Standard Horizon HX270S Handheld Tranciever Operating Instructions

							HX270S
VHF/FM Marine
Handheld Transceiver
Owner's Manual
HX270S 
						

							TABLE OF CONTENTS
FCC LICENSE INFORMATION ................................................................... 3
FCC NOTICE................................................................................................ 4
1. GENERAL INFORMATION ...................................................................... 5
2. ACCESSORIES....................................................................................... 6
2.1  PACKING LIST .................................................................................. 6
2.2  OPTIONS.......................................................................................... 6
3. BATTERY ................................................................................................. 7
3.1  BATTERY CHARGING ...................................................................... 7
3.2  BATTERY REMOVAL/INSTALLATION ............................................. 7
3.3  USING THE NC-88 BATTERY CHARGER ...................................... 8
3.4  FBA-25A  ALKALINE BATTERY CASE ............................................ 8
3.5  BATTERY SAFETY ........................................................................... 9
4. CONTROLS AND INDICATORS .......................................................... 10
4.1  CONTROLS and CONNECTIONS................................................. 11
4.2  INDICATORS .................................................................................. 13
5. OPERATION .......................................................................................... 15
5.1  INITIAL SETUP .............................................................................. 15
5.2  RECEPTION.................................................................................. 16
5.3  TRANSMISSION............................................................................ 17
5.4  TRANSMIT TIME-OUT TIMER (TOT) ............................................ 17
5.5  USA, CANADIAN, AND INTERNATIONAL BANDS ...................... 18
5.6  NOAA WEATHER CHANNELS..................................................... 18
5.7  SCAN.............................................................................................. 19
5.8  PROGRAMMABLE PRIORITY SCAN ........................................... 20
5.9  DUAL WATCH ................................................................................ 20
5.10  EMERGENCY (CHANNEL 16 USE) ............................................ 21
5.11  CALLING ANOTHER VESSEL (CHANNEL 16 OR 9) ................. 21
5.12  OPERATING ON CHANNEL 13 .................................................. 22
5.13  OPERATING ON CHANNEL 67 .................................................. 22
5.14  PRESET CHANNELS (1 ~ 8): INSTANT ACCESS ..................... 23
5.15  SIMPLEX/DUPLEX CHANNEL USE ........................................... 23
5.16  SETUP MODE .............................................................................. 24
6. MAINTENANCE.................................................................................... 26
7. PRODUCT SUPPORT INQUIRIES...................................................... 27
8. CHANNEL ASSIGNMENTS ................................................................. 27
9. WARRANTY .......................................................................................... 34
10. SPECIFICATIONS.............................................................................. 37
HX270S 
						

							HX270SPage 1
RF Exposure Safety Statement
This Radio has been tested and complies with the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) RF exposure limits for Occupational Use/Controlled expo-
sure environment. In addition, it complies with the following Standards and Guide-
lines:

FCC@96-326, Guidelines for Evaluating the Environmental Effects of Radio-
Frequency Radiation.

FCC OET Bulletin 65 Edition 97-01 (1997) Supplement C, Evaluating Compli-
ance with FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radio Frequency Electro-
magnetic Fields.

ANSI/IEEE C95.1-1992, IEEE Standard for Safety Levels with Respect to
Human Exposure to Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Fields, 3kHz to 300
GHz.

ANSI/IEEE C95.3-1992, IEEE Recommended Practice for the Measurement
of Potentially Hazardous Electromagnetic Fields-RF and Microwave.
WARNING
This radio generates RF electromagnetic energy during transmit mode. This
radio is designed for and classified as Occupational Use Only, meaning it
must be used only during the course of employment by individuals aware of
the hazards, and the ways to minimize such hazards. This radio is not in-
tended for use by the General Population in an uncontrolled environment.
CAUTION
To ensure that your expose to RF electromagnetic energy is within the FCC
allowable limits for occupational use, always adhere to the following guidelines:
SAFETY INFORMATION
This radio is NOT approved for use by the general population in an uncon-
trolled environment. This radio is restricted to occupational use, work re-
lated operations only where the radio operator must have the knowledge to
control its RF exposure conditions.

When transmitting, hold the radio in a vertical position with its microphone
1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) away from your mouth and keep the antenna at
least 1 inch (2.5cm) away from your head and body.

The radio must be used with a maximum operating duty cycle not exceed-
ing 50 %, in typical Push-to-Talk (Manual PTT) configurations.
DO NOT transmit for more than 50 % of total radio use time (50 % duty
cycle). Transmitting more than 50 % of the time can cause FCC RF expo-
sure compliance requirements to be exceeded.
The radio is transmitting when the red LED on the front panel of the radio
is illuminated. You can cause the radio to transmit by pressing the PTT
button.

Only use the Standard Horizon accessories designed for this product de-
tailed on Page 6.         
						

							HX270SPage 2
Congratulations on your purchase of the HX270S! Whether this is your first
portable marine VHF transceiver, or if you have other STANDARD HORIZON
equipment, the STANDARD HORIZON organization is committed to ensur-
ing your enjoyment of this high-performance transceiver, which should pro-
vide you with many years of satisfying communications even in the harshest
of environments. STANDARD HORIZON technical support personnel stand
behind every product we sell, and we invite you to contact us, should you
require technical advice or assistance, at (800)767-2450.
We appreciate your purchase of the HX270S, and encourage you to read
this manual thoroughly, so as to learn and understand the capabilities of the
HX270S fully.
ABOUT VHF MARINE RADIO
The radio frequencies used in the VHF marine band lie between 156
and 158 MHz with some shore stations available between 161 and 163
MHz. The marine VHF band provides communications over distances
that are essentially “line of sight” (VHF signals do not travel well through
objects such as buildings, hills or trees). Actual transmission range de-
pends much more on antenna type, gain and height than on the power
output of the transmitter. The approximate distance a portable 5W radio
may communicate  is about 5 miles in if there are no obstructions (build-
ings, hills etc.) restricting line of sight transmission. 
						

							HX270SPage 3
FCC RADIO LICENSE INFORMATION
Standard Horizon radios comply with the Federal Communication Commis-
sion (FCC) requirements that regulate the Maritime Radio Service.
PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS
The FCC prohibits the following communications:

 False distress or emergency messages:

 Messages to “any boat” except in emergencies and radio tests;

 Messages to or from a vessel on land;

 Transmission while on land;

 Obscene, indecent, or profane language (potential fine of $10,000).
STATION LICENSE
An FCC ship station license is no longer required for any vessel traveling in
U.S. waters which uses a VHF marine radio, RADAR or EPIRB, and which is
not required to carry radio equipment. FCC license forms, including applica-
tions for ship (506) and land station licenses can be downloaded via the
Internet at 
www.fcc.gov/formpage.html. To obtain a form from the FCC, call
(888) 225-5322.
RADIO CALL SIGN
Currently the FCC does not require recreational boaters to have a Ship Radio
Station License. The USCG recommends the boat’s registration number and
the state to be used.
CANADIAN SHIP STATION LICENSING
You may need a license when traveling in Canada. If you do need a license
contact their nearest field office or regional office or write:
Industry Canada
Radio Regulatory Branch
Attn: DOSP
300 Slater Street
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada, KIA 0C8 
						

							HX270SPage 4
FCC/INDUSTRY CANADA INFORMATON
The following data pertaining to the transceiver is necessary to fill out the
license application.
FCC Type Accepted...........................................................................Part 80
Output Power with FNB-83 ...............1 W (Low), 2.5 W (Mid), and 5 W (High)
Emission.........................................................................................16K0G3E
Frequency Range.................................................. 156.025 to 157.425 MHz
FCC Type Number .................................................................K6630073X20
Industry Canada Type Approval.......................................... 511B-30073X20
FCC NOTICE
Unauthorized changes or modifications to this equipment may void
compliance with FCC Rules. Any change or modification must be
approved in writing by STANDARD HORIZON, the Marine Division of
VERTEX STANDARD.
NOTICE
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for
a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These
limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses
and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to
radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference
will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be de-
termined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to
try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced marine electronics technician
for help. 
						

							HX270SPage 5
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
1.1 INTRODUCTION
The HX270S is a submersible, miniature 5-Watt portable two-way VHF ma-
rine transceiver. The transceiver has all allocated USA, international, or
Canadian channels. It has an emergency channel 16 which can be immedi-
ately selected from any channel by pressing the 16/9 key. NOAA weather
channels can also be accessed immediately by pressing the WX key.
The transceiver includes the following features: Memory Scanning, Program-
mable Priority Scanning, NOAA Weather Alert, Battery Saver, easy-to-read
large LCD display, EEPROM memory back-up, Battery Life displayed on
LCD, and a transmit Time-Out Timer (TOT).
The transmitter provides a maximum of 5 Watts output, and has the selection
of 2.5  Watts and 1 Watt to assist the user in ensuring maximum battery life. 
						

							HX270SPage 6
2. ACCESSORIES
2.1 PACKING LIST
When the package containing the transceiver is first opened, please check
it for the following contents:
• HX270STransceiver
• FNB-837.2 V, 1400 mAh Ni-MH Battery Pack
• NC-88B120 VAC Overnight Charger
• CD-26Charger Cradle
• FBA-25AAlkaline Battery Case
• CAT460Antenna
• E-DC-19ADC Cable with 12 V Cigarette Lighter Plug
• CLIP-14Belt Clip with screw
• Owner’s Manual
2.2 OPTIONS
CD-26Charger Cradle
FBA-25AAlkaline Battery Case
FNB-837.2 V, 1400 mAh Ni-MH Battery Pack
E-DC-19ADC Cable with 12 V Cigarette Lighter Plug
NC-88B120 VAC Overnight Charger
E-DC-6DC Cable; plug and wire only
VA C 3 7 0Rapid Charger
CE68PPS Software
C T-111Cable SET for CE68
CAW230Radio-to-Ship’s-Antenna Adapter
Note: Before operating the HX270S
for the first time, it is recom-
mended that the battery be
charged. 
						

							HX270SPage 7
3. BATTERY
The FNB-83 is a high performance rechargeable battery providing high ca-
pacity in a compact package.
3.1 BATTERY CHARGING
If the radio has never been used, or its charge is depleted, it may be charged
by connecting the NC-88 battery charger (see figure 2 on page 8). If 12V DC
power is available, the optional E-DC-6 or the E-DC-19A DC adapter with
cigarette plug may be used for charging the battery. The NC-88, E-DC-6 and
E-DC-19A will charge a completely discharged FNB-83 battery pack in about
10 hours.
3.2 BATTERY REMOVAL/INSTALLATION
1. Turn the transceiver off.
2. To remove, open the Battery Pack Latch on the bottom of the trans-
ceiver, then slide the battery downward and out from the transceiver.
3. To install, insert the battery pack into the battery compartment on the
back of the transceiver, then close the Battery Pack Latch until it locks in
place with a “click.”
Figure 1
Install the Battery Pack
Close the
Battery Pack Latch




Important Notice
To avoid  the ingress of water between the transceiver body and battery
pack/case, close the Battery Pack Latch until it locks in place with a
“click” while pressing  and holding  the battery pack/case  in to ward the
top panel (secure the upper edge of the battery pack/case snugly against
the upper edge of the battery nest). 
						

							HX270SPage 8
3.3 USING THE NC-88 BATTERY CHARGER
1. Install the supplied FNB-83 battery pack on the rear of the HX270S.
Ensure that the transceiver is switched off.
2. Plug the NC-88 Overnight Charger into the
AC line outlet, then insert the cable plug
into the jack located on the side panel of
the CD-26 Charger Cradle.
3. Insert the transceiver and battery pack into
the CD-26; the antenna jack should be at
the left side when viewing the charger from
the front.
4. If the transceiver and battery pack are in-
serted correctly, the Red indicator on the
CD-26 will glow. A fully-discharged pack will
be charged completely in 10 hours.
Important Notes:

The NC-88 is not designed to power the transceiver for operation (re-
ception or transmission).

Do not leave the charger connected to the transceiver for continuous
periods in excess of 24 hours. Long term overcharging can degrade the
Ni-MH battery pack and significantly shorten its useful life.

If using a charger other than the NC-88/CD-26, or if using a battery pack
other than the FNB-83, follow the appropriate instructions provided with
the charger/battery. Contact your Dealer if you have any doubts about
the appropriateness of the particular charger or battery pack you intend
to use.
3.4 FBA-25A Waterproof Alakline Battery Tray
FBA-25A is a battery case that holds six alkaline batteries and is used with the
HX270S transceiver.
When installing batteries, insert the (–) end first, then press in the (+) end so
the battery snaps into place. Always replace all six batteries at the same
time, paying attention to the polarity indicated inside the case.
The FBA-25A must not be used with rechargeable cells. The FBA-
25A does not contain the thermal and over-current protection
circuits (provided in the "FNB" series of Ni-MH Battery Packs) required
when utilizing Ni-Cd and Ni-MH cells.
Figure 2