RadioShack DX-396 AM/SW/FM Stereo PLL Portable Reciever User Manual

Cat. No. 20-226
OWNER’S MANUAL
Please read before using this equipment.
DX-396
AM/SW/FM Stereo PLL Portable Receiver
20-226.fm  Page 1  Tuesday, December 7, 1999  1:48 PM 

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FEATURES
Your lightweight and compact Ra-
dioShack DX-396 AM/SW/FM-Stereo
PLL Portable Receiver lets you choose
from a wide variety of broadcasts on
FM, AM, and SW (shortwave) bands.
The 12 international SW bands let you
tune in to the news and other programs
from such sources as the British Broad-
casting Company, Radio Cairo, and Ra-
dio Moscow, bringing the voices of the
world to you. 
Its features include:
Dual Clock
 — has a primary clock,
which you can set to your local time, and
a secondary...

3
Three Power Options
 — let you power
the receiver with internal batteries (not
supplied), standard household AC pow-
er (using an optional AC adapter), or DC
vehicle battery power (using an optional
DC adapter).
Memory Backup
 — keeps the pro-
grammed stations in your receiver’s
memory for about 30 seconds without
batteries.
Frequency Step Switch
 — lets you set
the correct frequency step for different
countries.
12H/24H Clock Switch
 — lets you se-
lect a 12- or 24-hour time display.
Folding Stand
 —...

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CONTENTS
Preparation ..............................................................................................................  5
Connecting Power  ..............................................................................................  5
Using Internal Battery Power  .......................................................................  5
Using AC Power ...........................................................................................  5
Using Vehicle Battery Power...

5
PREPARATION
CONNECTING POWER
You can power your receiver from:
• Internal battery power (two alkaline
C batteries, not supplied).
• Standard household AC power (with
an optional AC adapter).
• Vehicle battery power (with an
optional DC adapter).
Using Internal Battery Power
To use battery power, you need two C
batteries (not supplied). For the best
performance and longest life, we recom-
mend RadioShack alkaline batteries.
Cautions:
• Use only fresh batteries of the
required size and recommended
type....

6
Cautions:
You must use a Class 2
power source that supplies
3V DC and delivers at least
300 mA. Its center tip must be set to
positive and its plug must fit the re-
ceivers 
DC 3V jack. Using an adapt-
er that does not meet these
specifications could damage the re-
ceiver or the adapter.
• Always connect the AC adapter to
the receiver before you connect it to
AC power. When you finish, discon-
nect the adapter from AC power
before you disconnect it from the
receiver.
• If you disconnect power from the...

7
Follow these steps to power your receiv-
er from your vehicle’s battery power.
1. Set the adapter’s voltage switch to
3V.
2. Connect the Adaptaplug to the
adapter’s cord with TIP set to
+POS.
3. Insert the adapters barrel plug into
the receiver’s 
DC 3V jack. This dis-
connects the internal batteries.
4. Plug the other end of the adapter
into your vehicle’s cigarette-lighter
socket.
SETTING THE TIME
The receiver has a dual time clock so
you can set the primary clock for your lo-
cal time and the...

8
• When the receiver is off, the display
always shows local time. When the
receiver is turned on, the time disap-
pears and a radio frequency
appears. To see the time when the
receiver is on, press 
CLOCK. Press
CLOCK again to return to the radio
frequency display.
Setting the Secondary Clock
Follow these steps to set the secondary
clock.
1. Press 
POWER, then press DUAL
TIME
. WORLD TIME appears.
2. Press 
TIME SET. The hour digit and
WORLD TIME flash for 10 seconds.
3. While the display flashes, use...

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USING STEREO 
HEADPHONES
For private listening, connect optional
stereo headphones into the receivers 1/
8-inch jack. Your local RadioShack store
offers a wide selection of stereo head-
phones.
Note:
 The built-in speaker disconnects
when you plug in headphones.
Listening Safely
To protect your hearing, follow these
guidelines when you use headphones.
• Set the volume to the lowest setting
before you begin listening. After you
begin listening, adjust the volume to
a comfortable level.
• Do not listen...

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OPERATION
LISTENING TO THE 
RECEIVER
Warning:
 To prevent possible ear injury
and hearing loss, set 
VOLUME to mini-
mum before you turn on the receiver. Af-
ter you turn on the receiver, set 
VOLUME
to a comfortable listening level.
Follow these steps to listen to the re-
ceiver.
1. Press 
POWER to turn on the
receiver.
2. Press 
BAND until the desired band
(FM, MW, or SW) appears on the
display. (See “Selecting the Band.” )
3. Press 
< or > or the number keys (0 –
9) to tune to the desired station....