PORTABLE RADIO OPERATOR MANUAL Datron World Communications 3030 Enterprice Ct Vista CA, 92081 Phone: 760-597-1500 Fax: 760-597-1510 www.dtwc.
IMPORTANT Please read all instructions included in this owner’s manual before using the transceiver This manual contains important information for the Guardian GII portable series radios and should be saved for future reference.
exposure levels include substantial margins of protection. All 2-way radios marketed in North America are designed, manufactured and tested to ensure they meet government established RF exposure levels. In addition, manufacturers also recommend specific operating instructions to users of 2-way radios. These instructions are important because they inform users about RF energy exposure and provide simple instructions on how to control it.
RF EXPOSURE COMPLIANCE AND CONTROL GUIDELINES AND OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS To control your exposure and ensure compliance with occupational/controlled environment exposure limits always adhere to the following procedures. Guidelines: • • • Do not remove the RF Exposure Label from the device. User awareness instructions should accompany device when transferred to other users. Do not use this device if the operational requirements described herein are not met.
• For a list of Datron approved accessories refer to the accessory section in this manual or visit www.dtwc.com. Contact Information For additional information on exposure requirements or other information contact Datron Customer Service at 760-597-1500.
1: INTRODUCTION Guardian II Portable Radio The Guardian II series portable radios are crafted with advanced electronics, software and materials incorporated into a rugged, professional design offering years of reliable service. The radios provide operation in analog or digital, wideband or narrowband modes, and are APCO Project-25 compatible. The Guardian II is available in three separate models (pictured below) allowing the radio to be customized to end user requirements.
• Analog or digital • Various squelch types • Encryption key • Power output level • 12-character alphanumeric channel tag (name) Zones Zones provide a way of rapidly switching groups of channels. Each zone can contain up to 16 channels. If the 3 position collar switch set for Zone Select, the radio provides easy access to 48 channels by using the collar switch and the channel select knob.
Options The Guardian II portable radio supports add-on software options for solutions to communications requirements such as P-25 Trunking and Encryption. Optional enhancements are discussed in the final chapters of this manual.
2: RADIO CONTROLS AND INDICATORS Channel Selector ON/OFF Volume Antenna Accessory Jack Collar Switches Soft Keys Speaker PTT Alphanumeric Display With Icons Alpha Numeric Key Pad Navigation Keys Power and Volume Knob The fully counterclockwise position is power off. The first clockwise position is power on with the speaker muted. Subsequent positions (clicks) increase the speaker volume. The clicking feature prevents accidental knob rotation.
a around a channel type means it is included in a scan list Modulation type icons: = analog wideband AN = analog narrowband DG = digital a around the modulation type means some form of selective squelch is active for the channel (NAS, CTCSS or DCS) AW Other icons: TX = transmit channel in scan mode RX = receive channel in scan mode TA = talkaround ∩∩∩ = repeater = encrypted U = unit ID call mode = Battery Gauge = Signal Strength Indicator Navigation Buttons These four buttons perform actions determi
Function Description Scan Sets scan mode to On, Priority, or Off. Position A: Scan, Priority scan, or off Position B: Scan, Priority scan, or off Position C: All scan modes off Monitor (includes squelch adjust) Provides monitor and carrier squelch adjust functions. Zone Select Selects Zone A, B or C.
Auxiliary Buttons These Six programmable buttons are located on the side panel and the front (under the display) of the radio and their use depends on how they are programmed using the PC Programmer. Ask your radio programmer how they are set up to function. The three most commonly used functions of these buttons are Hi/Lo Power (useful for conserving battery life), Monitor (valuable when using analog FM channels - also includes squelch control) , and Next Zone.
Encryption Toggles TX encryption from off to on for channels programmed with encryption enabled. RX encryption is unaffected. Encrypted channels can be set by the PC Programmer to ignore this switch. The switch has no effect on these channels (they stay encrypted). Home Channel Toggles the active channel from the Home Channel to the currently selected channel. Normal operation resumes on channel, zone, or bank change. This setting can be changed using the keypad.
Internal Speaker and Microphone The internal speaker is active when external audio accessories are not used. The internal microphone is active when you press the PTT button. Emergency Button The red emergency button on top of the radio is typically used for P25 Emergency operation but can be programmed by the PC Programmer for any of the following functions. Ask your radio programmer how it is set up to function. Function Description Disabled Ignores any attempted use and provides an error tone.
3: OPERATING THE RADIO The Guardian II operates with most of its features already programmed into the radio. Request a list of the functions that are assigned to the buttons and switch on your radio. Quick Start Before proceeding, the radio must be set up using the Guardian PC Programmer. If necessary, refer to Chapter 2, Controls and Indicators. 1. Battery Install a charged battery. 2. Antenna Install the correct antenna for the frequency being used. Do not operate the radio without an antenna. 3.
• Simultaneous analog and digital operation • CTCSS (or DCS) picklists used to choose repeaters • P25 NAC picklists used to choose repeaters • Multiple encryption use • Supervisory talkgroups Accessing Shadow Channels Note: Shadow channels must be programmed into the radio to access them. For information on programming shadow channels, refer to “Adding a Shadow Channel” on page 5-15).
Transmitting Press the PTT button and speak normally about four inches from the microphone. Release the PTT button when finished speaking. Do not hold the PTT longer than necessary after talking. Channels programmed for receive-only sound an alert tone, display RX ONLY, and do not transmit. Your radio may be setup with the Transmit Inhibit feature. This feature locks the PTT switch to keep users from talking over other radio conversations.
ZONE**** SRCH**** Priority Scanning Priority scanning is independent of regular scanning and allows you to sample a priority channel at various rates while listening to another conversation. It is not necessary to be scanning to monitor a priority channel. Up to 2 priority channels can be selected. Priority scan breaks into actively received signals at a priority interval rate setup in the PC Programmer or through the programming menu.
4: OTHER STANDARD FEATURES Cloning Radio to Radio Note: The cloning described in this section is for standard radios. If you have a radio equipped with the Fire Features option, refer to Chapter 8. Radio to radio cloning enables the transfer of channel settings from one radio into another radio.
• Entering a repeater code for access to a repeater. • Accessing a repeater with a phone patch to dial a phone number. • Accessing remote weather stations using DTMF tones A, B, C, and D by pressing the corresponding navigation keys. To access while in any analog mode, press the PTT button and the desired key.
Emergency Mode To activate Emergency mode, press and hold the Emergency button (must be programmed as Emergency) for about ½ second. The emergency mode remains active indefinitely until deactivated. To deactivate, press and hold the button again, or turn the radio off and on. Emergency channels are setup using the keypad (refer to “Global Submenu”).If the Emergency setting (EMG) is left empty, the current channel serves as the emergency channel. In P25 mode, the emergency bit is set.
5: RADIO SETTINGS AND PROGRAMMING Changing the radio’s functions and features are permitted or restricted according to agency policy and federal law. Internal radio software provides limited access to certain features and settings. Information in this manual may or may not pertain to your radio. Consult the programmer for the features and functions that are enabled for you. Menu Structure To access the main menu: 1. With the radio on, press the ENTER () button.
3. Press to resume radio operation. 4. To enter a new valid password, power the radio off and on. When menus are disabled, the radio displays MENU DISABLE. Consult authorized personnel for guidance. Entering Data Enter alphanumeric and numeric data using the keypad. Each Key has a number and alphanumeric letters associated with it. For Example when entering data and pressing the 2 key the display will show the following: A,B,C,2,a,b,c. .
3. Choose from the following settings. Setting Description SCAN Turns normal scanning on or off. PRSCAN Turns priority scanning on or off. Scroll to PRMODE to select the priority scan mode. SCMODE Select one of three scan modes. SCAN: scan currently selected channel and all channels within the current zone designated as scan channels. ZONE: scan all zones in the zone scanlist. SEARCH: scan all channels programmed into the radio regardless of their scan list assignments.
Chan 12 X Chan 13 Chan 14 Chan 15 Chan 16 X
Select Menu The select menu allows you to designate a different zone or bank to a button or switch on the radio. You can also select an individual call and enable or disable Talkaround. 1. Access the main menu. Highlight ROPTNS and press RNT. 2. Scroll to highlight SELECT and press . 3. Choose from the following settings: Setting Description ZONE Select an alternate zone. If an auxiliary button is programmed as Next Zone and is pressed, it replaces the current zone until another is selected.
channel. Select off or on. 3. Home Channel The Home channel allows you to quickly access a commonly used channel. An auxiliary button can be programmed for home channel use. 1. Access the main menu, highlight ROPTNS and Press ENT. 2. Scroll to highlight HOME and press . 3. To assign a different home channel, Global Submenu. Program Menu The program menu allows you to change global radio settings, channel settings, scan settings, and passwords. 1.
Global Submenu 1. Select ROPTNS, PROGRM, GLOBAL and press . Pressing the down scroll key will go to through the following pages: 2. Choose from the following settings: Setting Value Description LITE Bright, dim or off Enables, disables, and varies the intensity of the LCD’s backlight. 1 to 9 seconds Sets the time delay for the LCD and keypad backlighting. On or off Backlight goes on when signal received.
TOT (Time out timer) 30 to 300 seconds in 30 second intervals or off Limits the duration of messages (30 to 300 seconds in 30-second increments). Off setting allows unlimited transmitting time. DISPLY Alpha or numeric Sets the display to either alpha or numeric characters. UNIT ID On or off The ID of the transmitting radio. HOM Home channel designation Sets the home channel. The channel's receive and transmit frequency is displayed but cannot be changed.
BAUD 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400 BAUD Rate CNTRLS Enable/Disables Turn radio controls on or off. 2. Channel Submenu This submenu allows you to add new channels or make changes to existing channel settings. Channels can be selectively locked, preventing you from making changes. If you select a locked channel, CHANNEL LOCKED/ACCESS DENIED is displayed. Adding a New Channel The following is an example of programming a new channel into an empty slot. This same process is used to modify existing channels.
6. Scroll down to RX, and set it to 154.600000 MHz. 7. Scroll down to the next screen. Leave RXSQMD at CTCSS . 8. 8. Scroll down and to Tone and Press ENT. Use the up arrow until the desired to is found. 8. Scroll to TX and set it to 154.6000000 MHz. 9. Scroll to TXMSQMD and set it to CTCSS. Set TON to 67.0 XZ.
10. Scroll down to the RF Power screen and set LO PWR to 0.5W and HI PWR to .5W. 11. Scroll down to the next screen. Press to accept the channel settings. 12. Press several times to get back to the operating screen. The new channel is ready to use.
MODE Analog Analog settings displayed. B/W 12.5 KHz or 25 KHz (default) Bandwidth. RX 136 MHz to 174 MHz Receive frequency. RXSQMD NONE No receive squelch. NOISE (default) If you choose noise, adjust the squelch level by highlighting SQ and scrolling left and right. SQ= DCS CODE= If you choose DCS, highlight CODE and enter the DCS code. CTCSS TON If you choose CTCSS, highlight TON and enter a CTCSS tone. TX 136 MHz to 174 MHz Transmit frequency. TXSQMD None No transmit squelch.
Digital Settings Setting Value Description ID User ID Software assigned identifier. TAG Name User defined channel name. MODE Digital Digital settings displayed. ENCRPT ENABLD Select from the available encryption keys. RX 136 MHz to 174 MHz Change the receive frequency if necessary. RXNAC NAC value Enter the receive network access code. 293 is default. RXSQMD P25NOR P25 normal squelch mode. P25SEL TALKGRP= P25 selective squelch.
Adding a Shadow Channel To add a shadow channel to a primary channel, perform the steps in the following sequence: 1. Determine the next available shadow channel (press *1, *2, etc. until an error tone is heard indicating the channel is empty). 2. Select PROGRM, CHANEL while on the desired primary channel. 3. Press *x to get to the desired new shadow channel. 4. Scroll through the settings and change as necessary.
RVERT (Revert channel) LSTSEL LASTRX HOME Last channel selected. Last channel received. Home channel. REPLY Length of time in seconds to reply to a call. MONTR (Monitor) Length of time in seconds the radio remains on a channel picked up during a scan. P1 First priority channel. Select this and press . Move the channel knob to the desired P1 channel. Press to save. The radio switches to P1 when activity is detected on this channel. (Priority 1 channel) P2 (Priority 2 channel) 3.
Password Submenu This submenu changes the current six-character password. 1. From the PROGRM menu, scroll to PASSWRD and press . 2. Enter the old password using the keypad and press . If the entered password is incorrect, INVALID ENTRY displays. Press and try again. Note: Three consecutive invalid entries and OLD PASSWORD LOCKED is displayed. 3. Turn the radio off and on again if necessary. 4. When the old password is accepted, enter the new password. 5.
Encryption Menu This menu is for modifying the encryption settings setup in the PC Programmer. 1. From the main menu, scroll to ROPTNS, ENCRYPT and press . 2. Use the keypad to enter the password for this radio. 3. Press . 4. Choose from the following settings: Setting Value KEYSEL (Key select) Choose the active key for the channel (Zeroize keys) Zeroize key for channel or all keys ZEROIZE DF KEY 4.
6: ENCRYPTION OPTION This chapter assumes knowledge of the standard operations of the Guardian II portable radios detailed in the preceding chapters of this manual. Introduction When operating in the digital mode the radio is capable of secure communications by means of software-based encryption and is fully compatible with any radio using P25 digital encryption standards AES or DES-OFB. When the radio is operating in the secure mode, the transmission of all tone squelch signals is disabled.
8. Press PTT on the KVL to initiate the key transfer. When the transfer is successful, SUCCESS KEY DATA UPDATED displays. If unsuccessful, FAILURE KEY DATA NOT UPDATED displays. 9. Press to return to the key tag or the key ID displays. 10. Press or turn the radio off and on to resume normal operation. Note: To stop the transfer at any time, press . For more information, consult the KVL instruction manual.
7: FIRE FEATURES OPTION This chapter assumes a knowledge of the standard operation of the Guardian portable radio detailed in the preceding chapters of this manual. Introduction The Fire Feature option is designed for users in a high-risk fire environment or a similar special setting. This option adds the following features to the Guardian portable radio. • Tone picklist • P25 Talkgroup picklist • P25 UnitID picklist • Event bank for setting up an additional 3 zones of 16 channels each.
• Global only cloning • Legacy full channel, zone, bank cloning • Individual zone (up to 3 zones) cloning into the event bank • Tone (A/D TX squelch mode) picklist cloning • Talk Group picklist cloning • P25 UnitID picklist cloning Cloning from non-Fire Features radios to/from Fire Features radios is fully compatible, but only the standard full channel, zone, channel (no Event bank) option is possible. Note: Do not turn off or disconnect cable during the cloning process.
Global Data Check GLOBAL DATA to clone the auxiliary button settings, toggle switch settings, transmit timeout settings, transmit inhibit settings, scan settings, and priority scan settings. The following data is not cloned: • Keypad lock • Keypad disable • Scan Mode • Priority Scan Mode • Passwords • Unit ID and other Unit Identifiers All Zones Check ALL ZONES to clone all banks, all zones, and all channels. This includes data from the Event bank. Event Clone 1.
2. On the source radio, scroll to the desired zone, and press . A zone list is displayed containing all zones in the current bank. 3. Scroll to select the desired zone, and press . Repeat this process for any remaining zones. The target radio displays what is currently in its Event bank. 4. When this process is complete, return to the previous screen and select START CLONING. When cloning is complete, the target radio automatically switches to the Event Bank.
Analog/Digital Tone Pick List Tone pick lists are created in the PC Programmer. They are selected by accessing the main menu. Up to 32 transmit tones (CTCSS, DCS) and 32 digital NAC codes can be programmed into the radio. If one of these tones or codes is selected, the programmed tag name replaces the existing channel name. The use of a tone picklist provides a permanent change to the channel. To access these tones, the following options exist.
P25 Unit ID Call Picklist If a call is received with a matching UnitID in the lookup table, the name is displayed. Otherwise, the actual UnitID is displayed. It can be programmed by the PC Programmer or by accessing the radio’s main menu. This picklist cannot be cloned. To access an existing P25 UnitID picklist: 1. Turn the channel knob to the desired P25 digital channel. 2. Press and hold the # key to display the list. Do one of the following.
8: TROUBLESHOOTING The following table of symptoms, possible causes, and suggested corrective actions may be helpful. Consult authorized personnel for further guidance.
