Re: [Paddlewise] Apelco 520

John_P_Stohrer_at_raytheon.com wrote:

>      This averaging can be modified in the Utility Menu which is accessed
>      via front panel controls.  I'll run you through the procedure to get
>      into the Utility Menu and set up the battery level indicator so that
>      you get a truer representation of the battery level.
> 
>      1) With the radio off, press and hold the Push-To-Talk (PTT) switch
>         and the 16 PLUS key, and turn the radio on.
> 
>      2) You should see "CL" on the LCD with t0 in the lower right hand
>         corner.  (There are 5 menu screens in the Utility menu, t0, t1, t2,
>         t3, and t4.  Each press of the 16 PLUS key advances through these
>         screens)
> 
>      3) Press the 16 PLUS key once.  Some number (-9 to 9) will appear and
>         t0 will change to t1.
> 
>      4) Use the Channel Select Up or Down keys until -1 is on the main
>         display.
> 
>      5) Press the 16 PLUS key again (a number -9 to 9 and t2 will display).
> 
>      6) Again using Channel Select Up or Down keys, select -5.
> 
>      7) Press the 16 PLUS key twice (t4 in the lower right hand corner) and
>         either Cd or AL will appear on the main display.  This is where to
>         select the type of battery you are using.  Since the NiCad (Cd) and
>         Alkaline (AL) batteries output slightly different voltages and have
>         different capacities, the processor needs to know which one is in
>         use and will adjust the battery level indicator accordingly.  The
>         Channel Select keys will toggle between the Cd and AL settings.
> 
>      8) Once the correct battery type is displayed, press the MON/TX key
>         once and a 1 second "beep" will sound.  That indicates that the
>         level indicator and battery type selections just made are now
>         stored into memory.
> 
>      The settings reside in what's known as "flash" memory which means that
>      even if you remove the battery pack from the radio, it will still
>      remember those settings.
> 

When I had an Apelco 520 I did play with the settings you suggest above
which were largely in the added slip of paper that came in the box.

Later I stumbled on something that I wonder might be a short cut to all
of this that allows you to switch calibration between the alkaline pack
and Nicad pack.

a) Hold down MON button (monitoring) just prior to turning the radio
on.  Turn it on.  The window will show either AL (alkaline) or CD
(NiCad).

b) To change from AL to CD or vice versa:

-- turn off radio

-- hold down MON button

-- turn radio back on.

The opposite will show, i.e. if you were on AL it will switch to CD.  If
you were on CD it will switch to AL.

I think this also recalibrated but I am not certain of that.  Anyway it
seemed a shortcut to the complex instructions and if it works as well
would be much easier to remember in the field if your Nicad pack has
finally lost its charge and you are switching to AA alkaline battery
pack.

I want to add that while I was disatisfied with the Apelco 520 after a
month or so, Raytheon was absolutely splendid in taking it back when the
mail order house I ordered from refused to (in its fine print, Defender
Ind. says no return on electronic gear whatsoever).  They even covered
the cost of shipping I incurred in buying the radio.

ralph diaz
-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
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