Using The Electronic Compass - Radio Shack HTX-420 Owner's Manual

2-meter/70cm dual band fm amateur transceiver

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Owner's manual (29 pages)

Table Of Contents

Table of Contents

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them to potentially ignore real weather

warnings that can save lives.

In 1994, NOAA began broadcasting SAME

(Specific Area Message Encoding) codes

along with their standard weather broadcasts

from local stations in your area. SAME codes

identify the type of emergency and the

specific geographic area (such as a county)

affected by the emergency. Your transceiver

receives, interprets, and displays information

about the codes so you can determine if the

emergency might affect your area. Only

SAME-compatible radios (such as this

transceiver) are able to take advantage of

this new technology.

Each SAME code identifies a specific

geographic area (defined by the National

Weather Service [NWS]), so your transceiver

sounds an alert only when a weather

emergency is declared in that area. This

helps you more efficiently track the weather

conditions in and around your area.

"5#/'"%

0&'456#0&+0)

For the purpose of broadcasting weather

information, the NWS divided the United

States into regions by state and county (or

parish, where applicable) then assigned a

six-digit SAME code to identify each county

or parish. For example, the code for Tarrant

County, Texas, is 048439.

The first digit in a SAME code identifies the

county subdivision, the next two digits identify

the state, and the last three digits identify the

county or parish. ± ± ± ±

Your transceiver can receive all SAME alert

signals broadcast within about a 40-mile

radius. To receive SAME alerts and

broadcasts about weather occurring only in

particular counties within that area, you can

program up to nine SAME codes into the

transceiver's memory (see "Entering Your

Area's SAME Codes" on Page 9). For

example, this lets you avoid hearing an alert

that applies to an area within a 40-mile radius

but not necessarily to your county or parish.

"5#/'"#

740+0)

6*'

When your local weather station broadcasts

a weather alert signal, the transceiver sounds

an alert tone and displays an alert code for 5

seconds, showing the level of alert being

broadcast. Follow these steps to turn on the

alert.

1. Repeatedly press

to select the

weather mode.

2. Repeatedly press

appears.

3. Press

to select

4. Press

to store the setting.

PTT

The transceiver displays one of the following

codes when it receives an alert signal.

M7HD

M7J9>

IJCJ

J;IJ

The weather alert operates only when the

transceiver is in weather mode. ± ± ± ±

06'4+0)

1&'5

You can store up to nine SAME codes. Refer

to the SAME codes at http://

www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/indexnw.htm . for the

corresponding codes for any specific area

you wish to monitor for weather warnings or

watches.

1. Repeatedly press

appears. If no SAME codes are stored in

memory, _ _ _ _ _ _ and

2. Repeatedly press

1&'5

desired memory location (A1–A9).

3. Enter your area's SAME code using the

number keys.

If you want to enter another SAME code,

repeat Steps 2 and 3.

4. Press

exit.

5+0)

1/2#55

Your transceiver has an electronic compass

that can display two digits of direction such

as SE or NW and up to three digits of

directional angle such as 360°, 180°, 90°, or

45° in five degree steps.

You must calibrate the electronic compass

before using it.

1. Turn off the transceiver.

2. Place the transceiver horizontally on a

flat surface that does not give off

.'46

electrical or magnetic interference.

3. Hold down

4. Place your index finger on the side of the

transceiver's antenna and turn the

transceiver clockwise or

counterclockwise, twice, smoothly and

continuously. Take 8 to 9 seconds to

complete a circle.

5. Press

I7C;

until

To use the electronic compass press

ed ed ed ed

COMP

appears.

The display provides 8 primary directions;

D; D; D; D;

; ; ; ;

I; I; I; I;

key, the compass display disappears. ± ± ± ±

for Warning

for Watches

for Statement

for Test

"5#/'"

174

4'#

until

7' 7' 7' 7'

appear.

to select the

to store the code and

PTT

6*'

.'%6410+%

and press

COMP

PWR

. ± ± ± ±

PTT

(

) to see the magnetic direction.

H/L

I I I I

M M M M

, and

. If you press any

± ± ± ±

7H;7

Understanding SAME Codes

Most SAME codes begin with 0, which means

the code represents an entire county. The NWS

plans to eventually subdivide some large

counties. When that happens, each subdivision

will be assigned a digit from 1 through 9,

resulting in codes such as 148439, 248439, and

so on.

Turning on the SAME Alert

• When the SAME code is detected, the audio

is muted.

• If you do not program any SAME codes into

the transceiver's memory, the transceiver

detects all SAME signals when the SAME

function is on.