Albrecht AE55H Portable Scanner Short Form Manuals

							OWNER’S MANUALAE55H
50-Channel Portable Scanner
Your new Albrecht AE55H 50-Channel Portable Scanner gives
you direct access to over 27,000 exciting frequencies, inclu-
ding police and fire departments, ambulance services, and
amateur radio services. You can select up to 50 channels to
scan, and you can change your selection at any time.
The secret to your scanner’s ability to scan so many frequen-
cies is its custom-designed microprocessor – a tiny, built-in
computer.
Your scanner has these special features:
Ten Preprogrammed Search Bands – let you search for trans-
missions within preset frequency ranges, so you can find inter-
esting frequencies more quickly.
Fifty Channels – let you store up to 50 of your favorite fre-
quencies for easy recall and scanning.
Duplicate Frequency Check – automatically warns you if you
try to store a frequency you’ve already stored, to help you use
the scanner’s memory more efficiently.
Monitor Memory – lets you temporarily save a frequency
located during a direct search, so you can move it to channel
storage later.
Channel Lockout – keeps channels you select from being
scanned.
Memory Backup – keeps the channel frequencies stored in
memory for about 1 hour during a power loss.
Two-Second Scan Delay – delays scanning for 2 seconds
before moving to another channel, so you can hear more
replies.
Key Lock – lets you lock the keys to help prevent accidentally
changing the scanner’s programming.
Flexible Antenna with BNC Connector  – provides excellent
reception. The BNC connector makes it easy to attach and
remove the antenna or a variety of optional antennas.
Liquid Crystal Display  – clearly displays how the scanner is
set and makes it easy to change those settings.
Three Power Options – you can power the scanner from
internal batteries (not supplied – including non-rechargeable 
						

							batteries, rechargeable batteries, or a rechargeable scanner
battery pack) or external AC or DC power (using optional
adapters).
Your AE55H scanner can receive the following
frequency bands:
26-54 MHz
68-88 MHz
137-174 MHz
380-512 MHz
For a list of the frequency ranges in the ten preprogrammed
search bands, see “Search Bands”.
PREPARATION
POWER SOURCES
You can power your scanner from any of four sources:
· Internal batteries (not supplied) with the provided batteryholder
· A rechargeable scanner battery pack (not supplied)
· Standard AC power (using an optional AC adapter)
· Vehicle battery power (using an optional DC cigarette-lighter adapter)
You can power your scanner from six AA batteries. For the lon-
gest operation and best performance, we recommend alkaline
batteries. You can also power the scanner using a rechargea-
ble scanner battery pack or rechargeable nickel-cadmium bat-
teries, and recharge it as you use the scanner.
Caution: Do not mix old and new batteries, different types of
batteries (standard, alkaline, or rechargeable), or rechargeable
batteries of different capacities.
Notes:
· The PWR jack lets you connect an external AC or DC adap-
ter to operate the scanner. Connecting an adapter to PWR
disconnects the internal batteries. You can use the PWR jack
with either non-rechargeable or rechargeable nickel-cadmium
batteries installed.
· The CHG jack lets you connect an external AC or DC adapter
to operate the scanner. The internal batteries remain connec-
ted when you connect an adapter to CHG, and get recharged
when you connect a charger.
Warning: Never use the CHG jack with non-rechargeable bat-
teries! If you try to recharge non-rechargeable batteries, they
could get very hot and explode. 
						

							Battery Install
1. Press down on the battery compartment cover on the bot-
tom of the scanner and slide the cover in the direction of the
arrow to remove it.
2. Slide the battery holder out of the battery compartment.
3. If you are installing individual batteries, insert six AA batte-
ries in the battery holder as indicated by the polarity symbols
(+ and -) marked on the battery holder.
4. Slide the battery holder or battery pack into the compart-
ment.
Caution:The battery holder or battery pack fits only one way
inside the battery compartment. Do not force it.
5. Replace the cover.
When battery power is low, BATT flashes and the scanner
beeps about every 3 seconds. Immediately replace all six non-
rechargeable batteries or recharge the rechargeable batteries
or battery pack.
Caution: Always dispose of old batteries promptly and proper-
ly. Do not bury or burn them.
Using Standard AC Power
To power the scanner from AC power, you need an AC adap-
ter.
Cautions:
· You must use an AC adapter that supplies 9 volts and deli-
vers at least 200 milliamps. Its center tip must be set to negati-
ve, and its barrel plug must correctly fit the scanner’s
PWR/CHG jack. The recommended adapter meets these spe-
cifications. Using an adapter that does not meet these specifi-
cations could damage the scanner or the adapter.
· When you finish using the AC adapter, disconnect it from the
AC outlet first. Then disconnect it from the scanner.
Plug the adapter’s barrel plug into the scanner’s PWR jack.
Then plug the adapter’s power module into a standard AC out-
let. 
						

							Using Vehicle Battery Power
To power the scanner from your vehicle’s cigarette-lighter
socket, you need a DC adapter.
Cautions:
· You must use a DC adapter that supplies 9 volts and delivers
at least 200 milliamps. Its center tip must be set to negative,
and its plug must correctly fit the scanner’s PWR/CHG jack.
The recommended adapter meets these specifications. Using
an adapter that does not meet these specifications could
damage the scanner or the adapter.
· To protect your vehicle’s electrical system, always plug the
adapter into the scanner before you plug it into your vehicle’s
cigarette-lighter socket. Always unplug the adapter from the
vehicle’s cigarette-lighter socket before you unplug it from the
scanner.
Plug the adapter’s barrel plug into the scanner’s PWR jack.
Then plug the adapter’s power module into your vehicle’s ciga-
rette-lighter socket.
Charging a Rechargeable Battery Pack/Rechargeable
Batteries
Your scanner has a built-in charging circuit that lets you charge
a rechargeable battery pack or rechargeable nickel-cadmium
batteries while it is in the scanner. To charge it, simply connect
an AC or DC adapter to the scanner’s CHG jack.
It takes about 14-16 hours to recharge a battery pack (rechar-
geable batteries) that is fully discharged. You can operate the
scanner while recharging the battery pack (rechargeable batte-
ries), but charging takes longer.
Note:A rechargeable battery pack (rechargeable batteries)
lasts longer if you let it fully discharge once a month. To do
this, simply use the scanner until BATT flashes and the scan-
ner beeps about every 3 seconds. Then fully charge it.
Important! At the end of a rechargeable battery pack or batte-
ries useful life, it must be recycled or disposed of properly.
Contact your local, county, or state hazardous waste manage-
ment authorities for information on recycling or disposal pro-
grams in your area. Some options that might be available are:
municipal curb-side collection, drop-off boxes a retailers such
as your local store, recycling collection centers, and mailback
programs.
CONNECTING THE ANTENNA
Follow these steps to attach the supplied flexible antenna to
your scanner.
1. Align the slots around the scanner’s connector with the tabs
on the ANT jack. 
						

							2. Press the antenna down over the jack and turn the
antenna’s base clockwise until it locks into place.
Connecting an Optional Antenna
The ANT jack on the top of the scanner makes it easy to use
the scanner with a variety of antennas. Instead of the supplied
antenna, you can attach a different one, such as an external
mobile antenna or outdoor base station antenna.
Follow the installation instructions supplied with the antenna,
route the antenna cable to the scanner, then connect it to the
ANT jack.
Warning:Use extreme caution when installing or removing an
outdoor base station antenna. If the antenna starts to fall, let it
go! It could contact overhead power lines, if the antenna tou-
ches a power line, contact with the antenna, mast, cable or
guy wires can cause electrocution and death! Call the power
company to remove the antenna. Do not attempt to do so
yourself.
USING THE BELT CLIP
You can use the belt clip for hands-free carrying when you are
on the go. Simply slide the belt clip over your belt or waist-
band.
CONNECTING AN EARPHONE/HEADPHONES
For private listening, you can plug a mono or stereo earphone/
headphone with a 3.5 mm plug into the PHONE jack on top of
your scanner. This disconnects the internal speaker.
Caution: To protect your hearing, follow these guidelines when
you use an earphone or headphones:
· Do not listen at extremely high volume levels. Extended high-
volume listening can lead to permanent hearing loss.
· Once you set the volume, do not increase it. Over time, your
ears adapt to the volume level, so a volume level that does not
cause discomfort might still damage your hearing.
Warning: Do not use an earphone or headphones with your
scanner when operating a motor vehicle or riding a bicycle, in
or near traffic. Doing so can create a traffic hazard and could
be illegal in some areas. 
						

							CONNECTING AN EXTENSION SPEAKER
In a noisy area, an extension speaker or an amplified speaker
might provide more comfortable listening.
We recommend to use an active speaker  (like they are sold
for portable music players)
Plug the speaker cable’s 3.5 mm plug into your scanner’s
PHONE jack.
YOUR SCANNER
A LOOK AT THE KEYPAD
Your scanner’s keys might seem confusing at first but this
information should help you understand each key’s function.
SCAN – scans through the programmed channels.
MANUAL – stops scanning to let you directly enter
a channel number.
BAND – selects a preprogrammed search band.
MON – accesses the monitor memory.
LICHT – turns on/off the display’s backlight
Up or Down keys - searches down or up from the currently
displayed frequency, or selects the direction when you scan
channels.
(key symbol) – locks/unlocks the keypad to prevent accidental
entries.
CLEAR – clears an incorrect entry.
PGM – lets you program frequencies into channels.
Number Keys – use these keys to enter the numbers for a
channel or frequency.
DLY/. (delay/decimal point) – programs a 2-second delay for
the selected channel, or enters a decimal point (necessary
when programming frequencies).
L-OUT/E (lockout/enter) – locks out channels so they will not
be scanned, or enters frequencies into channels.
A LOOK AT THE DISPLAY
The display has indicators that show the scanner’s current
operation.
MAN – appears when you manually select a channel.
SCAN – appears when you scan channels.
MON  – appears when you listen to the monitor memory.
BATT – appears when battery power is low. 
						

							L/O– appears when you manually select a channel you locked
out.
SRCH – appears during a band or direct frequency search.
Up or Down-symbols - indicates the search or scan direction.
DELAY – appears when you program a 2-seconds delay for a
channel.
PGM – appears while you program frequencies into the scan-
ner’s channels.
(key symbol) – appears when you lock the keypad.
ch – appears after the digits (1-50) that show which channel
the scanner is tuned to.
-d – appears during a direct frequency search.
000.000 – the digits on the right of the display show which fre-
quency the scanner is tuned to.
Error – appears when you make an entry error.
dUPL (duplicate) – appears when you try to store a frequency
that is already stored in another channel.
UNDERSTANDING BANDS/MONITOR MEMORY
Search Bands
Your scanner can tune over 27,000 different frequencies. Many
of these frequencies are grouped within permanent memory
locations called search bands.
Band Displayed Description Search Range (MHz)
0 26-40 VHF Lo
1 40-54 VHF-Lo  and  6 m Amateur Radio
2 68-78 VHF-Lo
3 78-88 VHF-Hi
4 137-144 VHF-Hi
5 144-146 2-Meter Amateur  Radio
6 146-174 VHF-Hi
7 410-430 UHF
8 430-440 70-cm Amateur  Radio
9 440-470 UHF
You can search these bands to quickly find active frequencies
you might want to store into the scanner’s channels. For
example, if you wanted to search for transmissions between
amateur radio operators, you could search only the search
bands where you are most likely to hear the transmissions
(Bands 5, and 8).
Note: The frequencies in the scanner’s search bands are pre-
set. You cannot change them. 
						

							Monitor Memory
The scanner also has a monitor memory that you can use to
temporarily store a frequency while you decide whether to
save it into a channel. This is handy for quickly storing an acti-
ve frequency when you are searching through an entire band
using direct search. See “Direct Search”.
OPERATION
TURNING ON THE SCANNER/SETTING VOLUME AND
SQUELCH
Note: Make sure the scanner’s antenna is connected before
you turn it on.
1. Turn SQUELCH fully counterclockwise.
2. Turn VOLUME clockwise until it clicks and you hear a his-
sing sound.
3. Turn SQUELCH clockwise until the hissing sound stops.
Notes:
· If the scanner picks up unwanted, partial, or very weak trans-
missions, turn SQUELCH clockwise to decrease the scanner’s
sensitivity to these signals. If you want to listen to a weak or
distant station, turn SQUELCH counterclockwise.
· If SQUELCH is adjusted so you always hear a hissing sound,
the scanner does not scan properly.
· If you have not stored frequencies into any channels, the
scanner does not scan.
STORING ACTIVE FREQUENCIES
You can manually store frequencies you already know into the
scanner’s channels. You can also store frequencies you found
using band search directly into channels. You can also store a
frequency into a monitor memory then store it into a channel.
If you do not have a reference to frequencies in your area, fol-
low the steps in “Band Search” or “Direct Search” to search \
for
transmissions.
Manually Storing Frequencies
If you know a frequency you want to store, you can store it
manually.
1. Press PGM. PGM appears.
2. Use the number keys to enter the channel number where
you want to store the frequency (1-50), then press PGM again.
Or, repeatedly press PGM until the desired channel number
appears. 
						

							3. Use the number keys and DLY/. to enter the frequency
(including the decimal point) you want to store into that chan-
nel.
4. Press E to store the frequency.
Notes:
· If you entered an invalid frequency in Step 3, Error appears,
the channel number flashes, and the scanner beeps three
times after you press E. Simply repeat Steps 3 and 4.
· Your scanner automatically rounds the entered frequency
down to the nearest valid frequency. For example, if you enter
a frequency of 151.4730, your scanner accepts it as 151.4700.
· If you entered a frequency that is already stored in another
channel, dUPL (duplicate) and the lowest-numbered channel
containing the duplicate frequency flash for about 3 seconds.
To store the frequency anyway, press E again.
5. Repeat Steps 2-4 to store more frequencies into channels.
Band Search
If you do not know of a frequency to store, you can search
your scanner’s preprogrammed search bands (see “Search
Bands”) for active frequencies, then store any that you find into
your scanner’s channels.
Follow these steps to search for and store active frequencies
using band search.
1. Press BAND. The last selected band number (B followed by
the band number) and the frequency search range appear for
about 2 seconds.
2. To select a different band within 2 seconds, enter the band’s
number (0-9) or repeatedly press BAND until the desired band
number appears.
After about 2 seconds, SRCH Up appears, the next available
channel flashes, and the scanner begins searching rapidly
upward in that band (from lowest to highest frequency) for an
active frequency.
Notes:
· To reverse the search direction at any time, hold down the
Down key for about 1 second.
· To search the band upward or downward in small increments
(in steps or 5 of 12.5 kHz, depending on the band), repeatedly
press and release Up or Down.
The scanner stops when it finds an active frequency.
3. To store the displayed frequency in the channel currently
flashing on the display, press E. The scanner stores the fre-
quency, then the next available channel flashes and continue
the search. 
						

							Notes:
· After you store a frequency into the last available channel, --
ch appears instead of a channel number. If you try to store a
channel while --ch appears, Ch FULL appears briefly. In order
to store more frequencies, you must clear some channels. See
“Clearing a Channel”.
Direct Search
You can search up or down from the currently displayed fre-
quency and store the frequency into the monitor memory.
1. Press MANUAL or PGM, then use the number keys and
DLY/. to enter the frequency where you want to start the
search.
Note: To start from a frequency already stored in one of your
scanner’s channels, press MANUAL or PGM, enter the desired
channel number, then press MANUAL or PGM again.
2. Hold down Up or Down for about 1 second to search up or
down from the selected frequency.
When the scanner finds an active frequency, it stops sear-
ching.
3. To store the frequency in the monitor memory, simply press
MON. MON appears on the display.
4. To continue the search, hold down Up or Down for about 1
second.
MOVING A FREQUENCY FROM THE MONITOR MEMORY
TO A CHANNEL
1. Press MANUAL, enter the channel number where you want
to store the frequency, then press PGM. PGM, the frequency
number or 000.0000, and the selected channel number appe-
ar.
2. Press MON. MON and the frequency appear and the chan-
nel number flashes.
3. Press E. MON disappears, the channel number stops flas-
hing, and the scanner stores the frequency in the selected
channel.
MONITORING A STORED CHANNEL
You can continuously monitor a specific channel without scan-
ning. This is useful if you hear an emergency broadcast on a
channel and do not want to miss any details – even though
there might be periods of silence – or if you simply want to
monitor that channel.
Follow these steps to manually select a channel.