R2 GMDSS&

R2 PROFESSIONAL

HANDHELD VHF RADIOS

O W N E R S M A N U A L

1/12/99 MDL

Page 3

CONTENTS

1. General

1.1 Introduction

2. Operation

2.1 Controls2.2 Selecting Alternative Channel Sets2.3 Disable / Enable Key Beep2.4 Removing and Attaching Battery2.5 Charger Options2.6 Charging of Batteries2.7 Notes on Charging2.8 Battery Level Indicator

3. Appendix

3.1 Licensing3.2 Antenna3.3 Transmission Range3.4 Frequency of Channels3.5 Battery Life Guidelines3.6 Fault Finding3.7 Spares & Accessories3.8 Specification & Dimensions3.9 Service & Warranty

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1 General

1.1 Introduction

The McMurdo waterproof handheld VHF compris-es two models -

The R2 Professional VHF radio is designed forleisure and light commercial use and meets orexceeds stringent International RegulationsEN301-178.

The R2 GMDSS model for GMDSS convention ves-sels conforms to Pan European specification ETS300-225 for the use of radios for Safety at Sea

Both models are waterproof to IP67 standard.

Please note that regulations vary from country tocountry. McMurdo sets are also approved specifi-cally by the countries in which they are sold.Consequently, there may be differences in the pro-gramming of sets bought in different countries, andtherefore in their associated manuals. If using out-side the country of purchase, it is vital to check thatthe set conforms to local regulations before use.

McMurdo operate a policy of continual devel-opment and reserve the right to alter andimprove the specification of their productswithout notice.

R2 waterproof handheld VHF

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Fig 2.1 - R2 Controls

1 2

3

4

6

8

10

2 Operation

2.1 Controls

The location of the controls for the R2 are shownin Fig 2.1 -

Function1 On/off2 High/Low power3 PTT (Push To Talk)4 Volume mode select5 Squelch mode select6 Up key7 Down key8 Scan mode9 Dual /Tri watch10 Select Priority / Personal channel11 Backlight on/off & Light Mode select

Pressing and holding certain keys will access addi-tional functions. These are indicated by a doublebeep, or a triple beep if held for longer (see tablebelow).

5

7

9

11

Key

VOL

SQ

SCAN

D/W

16

1 x Press

Select Volume ModeSelect Squelch Mode

Standard ModeChannel Up/Down

Volume ModeVolume Up/Down

Squelch ModeSquelch Up/Down

Light ModeLight level Up/Down

Memory Scan

Dual Watch

Select Channel 16

Select Light ModeBacklight On/Off

2 x Press

Add / Delete channel from memory scan

Hold DuringPower UpSelect secondary

channel set*

Disable / Enable FirstKey Beep

* If available

Press & HoldDouble Beep

Scan All Channels

Tri Watch

Select PersonalChannel

Press & HoldTriple Beep

Inhibit /Enable select-ed channel from scan

Set Personal Channel

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On/Off (1)Press to turn the R2 on. To turn off, press andhold the key for approximately 2 seconds. This is toavoid accidental power off.

Hi/Lo (2)Toggles between high and low transmit power (seespecification section 3.8). Use the low setting overshort ranges to preserve battery life.

VOL - Volume (4)SQ - Squelch (5)Press to select Volume or Squelch mode then use the

and keys to adjust the level.

The display will show “VOL” or “SQL” for 3 seconds- if or are not pressed within this time, theirfunction will revert to channel select.

/ (6 & 7)These keys will change the selected channel.Pressing VOL, SQ or , then / within 3 secondswill adjust the volume, squelch or backlighting levelrespectively. The bargraph will indicate the levelselected.

SCAN mode (8)Scans through the channels stored in the channelmemory (display shows MEM SCAN).

• Select channel and press twice to add/delete tomemory scan (display shows ENT or DEL respec-tively). The icon indicates that the selectedchannel is included in memory scan.

• Press and hold until double beep sounds to scanall channels (display shows SCAN).

• Press and hold until triple beep sounds to inhib-it/enable selected channel from scan (display showsINH or ENA respectively). The icon indicatesthe selected channel is inhibited.

D/W - Dual Watch / Triwatch (9)Press to select Dual Watch of selected channel andCh16. Display shows D/W.

• Press and hold until double beep sounds forTriwatch - selected channel, personal channel andCh 16. Display shows T/W.

a b c d

f g i

e

Fig 2.2 - R2 display functions

a Bar graph -Power up Battery levelStandby Battery levelTransmit Battery LevelVolume Mode Volume LevelSquelch Mode Squelch Level

pressed Backlight levelb Personal channel indicatorc Channel selectedd Receiving or transmitting indicatore High or Low power indicatorf Function indicatorg Selected channel stored in memoryh Channel inhibited from scani Scan mode selected

h

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16 -Channel 16 / Working Channel (10)Press to select channel 16.

• Press and hold until double beep to select per-

sonal channel (display shows )

• Press and hold for three beeps to set selectedchannel as the personal channel.

- Backlight (11)Press to turn on and off. Use / to adjust thebacklighting level (5 levels available). The bargraphindicates the backlighting level selected.

• The battery save function turns the backlightingoff if no key is pressed after 20 seconds. Press anykey (except or ) to turn light on again.

2.2 Selecting Alternative Channel Sets

In countries where it is permitted, holding VOLdown while turning the radio on will enable theradio to operate on a secondary set of channels(Fig 2.3).

Where the display will normally show INT(International channel set) on the bottom line, thiswill show USA for USA channels, CAN forCanadian channels etc.

• Channel sets available will depend on which coun-try the radio is programmed for use in. This func-tion will only be available if permitted in thecountry of purchase. Please enquire with yournational licensing authority for details of permittedchannel sets.

• The radio will revert to International channels if itis switched off then on again.

2.3 Disable / Enable Key Beep

The R2 beeps every time a key is pressed to con-firm operation. To disable key beep, press and holdSQ while turning the set on. Repeat this procedureto turn the key beep on again.

• Second level functions (such as All Channel Scan,Triwatch etc) will still be indicated by a beep, evenif the key beep is disabled.

KEEP VOL HELD DOWN

Fig 2.3 - Selecting alternative channel set

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2.4 Removing and Attaching Battery

There are two battery options:

R2 Professional84-211 850mAh NiCad Battery

R2 GMDSS84-210 Lithium Battery (Non rechargeable)

To remove the battery, lift the two locking clipsholding the battery pack in place (Fig 2.4). Whenattaching the battery pack, ensure the two locatingpegs on the top of the battery are located into theslots in the radio and that the two locking clips haveboth engaged.

The set is fully waterproof even with the batteryremoved, but it is recommended that any moistureon the top of the battery or in the battery com-partment is wiped clear before attaching to preventthe water creating a conductive path between thecontacts and reducing battery life.

2.5 Charger Options

The R2 is supplied as standard with a 12v drop intrickle charger that will accept the whole radio, orthe battery alone (Fig 2.5). This charger will runfrom a standard 12v marine supply (12.6v - 15.5v),or from 110/220/240v mains with an appropriateoptional adaptor/power supply. Charging with thetrickle charger takes approximately 12-16 hours.There is also a rapid charger available which willcharge the battery within 11/2 hours.

• Note that only the 850mAh NiCad battery packcan be recharged - do not attempt to recharge theLithium battery pack.

2.6 Charging of Batteries

To charge the NiCad battery pack, insert the bat-tery or radio into the charger ensuring that excessmoisture is wiped clear from the contacts on theback of the battery pack. The 84-215 will tricklecharge the battery to full capacity. The 84-216 willrapid charge the battery until it is fully charged andwill then automatically switch to maintenancecharge.

Fig 2.4 - Battery pack removal

Fig 2.5 - Battery charger

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2.7 Notes on Charging

• NiCad batteries are supplied uncharged and needcharging before use.• Charge the battery up to full charge when not inuse, although it may lose some of its charge afterseveral months of storage.• Do not charge at temperatures below 0ºC orabove 40ºC.• Turn off if charging battery while fitted to theradio.• Always try to fully discharge the battery beforerecharging - repeated recharging of the batterywhile it is partly discharged may create a ‘memoryeffect’, preventing the battery reaching full charge.

• Dispose of used batteries carefully. The contentsof the batteries could be harmful to the environ-ment.• Never expose to a naked flame.• IMPORTANT : The Lithium battery pack(available only with the R2 GMDSS model)are not rechargeable, and under no circum-stances should any attempt be made torecharge these batteries. Replacement lithi-um cells can be re-ordered from your localMcMurdo Agent, quoting part No. 84-210.

2.8 Battery Level Indicator

Except when adjusting the Volume or Squelch, thebar graph on the display shows the battery chargelevel (Fig 2.7). This indicates the voltage at the bat-tery terminals, not necessarily the charge stored.Ten or nine bars indicate a fully charged battery,three or four bars mean the battery is almostdrained.

• When using a lithium battery pack, the low levelbattery indicator may flash under transmit condi-tions. This does not necessarily reflect the chargelevel remaining in the battery, as it is due to the dif-ferent voltage characteristics of a Lithium batterypack under load.

Replacement and spare batteries are available fromyour local McMurdo Agent. Please quote the rele-vant part number.

Fig 2.7 - Battery level indicator

Fig 2.6 - Charging Options

12v DC

ACMains

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3 Appendix

3.1 Licensing

Prior to use check the national licensing requirements for the operator.

In the UK license applications and queries should be made to the following authority -

Wray CastleShip Radio Licensing

PO Box 5AmblesideLA22 0BF

Tel - 015394 34662

A set may only be operated by, or under the supervision of a holder of a Certificate ofCompetence and Authority to Operate. This involves a simple examination and an annual licenserenewal fee. The VHF only certificate is administered by the Royal Yachting Association -

Royal Yachting AssociationRYA House

Romsey RoadEastleigh

Hants, SO5 4YA

Tel - 01703 629962

Holders of the Restricted Certificate of Competence in Radio-telephony (which covers MF/HF SSBetc), do not need a separate VHF certificate.

In all other countries, please contact your regional authority for information.

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3.2 Antenna

The antenna for the radio is fitted to the unit via a robust screw fitting to an M6 threaded socket on thetop of the radio. This system is more rugged than a traditional BNC connector, so the radio’s drop-proofintegrity is not compromised by the antenna fixing.

While the radio is drop-proof and very robust, damage to the antenna such as bending or kinking mayadversely affect the transmission efficiency of the unit, which may lead to overloading of the power mod-ule. Damaged antennae should be replaced immediately.

Replacement antennae can be purchased from authorised McMurdo Service Agents. Please refer to sec-tion 3.7 for more details on spare parts and accessories available.

3.3 Transmission Range

Because VHF signals travel in a straight line and are not reflected back off the ionosphere as lower fre-quency signals are, the range of VHF signals is limited to ‘line of sight’, beyond which the other vessel pass-es behind the curve of the Earth. Therefore, the range will increase greatly the higher above sea level theantenna is, as Fig 3.1 illustrates (assuming maximum transmission power is used):

Therefore, the typical range of a handheld radio such as this one used at sea level will be approximately 8Km (5 Miles). This will increase as height above sea level increases, or if the other radio user’s antenna isat a greater height - note that the range between the yacht with the antenna mounted on a 9 M (30 Ft)mast and the handheld user increases to 13-16 Km (8-10 Miles).

���������������

30 m/100 ftMast

9 m/30 ftMast

87 km / 65 M

13-16 km8-10 M

20 km / 12 M

8 km / 5 M

20-2

6 km

/ 12

-16

M46-53 km / 2

9-33 M

Cherbourg Isle of Wight

Endeavour

Niton

Fig 3.1 - VHF transmission range

3.4 Frequency of Channels

R2 GMDSS models are fitted with simplex channels only.

Channel 70 is restricted for DSC (Digital Selective Calling) use only and is therefore not available on theR2 Professional or GMDSS VHF radio.

Channel 0 will only be made available in the UK to Coastguard users with written authorisation.

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Page 13

Ai Based on - 5% Transmit at 5 Watts setting of r.f. output power (1.4 Amp)5% Receive at 200mWatts Audio (0.15Amps)90% Receiver squelched (0.02Amps)

Aii Based on - 5% Transmit at 1Watt setting of r.f output power (0.8Amp)5% Receive at 200mWatts Audio (0.15Amps)90% Receiver squelched (0.02Amps)

B Based on - 10% Transmit at 5Watt setting of r.f. output power (1.4 Amp)10% Receiver at 250mWatts Audio (0.15Amps)80% Receiver squelched (0.02Amps)

Charge Held While Stored

The Following Data is Approximate:

BATTERY PACK Typical Life of fully charged pack at 25°CDuty Cycle Ai Duty Cycle Aii Duty Cycle B

850mAh NiCad 6.8 hrs 8.14 hrs 3.89 hrs

3.5 Battery Life Guidelines

• New batteries should be fully (trickle) chargedand fully discharged several times to acheive fullcapacity.

To a large extent, the battery life will depend on theusage, or Duty Cycle of the radio - i.e the batterywill be drained much quicker if the radio is trans-mitting continually than if it is just receiving.Additionally, if the radio is set to High Power (5watts*), the power drain will be considerablygreater than if transmitting on Low Power (1 watt*)

* Standard power settings.

Battery Pack Duration

At 25 ºC At 45ºC

850mAh NiCad Up to 50% Charge 4-6 Months 4 Weeks

Values predicted from calculation -

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3.6 Fault Finding

Symptom Possible Cause Remedy

Unit will not switch on • Battery not charged • Re-charge battery• Battery not attached correctly • Ensure battery is fully

to radio engaged (see section 2.4)

Scan or Memory Scan is • Noise on the channel is • Increase squelch levellocking on a channel holding the scan • Inhibit channel from scanwithout a signal

Dual Watch not being • Priority channel selected • Select a working channelentered (normally Ch16)

Cannot change channel • Dual Watch (D/W) engaged • Exit Dual Watch

Certain channel numbers • Some channels are restricted • Consult your nationalare not obtainable and programmed out depend- authority for permitted

ing on country of purchase channels in your region

Will not transmit • Scanning or D/W function active • Exit D/W or Scan

Will not transmit on 5W • Low voltage when full transmit- • Battery charge low -but OK on 1W ting current is drawn recharge the battery

• Some channels are restricted to • Consult your nationallow power transmission only authority

Transmissions persistently • Damaged antenna • Replace antennaweak

These simple checks should be carried out before seeking technical assistance and may save time andexpense.

Before contacting your servicing agent please obtain the radio’s serial number and the software iteration- this is shown in the large digits on the display for 2 seconds after the radio is turned on.

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3.7 Spares & Accessories

The following spares and accessories are available from authorised McMurdo Agents. A list of dealers isincluded with this unit. Please quote Part No. when ordering.

84-231

Spare Antenna

84-210

Lithium Battery Pack(Non rechargeable)

84-211

850 mAh NiCad Battery Pack

84-215

Trickle Charger

84-216

Rapid Charger

84-220 (UK)84-221 (Euro)84-222 (USA)

Mains Adaptors for 84-215

84-225 (UK)84-226 (Euro)84-227 (USA)

Mains Adaptors for 84-216

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3.8 Technical Specification

ElectricalChannel Capability 54 international channels 1-28, 60-69, 71-88

Up to 10 private channels*UK : includes M (previously 37) and M2USA : includes 0, 29, 89, 75, 76,Wx1-10 receive only.Scandinavia : leisure or fishing channels as appropriate.Canada : Canadian and USA channels.

GMDSS sets have simplex channels only - 06, 08-17, 67-69, 71-74, 77

Frequency Range 155-163MhzOperating Temperature Range -20ºC - +60ºCOutput Power R2 Professional - 1 & 5 Watts R2 GMDSS - 1 & 2.5 WattsHarmonic and Spurious Emissions <.25µW Tx, <1nW RxSensitivity 0.5µV for 20 dB SINADSelectivity 70 dB (±25 kHz)Intermodulation 70 dBChannel Spacing 25kHzBlocking 90dBSpurious Response 70dBAudio Output Power Max 0.4 WattCurrent Consumption Squelched <25mA

Receive typically 125mATransmit 5 Watts 1.4A

1 Watt 0.8AWeight 400g including battery pack

* Contact local McMurdo Agent for further details of channel programming etc.

EnvironmentalWaterproof To a depth of 1m fully submersed, including a 45ºC thermal shock

Will withstand petrol, diesel and other fuel oils.Drop Resistance Will withstand a drop from 1m on to a hard surface on any face.

68mm (2.7 in) 80mm (3.2 in)

145m

m (

5.8

in)

42mm (1.7 in)

320m

m (

12.8

in)

70mm (2.8 in)

96m

m (

3.8

in)

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3.9 Service & Warranty

Your radio should seldom need servicing, although it will benefit from an application of silicone or Teflongrease to the battery contacts and antenna socket each season.

This unit is guaranteed for 2 years from date of retail sale. If it is necessary to have the unit repaired, returnit carriage prepaid to the agent in the country of purchase with a copy of the receipted invoice showingthe date of purchase. Where possible, return all the components unless you are certain that you havelocated the source of the fault. If the original packing is not available, ensure that it is well cushioned inpacking; the rigours of freight handling can be very different from the loads encountered in the marine envi-ronment for which the unit is designed.

IMPORTANT - The R2 is a sealed waterproof unit. To create and maintain its waterproofintegrity it was assembled in a controlled environment using special equipment. The radio isnot a user maintainable unit, and UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should the unit beopened, except by authorised McMurdo Service Agents. Unauthorised opening of the unitwill invalidate the warranty.

McMurdo LtdRodney RoadFrattonPortsmouthHampshireUnited KingdomPO4 8SG

A Member of Chemring Group plc

84-232 Issue 1