Yaesu FT-530 Manual page 29

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repeat this key sequence. A "b" in the memory
box indicates the beeper is enabled.
Selective Calling
Obviously, if the operating frequency is quiet
the squelch does not open often and power drain is
minimized, particularly if the Power Saver is ac-
tive. Unfortunately, it is not always possible or
practical to confine your activity to quiet frequen-
cies. The DTMF selective calling (code squelch,
and DTMF paging) features in the FT-530 can be
used to essentially make a quiet channel out of an
otherwise busy one. When either of these features
is active, the squelch will only open (and the
BUSVfTX
LED light, if enabled) when a signal is
prefixed by a 3-digit DTMF code that matches one
you have stored in the DTMF Code Memories (see
page 41). This can extend battery life considerably.
In cases where you may need to monitor many
stations, or some that are not equipped with DTMF
encoders but do have CTCSS, the Tone Squelch can
also be used to make a quiet channel on a crowded
frequency.
Earphones
&
Speaker/Mics
Using the lowest possible volume setting mini-
mizes current drain while receiving. You can hold
the transceiver up to your ear and reduce the vol-
ume to minimum, but it may be more convenient
to use an earphone, speaker/mic or the MH-19A2B
Earpiece/Mic, and keep the transceiver clipped to
your belt, particularly in noisy environments.
VOX Operation and Settings
If
you want to have both hands free, use the
YH-2 Headset and activate VOX (voice-actuated
transmit/receive switching) by pressing C!!ID
~
2I),
and then
2I)
again if you want to adjust the
VOX gain (sensitivity). The display shows either
"Hi"
(for operating in a quiet environment) or
"Ld'
(if in a noisy environment). The display re-
turns to normal a few seconds after you select the
VOX state, and a small
''m''
appears near the bot-
tom center of the display when VOX is enabled.
Note!
Your FT
-530
is designed for
VOX
operation with
the YH-2 headset. VOX will not function using the
internal microphone, or with speaker/mics like the
MH-12 A2B and MH-29A2B (because of audio
feedback). In addition,
VOX
cannot be selected
while operating in the Pag;er mode.
Press the same keys again (so that
"OFF'
is dis-
played) to turn the VOX off when not using the
YH-2.
You can also select the VOX delay (how fast the
transceiver returns to receive after you stop speak-
ing), from 0.5, 1.0 or 1.5 seconds. Optimum delay
depends on your speech characteristics, and
should be set just long enough so the transmitter
remains keyed between words. To adjust the VOX
delay:
Press
C!!ID ~
rn
~
fi,
to display the current
delay, and press
m
again to toggle through the
choices. After selecting a delay, press
m
to return
the display to normal. You can experiment to de-
termine the best setting.
Battery Care
As the battery discharges, the voltage drop
when transmitting increases. When battery voltage
drops to around 5.5 volts, the display begins alter-
nately flashing the voltage, indicating the batteries
should be replaced or recharged. As battery volt-
age drops further, the indicator begins to blink,
unfil transmission (and soon the controls) fails.
If using rechargeable batteries, switch the trans-
ceiver off as soon as the indicator begins to blink.
Leaving it on could over-discharge the cells and
destroy the pack. On the other hand, recharging
Ni-Cd batteries often with little use between
charges can degrade the charge capacity and use-
fullife of the cells. To avoid these problems, use the
battery pack just until the low battery indicator
comes on, and then immediately give the pack a
full recharge. Since it is hard to know exactly when
the charge will run out, you may want to carry an
extra, fully-charged pack with you to avoid having
operation interrupted.
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