Vertex Standard VXA-700 manual

Operating Manual AIR BAND TRANSCEIVER VX A-700 SPIRIT[...]

C ONTENTS Important Notice! ........................................................... 1 Introduction .................................................................... 2 Control & Connectors ................................................... 3 Top Panel .............................................................................. 3 Front [...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 1 I MPORT ANT N OTICE ! FCC RF Exposure Compliance Requirements for Occupational Use Only: This Radio has been tested and complies with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) RF exposure limits for Occupational Use/Controlled exposure environment. In addition, it complies with the following Standards and Gui[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 2 I NTRODUCTION The V ertex Standard VXA-700 Spirit is a compact, stylish, solid hand-held transceiver providing communication (trans- mit and receive) capability on the International Aircraft Communication Band (“COM” band: 118 ~ 136.975 MHz), and it additionally provides VOR and CDI navigation features on t[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 3 C ONTROLS & C ONNECT ORS ( T OP P ANEL ) • Antenna Jack This SMA jack accepts the supplied flexible antenna, or another antenna designed to provide 50 Ohm im- pedance on the Aircraft Communication Band and 2- m Amateur Band. ‚ MIC/SP Jack You may connect the supplied CT-96 Headset Cable, optional MH-44 [...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 4 C ONTROLS & C ONNECT ORS ( F RONT P ANEL ) • LCD ( Liquid Crystal Display ) The display shows the current operating conditions , including frequenc y , etc. ‚ PWR ( Power ) Switch P ress and hold this switch for 3 seconds to toggle the transceiver’s power on and off. ƒ Keypad Several keys have triple[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 5 C ONTROLS & C ONNECT ORS ( S IDE P ANEL ) • PTT ( Push To Talk ) Switch Press this button to transmit when you are operating in the COM band or 2-m amateur band. Release this button to return to the “Receive” mode. See page 15. ‚ MONITOR Switch This button may be pressed to “Open” the squelch ma[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 6 C ONTROL & C ONNECT ORS ( K EYP AD ) Secondary Function ( Press + ) Primary Function ( Press Key ) Thrid Function ( Press and hold key ) Secondary Function ( Press + ) Primary Function ( Press Key ) Thrid Function ( Press and hold key ) Secondary Function ( Press + ) Primary Function ( Press Key ) Thrid Fun[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 7 C ONTROL & C ONNECT ORS ( K EYP AD ) Secondary Function ( Press + ) Primary Function ( Press Key ) Thrid Function ( Press and hold key ) Secondary Function ( Press + ) Primary Function ( Press Key ) Thrid Function ( Press and hold key ) Secondary Function ( Press + ) Primary Function ( Press Key ) Thrid Fun[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 8 B EFORE Y OU B EGIN Precautions ¦ This apparatus is capable of two-way communication on channels used for critical aviation safety commu- nications. Therefore, it is important that this radio be kept away from children or other unauthorized users at all times. ¦ When making DC connections via the (optional) E[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 9 Installation of FNB-80LI Battery Pack The FNB-80LI is a high-performance Lithium-Ion bat- tery providing high capacity in a very compact package. Under normal use, the FNB-80LI may be used for ap- proximately 300 charge cycles, after which operating time may be expected to decrease. If you have an old battery p[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 10 Installation of FBA-23 Alkaline Battery Case (Option) The optional FBA-23 Battery Case allows receive moni- toring using two “AA” size Alkaline batteries. To Install Alkaline Batteries into the FBA-23 r Slide the batteries into the FBA-23 as shown in the illustration, with the Negative [ – ] side of the [...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 11 Low Battery Indication ¦ As your battery discharges during use, the voltage will gradually become lower. When the “ ” icon will blink on the LCD displa y , the battery pack must be recharged before further use. ¦ Avoid recharging Li-Ion batteries before the “Low Bat- tery” indicator is observed, as t[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 12 B ASIC O PERA TION Preliminary Steps r Install a charged battery pack onto the transceiver, as described previousl y. r Screw the supplied antenna onto the Antenna jack. Never operate this transceiver without an antenna con- nected. r If you have an optional Speaker/Microphone or head- set. we recommend that i[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 13 Note : When the entered frequency is outside of the current operating band, this feature is ignored (i.e. VXA-700 does not permit entry of a 2-m Amateur band frequency while operating in the AIR band). r You may also turn the top panel’s DIAL selec- tor knob to choose the desired operating fre- quenc y . The[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 14 B ASIC O PERA TION Accessing the 121.5 MHz Emergency Frequency The VXA-700 can quickly access the 121.500 MHz Emer- gency Frequenc y . This function can be activated even when the keypad lock function is in use. r To access the Emer- gency Frequenc y , press the key momen- taril y. r To exit the Emergency Freq[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 15 B ASIC O PERA TION ¦ BOOK (Pre-Programmed) Memories The Book memories are pre-programmed, either at the factory or by your Dealer (depending on your country ’s requirements), typically including the major AIR band station frequencies used in your area. The Book memories can be changed by the use r . See pag[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 16 Reception of Weather Channel Broadcasts (USA version only) The VXA-700 can receive VHF Weather Channel broad- casts, which may assist your flight planning. The VXA- 700 includes a ten-channel auto-search feature, which sim- plifies access to Weather Channels when you are in an unfamiliar location. r To receive[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 17 B ASIC O PERA TION Monitor Key When listening to a very weak signal from an aircraft or ground station, you may observe the signal disappearing periodically as the incoming signal strength becomes too weak to override the squelch threshold setting. To disable the squelch temporaril y , press and hold the MONIT[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 18 LOCK Function The lock function prevents accidental changes to the fre- quency setting and the keypad controls. r To activate the lock fea- ture, press Ò . r In the LOCK mode, the “ ” icon will appear on the displa y. r To turn the lock feature off, press Ò again. r Y ou can still access the 121.500 MHz [...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 19 Receive Battery Saver Setup An important feature of the VXA-700 is its Receive Bat- tery Saver, which “puts the radio to sleep” for a time inter- val, periodically “waking it up” to check for activit y . If somebody is talking on the channel, the VXA-700 will remain in the “active” mode, then resum[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 20 M EMOR Y O PERA TION The VXA-700 provides 102 user-programmable Main memories, labeled “ MR1 ” through “ MR100 ”, “ MRLch ,” and “ MRUch ,” and up to 90 pre-programmed memories, designated “Book” Memories, labeled “ BMR1 ” through “ BMR90 .” The Main memories and “Book” Memories[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 21 M EMOR Y O PERA TION r Select succeeding characters in the same manner, pressing the key momentarily after each selec- tion. r After entering the entire name (eight characters maxi- mum), press the key for 2 seconds to save all data for the channel and exit. Recalling the Memories r Press the ke y , repeatedly[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 22 S CANNING O PERA TION Basic Scan The VXA-700 allows you to scan automatically in the VFO* 1 , Main Memor y , “Book” Memor y , or Weather Chan- nel* 2 modes. It pauses on signals encountered, so you can talk to the station(s) on that frequenc y , if you like. * 1: In the VFO mode, the automatic scanner is o[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 23 Channel-Skip Scanning Continuous-carrier stations like A TIS (Automatic Termi- nal Information Service) or Weather Broadcast stations inhibit scanner operation. Since these stations are always active, the scanner will be halted repeatedly on their chan- nels. Such channels can be set to be “Skipped” during[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 24 D UAL W A TCH O PERA TION The Dual Watch feature automatically checks for activity on a “Priority” channel* while you are operating on an- other channel. During Dual Watch operation, the current channel and the Priority channel will each be polled for a 500 ms interval, as the VXA-700 looks for activity on[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 25 P RIORITY D UAL W A TCH O PERA TION Similar to Dual Watch operation (described on previous page), Priority Dual Watch is an enhanced version which includes the following additional features: ¦ The receiving time interval (ratio) between the cur- rent channel and the Priority channel may be custom- ized via th[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 26 S PECTRUM S COPE M ONIT OR If you assign the Spectrum Scope Monitor feature to the key (see page 44), you may view operating activity on channels above and below the current operating chan- nel in the VFO mode. The display indicates the relative signal strength on chan- nels immediately adjacent to the current[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 27 N OTE[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 28 A DV ANCED O PERA TION ( VOR N A VIGA TION : A IR B AND ) OBS FROM 0 3 0 0 3 3 0 6 0 3 0 180 2 4 0 2 1 0 1 2 0 1 5 0 “TO”-“FROM” Flag Indicator TWO-Degree Deviation Marks COURSE Indicator COURSE Deviation Needle General VOR Equipment è ç NAV BAND ( 108.0000 - 117.9750 MHz ) VOR MODE CDI MODE OVERFLOW[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 29 To Select the VOR Mode r When entering the N AV band (108.000 - 117.975 MHz), the VXA-700 selects the VOR mode automati- call y . The “Course Indicator” will appear on the dis- pla y , and the “TO” or “FROM” indicator will appear at the right of the “Course Indicator” on the displa y. Note : Th[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 30 Flying to a VOR Station The VXA-700 can indicate the deviation from the direct course to a VOR station. r Select a VOR station on your aeronautical chart and turn the DIAL selector knob (or enter the frequency directly with the keypad) to the frequency of the VOR station. r To indicate the deviation between yo[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 31 A DV ANCED O PERA TION ( VOR N A VIGA TION : A IR B AND ) 1 0 ° 0 ° 2 0 ° 3 0 ° 4 0 ° 5 0 ° 6 0 ° 7 0 ° 8 0 ° 9 0 ° 1 0 0 ° 1 1 0 ° 1 2 0 ° 1 3 0 ° 1 4 0 ° 1 5 0 ° 1 6 0 ° 1 7 0 ° 1 8 0 ° 1 9 0 ° 2 0 0 ° 2 1 0 ° 2 2 0 ° 2 3 0 ° 2 4 0 ° 2 5 0 ° 2 6 0 ° 2 7 0 ° 2 8 0 ° 2 9 0 ° 3 1 0[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 32 Entering a Desired Course The VXA-700 can also be configured to indicate the de- viation from the desired course, not only the deviation from the path to the VOR station. r Set the frequency to the desired VOR station. r Change the “ TO ” or “ FROM ” indication to “ TO ,” if it is not in that mode [...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 33 A DV ANCED O PERA TION ( VOR N A VIGA TION : A IR B AND ) Position Cross-checking r Select two VOR stations on your aeronautical chart. r Set the frequency of one of the VOR stations in the VOR mode. The course indicator will show the course deviation from the VOR radial. Note the radial you currently are on. [...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 34 A DV ANCED O PERA TION ( VOR N A VIGA TION : A IR B AND ) Split Operation The split operation feature allows you to transmit a call to a Flight Service Station using the COM band frequencies, while receiving a VOR station (in the N AV band). VOR stations equipped with this capability typically are shown, on na[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 35 A DV ANCED O PERA TION ( A MA TEUR R ADIO B AND ) NOTICE! An Amateur Radio License is re- quired for operation on Amateur Radio fre- quencies. Repeater Operation Repeater stations, usually located on mountaintops or other high locations, provide a dramatic extension of the com- munication range for land-based [...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 36 Manual Repeater Shift Activation If the ARS feature has been disabled, or if you need to set a repeater shift direction other than that established by the ARS, you may set the direction of the repeater shift manu- all y. To do this: r Press the ke y , then press the key to activate the Menu (“SET”) mode. r[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 37 A DV ANCED O PERA TION ( A MA TEUR R ADIO B AND ) Checking the Repeater Uplink (Input) Frequency It often is helpful to be able to check the uplink (input) frequency of a repeater, to see if the calling station is within direct (“Simplex”) range. To do this, just press and hold the key for 2 seconds. You?[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 38 A DV ANCED O PERA TION ( A MA TEUR R ADIO B AND ) occasionally cause “ TSQ ” to appear. When “ TSQ ” ap- pears, this means that the Tone SQuelch system is ac- tive, which mutes your VXA-700 ’s receiver until it receives a call from another radio sending out a match- ing CTCSS tone. This can help keep[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 39 A DV ANCED O PERA TION ( A MA TEUR R ADIO B AND ) DCS Operation Another form of tone access control is Digital Code Squelch, or DCS. It is a newer, more advanced tone sys- tem which generally provides more immunity from false paging than does CTCSS. The DCS Encoder/Decoder is built into your VXA-700 , and oper[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 40 ARTS ( A UT OMA TIC R ANGE T RANSPONDER S YSTEM ) Operation The ARTS feature uses DCS signaling to inform both par- ties when you and another A R TS-equipped station are within communications range. This may be particularly useful during Search-and Rescue situations, where is im- portant to stay in contact wit[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 41 A DV ANCED O PERA TION ( A MA TEUR R ADIO B AND ) r Rotate the DIAL selector knob to select the A R TS mode ( RX , TX , or TRX ). RX : Use this mode if you only want your radio to listen, and not poll the other station (in which case their radio should be set to the “TX” mode). Here, your radio will beep a[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 42 M ISCELLANEOUS S ETTING Changing the Channel Step The VXA-700 ’s synthesizer provides the option of utiliz- ing channel steps of 5/10/12.5/15/20/25/50/100 kHz per step, any number of which may be important to your oper- ating requirements. The VXA-700 is set up at the factory with different default steps on [...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 43 r Press the key again to enable adjustment of this Menu Item. r Rotate the DIAL selector knob to select the desired time period after which the radio will automatically shut down. r When you have made your selection, press the key to save the new setting, then press the PTT key repetitively until the radio exi[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 44 Programming the Key Assignment s The key is a user-programmable key that may be set up for a pair of functions you use particularly frequentl y. The d efault key function s, as set up at the factor y, , have been assigned to the ANL feature (press key) and to the “ Large F ont ” feature (press and hold key[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 45 Display Customization Display Contrast The LCD’s contrast may be adjusted using the Menu. r Press the ke y , then press the key to activate the Menu (“SET”) mode. r Rotate the DIAL selector knob to select Menu Item “ 1. Display ,” then press the ke y. . r Rotate the DIAL selector knob to select Sub M[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 46 TX/BUSY Indicator Customization Default TX/BUSY illuminat ion color s have been assigned at the factor y . These may be changed by the user, if you wish to utilize another custom-designed color hue. The Red, Green, and Blue elements of each color’s composi- tion may be adjusted individually! r Press the ke y[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 47 F IELD P ROGRAMMING M ODE The VXA-700 ’s “Book” Memories also allow the user to store, label, and recall channel frequencies which you may want to use frequently by placing the VXA-700 into the “ Field Programming mode .” r Press and hold in both the PTT switch and key , while turning the radio on, t[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 48 CPU R ESETTING In some instances of erratic or unpredictable operation, the cause may be corruption of data in the microprocessor (due to static electricit y , etc.). If this happens, resetting of the microprocessor may restore normal operation. Note that all memories will be erased if you do a complete microp[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 49 M ENU ( “ S ET ” ) M ODE The Menu system allows certain aspects of your radio’s configuration to be customized for your personal operat- ing convenience. We do not recommend that any of the default settings be changed, however, until you are thor- oughly familiar with the operation of the VXA-700 . Here [...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 50 M ENU ( “ S ET ” ) M ODE MENU Listing A listing of the Menu items available via the SET mode may be found belo w. Set Mode Item 1. Scan Lamp 2. Backlight 3. Large Font 4. Contrast 5. Dimmer 6. Meter Symbol 7. Display Mode 8. RX LED 9. TX LED 10. EMG LED 11. Alert LED 12. TEMP LED 1. Beeper 2. Bell 3. Power[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 51 M ENU ( “ S ET ” ) M ODE 5. Dimmer Function : Setting of the display brightness level. Available Values : LV 1 - LV 4 Default Setting : LV 3 6. Meter Symbol Function : Select s the S- & TX PO meter symbol. Available Values : Four patterns , , , Default Setting : 7. Display Mode Function : Selects the d[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 52 8. RX LED Function : Edits the BUSY indicator color. Available Values : Individual adjustments of the Red, Green, and Blue color hue may be performed, on a nu- merical scale of “000” to “255.” See page 46 for details. Default Setting : Green (R000, G111, B000) 9. TX LED Function : Edits the TX indicato[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 53 3. Power On Beep Function : Selects the Power-on beep. Available Values : Off/Mode 1/Mode 2/Mode 3 Default Settin g: Mode 1 4. ARTS Beep Function : Selects the beep option during ARTS opera- tion. Available Values : On/Off Default Setting : On 3. R ECEIVE 1. SQL Function : Sets the Squelch threshold level for [...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 54 M ENU ( “ S ET ” ) M ODE 6. Step Function: Setting of the synthesizer steps. Available V alues: 5k/10k/12.5k/15k/20k/25k/50k/100k Default Setting: Depends on the operating band. 7. SQL Type Function : Selects the Tone Encoder and/or Decoder mode. Available Values : Off/T/TSQ/DCS Default Setting : Off T : C[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 55 M ENU ( “ S ET ” ) M ODE 11. SPECT Width Function : Select s the visible bandwidth of the Spectrum Analyzer. Available Values : ±30ch/±15 ch Default Setting : ±30ch 4. T RANSMIT 1. RPT Shift Function : Set the Repeater Shift Direction. Available Values : Simplex/–RPT/+RPT Default Setting : Simplex Not[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 56 M ENU ( “ S ET ” ) M ODE 6. T.O.T Function : Setting of the Time-Out Timer Countdown Time. Available Values : Off/1min/3min/5min Default Setting : Off The Time-Out Timer shuts off the transceiver after con- tinuous transmission exceeds the programmed time. 7. TX Power Function : Select s the TX Output Powe[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 57 M ENU ( “ S ET ” ) M ODE 4. USER 1 Function : Programming the key assignment (momen- tary-press mode). Available V alues : ANL/TX Power/A RTS/XFER/SPEC Start/Large Font/None Default Setting : ANL See page 44 for details. 5. USER 2 Function : Programming the key (press and holding) assignment. Available V a[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 58 M ENU ( “ S ET ” ) M ODE 4. TEMP Unit Function : Selects the measurement units for the Tempera- ture sensor. Available Values : °F/°C Default Setting : °F 5. TEMP Check Function : Enables/Disables the Over-Heating Alarm Available Values : Off/On Default Setting : Off 6. TEMP Set Function : When the “ [...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 59 3. Clock Shift Function : CPU Clock Shift Available Values : Off/On Default Setting : Off This function is only used to move a spurious response “birdie” should it fall on a desired frequenc y . Consult your Ve rtex Standard dealer for details regarding this function. M ENU ( “ S ET ” ) M ODE[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 60 S PECIFICA TIONS General Frequency Range : TX 118.000 - 136.975 MHz (COM Band), 144.000 - 148.000MHz (Amateur Band) RX 88.000 - 108.000MHz (FM BC Band), 108.000 - 117.975 MHz (N AV Band), 118.000 - 136.975 MHz (COM Band), 144.000 - 148.000MHz (Amateur Band), Weather Channel (WX-01 - WX-10) Channel Spacing : 5/[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 61 S PECIFICA TIONS Receiver Circuit Type : Double-conversion Superheterodyne IFs : 35.4 MHz & 450 kHz ( AM / NFM ), 45.65 MHz & 10.7MHz ( WFM ) Sensitivity : 88-108 MHz: < 2 µV (for 12 dB SINAD with 1 kHz tone @ 22.5 kHz deviation) 108 MHz-138 MHz: < 1 µV (for 6 dB S/N with 1 kHz tone @ 30 % modu[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 62 A CCESSORIES & O PTIONS Supplied Accessories LI-ion Battery Pack (7.2 V , 700 mAh) FNB-80LI ........ 1 Battery Charger NC-72 .............................................. 1 Helical Antenna A TV-9 ............................................... 1 Headset Cable CT-96 ........................................[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 63 A CCESSORIES & O PTIONS CN-3 Antenna Adapter (Option) CT-96 Headset Cable PTT Switch (not supplied) An external PTT switch is required for use with an avia- tion headset. Headset (not supplied) E-DC-5B External Power Cable (Option) á External Antenna[...]

VXA-700 S PIRIT O PERA TING M ANUAL 64 I N C ASE OF D IFFICUL TY Most operational difficulties can be solved by your V ertex Avionics dealer. Please contact your dealer first for ad- vice and assistance. If the dealer is unable to assist you, you may contact us at V ertex Standard USA. We can be reached by telephone at (714) 827-7600 (ask the opera[...]

Part 15.21: Changes or modifications to this device not expressly approved by Vertex Standard could void the user’s authorization to operate this device.[...]

Copyright 2002 VE R TEX STANDARD CO., LTD. All rights reserved. No portion of this manual may be reproduced without the permission of VE R TEX STANDARD CO., LTD. Printed in Japan 0210M-AK VERTEX STANDARD CO., LTD. 4-8-8 Nakameguro, Meguro-Ku, Tokyo 153-8644, Japan VERTEX STANDARD US Headquarters 10900 Walker Street, Cypress, CA 90630, U.S.A. Intern[...]