4-1111.fm Page 1 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM Cat. No. 14-1111 OWNER’S MANUAL Please read before using this equipment.
14-1111.fm Page 2 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM FEATURES Your Optimus CTR-106 Voice-Activated Cassette Tape Recorder gives you a convenient and reliable way to record live audio. You can manually start recording or set the CTR-106 to automatically start recording when the recorder picks up sound. Because the CTR-106 does not record long periods of silence, you not only save tape space and battery power, you also save time when you try to find a certain section on the tape.
14-1111.fm Page 3 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM Automatic Level Control (ALC) Circuit — automatically adjusts to the proper recording level. Auto Stop — during playback and recording, stops the recorder and releases the tape mechanism when the tape reaches the end, to save battery power and protect your cassette tape.
14-1111.fm Page 4 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM CONTENTS Preparation .................................................................. 5 Powering the Recorder ........................................... 5 Using Internal Battery Power ........................... 5 Using AC Power ............................................... 7 Using DC Power .............................................. 9 Using the Earphone .............................................. 11 Listening Safely .............................
14-1111.fm Page 5 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM PREPARATION POWERING THE RECORDER For portable use, you can power the recorder from internal batteries. You can also power it from a standard AC outlet or your vehicle’s cigarette-lighter socket. Using Internal Battery Power The recorder uses two AA batteries. For the best results, we recommend alkaline batteries, such as RadioShack Cat. No. 23-552. Or, you can use rechargeable nickelcadmium batteries, such as Cat. No. 23-125, with a battery charger (Cat.
14-1111.fm Page 6 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM Follow these steps to install batteries. Illust. 1. Slide the battery compartment cover in the direction shown by the arrow on the cover. 2. Install two AA batteries as indicated by the polarity symbols (+ and –) marked on the back of the recorder. 3. Replace the cover. Cautions: • If you do not plan to use the recorder for a week or more, or you plan to use only another power source, remove the batteries.
14-1111.fm Page 7 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM Important: Your recorder is capable of using rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries. At the end of the batteries’ useful life, they must be recycled or disposed of properly. Contact your local, county, or state hazardous waste management authorities for information on recycling or disposal programs in your area.
14-1111.fm Page 8 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM • Always plug the adapter into the recorder before you plug it into the AC outlet. Always unplug the adapter from the AC outlet before you unplug it from the recorder. Illust. 1. Set the adapter’s voltage switch to 3V. 2. Attach the 3.4 mm outer diameter/1.3 mm inner diameter barrel plug to the AC adapter’s cord with the tip set to negative (–). 3. Insert the plug into the recorder’s DC 3V jack. 4. Plug the adapter into a standard AC outlet.
14-1111.fm Page 9 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM Using DC Power To power the recorder from your vehicle’s cigarette-lighter socket, you need a DC adapter (not supplied), such as Cat. No. 270-1560. Cautions: • You must use an adapter that supplies 3 volts and delivers at least 300 milliamps. Its center tip must be set to negative, and it must have a plug that properly fits the CTR-106’s DC 3V jack. The recommended adapter meets these specifications.
14-1111.fm Page 10 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM Follow these steps to power the recorder from your vehicle’s cigarette-lighter socket. Illust. 1. Set the adapter’s voltage switch to 3V. 2. Attach the 3.4 mm outer diameter/1.3 mm inner diameter barrel plug to the DC adapter’s cord with the tip set to negative (–). 3. Insert the plug into the recorder’s DC 3V jack. 4. Plug the adapter into the vehicle’s cigarette-lighter socket.
14-1111.fm Page 11 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM USING THE EARPHONE You can use the earphone for private listening. You can also monitor a recording and check the microphone’s sensitivity (see “Using Voice Activation (VOX)” on Page 16). Insert the earphone’s 1/8-inch plug into the EAR jack. Illust. Note: Connecting the earphone disconnects the recorder’s built-in speaker.
14-1111.fm Page 12 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM Listening Safely To protect your hearing, follow these guidelines when you use an earphone. • Do not listen at extremely high volume levels. Extended high-volume listening can lead to permanent hearing loss. • Set the volume to its lowest level before you begin listening. After you put on the earphone, adjust the volume to a comfortable listening level. • Do not increase the volume once you have established a comfortable listening level.
14-1111.fm Page 13 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM OPERATION LOADING A CASSETTE TAPE 1. Take up any slack in the cassette tape by turning the hub with a pencil to prevent the tape from becoming tangled in the tape mechanism. Do not touch the tape. Illust. 2. Open the cassette compartment door by lifting it at the notch. Insert a cassette tape into the door guides so the cassette’s open edge faces out, the side you want to play or record on faces the compartment window, and the full reel is to the left.
-1111.fm Page 14 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM PLAYING A TAPE 1. Load a cassette. 2. Press PLAY. Illust. 3. Adjust VOLUME to the desired level. Illust. STOP or let the tape auto4. To stop the tape, press matically stop when it reaches the end.
14-1111.fm Page 15 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM USING FAST-F AND REWIND FAST-F To rapidly advance or rewind the tape, press REWIND. The button locks, and the tape fast-foror STOP. wards or rewinds to the end or until you press STOP to reWhen the tape reaches the end, press lease the button and the tape-handling parts. Illust. USING THE TAPE COUNTER The tape counter shows you the tape’s current playing position, making it easier to locate a particular segment.
14-1111.fm Page 16 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM RECORDING Notes: • We recommend you use normal bias (Type I) cassette tapes, such as RadioShack LN and XR tape. • We recommend regular length (60- or 90-minute) cassette tapes. We do not recommend long-play cassette tapes, such as C-120s, because they are thin and can easily tangle. • The ALC (automatic level control) circuit automatically sets the recording level. VOLUME has no effect.
14-1111.fm Page 17 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM 3. Press RECORD. Recording begins when the voiceactivation mechanism detects a sound. Illust. 4. To cause soft sound levels to activate recording, rotate VOLUME/VOX SENS toward MAX. To automatically record only louder sounds, rotate VOLUME/VOX SENS toward MIN. (This does not change the volume of the recording.) The RECORD BATTERY indicator lights during recording. The louder the sound, the brighter the indicator glows.
14-1111.fm Page 18 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM TAPE TIPS Restoring Tape Tension and Sound Quality After you play a cassette tape several times, the tape might become tightly wound on the reels. This can cause playback sound quality to deteriorate. To restore the sound quality, fast-forward the tape from the beginning to the end of one side, then completely rewind it. Then loosen the tape reels by gently tapping each side of the cassette’s outer shell on a flat surface.
14-1111.fm Page 19 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM If you later decide to record on a tape side after you have removed the erase-protection tab, place a piece of strong plastic tape over that side’s erase-protection hole. Be sure you cover only the hole originally covered by the erase-protection tab. Illust. Caution: Removing the erase-protection tabs does not prevent a bulk eraser from erasing a cassette tape. Erasing a Cassette Tape To record over a cassette tape, simply record as usual.
14-1111.fm Page 20 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM MAINTENANCE Your CTR-106 Voice-Activated Cassette Tape Recorder is an example of superior design and craftsmanship. The following suggestions will help you care for your recorder so you can enjoy it for years. Keep the recorder dry. If it gets wet, wipe it dry immediately. Liquids might contain minerals that can corrode the electronic circuits. Use and store the recorder only in normal temperature environments.
14-1111.fm Page 21 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM Use only fresh batteries of the required size and type. Batteries can leak chemicals that damage your recorder’s electronic parts. Wipe the recorder with a damp cloth occasionally to keep it looking new. Do not use harsh chemicals, cleaning solvents, or strong detergents to clean the recorder. Modifying or tampering with the recorder’s internal parts can cause a malfunction and might invalidate your recorder’s warranty.
14-1111.fm Page 22 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM 1. Disconnect all power sources. 2. Open the cassette compartment door. 3. Hold down the erase protection tab sensor, then press RECORD to expose the tape-handling parts. 4. Use a cotton swab dipped in denatured alcohol or tape head-cleaning solution to clean the record/play head, pinch roller, capstan, erase head, and tape guides. Illust. 5. When you finish cleaning, press STOP and close the compartment. Then reconnect power.
14-1111.fm Page 23 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM SPECIFICATIONS Tape System .................... 2 Track, Monophonic Cassette (For use with normal bias tape (Type I) only) Tape Speed..................................... 17/8 ips (4.75 cm/sec) Wow and Flutter....................................... 0.35% (WRMS) Signal-to-Noise Ratio...............................................42 dB Erase System ....................................................... Magnet Record System ..................................
14-1111.fm Page 24 Thursday, July 1, 1999 12:55 PM Limited Ninety-Day Warranty This product is warranted by RadioShack against manufacturing defects in material and workmanship under normal use for ninety (90) days from the date of purchase from RadioShack company-owned stores and authorized RadioShack franchisees and dealers.
