SC180 100-Channel Programmable Twin Turbo Hand-Held Sports Scanner OPERATING GUIDE
Precautions Before you use this scanner, please read and observe the following: WARNING! Uniden DOES NOT represent this unit to be waterproof. To reduce the risk of fire or electrical shock, DO NOT expose this unit to rain or moisture. n IMPORTANT! Be sure to use only the supplied earphone, or a stereo headset of the proper impedance (32W ). Use of an incorrect earphone or stereo headset may be potentially hazardous to your hearing.
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Contents About Your New SportCat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 What is Scanning?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 What is Searching? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Important Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Types of Communication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Where to Obtain More Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
About Your New SportCat The SportCat™ is a brand new state-of-the-art information radio with automatic scanning capabilities. It can store frequencies such as sporting events, police, fire/emergency, and other communications into 10 banks of 10 channels each. And you can scan all 100 channels at super fast Turbo Scan speed. With the SportCat, you can do a fast search for active frequencies on all 12 preprogrammed bands. In the VHF bands (29-54MHz and 137-174MHz) you can also use super fast Turbo Search.
Important Notice n This scanning radio has been manufactured so that it will not tune to the radio frequencies assigned by the FCC for cellular telephone usage. The Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, as amended, makes it a federal crime to intentionally intercept cellular or cordless telephone transmissions or to market this radio when altered to receive them.
RANGE (MHz) 470.0000-512.0000 806.0000-823.9875 849.0125-868.9875 894.0125-956.0000 STEP (kHz) 12.5 12.5 12.5 12.5 BAND NFM NFM NFM NFM SUBJECT UHF “T” Band Public Service “800" Band Important! The SportCat will not tune within the Cellular Telephone Band. Where to Obtain More Information The Bearcat Radio Club and other similar hobby clubs have publications, information on computer bulletin boards, and even contests for the radio enthusiasts. See the enclosed pamphlets for more information.
Feature Highlights ◆ Twin Turbo Scan & Search —This lightning-fast technology enables the SportCat to scan nearly 100 channels per second. Search speed is selectable between 100 and 300 steps per second. (300 steps per second only in bands with 5 kHz steps.) Because the frequency coverage is so large (see previous section for band listing), very fast scanning and searching are essential. That is why we combined our latest technology — Twin Turbo — into the SportCat.
Controls and Indicators Top View Antenna Connector Connect the rubber antenna to the BNC connector and turn clockwise until it locks. Earphone Jack Plug the supplied earphone into this jack for private listening. When the earphone is connected, the internal speaker is disconnected. Note the warning on the Inside Front Cover and on page 11. Adjust this control to set the scan threshold and to eliminate the background rushing noise heard in the absence of an incoming signal.
B. Channel Number — Indicates the current channel that the scanner is on. C. Memory Bank Numbers — Each Memory Bank consists of 10 channels that you can select or deselect during scanning operation, using the numeric keypad. When you select a Bank, its number appears on the display. When you deselect a Bank, its number disappears from the display. When you press to stop scanning, only the Bank of the current channel appears. D. Bank Indicator — Appears with the Bank Numbers (1~10). E.
to stop 3. In SCAN or SEARCH Mode, press scanning. (HOLD appears on the display.) In Manual mode, press to step up the channel. 4. NUMERIC KEYPAD — Use these keys to program a channel for scanning. Also use to access a channel directly with . During SCAN Mode, use these keys to select or deselect any of the 10 memory banks. (Only the selected bank indicator(s) appear on the display.) Note: You cannot deactivate all 10 banks at the same time.
8. Press /ALERT to change the display mode when you program frequency or Alpha characters. Press and hold /ALERT to set the Alert Beep function in Manual mode. 9. Use /CLR to enter the decimal point when programming a frequency into a channel. If you make an entry error, press /CLR before the key to erase the entry, and start over. Also, use /CLR to clear the error message display. 10. Press to store a displayed frequency and Alpha characters into any displayed channel. 11.
Setup The SportCat comes with a rechargeable Nickel-Cadmium Battery Pack. When fully charged, this Battery Pack will supply up to 12 hours of dependable use. (With the Squelch control in “closed” position.) Before using the SportCat for the first time, or whenever the LOW BATTERY Indicator appears on the LCD display, you should fully charge the Battery Pack. Note: When the Battery Pack is low, the Low Battery Indicator will start to blink.
Installing the Belt Clip 1. Place the Belt Clip on the mounting area on the back of the scanner, making sure the holes in the clip line up with the threads in the back of the scanner. 2. Insert the 2 screws into the corresponding holes and tighten. CAUTION: Do not tighten the screws too tight. You could damage the case or clip. Using the Earphone The PHONE jack at the top of the SportCat is a standard 3.5mm stereo phone jack.
Operation Overview Note: Before operating the SportCat for the first time, make sure you have fully charged the Battery Pack. 1. Before turning on the scanner, rotate the Squelch Control fully clockwise. 2. Turn the scanner on by rotating the On-Off/Volume Control clockwise until you hear a click. Turn the Volume Control a small amount clockwise to a low listening level. 3. You should hear either a “rushing” noise or some communications.
Any channels that are not programmed (000.0000) are skipped during scan. When the SportCat is in SCAN Mode, the display will look something like this: n SEARCH The Search function is different from Scan. When you select a frequency band to search, the scanner searches for any active frequency within the lower and upper limits of the band. Also, when you program frequency range, you can search within the frequency range.
Programming Channels Before you can scan, you must program the channels within a bank. You can store one frequency per channel, up to 100 channels. Note: If appears on the display (keypad Locked), unlock the keypad by pressing and holding until disappears. There are two ways to program a channel: n Manually select a channel and frequency, using the numeric keypad.
7. If that frequency is already stored in another channel, you will hear a “beep”, and the other channel number will appear on the display. If you want to store the frequency in the selected channel (18) as well, press again. The frequency will blink twice to confirm the programming. Or, you can press and enter another frequency for the currently selected channel. Note: Any frequency already stored in any channel will automatically be replaced by the new one. 8.
2. Press and hold the /BAND key to display the preprogrammed Search Bands. Use the and keys or VFO control until you see the Band you want. 3. Wait for at least 2 seconds or press /BAND for Search to begin. If you wish to change the search direction, press and hold or to search in an up or down direction. 4. When Search stops on a desired frequency, press to stay on that frequency. The next available empty channel to store the frequency will be blinking on the display. 5.
Note: If the frequency of the channel has not been programmed, you cannot program the Alpha Name on the channel. 4. To select the edit position, press cursor to the right or to move the Edit to move it to the left. 5. Select the character using VFO Control. Turn clockwise to move 0 - 9, A - z and other characters and stop the control at the letter you wish to store. 6. Repeat the steps 4 and 5 for all the characters you want to program. 7. When you complete the input, press .
Scanning Bank Scanning 1. If SCAN is not indicated on the display, press . The SportCat should begin scanning. The indicators for the selected Banks (1 through 10) appear on the display. The indicator of the Bank currently being monitored flashes. While the SportCat is scanning, the word SCAN moves across the display. Scanning stops on any active channel that is not “Locked Out”, and displays the Channel Number and frequency or Alpha Name. Scanning resumes automatically after the transmission stops. 2.
To access a specific channel: 1. Press . 2. Enter the channel number using the numeric keys. 3. Press again. Priority Scan The SportCat has 10 Priority Channels, 1 per Bank. Initially these are the first channel in each Bank. (e.g. Channel 1, Channel 11, Channel 21, and so on.) In priority scan mode, the scanner checks the Priority Channel(s) every 2 seconds during the Scan cycle. If a transmission is received, the scanner will stop at that channel.
Locking Out Channels You may have programmed certain channels that you do not want to hear every time you scan. These might be channels that are busy a major portion of the time, causing the scanner to stop at the channel(s) often enough to interrupt the scan cycle. You can Lock Out those channels so they are not scanned. 1. Go directly to the channel using any of the methods described above. 2. Press . L/O appears on the display. That channel is now “Locked Out” of the scanning cycle.
Weather Channel Scanning The SportCat is designed to search for your local NOAA weather channel(s) from 10 preprogrammed NOAA channels. 1. Press /ATT to begin Weather scan. WX appears at the lower side of the display and the word SCAN moves across the display. 2. When the Weather scan finds an active channel in your area, the scanner stops at that frequency. 3. To stay at that frequency, press resume Weather scan, press or /ATT. .
Searching Band Search The SportCat has 12 Preprogrammed Search Bands. You can search any of these Bands to find desired frequencies if you do not have a Frequency Directory handy, or if new stations have been added since the Directory was published. 1. Press and hold /BAND to enter the Band Search Mode. Then the upper and lower limits of the band currently selected are displayed. 2. Use VFO control, or to select the band you wish to search. 3.
4. Enter the higher limit of your search range. 5. Press . Using the Limit Search 1. Press /BAND to enter Limit Search mode. 2. Press or to stop searching. (”HOLD” appears on the display.) VFO search You can search by using VFO control. 1. In Manual mode, enter the frequency by using the number keypad and turnVFO control. -- OR -In Band Search or Limit Search, press then enter the frequency by using the number keypad, and turn the VFO control. “ V ” appears on the display. 2.
Care and Maintenance Replacing the Battery Pack 1. Turn the On-Off/Volume Control OFF. 2. Turn the scanner over so you are looking at the back. If the Belt clip is attached, remove it by taking out the two screws. 3. Press in on the ribbed area and slide the Battery Cover down and off. 4. Carefully unplug the Battery pack and lift it out of the case. You may need to exert slight pressure toward the top of the scanner as you slide the Battery Pack out of the case. 5.
6. Insert the Battery Pack by placing the bottom in the case first. Make sure it is seated within the case before replacing the Battery Cover. 7. Replace the Battery Cover by putting the two tabs in the corresponding opening and sliding it upward until it locks in place. Location n If strong interference or electrical noise is received, relocate the scanner or its antenna away from the source of the noise. A higher elevation, if possible, may provide better reception.
Birdies All scanners are subject to receiving undesired signals or birdies. If your scanner stops during SEARCH Mode and no sound is heard, it may be receiving a birdie. Birdies are internally generated signals inherent in the electronics of the scanner. Use the Search Skip feature to skip the unwanted frequencies. Proper Care of Your Scanner Use only the AC Adapter/Charger that came with your scanner. Do not leave the AC Adapter/Charger plugged in for long periods.
Optional Accessories and Replacement Parts The following optional accessories and replacement parts for your SportCat are available from your local Uniden Dealer or through the Uniden Customer Service Center by calling: 1-800-297-1023, 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Central Time, Monday through Friday. ITEM PART NO.
Troubleshooting If your SportCat is not performing properly, try the steps listed below. PROBLEM Scanner won’t work. SOLUTION Check the power connections. Check the volume and squelch. Make sure the power switch is turned on. Improper reception. Check the antenna connection. You may be in a fringe area. Reposition the scanner. Scan won’t stop. Adjust the Squelch Control. Check the antenna connection. It is possible that none of the programmed frequencies are active at the time. Try Band Search.
Technical Specifications Receiver Type: Triple Conversion Superheterodyne Channels: 100 Banks: Total 10 Banks 10 Channels each WX: 10 Programmed Channels (All NOAA Weather Service and three Canadian wheather service) Search Bands: 12 Preprogrammed Search bands (NFM or AM) No. RANGE (MHz) BAND STEP (kHz) 1 29.0000-29.9950 NFM 5 2 30.0000-49.9950 NFM 5 3 50.0000-54.0000 NFM 5 4 108.0000-136.9875 AM 12.5 5 137.0000-143.9950 NFM 5 6 144.0000-147.9950 NFM 5 7 148.0000-174.
Size: 2-1/2" (W) x 1-3/4" (D) x 11-3/4" (H) (with antenna attached) 65 mm (W) x 39.5 mm (D) x 296.5 mm (H) (w/antenna w/o belt clip) Weight: 0.71 lb. (320 g) Power Requirements: 4.8V DC (internal battery or AC Adapter/Charger) Certified in accordance with FCC Rules and Regulations Part 15 Subpart C as of date of manufacture. Features, specifications, and availability of optional accessories are all subject to change without notice.
One Year Limited Warranty WARRANTOR: UNIDEN AMERICA CORPORATION (“Uniden”) ELEMENTS OF WARRANTY: Uniden warrants, for one year, to the original retail owner, this Uniden Product to be free from defects in materials and craftsmanship with only the limitations or exclusions set out below. WARRANTY DURATION: This warranty to the original user shall terminate and be of no further effect 12 months after the date of original retail sale.
COVERED UNDER ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING U.S. PATENTS: 4,219,821 4,270,217 4,398,304 4,409,688 4,455,679 4,461,036 4,521,915 4,597,104 4,627,100 4,841,302 4,888,815 4,932,074 4,947,456 5,014,348 5,199,109 5,408,692 5,428,826 5,438,688 5,448,258 5,465,402 5,471,660 5,483,684 5,548,832 5,551,071 5,642,424 5,710,992 5,600,233 5,530,296 5,574,995 5,577,076 5,598,430 5,600,223 ©1999 Uniden America Corporation. All rights reserved.
