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Customer Assistance

Warranty

Introduction

7

Nothing 

Comes Close to a Cobra

®

Operation

Speaker/Microphone/Charge Jack

Your microTALK

®

radio can be fitted with an external 

Speaker/Microphone

,

freeing your hands for other tasks. This same jack also serves as the
connecting point for an optional wall charger/adapter.

To attach a speaker/microphone:

1.

Open the speaker/microphone/charge 
tab on top of your microTALK

®

radio.

2.

Insert the plug into the speaker/
microphone/charge jack.

To connect a wall charger/adapter:

1.

Open the speaker/microphone/charge 
tab on top of your microTALK

®

radio.

2.

Insert the wall charger/adapter plug 
into the speaker/microphone/charge jack.

Signal Strength Meter

Your microTALK

®

radio has a 

Signal Strength

Meter

that shows the strength of your incoming

and outgoing transmissions. The ascending bars
next to the signal strength indicate the strength
of the signal. The greater the number of bars
visible, the stronger the signal. The fewer
number of bars visible, the weaker the signal.

microTALK

®

Range

Your range will vary depending on terrain and conditions. 

In flat, open country your radio will 
operate at maximum range. 

Buildings and foliage in the path of the 
signal can reduce the range of the radio.

Dense foliage and hilly terrain will 
further reduce the range of the radio.

On FRS channels 8 through 14, your radio
automatically switches to low power, which 
will limit the range the radio can communicate.

Remember, you can achieve maximum
range by using maximum range
extender. See page 6 for details.

6

English

Using Your  Radio

Auto Squelch/Maximum Range

Your microTALK

®

radio is equipped with 

Auto Squelch

, which

automatically shuts 

off

weak transmissions and unwanted noise 

due to terrain and conditions. This slightly reduces the 

Maximum

Range

at which signals can be heard.

You can turn 

off 

auto squelch to allow all signals to be 

received and extend the maximum range of your radio.

To briefly turn off auto squelch:

Press the 

Light/Max Range

button 

for less than five seconds. 

If you hear two beeps, you have turned 
the maximum range extender 

on

(see below).

To turn maximum range extender on:

Press and hold the 

Light/Max Range

button

for at least five seconds until you hear 
two beeps which indicates the maximum range
extender is 

on

.

To turn maximum range extender off:

Press and release the 

Light/Max Range

button or change channels.

Lock Feature

The 

Lock

feature locks the 

Channel

Mode

Hi•Low 

and

Power

buttons to prevent accidental operation. 

To turn the lock feature on or off:

Press and hold the 

Lock/Enter

button for 

two seconds.

A double beep sound is used to confirm your
lock

on

or 

off

request. When in 

Lock 

mode, 

the 

Lock

icon will be displayed.

Operation

Speaker/Microphone/
Charge Jack

Signal Strength

Reduced Range

Reduced Range

Maximum Range

Lock Mode

Lock/Enter Button

Light/Max Range

Summary of Contents for LI 3900DX

Page 1: ...Owner s Manual Nothing Comes Close to a Cobra English TWO WAY RADIO MODEL LI 3900DX Printed in China Part No 480 249 P Version B ...

Page 2: ... prefer For Assistance in the U S A In this user s manual you should find all the information you need to operate your microTALK radio If you require further assistance after reading this manual Cobra Electronics offers the following customer assistance services Automated Help Desk English only 24 hours a day 7 days a week 773 889 3087 phone Customer Assistance Operators English and Spanish 8 00 a...

Page 3: ...munication under ideal conditions Features 22 Channels Seven shared with FRS GMRS seven FRS only eight GMRS only 121 Privacy Codes 38 CTCSS codes 83 DCS codes Hands Free Operation VOX VibrAlert Silent Paging 10 Channel Memory Signal Strength Meter Scan Channel privacy codes memory Selectable Hi Low Power In GMRS Backlit LCD Display Button Lock Call Alert 10 selectable tones Speaker Microphone Char...

Page 4: ... ion battery pack Position battery pack according to polarity markings 4 Replace battery compartment cover and belt clip Estimated operation time on full charge 10 hours Rechargeable battery packs must be recycled or disposed of properly in compliance with all applicable laws They may not be thrown in the trash Certain states or municipalities require recycling and have established collection prog...

Page 5: ...on will blink Your batteries should be recharged Auto Battery Save Your microTALK radio has a unique circuit designed to extend battery life If there are no transmissions for 10 seconds the radio will automatically switch to Battery Save mode and the Power Saver icon will flash in the display This will not affect the radio s ability to receive incoming transmissions Communicating with Another Pers...

Page 6: ...erson will hear a two second call tone This tone is used only to establish voice communications See page 23 on how to select from 10 available call tone settings Low Power Icon Hi Power Icon Operation Hi Low Button Selectable High Low Power Output When in close proximity to another party or during favorable conditions you can switch from High to Low Power to extend battery life This feature applie...

Page 7: ...annels 8 through 14 your radio automatically switches to low power which will limit the range the radio can communicate Remember you can achieve maximum range by using maximum range extender See page 6 for details 6 English Using Your Radio Auto Squelch Maximum Range Your microTALK radio is equipped with Auto Squelch which automatically shuts off weak transmissions and unwanted noise due to terrai...

Page 8: ... used on the same channel at the same time To successfully communicate using a privacy code both the sending and receiving radios must be tuned to the same channel and to the same privacy code system CTCSS or DCS and privacy code number Each channel will remember the last privacy code system and number you select The privacy code 00 is not a privacy code but allows all signals to be heard on a cha...

Page 9: ...annel Down button to change the setting 3 Choose one of the following a Press the Mode button to enter the selected setting and proceed to other functions b Press the Lock Enter button to enter the selected setting and return to Standby mode VOX Sensitivity Level Mode Button Channel Buttons VOX Icon Mode Button Channel Buttons Set DCS Privacy Codes To select a DCS privacy code 1 After selecting a ...

Page 10: ...se one of the following a Press the Channel Up or Channel Down button to select a CTCSS privacy code 01 through 38 for the channel b Press the Lock Enter button to switch from CTCSS to DCS The DCS icon and privacy code numbers will flash on the display The Channel Up or Channel Down button can then be used to select a DCS privacy code 01 through 83 for the channel If OFF flashes in place of the pr...

Page 11: ...vacy code displayed before you entered mode functions While de programming a memory location if you do not press any buttons for 15 seconds your radio will automatically return to Standby mode on the channel privacy code displayed before you entered mode functions Channel 0 To recall a stored memory channel location 1 Press the Mode button until the Memory icon and the memory location number flash...

Page 12: ...smission This will then return the radio to Standby mode b Press the Mode button to proceed to set privacy code scan on the channel that was either displayed before you entered mode functions or on which during channel scanning you last received a transmission see page 18 for further details c Press the Lock Enter button to return to Standby mode on the channel privacy code that was displayed befo...

Page 13: ...ation scan see page 20 for further details c Press the Lock Enter button to return to Standby mode on the channel privacy code that was displayed before you entered mode functions or the channel privacy code on which during scanning you last received a transmission Privacy Code Scan Your microTALK radio can automatically scan the Privacy Codes either CTCSS 01 through 38 or DCS 01 through 83 within...

Page 14: ...er button to return to Standby mode on the channel privacy code that was displayed before you entered mode functions or the memory location on which during scanning you last received a transmission To reduce the number of memory locations being scanned you may de program any unwanted locations See page 15 to de program a memory location Memory Location Scan Your microTALK radio can automatically s...

Page 15: ...or off setting is displayed 2 Press the Channel Up or Channel Down button to select roger beep on or off 3 Choose one of the following a Press the Mode button to enter the new setting and proceed to other functions b Press the Lock Enter button to enter the new setting and return to Standby mode Roger Beep On VibrAlert and Call Alert Your microTALK radio can alert you to incoming signals by soundi...

Page 16: ...annel numbers for the same frequency For example a Cobra 15 Channel GMRS model would need to be tuned to Channel 11 in order to communicate with a 22 Channel GMRS tuned to Channel 15 Please refer to the chart below for channel frequency number compatibility A Channel No for 22 Channel FRS GMRS Models B Channel No for 15 Channel GMRS Models C Type of Radio Service D Frequency in MHz E Power Output ...

Page 17: ...t for unlicensed use of GMRS channels in violation of FCC rules Operation of this radio is subject to additional rules specified in 47 C F R Part 95 Licensed users will be issued a call sign by the FCC which should be used for station identification when operating this radio GMRS users should also cooperate by engaging in permissible transmissions only avoiding channel interference with other GMRS...

Page 18: ...duct damaged by accident 2 In the event of misuse or abuse of the product or as a result of unauthorized alterations or repairs 3 If the serial number has been altered defaced or removed 4 If the owner of the product resides outside the U S A All implied warranties including warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose are limited in duration to the length of this warranty Co...

Page 19: ...dios Radar Laser Detectors Safety Alert Traffic Warning Systems Handheld GPS Receivers Mobile GPS Navigation Systems HighGear Accessories CobraMarine VHF Radios CobraMarine Chartplotters Power Inverters Accessories For more information or to order any of our products please visit our website www cobra com ...

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