions. For a detailed description of each control, refer to the CONTROLS AND FUNCTIONS section.


Basic Scanning
To turn on the transceiver and scan the full frequency range in 100 Hz increments, follow these steps:

1. Turn on the backup voltage power. (Turn the RESET control clockwise until you hear a click.)

2. Turn on the transceiver power. (Turn the AF GAIN control clockwise until you hear a click.)

3. Turn the mode selector to the operating mode you want to use (FM, AM, USB, LSB, CW).

4. Press the UPPER SCAN switch to scan the full frequency range from its lower limit (28.000.0) to the upper limit (29.999.9). Press the LOWER SCAN switch to scan the frequency range from its upper end to the lower end.
You'll notice that when the radio reaches either the upper or lower limit of its range, it automatically goes to
the other range limit (rollover) and continues scanning in the same direction (up or down). You can change scanning direction whenever you wish by pressing either the UPPER or LOWER SCAN button.

5. If the radio does not begin scanning immediately, adjust the SQ (squelch) control clockwise until the frequency display begins to change. Use SQ to silence background noise; turn the control clockwise until the noise disappears. This also reduces the Ranger's ability to receive weaker frequencies. To pick up more frequencies, turn SQ counterclockwise.


Variations on Basic Scanning

Change Scanning Increment:
The Ranger is preset to scan at 100 Hz increments. You can change the scanning increments by pressing the appropriate switch on the front panel while the transceiver is scanning.
For example, to scan in 10,000 Hz increments, press the upper 10K switch. The radio immediately begins scanning in 10,000 Hz increments.
You can change the scanning increment whenever you wish while scanning.


Change Frequency Range:
The full scanning range of the radio is 28000.0 to 29999.9 MHz. You can restrict the scanning range as follows:

1. Press the MANUAL button. (If the transceiver was scanning when you pressed this button, the scanning stops.)

2. Press SCAN PRG.

3. Using the momentary switches below the frequency display, enter the scanning increment you want to use (e.g., 100 Hz, 1K, 10K). You must enter the scannin9 increment before setting the frequency range. Be sure to press the upper switch.

4. Press ENTER. The frequency display will flash once.

5. Enter the desired lower end frequency using the momentary switches. Each switch corresponds to the LED (light emitting diode) above it. Press the upper momentary switch to increase the number, press the lower switch to decrease the displayed number. The display will change as you enter each number.

HELPFUL HINT: If the frequency you want to enter is greater than the one currently displayed, it is best to enter the numbers from right to left. If the desired frequency is lower than the one currently displayed, work from left to right.

6. Press ENTER. The display will flash.

7. Enter the upper end of the frequency range you want to set using the same switches as described in step 5.
NOTE: You can enter either the upper or lower frequency range first.

8. Press ENTER. The frequency display will flash twice.

9. Press upper or lower scan button to sail scanning.'

10. If you wish to delete a certain frequency from within the scanning range selected, simply press the cancel switch while
the radio is on that frequency. This procedure may be used for deleting up to five different frequencies.
NOTE: Radio must be in scan mode during this operation.

Enter a Specific Frequency:
You can manually select a specific frequency without scanning.

1. Press MANUAL.

2. Use the momentary switches to enter the frequency. Each switch corresponds to the LED above it. Press the upper switch to increase the displayed number; press the lower switch to decrease the number.


Using the Memory
The computer control features of the Ranger allows you to save your favorite frequencies in the transceiver's memory.
You can assign specific frequencies to any of 5 channels and then scan only those channels using the MEMORY button.

Storing a Frequency in Memory:
To assign a frequency to a specific channel and store it in memory, follow these steps:

1. Press MANUAL.

2. Enter the desired frequency using the momentary switches. Each switch corresponds to the LED display above it. Press the upper switch to increase the displayed number; press the lower switch to decrease the number.

3. Press ENTER. The display flashes once.

4. Press the upper switch for the channel (CH1, CH2, ... CH5) to correspond with this frequency.

5. Press ENTER again. The display flashes twice and the channel LED flashes once.


6. Repeat steps 2 through 5 for each frequency you want to save in memory.


Scanning Memory

There are two methods to scan the frequencies you have saved in memory: manual or automatic.

1. Press MANUAL.

2. Turn SQ counterclockwise, but not off.

3. Press MEMORY. Each time you press this button, the radio scans to the next channel in numerical order (i.e., channel 1, channel 2, etc.). If you have not assigned frequencies to all five channels, the radio scans only those channels that have been assigned a frequency.

 

To manually scan memory:

1. Press MANUAL.

2. Press MEMORY once.

3. Turn SQ clockwise until the transceiver beings to scan the channels automatically. The frequency display will change and the channel LEDs will light briefly as each saved frequency is scanned. The Ranger always scans the frequencies saved in memory in numerical order according to the channel number (i.e., channel 1, channel 2, etc.).

4. To stop automatic scanning, turn SQ counterclockwise or press MANUAL.

To automatically scan memory:


Cancel a Frequency Saved in Memory:

If you have saved a frequency and assigned it to a specific channel, you also can cancel it. Once canceled, it is no ionger saved in the transceiver's memory. To cancel a channel:

1. Press MANUAL.

2. Manually scan to the frequency you want to cancel using the MEMORY button.

3. Press CANCEL.
NOTE: To cancel everything you have saved in memory, turn the RESET control off and back on again.


Change a Channel Frequency:

You can change the frequency assigned to any channel by simply overwriting the previous frequency. Follow the same steps described above under Storing a Frequency in Memory. The channel will then be assigned the new frequency instead of the old one.

Split Frequency Operation

You can transmit and receive on different frequencies and preset the frequencies you want to use. Once set, the Ranger automatically goes to the transmit frequency when the PTT button is pressed. When the PTT button is released, the transceiver goes to the receive frequency.

Preset the Receive and Transmit Frequencies:

1. Press MANUAL.

2. Make sure that the SPLIT, SPLIT PRG, and + / - buttons are out.

3. Enter the receive frequency using the momentary switches. Each switch corresponds to the LED display above it. Press the upper switch to increase the displayed number; press the lower switch to decrease the number.

4. Push the SPLIT PRG button in. The frequency display will change to all zeros (0).

NOTE: If you have previously programmed split frequency operation, the last split you entered will be displayed (instead of zeros) when you press SPLIT PRG.

5. Enter the difference between the receive and transmit frequencies using the momentary switches on the front panel.
For example, if the transmit frequency will be 1.5 MHz higher or lower than the receive frequency, enter 1.500.0.


Use Split Frequency Operation:

1. Turn SPLIT PRG off. Button should be out.

2. Turn SPLIT on. Button should be in and the SPLIT LED on the front panel will light.

3. Press + / - in if the transmit frequency will be higher than the receive frequency. The button should be out if the
transmit frequency 5 lower than the receive frequency by the increment entered during the program procedure.

NOTE: The transceiver will not allow a transmit or receive frequency that is higher or lower than the upper limits of
the frequency range.

4. Press the PTT button on the microphone to talk, release to receive. The transceiver displays the transmit frequency when the button is pressed and the TX LED on the front panel will light. When the button is released, the transceiver displays the receive frequency and the RX LED on the front panel will light.


NOTE: If you change the displayed frequency while using split frequency operation, the new frequency becomes your receive frequency. When you press the PTT button to transmit, the transceiver splits from the current frequency instead of the one you entered when you programmed split frequency operation.

5. To discontinue split operation, release the SPLIT button (out position). The SPLIT LED will go out.



Copyright © 1998,1999,2000 CBTricks.com

Disclaimer: Although the greatest care has been taken while compiling these documents,

we cannot guarantee that the instructions will work on every radio presented.

Please join the CB Tricks E-Mail group and send a message if you discover a problem.