5 GETTING STARTED continued
indication bars will advance from left to right on the scale in the upper left corner of the display. The digits in the upper right corner of the display will change to 00:00 and will count up in minutes and hours until charging is finished. Once charging is finished, CHARGE will stop flashing and the charging indicator bars in the upper left corner will stay on 5. Charging time varies depending on the milliamphour rating of the batteries. The charging circuit automatically senses the milliamp-hour rating of the batteries and will charge them for the correct amount of time. Charging time can take from 6 hours for 1100 mAh batteries to 13 hours for 2300 mAh batteries. The charging circuit will sense when the batteries are fully charged and automatically go into trickle-charge mode, thus safeguarding the batteries from being overcharged. Disconnecting the adaptor/charger ACG-10 from the E10 or pressing the CHARGER ON/OFF button will also stop charging.

6 BASIC RADIO OPERATION

TURNING THE E10 ON AND OFF The E10 can be turned on by the two methods shown below. To turn it off, press the POWER/SLEEP button (1). 1. BATTERY SAVER/TIMER METHOD: Perform a quick, short press of the POWER/SLEEP button (1). This turns the radio on with 90 in the display and causes the radio to shut off automatically after 90 minutes. The sleep timer symbol, , also appears in the display. To change the automatic shut off time from 90 minutes to the number of minutes-to-play of your preference, use the Up/Hour or Down/Min. buttons (9, 10) immediately after turning on the radio. This allows selection of minutes of playtime before automatic shut-off occurs. The number of minutes that you last set are also used the next time the radio is turned on. 2. TIMER-DEFEAT METHOD: This method defeats the automatic minute timer and causes the radio to stay on until deliberately turned off, until the batteries drain or indefinitely if used with an AC adaptor. Hold down the POWER button for about 3 seconds, then release. Note that On appears in the display and that he sleep timer symbol does not appear when this method is used. SIGNAL STRENGTH AND BATTERY STRENGTH INDICATOR When the radio is turned off, the upper left corner of the display (6) shows battery strength on the 15 scale (36), with the triangle pointer (33) under the battery symbol (34) on the far left side of the scale. When the radio is turned on, the pointer is under the antenna symbol (35) and the 1-5 scale shows relative signal strength. VOLUME AND TONE CONTROLS The volume control (31), labeled VOLUME, is located on the right side of the radio. To change the volume, rotate the volume control knob. The tone control (24), on the left side of the radio is labeled TREBLE/BASS. Use the position producing the sound that you like best. USING EARPHONES Earphones/headphones with a 1/8 inch stereo plug can be used. Plug them into the earphone socket (25) on the left side of the radio.

TUNING KNOB The TUNING knob control (28) is located on the right side of the radio. Use it to fine-tune stations or as you would a tuning knob. LOCKING THE TUNING KNOB To prevent accidentally tuning off of the radio station, the tuning knob can be locked while the radio is turned on. To lock it, press and hold the TUNING MODE button for about three seconds. Notice that the key-lock symbol flashed twice in the lower right side of the display. The tuning knob is now locked. If turned, the frequency does not change and the key-lock symbol flashes. To unlock it, press the TUNING MODE button for about three seconds. TUNING MODE FAST TUNING SLOW TUNING The TUNING MODE button (8) allows selection of fast or slow tuning when using the tuning knob or the UP/HOUR and DOWN/MIN controls. FAST or SLOW appear in the display. When tuning with the tuning knob (28), fast tuning is usually appropriate. When tuning with the UP/HOUR and DOWN/MIN buttons, use slow tuning to tune in stations and fast tuning to move up or down frequency at a rapid rate. Then use slow to actually tune in stations. Experiment with this control to see which tuning mode that you prefer. USING THE BANDWIDTH BUTTON The BANDWIDTH button (14) is used when listening to AM and SW stations. Its purpose is to help minimize interference. The preferred setting is WIDE, which provides best audio fidelity. Use NARROW when there is interference. W or N will appear in the display. USING THE SW IF SET CONTROL The SW IF SET control (13) shifts the intermediate frequency oscillator, which may help to minimize interference. This functions both for AM and shortwave. When activated, pIF shows in the display. CANCELLING TUNE-MUTE The tune-mute cancellation capability makes the E10 feel more like an analog tuned radio, even though its a high-tech digital tuner. The difference is somewhat subtle and is mainly noticeable in slow tuning mode using the tuning knob. Note that it may be difficult for some to actually hear the difference. For those who can hear the difference, tuning may sound somewhat smoother when using the tuning knob. To cancel Tune-Mute, press/release the SYSTEM SET button, then the TUNING MODE button. The display will read OFF. The Tune-Mute feature is now cancelled. To reactivate, do the same and the display will read ON.

7 CLOCK AND TIMER FEATURES
SETTING THE CLOCK The factory has set the clock to function as a 24hour format clock. If you prefer a 12 hour, AM/PM clock format, see the section titled CHANGING THE CLOCK FROM 24 TO 12 HOUR FORMAT in the section titled SYSTEM SET CODES. There are three methods for setting the clock. CLOCK SET METHOD 1 UP/HOUR and DOWN/MIN buttons: 1. Turn the radio off. The clock digits appear in the center of the display (40). 2. Press/release the button labeled Time Set (18). The clocks digits flash in the display. 3. Within 5 seconds, set the hour using the Up/ Hour button and the minutes using the Down/ Min button (9, 10). Within 5 seconds of finishing, press/release the TIME SET button or wait until the clock digits stop flashing. CLOCK SET METHOD 2 NUMERIC KEYPAD: When using this method, only 24 hour key-in format can be used to enter the time, even if the clock is set for 12 hr format time display. 1. Turn the radio off. The clock digits appear in the center of the display (40). 2. Press/release the button labeled Time Set (18). The clocks digits flash in the display. 3. Use the numeric keypad to key-in the time in 24 hour format. Within 5 seconds of finishing, press/release the TIME SET button or wait until the timer digits stop flashing. CLOCK SET METHOD 3 TUNING KNOB 1. Turn the radio off. The clock digits appear in the center of the display (40). 2. Press/release the button labeled Time Set (18). The clock digits flash in the display. 3. Within 5 seconds, press/release the Up/Hour button, then use the tuning knob to set the hour. 4. Within 5 seconds, press/release the Down/Min button, then use the tuning knob to set the minutes. 5. Within 5 seconds of finishing, press/release the TIME SET button or wait until the clock digits stop flashing. SETTING THE TIMERS (use as wake-up alarm) The E10 has two, independently programmable timers, timer A and B, enabling the E10 to turn on and play the radio for 30 minutes and then turn off. The timers can be used as wake-up alarms. After setting a timer, store a radio station into timer memory and activate the timer. See the next sections titled STORING A RADIO STATION INTO TIMER MEMORY and ACTIVATING/DEACTIVATING THE TIMER. NOTE: A radio station must be stored into timer memory. If this is not done, there will only be static once the timer is activated. When the timer activates, it turns on the radio, with the timer activation symbol appear flashing in the display. The radio will play the station stored into timer memory for 30 minutes or until you turn the radio off with the POWER/SLEEP button. The snooze feature can also be used (see section titled USING THE SNOOZE FEATURE). There are three methods to set the timer. TIMER SET METHOD 1 UP/DOWN MIN BUTTONS: 1. Turn the radio off. The timer digits (38) appear in the upper right corner of the display. 2. Press and hold down TIMER A or B button for about two seconds. The timer digits flash in the display. 3. Within 5 seconds, set the hour using the Up/Hour button and the minutes using the Down/Min but-

7 CLOCK AND TIMER FEATURES continued
ton. Within 5 seconds of finishing, press the A or B button once or just wait until the timer digits stop flashing. TIMER SET METHOD 2 NUMERIC KEYPAD: 1. Turn the radio off. The timer digits (38) appear in the upper right corner of the display. 2. Press and hold down TIMER A or B button for about two seconds. The timer digits flash in the display. 3. Use the numeric keypad to key-in the wake up time in 24 hour format. Within 5 seconds of finishing, press the A or B button once or just wait until the timer digits stop flashing. TIMER SET METHOD 3 TUNING KNOB 1. Turn the radio off. The timer digits (38) appear in the upper right corner of the display. 2. Press and hold down TIMER A or B button for about two seconds. The timer digits flash in the display. 3. Within 5 seconds, press/release the Up/Hour button, then use the tuning knob to set the hour. 4. Within 5 seconds, press/release the Down/Min button, then use the tuning knob to set the minutes. 5. Within 5 seconds of finishing, press/release the TIMER A or B button thats being worked with or wait until the timer digits stop flashing. STORING A RADIO STATION INTO TIMER MEMORY To hear a radio station when the timer activates, the station must be stored into timer memory. Heres the 3 step procedure: 1. Turn on the E10 and tune to the desired station. 2. Press/Release the MEMORY button. 3. Press/Release the TIMER A or TIMER B button. The timer symbol flashes in the display twice. NOTE: To monitor the frequencies stored into timer memory A and B, perform a three second press of the SYSTEM SET button while the radio is turned off. The set code information and the frequencies stored into timer memory flash in the display. ACTIVATING/DEACTIVATING THE TIMER For a timer to turn on the radio, it must be activated. A timer can be activated/deactivated with the radio on or off. To activate the timer, press/release the TIMER A or TIMER B button. The timer symbol will appear in the display. To deactivate a timer, press/ release the TIMER A or TIMER B button. The timer symbol will disappear from the display. USING THE SNOOZE FEATURE When the timer activates and turns the radio on, the timer activation symbol (39) appears flashing in the display. While it is flashing, press/release the SNOOZE/LIGHT button (7). The radio will turn off and then turn on again in 10 minutes. This process can be repeated 3 times.

8 WORKING WITH MEMORY

At the factory, the E10 is set up with 10 pages of memory, each page holding 50 frequencies. This enables storing of 500 frequencies into memory. This factory setting can be changed and tailored to your personal needs or can be left as-is. When first learning to store stations into memory, we suggest using the factory setting. To change the factory setting, see the section CUSTOMIZING MEMORY PAGES. When working with memory, the term PRESET appears in the display under the memory numbers. STORING STATIONS INTO MEMORY 1. Turn on the radio. 2. Tune to the desired station. 3. Press/release the MEMORY button (18). Note that the memory number digits, labeled PRESET (48) flash in the upper right corner of the display. The memory page number, labeled PAGE, also appears, but does not flash. 4. Within 5 seconds use the numeric keypad to enter the memory number that you wish to store the station into. For memories 1-9, enter the numbers as 01 09. 5. Within 5 seconds press the MEMORY button, or wait 5 seconds. This finalizes storing into memory and after a few seconds, the upper right corners display returns to showing the clock. SELECTING/CHANGING MEMORY PAGES To select/change memory pages: 1. Press/release the PAGE button (11). The page number flashes in the display. 2. Within three seconds, use either the UP/HOURDOWN/MIN button to change to the page of your choice. Alternately, use the numeric keypad to enter the page. 3. Press/release the PAGE button to finalize the page change. ACCESSING WHAT IS STORED INTO MEMORY There are three ways to access what has been stored into memory: Direct Memory Access, Manual Memory Search and Memory Auto-scan. These three methods are described below. When the memory page and memory preset numbers appear in the upper right corner of the display, as it will in the descriptions below, the radio is in MEMORY ACCESS MODE. This mode can be exited any time with a press/release of the SCAN MODE button (12). If you first need to change memory pages, see the previous section, SELECTING/CHANGING MEMORY PAGES. DIRECT MEMORY ACCESS Use the numeric keypad to key-in the memory number. For example, if the desired radio station is in memory number 01, just press 0, then 1, and it will go to memory 01. MANUAL MEMORY SEARCH Manual Memory Search enables manual searching through the memories within a memory page, as shown below: 1. Press/release the SCAN MODE (12) button. 2. Use quick, short presses on the Up/Hour-Down/ Min. buttons or use the tuning knob to search through the memories. 3. Press the SCAN MODE button when finished. MEMORY AUTO-SCAN Memory Auto-scan enables scanning through the memories within the selected memory page. Each filled memory is accessed for about 5 seconds, after which the scan move on to the next used memory automatically, staying on it for about 5 seconds. This continues indefinitely on the selected page until deliberately stopped. Unused memories are not accessed.

8 WORKING WITH MEMORY continued
1. Press/release SCAN MODE (12) button. 2. Press/hold either the Up/Hour or Down/Min. button for about a second. Then release it. Note that PRESET flashes under the memory number, indicating that memory scanning is functioning with each memory being scanned for about 4 seconds. It then moves on to the next memory for another 4 seconds. To stop memory preset auto-scan, press/release either the Up/Hour or Down/Min. button. DELETING A MEMORYS CONTENTS 1. Press/release the SCAN MODE button (12). 2. Use the Up/Hour or Down/Min. button (5,6) to select the memory preset location of the frequency that you wish to delete. Alternately, use the numeric keypad to enter the memory number. 3. Press/hold the MEMORY button (18) for about 2 seconds and then release it. dEL appears flashing in the display. 4. While del is still flashing, press/release the MEMORY button. DELETING ALL MEMORY PAGE CONTENTS 1. Press/release the PAGE button (11). 2. Press/hold the MEMORY button (18) for 5 seconds and then release it. Del and PAGE (48, 49) appear flashing in the display. 3. Within 2 seconds, press/release the MEMORY button. MOVING A STORED FREQUENCY A stored frequency can be moved to a different memory or memory page. 1. Turn on the radio. 2. Press/release the PAGE button. 3. Within 3 seconds, use the UP/HOUR or DOWN/ MIN button to select the required memory page. 4. Press/release the MEMORY button twice. 5. Within 5 seconds use the numeric keypad to enter the memory number that you wish to store the station into. 6. Within 5 seconds press/release the MEMORY button. CUSTOMIZING MEMORY PAGES The E10 is configured at the factory with 10 memory pages, each page having 50 memories, for a total of 500 memories. You can change this set-up via the SYSTEM SET CODES, shown below. HOW TO USE THE ATS FEATURE To automatically store your strongest local AM and FM stations into memory, press and hold the FM/AM-ATS button for 2 seconds. The E10 scans FM stations first and then AM stations, from the lowest frequency to the highest, storing the strongest stations into memory. Once they are stored, use the UP/HOUR and DOWN/MIN buttons to recall the stations. During the searching/storing process, pressing FM/AM.ATS stops the process, with the E10 in memory access mode, allowing the UP/HOUR or DOWN/MIN to access stations that were stored in memory. If undesired weak or noisy FM stations are stored into memory, shorten the telescopic antenna and run the ATS scanning process again. If undesired weak or noisy AM stations are stored, switch the gain control switch to NORMAL or LOCAL and run the ATS scanning process again. Stations are stored on page 0, starting with location 01, until 50 frequencies have been stored. If the number of stations is less than 50, ATS search automatically stops and the last station stored is heard. Whenever a new ATS search is performed, the new searched/stored stations will replace any previously stored stations in the ATS memory.

9 SYSTEM SET CODES

System Set Codes allow the radio to be tailored to your needs by changing certain programmable functions. These functions and their descriptions are noted in the table. SYSTEM SET CODE TABLE CODE NUMBER 00 (factory default setting) (factory default setting) FUNCTION Divide the memories into 10 pages with 50 locations Divide the memories into 20 pages with 25 locations Divide the memories into 25 pages with 20 locations Divide the memories into 50 pages with 10 locations Set the tuning steps for MW (AM) to 9KHz Set the tuning steps for MW (AM) to 10KHz Set the clock system to 12 Hr format Set the clock system to 24 Hr format Check all the segments on LCD display Rechargeable battery to be used Normal AA battery to be used Set the FM frequency range to 76-108MHz (for Japan) Set the FM frequency range to 87-108MHz (N. America/Europe) Ni-MH IN DISPLAY 10:50 20:25 25:20 50:10 9kHz 10kHz 12H 24H
9 SYSTEM SET CODES continued
CHANGING SYSTEM SET CODES To enter a system code of your choice, use the procedure below. 1. Turn off the radio. 2. Press/release the SYSTEM SET button (20). Note that - - (51) appears in the upper right corner of the display and the clock digits disappear. 3. Within 5 seconds, enter the desired numeric code with the numeric key pad, then immediately press/release the button labeled SYSTEM SET. The code ICON (52) will briefly appear in the lower right corner of the display. CHANGING THE CLOCK FROM 24 TO 12 HOUR FORMAT AN EXAMPLE OF CHANGING A SYSTEM SET CODE The instructions below serve as an excellent example of how to change a system set code, in this case changing the clock system to a 12 hour format: 1. Turn off the radio. 2. Press/release the SYSTEM SET button. Note that - - appears in the upper right corner of the display and the clock digits disappear. 3. Within 5 seconds, enter 12 with the numeric keypad, then immediately press/release the SYSTEM SET button. 12H briefly appears in the display. DEFAULT FACTORY SYSTEM SET CODES When shipped from the factory, the radios System Set Code Table is set up as follows. Changes can be made via the procedure shown in the section titled CHANGING SYSTEM SET CODES. Ten pages with 50 memories each. Code 08. 10 KHz AM (MW) tuning rate. Code 10. 24 hour clock system. Code 24. Rechargeable batteries to be used. Code 28. 87-108 MHz FM frequency coverage. Code 87. MONITORING THE CURRENT STATUS OF SET CODES AND OTHER SETTINGS Performing a three second press of the SYSTEM SET button, with the E10 turned off, allows monitoring of key set codes and other settings. This information quickly flashes in the display in the following order. 1. Time format 2. 9 or 10 kilohertz setting 3. FM tuning range setting 4. Timer As radio frequency 5. Timer Bs radio frequency 6. Rechargeable battery milliamp-hour setting

10 ADDITONAL E10 CONTROLS
USING THE LIGHT A quick, short press/release of the SNOOZE/LIGHT button (7), located on the front of the radios upper right corner, will turn on the display light, shining from the left side of the display, for about 5 seconds. A longer press/release of the button (about 3 seconds) will cause it to stay on indefinitely (note that this will decrease battery life). Turn off the light with a quick short press of the button. The E10 has a timed backlight feature. When this feature is activated, pressing any key during the hours of 6 pm to 7 am activates the backlight for 3 seconds. Follow the instructions below to turn this feature on or off. 1. Turn on the radio. 2. Press/release the ENTER/SYSTEM SET button. 3. Press/release the LIGHT/SNOOZE button. The display shows either ON or OFF, depending on its last state. USING THE ANTENNA GAIN SWITCH The Antenna Gain switch (23) has three positions, DX, NORMAL and LOCAL. This switch should normally be in the DX position, providing maximum receiving performance. If the AM or Shortwave station that you are listening to is overwhelmingly powerful and causes distortion, try the NORMAL or LOCAL position. This switch is not used for FM stations. USING THE ANTENNA TRIMMER CONTROL This control knob, labeled ANT TRIM and located on the right side of the E10, enables optimization of the E10s telescopic antenna when listening to shortwave. While listening to the station, adjust the knob for best reception. USING THE LOCK BUTTON Pressing the LOCK button causes all button-activated controls to be locked and the lock symbol appears in the lower right corner of the display. A quick, short press engages the LOCK feature. A longer press disengages it and the symbol disappears. This is an excellent feature to use when traveling, as it keeps the radio from being accidentally turned on. Before placing the radio into a suitcase, purse or briefcase, turn it off and then lock it. This control does not disengage timer functions. USING THE EXTERNAL ANTENNA SOCKET The external antenna socket is used to improve shortwave or FM performance. There are many such antennas on the market today. Typing in shortwave antennas or FM antennas on your favorite Internet search site will provide further information
11 LISTENING TO SHORTWAVE STATIONS
Are you new to shortwave listening? If so, youll want to read this section and the next section called UNDERSTANDING SHORTWAVE BANDS. WHAT ARE SHORTWAVE STATIONS? These are radio broadcast stations around the world broadcasting on frequencies that can be heard over vast distances, often many thousands of miles. In the United States, there are also about 30 domestic shortwave broadcasters with religious, politically and ideologically oriented broadcasts. WHY LISTEN TO SHORTWAVE STATIONS? There are many reasons why you may enjoy shortwave stations. Here are just some, as reported to us by our customers. Listening to news and information from other world sources often exposes you to different and unique perspectives on national and world events. Exposure to other languages and cultures, including their music and perspectives. Hearing a countrys native or folk music can be very enjoyable, even if you dont understand the language. Learning a language by hearing native speakers. Keeping in touch with another part of the world, perhaps your original homeland or that of your familys heritage. Religious, politically and ideologically oriented broadcasts. GENERAL SHORTWAVE RULES-OF-THUMB Night shortwave reception is usually better than daytime shortwave. This can change from timeto-time, so its worth checking the bands during the day too. During daytime the most active shortwave bands are 13, 15, 16, 19, and 22 meters. 16 and 19 usually being the best. At night, the most active bands are 25, 31, 41 and 49 meters, with 31 and 49 usually best. Around sunset and sunrise, both the day and night bands may be good, sometimes exceptionally good. Listening at these times can often be quite rewarding. The construction materials of some buildings severely block shortwave signals. To counteract this, hold the radio in your hands and get very close to a window. SELECTING A SHORTWAVE METER BAND WITH THE E10 All 14 of the international broadcast bands can be accessed with the E10. The bands are numbered 120, 90, 75, 60, 49, 31, 25, 22, 19, 16, 15, 13 and 11 meters and are commonly called Meter Bands. The E10 offers two ways to access a shortwave band. Each method places the tuner at the beginning of the bands frequency range. 1. Each successive quick, short press of the button labeled SW METER BAND (16) places the radio at the beginning of a band. While pressing the button, the band number shows in the upper right corner of the display (50) and disappears a few seconds after it is released, causing the clock to reappear in the corner. Start tuning only after the clock reappears. If you dont wait, then method 2, below will automatically be used. 2. Perform one quick, short press of the button labeled SW METER BAND, immediately followed by quick, short presses of either the Up/Hour or Down/ Min. tuning buttons. The band number appears in the upper right corner of the display. Once the band of choice is selected, start tuning after the clock reappears in the upper right corner. AUTO-SCAN TUNING WHILE IN SHORTWAVE In shortwave, auto-scan tuning scans in the shortwave frequency ranges noted in the Band Chart below. To tune shortwave frequencies that are inbetween these ranges, or outside of these ranges, use one of the other tuning methods, e.g. Regular Tuning (manual tuning) or Direct Frequency Entry as discussed titled TUNING IN STATIONS.

11 LISTENING TO SHORTWAVE STATIONS continued
BAND CHART OF SHORTWAVE AUTO-SCANING RANGES BAND (METERS) FREQUENCY RANGE 3150 - - - 10000 FREQUENCY RANGE 17450 - - - - 26100
SHORTWAVE TIME STATIONS (North America) The United States and Canada have shortwave time stations. The time of day is broadcast continually in Universal Time, also know as UTC and Greenwich Mean Time. The frequencies are noted below. CHU-time(Canada) CHU-time(Canada) CHU-time(Canada) WWV-time/weather(US) WWV-time/weather(US) WWV-time/weather(US) WWV-time/weather(US) WWV-time/weather(US) Best at night Day/night Best during daylight Best at night Best at night Day/night Best during daylight Best during daylight
SHORTWAVE PUBLICATIONS: FINDING SPECIFIC STATIONS To help find specific stations and their broadcast times, frequencies and target areas, review the two excellent publications shown below. They are available from major bookstores and at online booksellers. PASSPORT TO WORLD BAND RADIO. Published by International Broadcasting Services. Address: IBS North America, Box 300, Penns Park, PA 18943. Phone: 215-598-3794. Web: www.passband.com. WORLD RADIO TV HANDBOOK. Published in North America by Watson Guptil Publications, 770 Broadway 7th Floor, New York, NY 10003-9595. www. watsonguptill.com. Another way to find shortwave station information is to use an Internet search site, typing in search criteria such as shortwave radio stations or shortwave frequencies. LEARNING MORE ABOUT SHORTWAVE To learn more about shortwave see the next section titled UNDERSTANDING SHORTWAVE BANDS. Another successful way to learn more is to use your favorite Internet search site. Type in shortwave listening or shortwave stations and many articles will show.
12 UNDERSTANDING SHORTWAVE BANDS continued
THE KEY TO ENJOYING YOUR SHORTWAVE RADIO Now that you have a shortwave radio, no doubt youll want to hear worldwide stations right away. If youre new to shortwave, please take some time to learn the basics outlined below. Even if you are an experienced shortwave listener, you may find this a useful refresher. WHAT ARE BANDS? To fully enjoy shortwave listening, this is the most important concept to learn right away. To successfully listen to shortwave stations you must know how to find them. They are found in the shortwave bands. If you have ever listened to AM or FM radio, then you already know what a band is. The AM band is a frequency range stretching form 530 to 1600 kilohertz, the FM band is 66-108 megahertz. A band is simply a frequency range where stations are located. When you look for stations in these bands, you simply tune around with your tuning buttons (or the tuning knob on an analog radio) until you find a station you like. Shortwave is similar and the shortwave bands have names like 25 meters, 31 meters, 49 meters, etc. These are abbreviated 25m, 31m and 49m. Just like in AM and FM radio, one simply gets into the shortwave band and tunes around, looking for stations. For example, the 19 meter shortwave band encompasses the frequency range of 15100 to 15600 kilohertz. In the chart below is a list of the shortwave bands used for international shortwave broadcasts and their corresponding frequency ranges. Since some radios show frequency in megahertz and some in kilohertz, both are shown here. The E10 shows shortwave radio frequencies in kilohertz, KHz. The following information can be used with any shortwave radio. Look at your radios tuning scale or digital display (or owners manual) to determine which frequency designation it uses in shortwave. Most radios use the abbreviations KHz or MHz. On some shortwave radios these frequencies will look like 15100 KHz, 15105 KHz or 15110 KHz, but on other radios they might look like this: 15.1 MHz, 15.105 MHz or 15.11 MHz. Thats because some radios show frequencies as kilohertz and others show the frequencies as megahertz, as in the accompanying table. The exact frequency ranges for these

bands may vary somewhat from one radio model to another. This is perfectly OK. On some radios the bands are clearly marked, on others they are not marked at all. If it is not apparent how to get into a band on your radio, consult the owners manual, the Etn Corporation web site (www.etoncorp.com) or contact Etn Corporation and well show you how this is done for your model. A HELPFUL ANALOGY: a shortwave band is like a street with many individual addresses on it. Think of a shortwave band as you would a street with a full range of individual addresses on it, each address is a specific frequency. The 19 meter band could be called 19 Meter Street. As on any street, we have a range of addresses encompassing individual house numbers such as 15100, 15105, 15110, etc., each of these house numbers representing an individual house that you could visit on the street. In the 19 meter shortwave band, these addresses or house numbers are called frequencies and on each frequency you might visit a different shortwave radio station.
THE GENERAL SHORTWAVE BAND CHART, SHOWN BELOW, SHOWS ALL OFFICIALLY ALLOCATED SHORTWAVE BANDS.
BAND 120m 90m 75m 60m 49m 41m 31m 25m 22m 19m 16m 13m 11m
MEGAHERTZ (MHz) 2.300-2.500MHz 3.20-3.40 MHz 3.90-4.00 MHz 4.750-5.060 MHz 5.950-6.20 MHz 7.10-7.60 MHz 9.20-9.90 MHz 11.600-12.200 MHz 13.570-13.870 MHz 15.10-15.80 MHz 17.480-17.90 MHz 21.450-21.850 MHz 25.60-26.10 MHz
KILOHERTZ (KHz) 2300-2500 KHz 3200-3400 KHz 3900-4000 KHz 4750-5060 KHz 5950-6200 KHz 7100-7600 KHz 9200-9900 KHz 11600-12100 KHz 13570-13870 KHz 15100-15800 KHz 17480-17900 KHz 21450-21850 KHz 25600-26100 KHz
12 UNDERSTANDING SHORTWAAVE BANDS continued
DAY BANDS AND NIGHT BANDS THE DIFFERENCE IS IMPORTANT Because shortwave signals depend on such factors as the sun, the ionosphere and interaction with the earth itself, signals cannot be heard on all bands throughout the day. Some bands are best during the daylight hours, and some are best at night. In general, the bands with frequencies below 13 MHz (13000 KHz) are better at night and the bands with frequencies above 13 MHz (13000 KHz) are best during the day. Listed below are the characteristics of the major shortwave bands. Follow these guidelines for best listening results. How to get into a specific band will vary from one radio to another. Consult your owners manual for instruction on how to access the bands on your radio or call Etn Corporation if its not clear to you. SUNSET AND SUNRISE OFTEN THE VERY BEST TIME TO LISTEN. We are often asked whether there is a truly best time for listening to shortwave, when signals are strongest and clearest. Often, this is a window of hours right around sunset and sunrise. Sometimes its a two-hour window, other times three or four hours. Experiment to determine when its best in your area. DAYTIME LISTENING Shortwave listening is generally at its poorest during the daylight hours of about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The major reason for this is that the broadcasters are not transmitting to North America at this time, assuming that we are all either at work or at school and are not able to listen during the day. If you want to try daytime listening, use the guidelines below. Typically, daytime shortwave tends to be better in Eastern North America than in Western North America. The best daytime bands are shown in BOLD print in the table below. EVENING/NIGHT LISTENING This is the best time to listen, because the broadcasters are deliberately transmitting to North America. These bands may be extremely good around sunset and sunrise too. Best night bands are shown in BOLD print in the table below.

NIGHT BANDS 25m 31m

CHARACTERISTICS

BAND (METERS) 49 41

FREQUENCY RANGE 3150 - - - 7500
Similar to 31m Good all night everywhere. Often extremely good at sunrise and sunset. Good results often start about an hour before sunset. Similar to 49m. Good all night in Eastern North America; varies in Western North America. The best overall night band.
IF YOUR BUILDING BLOCKS SIGNALS: If you notice that the signal strength of a stations substantially improves when you get very close to a window or when you go outside, then it is certain that your building blocks shortwave signals. This blockage is due to the construction materials of your building or to having one or more stories or levels above you. The solutions to this are to do your listening very close to a window, to go outside or to set up an outdoor shortwave antenna. For ideas on how to set up an outdoor shortwave antenna, use your favorite Internet search site and type in shortwave antennas. If you dont have Internet access, contact us, Etn Corporation, using the contact methods noted at the beginning of this manual.

13 TROUBLESHOOTING

RESET PROCEDURE The RESET button is on the bottom of the E10. When performing a reset, have good batteries in the radio or power it with an AC adaptor and turn it off. Perform a reset if the solutions outlined below dont resolve the issue. To perform a reset, press the reset button with a paper clip or similar object. WILL NOT TURN ON 1. Assure that the LOCK feature is not engaged. 2. Assure that the radio has power (batteries installed or AC adaptor plugged in. 3. Assure that batteries are inserted with correct polarity 4. Assure that the batteries are not depleted 5. If using an AC adaptor, assure that it is plugged into the household outlet (mains socket) and into the radios DC socket. Take care not to plug it into the earphone socket. Also, assure that the AC adaptor is of the correct DC voltage output and polarity and that its plug-tip is of the correct inner and outer diameter. SHUTS OFF ABRUPTLY WHILE PLAYING DURING BATTERY USE This is caused by depleted batteries. Replace them. SHUTS OFF ABRUPTLY WHILE BEING MOVED DURING AC ADAPTOR USE This is usually caused by a broken wire or loose connection in the AC adaptors cord or if the AC adaptors plug-tip is of the wrong diameter. OPERATES ERRATICALLY Perform a RESET, as described in the section titled RESET PROCEDURE. STATIONS ARE RECEIVED TOO WEAK Assure that the ANTENNA GAIN switch is set to the DX position. Assure that the telescopic antenna is pulled up all the way for FM and Shortwave reception. When listening to AM stations, swivel the radio. The AM internal ferrite bar antenna is highly directional. On shortwave, adjust the ANTENNA TRIMMER. THERE IS NO SOUND FROM THE SPEAKER Assure that earphones/headphones are not plugged in and that the volume control is turned up. A STATION CAUSES SEVERE AUDIO DISTORTION, BUT SEEMS TO BE VERY STRONG IN SIGNAL STRENGTH This is probably a strong, local station, very close to your location. Because of its close proximity to you, its signal is too strong. To reduce signal

13 TROUBLESHOOTING continued
strengths, place the ANTENNA GAIN switch into the NORMAL or LOCAL position. THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT HAS A STICKY LIQUID OR DRIED WHITE POWDER IN IT This is the result of battery acid leakage. To avoid battery acid leakage, only use high quality alkaline or rechargeable nickel-metal-hydride batteries. Never intermix old with new, or different brands or types of batteries. If the batteries leak, immediately contact the manufacturer of the batteries and dont throw them away. Damage caused by battery acid leakage is not covered under warranty.

14 WARRANTY REGISTRATION

To ensure full warranty coverage or product updates, registration of your Etn or Grundig product should be complete as soon as possible after purchase or receipt. To register your radio, please select one of the following methods: 1. Register by visiting our website at http://www.etoncorp.com 2. Call our toll-free registration number anywhere in the United States or Canada at (888) 889-4391 or world-wide by dialing (204) 336-6547. French and English speaking operators available. 3. Mail your registration information to the following address: Etn Corporation 1015 Corporation Way Palo Alto, CA 94303 Product Registration Include your name, full mailing address, phone number, model purchased, date purchased, retail vendor name and product serial number (typically located in or near the battery compartment).
15 LIMITED WARRANTY TO THE ORIGINAL CUSTOMER
This Etn or Grundig brand product, as supplied and distributed by Etn Corporation (Etn) is warranted by Etn against manufacturing defects in material and workmanship for the following limited warranty period: One (1) year parts and labor This limited warranty begins on the original date of purchase, and is valid only on products purchased through an authorized Etn retailer and does not include transportation, installation, removal or reinstallation. Warranty repairs must be performed by Etn or Etns authorized service center. To receive warranty service, the original dated bill of sale must be presented upon request as proof of purchase to Etn or Etns authorized service center. Transportation to Etn or Etns authorized service center is the responsibility of the purchaser. Etn will repair or replace this product, at our option and at no charge with new or reconditioned parts, if found to be defective during the limited warranty period specified above. The product must be returned no later than 15 days beyond the expiration of the warranty period with transportation charges prepaid to Etn or Etns designated service center for warranty coverage. Prior to returning any product for warranty service, the purchaser must contact Etn for problem determination and service procedure. All replaced parts and products become the property of Etn. Replacement parts and products assume the remaining original warranty, or ninety (90) days, whichever is longer. This limited warranty covers manufacturing defects in material and workmanship encountered in normal, noncommercial use of this product and shall not apply to the following, including, but not limited to: damage which occurs due to applications and uses for which the product was not intended; failures or problems which are caused by products or equipment not supplied by Etn; accidents, misuse, abuse, neglect, misapplication, fire, water, lightning, or other acts of nature; incorrect line voltage, fluctuations or surges; damage caused by improper or faulty installation (including batteries, which may create an acid leak with irreversible circuit damage); damage caused by acid leakage; product alteration or modification; or use of unauthorized parts, supplies, accessories, or equipment which damage this product or result in service problems.

16 SERVICE INFORMATION

Service your Etn or Grundig product To obtain service for your Etn or Grundig product we recommend first contacting an Etn service representative at 800-872-2228 US, 800-637-1648 Canada or (650) 903-3866 for problem determination and trouble-shooting. Many of the common questions can be resolved quickly over the phone. There are two service types should your Etn or Grundig product need repair. 1. WARRANTY If your product is still in warranty and the Etn service representative determines that warranty service is needed, a return authorization will be issued and instructions for shipment to an authorized warranty repair facility. Do Not ship your radio back without obtaining the return authorization number. 2. NON-WARRANTY If your product is no longer under warranty and requires service our technical staff will refer you to the nearest repair facility that will be able to best handle the repair.
Etn Corporation Corporate Headquarters 1015 Corporation Way Palo Alto, California 94303 USA tel +1 650-903-3866 tel +1 800-872-2228 fax +1 650-903-3867 Etn Europe/Lextronix Germany Rosenstrasse 2 D-10178 Berlin, Germany tel +49 [0]Etn Canada 1 Yonge Street, Suite 1801 Toronto, Ontario M5E 1W7 Canada tel +1 416-214-6885

v. 01-12-06

REVIEW

Zap Checker 270

By Bob Grove W8JHD
adio frequency (RF) field strength meters have been around for the better part of a century, but more recently these have evolved from simple detectors to active circuitry. The growing presence of wireless systems has resulted in the extension of the frequency ranges of these useful devices well into the microwave spectrum.
ing device (CB, walkie-talkie, cell phone, etc.) in an RF-quiet zone, and more.

Enter the ZAP 270

may wish to provide his own SMA-connected antenna for any frequency range in the spectrum of the agile 270.

A little primer

So just what is a field strength meter, and how is it used? In its simplest form, it is nothing more than a diode connected to a meter; the diode rectifies the signal voltage being received from a nearby emitter, and the resulting current is used to deflect the meter. The closer the meter, or the stronger the RF field, the more the needle on the meter is deflected. More sophisticated units use solid-state circuitry to amplify the signal, as well as utilizing tuned circuitry for wider frequency range, and even offer audible and visual alarms for signal presence or high levels of RF energy. Uses for such a small, versatile instrument are considerable: Detection of hidden transmitters (bugs); finding wireless surveillance cameras in countermeasures assignments; screening electronic equipment including microwave ovens for RF leakage; locating sources of RF interference to receiving systems and wireless networks; adjusting transmitter and antenna systems for maximum output; notification of an unauthorized radiat-
Several years ago, the Alan Broadband Company, a California entrepreneurial company, developed their initial entry into this field, the ZAP 180, still a very popular field-strength device. But climbing upper-frequency limits have required the availability of detection and measurement equipment with higher sensitivity and directivity; thus, the ZAP 270. The model 270, as shown here, draws its operating power from two AA alkaline cells (included) with an operational lifetime exceeding 60 hours Thats efficient use of power. Its two-inch analog meter is boldly printed for easy reading and is calibrated in a simple 0-100 arbitrary scale for quick reference. A red-green LED pair gives further indication of signal presence during dimlight or nighttime conditions. A thumbwheel sensitivity control allows quick adjustment of the meter for low background (green). As the instrument is swept over a suspect area, the meter advances and the green light extinguishes as the red comes on, indicating RF presence. For unobtrusive operations, an internal vibrator alarm can be switched on, alerting the operator so he doesnt have to continually watch the instrument during the sweep. The vibration intensifies as the source is approached. The contoured shape provides comfortable and secure grip, and the compact size more like a pocket flashlight makes the instrument easy to use and easy to store. Only 5 inches long and weighing a mere 5 ounces, the 270 is easy to pack anywhere.

Our eld test

So, whats different?
So far, the model 270 sounds much like its basic brother, the 180; both offer 10 MHz to 4.5 GHz frequency coverage and high sensitivity (covert bug and cell phone detection at 20 feet or more). But this is where the similarity ends the upscale 270 includes an external antenna option for directivity. An optional log-periodic dipole array provides some directivity and a little forward gain in the 1.8-4.5 GHz range; the antenna itself is actually capable of performance through 6.4 GHz, limited only by the upper bandwidth of the 270. Alternatively, the user 68

MONITORING TIMES June 2005
The ZAP 270 is a breeze to use. Operation is intuitive, with clear labeling and few controls. The meter is large enough to see and the imprinting is bold black and white; the LEDs are large and bright; and the thumbwheel on/off sensitivity control is ergonomically positioned for right- or left-handed users. A LOG/MID/LINEAR switch permits the user to select meter response from logarithmic change of strength of 1000:1 amplitude ratio, to an intermediate range of the weakest 20 dB signals, to the sensitive linear mode for signals of a 3:1 ratio in strength. A walk-through of our home with the 270 revealed a symphony of signals, from computers and wireless networking to TVs and cordless phones. Our microwave oven was a transmitter of its own, with clearly-detectable signals 20 or more feet away. Other, more powerful signal sources like my two-meter ham transmitter and FRS transceiver really made the 270 dance, and from considerably greater distances. Since the microwave operates in the same 2.4 GHz spectrum as our wireless computer network, we decided try the optional antenna a miniature, planar-array of log-periodic dipole elements etched on a printed circuit board. It is affixed to the 270 by its SMA connector. The side switch on the 270 was moved from the internal position to the SMA position and the microwave oven switched on. Sure enough, with the 270 adjusted to a threshold sensitivity (barely lighting the LED), I could move the hand-held radio direction finder around and it always favored the position of the oven. Without the antenna, the 270 was far more omni-directional.

Does this replace the

At first glance, it would seem that an agile field-strength meter like the ZAP 270 might be substituted for a far-more-expensive spectrum analyzer for certain applications like locating surreptitious transmitting devices. While the field-strength meter does, indeed, respond to such devices, it is a broadband

spectrum analyzer?

device which also responds to anything in its frequency range, like computer microprocessors, power-line harmonics and digital circuitry in consumer appliances. This can be confusing to the user unfamiliar with such properties. Spectrum analyzers, on the other hand, are frequency-specific; they display on their

screen the discrete signal spikes from emitters throughout the spectrum, enabling their individual identification. Spectrum analyzers are also more sensitive, showing signal presence from many miles away, much like a radio receiver, which, in fact, they are. But this is not to short-sell the fieldstrength meter. Properly applied as a screening device, they are effective RF-energy finders, and particularly models like the Alan Broadband ZAP series with their inherent high sensitivity, extremely wide frequency coverage, and simplicity of use.

The bottom line

With the limitations of any field-strength meter fully understood, the ZAP270 is sure to please. Its extraordinary wide frequency response, high sensitivity, flexibility, rugged construction, battery economy and ease of use make it a first-class choice in its field. The ZAP 270 is available from Grove Enterprises for $ $259.95; the 270 with the optional 1.8-6.4 GHz antenna is $319.95.

The Versatile Eton E10

By Gayle Van Horn
he Eton E10 is a recent entry in Etons new Elite series of portable digital radios. This versatile model covers AM, FM and shortwave in a lightweight compact radio, perfect for travel or office use. The E10 receives all 14 international shortwave bands (shortwave tuning coverage from 1.711-29.999 MHz), AM broadcast band (520-1710 kHz), and the FM broadcast band. A built-in telescopic antenna is used for shortwave and FM, and an internal ferrite bar antenna is used for the AM broadcast band. A mini plug jack on the side of the radio facilitates connection of an external FM or long wire shortwave antenna. The various tuning aids in the E10 include a direct keypad frequency entry, scroll wheel, and up-down tuning buttons. You can select fast or slow for manual tuning. The up-down buttons allow you to band scan, automatically stopping on the next station encountered. Shortwave stations can be tuned in 1-kHz or 5-kHz increments. Mediumwave tuning is selectable between 9kHz/10kHz. The bandwidth button is used when listening to SW or AM stations, to minimize interference. When shortwave listening, the SW IF SET button can shift the intermediate frequency to help minimize interference. For extra matching of the antenna to the radio, the E10 includes an Antenna Trimmer Control knob to optimize the models telescopic antenna when listening to shortwave. An added feature is the ten pages of memory, each page holding 50 frequencies. This enables storing of 500 frequencies in memory for scanning. The factory presets a memory bank, which may be used or reset using a direct entry of the numeric keypad for your personal listening needs. I found the Memory AutoScan especially helpful when checking for preset favorite stations. Frequencies are displayed in a large backlit LCD, while signal strength is indicated via a five-level graph bar. The radios back stand proved helpful for

table top or hand-held listening. The interval speaker provided a rich audio tone with loud, crisp and good audio levels. A set of ear buds are included for private listening and stereo reception in the FM mode. In recent testing and monitoring, I discovered an above average radio with a dynamic range for a low end portable. FM reception was exceptional, as well as medium wave reception from foreign station in the Caribbean and Mexico. Shortwave reception among the international power-houses and tropical band stations proved impressive for this portable radio. Though not a DX-machine, it proved impressive in monitoring stations with good to very good signal strengths at levels comparable to a lower-cost table top receiver. Band scans in the 41, 31, 25, 49, 19, 22 and 16 meter bands indicated better than average signal strengths for general program listening. Other features of the E10 include a 12/24 built-in clock, which may be set for either format, and the snooze feature to wake you up to a preset station or the last one tuned. Other refinements found on the side of the radio include a DX-local switch, tone button, and FM/SW external antenna jack. The E10 operates from four rechargeable 1100 mAh Ni-MH AA batteries that may be charged inside the radio with the supplied AC wall charger. For the FM, AM or shortwave listener
seeking an affordable portable digital radio, the new E10 is just what youre looking for. Whether for travel, the office, bedside or carry-along, this is a terrific radio. The complete product kit includes a protective case, wind-up antenna, owners manual, four AA batteries and product booklet. The E10 is available for $130.00 USD via the Eton website http://www.etoncorp. com. For additional information about the E10 or other Eton products, call 1-800-872-2228.

June 2005

MONITORING TIMES