ALINCO DR-135LH (01) PDF Document

Your ALINCO DR-135LH features some of the most advanced functions and reliable engineering available. The ALINCO design philosophy is focused on developing innovative usable features, including the following:

• Three different styles of display are available on a large LCD panel including frequency, channel number or 7 digit alphanumeric label.

• Simple, clean layout of keys and knobs ensure convenient operation.

• High-quality materials are used throughout the product and a huge heat sink around the chassis ensures stable and durable operation.

• 100 fully programmable memory channels with alphanumeric memory channel labels.

• CTCSS, DCS and 4 different Tone-Bursts are standard for selective calling and repeater access worldwide.

• The transceiver has a cable clone capability.

• The Theft Alarm feature gives an extra measure of security for mobile installation. (An optional cable may be required).

Below is a feature comparison for the ALINCO DR-135LH:

When you unpack your ALINCO DR-135LH, you should find the following items in the package in addition to the instruction manual:

• Transceiver

• Microphone EMS-53

• DC power cable with fuse holder (UA0038)

• Mobile mounting bracket (FM0078Z)

• Hardware kit for bracket (Complete set available as ADHK130), which includes:

• Black screws (M4*8mm) 4pcs.

• Tapping screws (M5*20mm) 4pcs.

• Screws (M5*20mm) 4pcs.

• Washer and S-washer

• Hexagonal nut (M5) 4pcs.

• Small (spanner) wrench

• Spare fuses (a pair) 2pcs. (15A)

• Mic Hanger Unit, which includes:

• Mic Hanger (EBC-7)

• Tapping screws (M3.5*10mm) 2pcs.

• Instruction manual (PS0530B)

The standard accessories may vary slightly depending on the version you have purchased. Standard accessories may change without notice.

To set up your ALINCO DR-135LH as a base station, follow these steps:

1. Connect the microphone to the front panel of the transceiver.

2. Connect the antenna port to a 50 ohm antenna that is tuned to the band of operation, using good quality 50 ohm coaxial cable.

3. The transceiver requires a 12-13.8VDC negative grounded power source. Use a regulated power supply capable of providing a continuous current of 12A or more.

4. Connect the DC power cable to the power supply. Attach the red lead to the positive terminal and the black lead to the negative terminal. Ensure the polarity is correct.

CAUTION: The body (heatsink) of this product may become very hot during and after operation. Never touch the unit until it cools down.

Location:

The transceiver may be installed in any position in your car where the controls and microphone are easily accessible and it does not interfere with the safe operation of the vehicle. If your vehicle is equipped with airbags, be certain your radio will not interfere with their deployment. While installing the unit in a less ventilated place, be aware that DC cables should never touch the heatsink of the unit, as it may become excessively hot and risk melting the insulation.

Installing a Mobile Antenna:

Use a 50 ohm coaxial cable to connect the antenna. Mobile antennas require an appropriate mounting base for proper installation and operation. After installing your antenna, ensure that you have the best possible SWR reading. High RF environments can cause severe damage to your unit.

Installing the Transceiver:

Use the provided mounting bracket and hardware to securely install the transceiver in your chosen location.

RF Hazard Warning:

The electro-magnetic (Radio Frequency) exposure level of this device may exceed European standards when transmitting at the high-power setting while connected to a unity gain antenna at a distance of 63cm or less from the operator. For safety, it is recommended that the antenna be installed outside of, and as far as possible from, the operator’s area. Always use the minimum necessary output power for communications.

To access secondary functions, press the FUNC key first. The ‘F’ icon will appear on the display. Then, press another key to activate its secondary function. The functions which can be activated while F appears are:

Turning the unit on and off:

Press the PWR switch to turn the unit on. Press the PWR switch again to turn it off.

Audio Volume level setting:

Rotate the VOL knob clockwise to increase the audio level, and counterclockwise to decrease. Set it at the desired level.

A squelch eliminates the background noise when a signal is not received. Higher level settings keep the squelch “closed” more tightly, but weak signals may not be heard. Lower settings allow weaker signals to “open” the squelch, but noise may also cause it to open.

1. Press the SQL key. The SQL icon will appear on the display, and the squelch level will be shown where the memory number is usually displayed. There are 21 levels available, from 0 to 20, with “0” being the lowest setting.

2. Rotate the main dial or use the UP/DOWN keys on the microphone to adjust the squelch to the desired level.

3. To return to normal use, press PTT or any key on the front panel. If there are no operations within 5 seconds, the unit will store the setting and return to its original status. The new squelch level will be stored until another adjustment is made.

VFO (variable frequency oscillator) mode allows you to change the frequency using the main dial or microphone keys. It is also used to program data for memory channels.

1. To enter VFO mode, check the display. If the “M” or “C” icon is NOT displayed, the unit is already in VFO mode.

2. If “M” or “C” is displayed, press the “V/M” key until those icons disappear.

To change frequency by the channel step:

Rotate the main dial clockwise to increase the frequency and counterclockwise to decrease it. The UP/DOWN keys on the microphone function in the same way.

To change frequency by 1 MHz steps:

1. Press the MHz key. The digits after 100 kHz will disappear from the display.

2. Rotate the main dial or use the UP/DOWN keys to change the frequency in 1 MHz increments.

1. Ensure the unit is in VFO mode. Refer to the manual for instructions on entering the Parameter Setting (SET) mode.

2. In the SET mode, select the channel step setting using the tuning knob. The current channel step will be displayed.

Available steps are: 5, 8.33, 10, 12.5, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 50 kHz.

3. Press PTT or any key except SQL on the front panel to enter the desired step into the transceiver’s memory. The display will then return to its original status.

Please note that settings below 10 kHz may be automatically corrected according to the selected step.

Repeaters operate in duplex mode, receiving on one frequency (UP-LINK) and re-transmitting on another (DOWN-LINK). The difference is the offset frequency. If the UP-LINK is higher than the DOWN-LINK, the shift direction is positive (+); if it’s lower, the direction is negative (-).

1. Press the F key. While the F icon is on the display, press the MHz key. The display will show the current status of the shift direction (+, -, or blank for simplex) and the offset frequency.

2. The default offset value for the DR135LH is 0.900 MHz (900 kHz) in the negative direction.

3. Press the MHz key repeatedly until the desired offset direction is set (+ or -). If you want simplex mode (no shift), select the position where both – and + icons have disappeared.

4. Rotate the dial or use the UP/DOWN keys on the microphone to change the offset frequency. The frequency changes according to the channel step setting.

5. To change the offset frequency in 1 MHz steps for faster setting, press the F key again while in this mode.

6. Press PTT or any key except F or MHz on the front panel to save the setting and return to the original status.

Many repeaters require a CTCSS tone or DCS code to be accessed. These can also be used for selective calling.

1. Press the TS/DCS key. The display will show the current setting with T (Tone), TSQ (Tone Squelch), or DCS icons and the corresponding frequency/code.

2. Press the TS/DCS key repeatedly to cycle through the modes:

• T (Tone Encode): Transmits a sub-audible tone when you press PTT. For example, “T 88.5”.

• TSQ (Tone Squelch): Transmits the tone and also requires the same incoming tone to open your squelch. For example, “TSQ 88.5”.

• DCS (Digital Coded Squelch): Enables DCS encoding and decoding. For example, “DCS 023”.

• Off: No icon is displayed, and no tone/code is used.

3. While the desired mode (T, TSQ, or DCS) is displayed, rotate the main dial or press the UP/DOWN keys on the microphone to select the desired tone frequency or DCS code from the available list.

4. Press any key (except TS/DCS, UP/DOWN) to enter the setting and return to the original status. The corresponding T/TSQ/DCS icon will remain on the display.

5. To turn off the function, press the TS/DCS key until the icon disappears.

You can store up to 100 memory channels (0-99). Here is the procedure:

1. Start in VFO mode. Set the desired frequency, repeater offset, CTCSS/DCS tone, and any other parameters you wish to store.

2. Once all settings are complete, press the FUNC key. The ‘F’ and ‘M’ icons will appear, and a memory channel number will be indicated on the display.

3. Rotate the main dial or press the UP/DOWN keys to select the desired memory channel number. An empty channel is shown with a flashing ‘M’ icon.

4. While the ‘F’ icon is on the display, press the MW key. The VFO settings are copied to the memory channel, and a beep will sound. If you select a previously programmed channel, its data will be overwritten.

To program the CALL channel: Select the channel shown with CH-C on the display during step 3.

To delete a programmed channel: Select the channel in memory mode, press the FUNC key, then press the MW key while the ‘F’ icon is on. The ‘M’ icon will start flashing, showing the channel is now empty.

To undo a deletion: Repeat step 6 immediately. The undo function is not possible once the channel or mode is changed.

The memory channels (0 – 99 and CALL) on your ALINCO DR-135LH can store the following data:

• Frequency

• Shift frequency (Offset)

• Shift direction (+ or -)

• CTCSS tone (both encode and decode)

• Tone Squelch setting

• DCS code (both encode and decode)

• DCS squelch setting

• Scan skip channel

• Busy Channel Lock Out setting

• Priority monitoring frequency (PC programming required)

CALL mode is a memory mode that allows you to quickly recall a single, pre-assigned memory channel by pressing one key.

1. To enter CALL mode, press the CALL key. The ‘C’ icon appears on the display, and the transceiver tunes to the CALL channel frequency. In this mode, the main dial and UP/DOWN keys cannot change the frequency.

2. To exit CALL mode, press the CALL key again or press the V/M key.

3. No scan functions are available in CALL mode.

To store a setting in the CALL channel, follow the memory programming procedure and assign your settings to memory channel ‘C’. The default CALL frequency for the DR135LH is 40.000MHz.

• Ensure the unit is connected to an appropriate antenna, powered on, and the audio volume and squelch levels are set properly.

• Select the desired receiving frequency or browse frequencies. The S-meter shows the relative signal strength when the transceiver detects an incoming signal and the BUSY icon appears.

• If the S-meter indicates a signal but you hear nothing, check the audio level, squelch level, and ensure that a CTCSS/DCS decode setting is not preventing you from hearing the transmission.

• To use the Monitor function to hear weaker signals, press and hold the SQL key for more than 1 second. The squelch will open regardless of its setting, and the BUSY icon will turn on. Press any key on the front panel to exit the monitor function.

1. Select the desired frequency and ensure you are authorized to operate on it. Monitor the frequency to avoid interrupting ongoing communications.

2. To select the output power, press the FUNC key, and then press the CALL key while the ‘F’ icon is on the display. Pressing the CALL key cycles the output power through 3 levels:

• LOW power: The ‘Lo’ icon appears.

• MEDIUM power: The ‘Mi’ icon appears.

• HIGH power: No icon appears. This is the default setting.

The output power level cannot be changed during transmission.

3. Press the PTT (Push-To-Talk) key on the microphone to transmit. Release it to receive. During transmission, the relative power output is shown on the RF meter:

• LOW power = 2 segments

• MID power = 3 segments

• HIGH power = 5 segments

By entering the Parameter Setting mode, you can change some of the radio’s operating parameters.

1. Press the FUNC key for more than 2 seconds to enter the Parameter Setting mode.

2. Use the SQL key or UP/DOWN keys to select the menu item you wish to change.

3. Rotate the main dial to select the desired setting for that menu item.

4. Press the SQL or UP/DOWN keys again to enter the selected setting into the radio’s memory.

5. Press any key OTHER than SQL/UP/DOWN to exit the Parameter mode. The only exception is the Channel Tag setting which accepts only PTT, FUNC, MHz and TS/DCS keys to exit.

The available parameters include Channel Step, Scan Type, Beep Sound, Time-Out-Timer, TOT Penalty, Auto-Power-Off, Tone-Burst Frequency, Busy-Channel-Lock-Out, Theft Alarm, and Alphanumeric Channel Tag.

The TOT feature prohibits users from transmitting for longer than a pre-set time, which is useful for repeater systems. When activated, the radio will alert you with a beep 5 seconds before the time expires. When the time is up, transmission stops, and the transceiver returns to receive mode. You must release and press the PTT key again to transmit.

1. Enter the Parameter Setting Mode.

2. Select the TOT menu. The default display shows TOT-OFF.

3. Rotate the main dial to select the time-out time in seconds. The display will show TOT followed by the number of seconds (e.g., TOT-60).

4. The TOT feature is selectable up to 450 seconds (7.5 minutes).

5. Press SQL or another key to save and exit.

You can display memory channels with a custom alphanumeric tag (up to 7 characters) instead of the frequency. You must program the memory channel first.

1. Enter memory mode and select the channel you want to tag.

2. Enter the Parameter Setting mode (press and hold FUNC).

3. Select the Alphanumeric Tag setting by rotating the main dial or pressing UP/DOWN keys. The display shows a flashing character (e.g., [A]).

4. Rotate the main dial to select the first character for your tag.

5. Press the V/M key. The character stops flashing and is entered. The same flashing character appears next to it, ready for the next character entry.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for up to seven characters.

7. To delete all characters during programming, press the [CALL] key.

8. To exit after setting is done, press one of the following keys: PTT, FUNC, or TS/DCS.

After programming, the tag will be displayed instead of the frequency in memory mode. To see the frequency temporarily, press FUNC. It will be displayed for 5 seconds.

The scanning function automatically searches for signals. You can set the scan to resume on a timer or after the signal disappears (Busy) in the Parameter Setting Mode.

[VFO Scan]

Scans all VFO channels according to the preset tuning step.

1. Enter VFO mode.

2. Press the UP or DOWN key (or the MHz key) for more than 1 second but less than 2 seconds to start the scan.

3. The scan starts. It stops on a frequency where a signal is detected and resumes according to the resume setting.

4. The scan direction can be changed by rotating the main dial or pressing UP/DOWN keys.

5. Press any key (other than UP/DOWN) to exit the scan.

[Memory Scan]

Scans all programmed memory channels, unless a channel is set to be skipped.

1. Enter Memory mode.

2. The sequence to start, stop, and change direction is the same as in VFO scan.

To skip a memory channel during scan: In Memory mode, select the channel to be skipped. Press the FUNC key, then while the ‘F’ icon is visible, press the V/M key. A decimal point will appear next to the memory number to indicate it is skipped. Repeat the sequence to un-skip the channel.

The Key-Lock function locks the transceiver’s keys to avoid unintentional changes.

1. To activate, press the FUNC key and then press the TS/DCS key while the ‘F’ icon is on the display.

2. The key icon will appear on the display.

3. With this function activated, only the following commands can be accessed:

• PTT

• Monitor function (to release squelch for weak signal reception)

• Squelch setting

• UP/DOWN keys

4. To cancel the Key-Lock function, press FUNC and then TS/DCS again.

This function, which requires the optional ADALM135 cable kit, uses a beep sound to alert you if the unit is about to be removed improperly from a vehicle installation. Note that the alarm functions only when the unit is turned off.

[Operation 1: Instant Alarm]

1. Connect the provided alarm cable from the DATA jack on the front panel to a fixed object in the vehicle.

2. Enter the Parameter Setting mode and set the SCR menu to ON.

3. Turn off the unit with the main power switch. The TX LED will light up.

Function: If the alarm cable is removed from the DATA jack or cut, an alarm sounds for 10 minutes. During the alarm, the unit will receive on memory channel 99. The alarm stops if a signal is received on channel 99.

To cancel the alarm: Turn the unit on with the SQL key pressed.

[Operation 2: Delayed Alarm]

1. Enter the Parameter Setting mode and select SCR-DLY.

2. Turn off the unit. The display will disappear, but the LCD illumination stays on. After 20 seconds, the TX LED lights up, illumination dims, and the alarm function is active.

Function: The alarm sounds under the same conditions as Operation 1, but there is a 20-second delay before it sounds. To cancel the alarm during this delay period, turn the unit ON.

This feature copies the programmed data and parameters from a master unit to one or more slave units.

Connection:

You will need a cable with 3.5 mm stereo-mini plugs on both ends. Connect the cable between the DATA jacks on both the master and slave units. Turn both radios off before connecting.

[Setting: Master side]

1. With the radio turned on, press the CALL key while holding the FUNC key. “CLONE” will be displayed, and the radio enters clone mode.

2. Press PTT. “SD***” will be displayed as it sends data to the slave unit.

3. “[PASS]” will appear on the display when the data is successfully transmitted.

4. The master radio can stay on for the next clone. Turn it off to exit clone mode.

[Setting: Slave side]

1. Turn the radio on. Put it in a receive mode (VFO or Memory).

2. When it receives the clone data from the master, “LD***” shows up on the display.

3. When the transmission is successfully finished, the display will show “[PASS]”.

4. Turn off the power. Disconnect the cable and repeat the sequence to clone the next slave unit.

If data is not successfully transmitted, turn off both units, check the cable, and repeat the entire operation. If you quit the operation while the clone is incomplete, you may need to reset the slave unit.

Resetting the transceiver returns all programmed contents to their factory default settings. This can sometimes correct erroneous operation.

Reset Procedure:

1. While holding the FUNC key down, turn the power on.

2. All segments of the LCD will be displayed, and then the default settings will be displayed.

NOTE: Take special care when resetting because all settings are initialized.

Factory Default Settings for ALINCO DR-135LH:

The + and – polarities of the power connection are likely reversed. Check the connection and ensure the red lead is connected to the plus (+) terminal and the black lead is connected to the minus (-) terminal of your DC power supply.

You should check for and solve the problem that resulted in the blown fuse, then replace the fuse with a new one of the correct rating.

There are two common causes for this issue:

• The squelch is muted. Try decreasing the squelch level.

• A Tone or DCS squelch is active. Turn the CTCSS or DCS squelch function off.

The Key-lock function is likely activated. Cancel the Key-lock function by pressing the FUNC key, followed by the TS/DCS key.

Your transceiver is in CALL mode. Press the VFO (V/M) or memory (V/M) mode key to exit CALL mode.

Please check the following:

• The microphone connection may be poor. Ensure the microphone is connected properly to the front panel.

• The antenna connection may be poor. Ensure the antenna is connected properly to the rear panel.