Uniden Mhs550 Owners Manual

MHS550 MHS-550-manual

2015-05-27

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A World Without Wires®

UNIDEN
MARINE
2-WAY
VHF RADIO

MHS550
OWNER’S MANUAL

Making a Distress Call
For future reference, write your boat’s name & call sign here:

Speak slowly -- clearly -- calmly.
1.
2.

Make sure your radio is on.
Press the 16/9-TRI button to switch to Channel 16
(156.8 MHz). (If the corner of the display does not
show 16, press the 16/9-TRI button again until it does.)
3. Press the PUSH TO TALK button and say,
“MAYDAY --MAYDAY-- MAYDAY.”
4. Say, “THIS IS {name or call sign of your boat}.”
5. Say, “MAYDAY{name or call sign of your boat}.”
Tell where you are (what navigational aids or landmarks are near, or give your position from a GPS).
6. State the nature of your distress (e.g. sinking, medical
emergency, man overboard, fire, adrift, etc.).
7. Give the number of persons aboard and describe the
condition of any injured persons.
8. Estimate present seaworthiness of your ship (e.g.
how immediate is the danger due to flooding or fire or
proximity to shore).
9. Briefly describe your ship (length, type, color, hull).
10. Say, “I WILL BE LISTENING ON CHANNEL 16.”
11. End message by saying,
“THIS IS {name or call sign of your boat} OVER.”
12. Release the PUSH TO TALK button and listen for a
response.
If you do not get an answer after 30 seconds,
repeat your call, beginning at step 3, above.
Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Table of Contents
Making a Distress Call...................................... inside front cover
Introduction.....................................................................................4
Features.......................................................................................4
Manual conventions......................................................................5
Getting Started................................................................................5
What’s included............................................................................5
Parts of the MHS550....................................................................6
Front view................................................................................6
Back view................................................................................8
Parts of the charger.................................................................9
Using the menus...........................................................................9
How It Works.................................................................................10
Normal mode operation..............................................................11
Normal mode with Weather Alert Watch................................ 11
Normal mode with Triple Watch or Dual Watch.....................12
Both Weather Alert and Triple/Dual Watch in normal mode..12
Scan mode operation.................................................................13
Using the radio in scan mode ...............................................13
Scan mode with Weather Alert Watch...................................14
Scan mode with Triple Watch or Dual Watch........................14
Both Weather Alert and Triple/Dual Watch in scan mode......15
Weather mode............................................................................15
Using the radio in weather mode...........................................15
Weather mode with Weather Alert Watch..............................16
Weather mode with Triple Watch or Dual Watch...................16
Setting Up the Hardware..............................................................17
Installing the battery...................................................................17
Using the alkaline battery case..............................................18
Attaching the belt clip.................................................................19
Mounting the charger . ...............................................................20
Mounting on a flat surface.....................................................20
Mounting on a wall.................................................................20

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Using the Radio (General Operation).........................................21
Setting the volume......................................................................21
Setting the squelch level.............................................................21
Changing the channel.................................................................21
Contrast......................................................................................22
Lamp adjust................................................................................22
Turning the key beep on and off.................................................22
Using the external speaker/mic jack ..........................................23
Using the Marine VHF Band........................................................23
Reading the marine band screen...............................................23
Marine band status messages....................................................24
Marine VHF band menu options.................................................24
Making a transmission................................................................25
Boosting the transmission power...........................................26
Choosing Triple Watch or Dual Watch........................................27
Setting the UIC channel mode (USA/CAN/INT).........................27
Changing channel names...........................................................27
Using FIPS codes for weather alerts..........................................28
Using the Family Radio Service (FRS) Band.............................30
Reading the FRS band screen...................................................30
FRS band status messages.......................................................30
FRS band menu options.............................................................31
Setting CTCSS privacy codes....................................................31
Using the AM Band.......................................................................33
Reading the AM band screen.....................................................33
AM band menu reference...........................................................34
Using the FM Band.......................................................................34
Reading the FM band screen.....................................................35
FM band menu options...............................................................35
Using the Aircraft Band...............................................................36
Reading the aircraft band screen...............................................36
Aircraft band menu options.........................................................37
Maintenance and Troubleshooting.............................................37
Common questions.....................................................................38

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Specifications...............................................................................39
General Specifications................................................................39
Receiver Specifications..............................................................40
Transmitter Specifications..........................................................41
Channels and Frequencies.........................................................42
US channel frequencies and names......................................42
Canadian channel frequencies and names...........................43
International channel frequencies and names.......................45
Weather channel frequencies................................................46
FRS channel frequencies......................................................46
FRS privacy codes (CTCSS and DSC codes)............................46
CEA2009-SAME event codes....................................................48
Regulations and Safety Warnings..............................................50
Maritime radio services operation...............................................50
Basic radio guidelines.................................................................50
FCC/Industry Canada information..............................................51
FCC RF exposure information....................................................51
Lithium ion battery warning.........................................................52
Three Year Limited Warranty Statement....................................52

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Introduction
Features
The MHS550 provides the following key features:
• Submersible design
Complies with JIS8 water-resistant standards, which
means the radio can be submerged in 1.5 meters of
water for 30 minutes without damage.
• Family Radio Service (FRS) band with privacy codes
Provides 2-way communication using the 14 FRS
channels, and Continuous Tone Coded Squelch
System/Digital Squelch Control (CTCSS/DSC) privacy
codes reduce interference from nearby FRS units.
• Standard AM and FM broadcast bands
• Aircraft broadcast reception (108-137MHz)
Lets you monitor aircraft-to-ground transmissions.
• Memory scan mode
Lets you save channels to memory and monitor them in
quick succession.
• Transmitter power level select
Lets you boost the transmitter power from 1 Watt to 2.5
or 5 Watts for added transmission distance.
• Battery level display and low battery alert.
• Triple or dual watch operation
Checks the Coast Guard Distress/Hailing channels 16
and 9 in the background.
• All marine VHF channels for the U.S., Canada, and
international waters
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) weather channel watch
Sounds a warning tone when a hazard alert is issued
for your area.

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Manual conventions
This manual uses several different type styles to help you
distinguish between different parts of the radio:
• BOLD SMALL CAPITALS indicates an actual button or
knob on the radio.
• Italics indicate text on the display, such as menu
options, prompts, and confirmation messages.

Getting Started
What’s included
MHS550
Radio

Charger
(RSC550)

Lithium Ion
Battery
(BP550)

Alkaline
Battery Case
(BT550)
(batteries not
included)

DC Adapter
(DC550)

AC Adapter
(AD-0007)

Wrist Strap
Mounting Hardware

Belt Clip
(CLIP550)

If any pieces are missing or damaged, contact Uniden (see
back cover for contact information).
Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Parts of the MHS550
Front view

Antenna

VOLUME-POWER

knob

Jack for
external
microphone
or speaker
LCD
display

SQUELCH

knob

(Turn clockwise
to decrease
channel noise.)

Wrist strap
anchor

PUSH TO
TALK

CHANNEL UP &
DOWN buttons

button

16/9-TRI
(triple/dual
watch)
button

WX-ALERT

button

ENTER

button

Microphone
Speaker

(Turn clockwise
to increase
volume.)

(weatheralert) button
SCAN-MEM
(scanmemory)
button
BAND-1/2.5/5W
button

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

BUTTON

Press to...

PUSH-TO TALK

16/9-TRI
MENU
ENTER
CHANNEL UP
CHANNEL
DOWN
WX-ALERT
SCAN-MEM

1st press: Go to Channel 16.
2nd press: Go to Channel 9.
3rd press: Go back to the
original channel.
Display the radio menu.
Choose an option on a menu.
Move up one channel at a time
or move up one option at a
time in a menu screen.
Move down one channel at a
time or move down one option
at a time in a menu screen.
Listen to the current weather
conditions in your area.
Start scanning the channels
saved in memory.

Press and hold to...
Transmit on a channel.
Note: You cannot transmit while the radio is in
the charger.
Turn on Triple Watch or
Dual Watch mode (see
page 27).

Move quickly up the
channels.
Move quickly down the
channels.
Monitor weather channels for alerts (any area).
Save a channel into
memory or remove a
channel from memory.

Cycle through the radio bands: Change the transmit
power (see page 26)
and aircraft band

BAND-1/2.5/5W marine/VHF, FRS, AM, FM,

KNOB
VOLUMEPOWER
SQUELCH

Turn clockwise to...:
Turn on the radio or
increase the volume.
Raise the squelch level
to reduce channel noise.

Turn counter-clockwise to...:
Decrease the volume or turn off
the radio.
Lower the squelch level to hear
weaker signals.

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Back view

Belt clip

PUSH TO TALK

button

(BACKLIGHT/
KEY LOCK)
button

Battery
charging
contacts
Battery latch
BUTTON

Press to...

PUSH-TO TALK
BACKLIGHT/ Turn on the LCD and
keypad backlight.
KEY LOCK

Press and hold to...
Transmit on a channel. Note:
You cannot transmit while
the radio is in the charger.
Lock and unlock the keypad.

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Parts of the charger
Screw holes
for wall
mounting
DC 12V-13.8V

input jack

Screw
holes for
flat surface
mounting

charging
latch
charge
LED

Lights while the battery is charging and turns off when
the battery is fully charged. (If a fully charged battery
is placed in the cradle, the LED does not light.)
Use ONLY the AC or DC adapter that came with your
Power input jack radio! The DC adapter must connect to a 12-13.8V
(DC 12V-13.8V)
power supply with a negative ground.
CHARGE LED

Using the menus

Here are some general hints on operating the MHS550
menu screens. The specific screens and menu options are
different for each radio band. For details, see the operation
instructions for each radio band starting on page 23.
• The current item is highlighted in reversed out text.
• Use the CHANNEL UP button to move up a line in the
menu.
• Use the CHANNEL DOWN button to move down a line in
the menu.
• Press the ENTER button to choose the selected item.
• Select Exit to close the menu.
Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

How It Works
The MHS550 radio has three main operation modes, normal
mode, scan mode, and weather mode.
To turn it
on/off
Monitors a single chan(default
Normal nel. In marine and FRS Monitor a channel or mode for
mode
bands, it allows you to
talk to another radio. each radio
talk on that channel, too.
band)
Check
a
small
group
Scan
Monitors all the channels of regularly-used
Press SCANmode
you save into memory
MEM.
channels for traffic
You want to hear the
Weather Monitor the selected
or forecasted Press WXmode
NOAA weather channel. current
weather in your area ALERT.
Mode

What it does

Use it when you
want to...:

In addition to the three operation modes, the MHS550
provides three different watch modes which you can activate
during any operation mode. In the watch modes, the radio
briefly checks for activity on a specific channel, then returns
to its previous operation.
Watch mode

Triple Watch

What it does
Checks the last-used
weather channel for hazard
alerts every 7 seconds
Checks channels 16 and 9
for activity every 2 seconds

Dual Watch

Checks channel 16 for
activity every 2 seconds

Weather Alert
Watch

To turn it on/off
Press and hold WX-ALERT
for 2 seconds
Press and hold 16/9-TRI for
two seconds
Change Triple Watch to
Dual Watch in the menu,
then press and hold 16/9TRI for 2 seconds

Note: Private boats must monitor channel 16 whenever they are underway. Water-going vessels should
have either Triple Watch or Dual Watch on at all times.
10

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Normal mode operation
• Press the CHANNEL UP button to move up one channel
at a time. Press and hold the button to scroll quickly up
the channels.
• Press the CHANNEL DOWN button to move down one
channel at a time. Press and hold the button to scroll
quickly down the channels.
• You can listen to all of the available radio bands. You
can transmit on FRS channels and most marine VHF
channels.
• To transmit, press and hold the PUSH TO TALK button
to transmit. Release the button when you finish talking.
• For the best sound quality, hold the microphone about
two inches from your mouth while you’re talking.
• To change the transmit power, press and hold the
BAND-1/2.5/5W button for about 2 seconds. The radio
switches to the next transmit power each time you
press and hold the BAND-1/2.5/5W button.
Normal mode with Weather Alert Watch
If you activate Weather Alert Watch while operating in normal
mode, the radio checks the most recently-used weather
channel every seven seconds. If it detects a weather alert for
your area, it will switch to the last-used weather channel. (If
you are actively transmitting, the radio waits until you finish
your transmission before checking the weather channel.

Monitoring Channel 25

WX-ALERT on:

Every 7 seconds, the
radio checks the lastused weather channel.

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

wx
11

Normal mode with Triple Watch or Dual Watch
If you activate Triple Watch while operating in normal mode,
the radio checks channels 16 and 9 every two seconds; with
Dual Watch turned on, the radio only checks channel 16. The
radio will not check channels 16 or 9 while you are actively
transmitting; it waits until your transmission is finished and
then checks the channels.

Monitoring Channel 25
09 16

09 16

Triple Watch on:

Every 2 seconds, the radio checks channels 9 & 16.

Both Weather Alert and Triple/Dual Watch in normal mode
You can activate Weather Alert Watch and Triple/Dual Watch
at the same time. The radio performs both checks at their
scheduled time:

Monitoring Channel 25
09 16

09 16

Every 2 seconds, the radio
checks channels 9 & 16.

Triple Watch

09 16
wx

Every 7 seconds, the
radio checks the lastused weather channel.

WX Alert Watch

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Scan mode operation
You can save channels into memory and then use scan
mode to monitor those channels from lowest to highest. If the
radio detects a signal on a channel, it stays on that channel
as long as the signal is received; when the signal stops, the
radio continues scanning.
When it detects a signal, the radio
stays on the channel until you press the
CHANNEL UP button or the signal stops.

Resume scan

The radio scans about
5 channels in 0.5 seconds.

Using the radio in scan mode
• To activate scan mode, press SCAN-MEM.
• You cannot transmit while in scan mode.
• You must have at least two channels in memory to start
a scan.
• To save a channel into memory, select the channel,
then press and hold the SCAN-MEM button for two
seconds. Memory shows on the display whenever you
tune to that channel.
• To remove a channel from memory, set the radio to that
channel, then press and hold the SCAN-MEM button for
two seconds. Memory no longer shows on the display.
• When the radio stays on a channel, press CHANNEL UP
to leave that channel and resume scanning.
• To end the scan, press the SCAN-MEM button again;
the radio remains on the last scanned channel.

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Scan mode with Weather Alert Watch
If you activate Weather Alert Watch while in scan mode, the
radio checks the most recently-used weather channel every
seven seconds, then continues scanning the next channel in
memory:

Memory Channel Scan
08

Every 7 seconds, the
radio checks the
last-used weather
channel, then scans
the next channel.

WX Alert Watch on

Scan mode with Triple Watch or Dual Watch
If you activate Triple Watch while operating in scan mode,
the radio checks channels 16 and 9 every two seconds, then
goes on to scan the next channel; with Dual Watch turned
on, the radio only checks channel 16:

Memory Channel Scan
08

Every 2 seconds,
the radio checks
channels 9 & 16,
then scans the
next channel.

Triple Watch on

09 16

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Both Weather Alert and Triple/Dual Watch in scan mode
You can activate Weather Alert Watch and Triple/Dual Watch
at the same time. The radio performs both checks at their
scheduled time:

Memory Channel Scan
08

Every 2 seconds,
the radio checks
channels 9 & 16,
then scans the
next channel.

Triple Watch on

09 16

Every 7 seconds, the
radio checks the
last-used weather
channel, then scans
the next channel.

WX Alert Watch on

Weather mode
The NOAA weather channels now cooperate with the FCC to
alert you of other hazards besides weather (child abduction
alerts, nuclear, biological, etc.). In weather mode, the radio
monitors one of the ten NOAA weather channels. If any type
of alert is received for your area, the radio sounds an alert
tone and displays the type of alert.
Using the radio in weather mode
• You cannot transmit while in weather mode.
• To enter weather mode, press the WX-ALERT button.
• Weather mode can filter out alerts that do not affect
your location if the location code (FIPS code) of the
alert is entered in your radio (see page 28). If you have
no FIPS codes programmed into your radio, the radio
will notify you of all alerts in any area.
• To turn off the radio’s alert tone, press any button.
• To cancel weather mode and return to the previous
marine channel, press the WX-ALERT button again.
Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Weather mode with Weather Alert Watch
Because weather mode already monitors the weather
channels, you don’t need Weather Alert Watch to check
the weather channel every seven seconds. If you activate
Weather Alert Watch while operating in weather mode,
it operates as a type of “sleep mode”: the radio stays on
the weather channel and mutes the speaker. If an alert is
detected for your area, the radio sounds an alert tone and
turns the speaker back on. This mode is very useful when
you are anchoring the night but want to stay informed of any
hazards in your area.
Weather mode with Triple Watch or Dual Watch
If you activate Triple Watch while operating in weather mode,
the radio checks channels 16 and 9 every two seconds; with
Dual Watch turned on, the radio only checks channel 16.

Monitoring Weather Channel WX08

09 16

Every 2 seconds, the radio checks
channel 9, then channel 16

with Triple Watch on

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Setting Up the Hardware
Installing the battery

Your MHS550 comes with a rechargeable Lithium Ion
battery. For shipping safety, the battery is not installed at the
factory; the empty alkaline battery case is installed as a
placeholder.
Note: Charge the
battery fully before
using the radio.
1. Unlock the latch at
2
the base of the radio
and remove the
alkaline battery case.
2. Insert the hooks on
the battery into the
notches on the top of
1
the battery
compartment.

Rubber
seal

Note: Each time you remove the battery, check the
rubber seal around the battery compartment. Make
sure the rubber seal is seated in the groove and there
is no dirt or debris on it. If the seal looks worn or
damaged, contact customer service to order a
Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

3.
4.

replacement (see back cover for contact information).
Lower the battery until it rests flat in the compartment.
Bring the battery latch up and snap it into place.

Using the alkaline battery case
The radio also comes with a battery case that holds four AAA
type alkaline batteries (not supplied). You can use alkaline
batteries as a backup for the Li-Ion battery, so you can still
use your radio while your Li-Ion battery is recharging. For
best performance, Uniden recommends using extra-strength
alkaline batteries, such as Duracell Ultra® batteries.
Note: When using alkaline batteries, transmit power is
limited to a maximum of 2.5 watts.
Follow the steps below to use the alkaline battery case:
1. Hold the lower part of the
case in one hand with the
three battery contacts facing
down. Use your thumb to
hold the notch on the lower
part of the case.
2. With your other hand, grip
Thumb
the upper part of the case
notch
and lift the cover open.
3. Align the batteries’ positive
and negative terminals with
the drawing in the case, and
snap each battery into place.
4. Insert the two hooks on
the lower part of the case
into the notches on the
cover, and close the cover.
(The cover fits snugly but
you should not have to force
Rubber
it closed.)
seal
Note: Each time you open
18

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

the battery case, check the rubber seal. Make sure the
seal is seated in the groove and there is no dirt or
debris on it. If the rubber seal looks worn or damaged,
contact customer service to order a replacement (see
back cover for contact information).
Install the alkaline battery case in your radio just as
you do the Li-Ion battery (see page 17).
Warning: The case is designed to prevent the
accidental charging of alkaline batteries. Never use
alkaline batteries in the radio without the battery case.
Do not attempt to modify the battery case design.

Attaching the belt clip
To attach the belt clip:
1. Hold the belt
clip so that
the finger
indentation
points to the
top of the
radio.
2. Align the center of the clip with the anchor post.
3. Place the clip on the post and slide the clip upwards
until it clicks into place.
L
VO

L
VO

To remove the belt clip:
1. Rotate the
clip so that
the finger
indentation
is towards
the bottom
of the radio.
2. Slide the clip up until it comes free of the anchor post.
L
VO

L
VO

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Mounting the charger
You can mount the charger on any flat surface or on a wall.
Mounting on a flat surface
1. Use the three holes at the base of
the charger as a template to mark the
drill holes.
2. Using a ⅛ inch (or 3 mm) drill bit, drill
three holes ½ inch (13 mm) deep.
3. Use the provided screws to attach
the charger to the surface.
Mounting on a wall
Before wall-mounting the charger, be sure the wall material is
strong enough to hold the weight of both the radio and
charger. Use anchors appropriate for the wall material.

Insert the screws

sure to use a
2 (be
proper anchor).
Use the charger

1 as a template to
mark drill holes.

1.
2.
3.
4.
20

Place the charger

the screw
3 over
heads and push it
down into place.

Using the holes in the rear of the charger as a
template, mark the location of the drill holes.
Using a ⅛ inch (or 3 mm) drill bit, drill two holes ½ inch
(13 mm) deep. (If you are using anchors, follow the
drilling instructions on the packaging.)
Insert the screws into the holes, leaving ⅛ inch (3 mm)
of space between the wall and the screw head.
Place the holes on the charger over the screw heads.
Slide the charger down to lock it into place.
Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Using the Radio (General Operation)
The following features and settings are available in all bands.

Setting the volume
Turn the VOLUME-POWER knob clockwise to increase the
speaker volume, or counter-clockwise to decrease volume.

Setting the squelch level
The squelch feature
reduces static on the
Strong signals
speaker by filtering out
any background channel
Weak signals
noise. At the lowest
squelch level, the
speaker plays all
Noise
signals, including any
channel noise. Setting
the squelch level higher
Medium
High
No
filters out noise and lets
Squelch
Squelch
Squelch
only actual radio signals
through.
While listening to a channel, adjust the SQUELCH knob until
the noise is filtered and you can hear only the transmission.
If you switch to a channel with a lot of noise or a weak transmission, you may need to readjust the squelch level again.
Note: Setting the squelch level too high may prevent
you from hearing weaker transmissions. If you are
having difficulty hearing a transmission, try setting the
squelch level lower.

Changing the channel
Press the CHANNEL UP and CHANNEL DOWN buttons briefly
to scroll through the channels one channel at a time. Press
and hold the CHANNEL UP or CHANNEL DOWN button to
quickly scroll through the channels.
Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Contrast
The display has 10 levels of contrast. To adjust the contrast:
1. Press the MENU button
Contrast
and select Contrast.
2. Use the CHANNEL UP and Adjust
CHANNEL DOWN buttons
to change the contrast to
your desired level.
3. Press ENTER to set the
new contrast level and exit the menu.

Lamp adjust
The LCD and keypad light up whenever you press a key on
the radio; the backlight stays on for 5 seconds and then turns
off automatically. You can change the amount of time the
LCD and keypad backlight stays on.
1. Press the MENU button and choose Lamp Adjust.
2. Choose how you want the backlight to operate:
Always On makes the backlight stay on
Always Off makes the backlight never come on, or
Timer makes the backlight stay on for a set amount of
time after you press a key.
3. If you select Timer, the radio prompts you to choose
the amount of time you want the backlight to stay on.
Choose from 5 seconds [5sec (Default)], 30 Seconds,
1 Minute, or 5 Minutes.
4. Press ENTER to save the new setting.

Turning the key beep on and off
Key beep is the tone that sounds when you press a key or a
button. To turn off the key beep, press the MENU button and
choose Key Beep. Select Off and press ENTER to save the
new setting. (Turning the key beep off will also turn off the
confirmation tone when you change menu settings.)
22

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Using the external speaker/mic jack
You can connect an optional external speaker-mic to this
watertight jack. Unscrew the cap, which is held by the rubber
cap-keeper to prevent loss. Insert the special gasketed plug
and screw down the shell, which assures prevention of water
entering the jack. Two available units are
• HHSPM Speaker Mic
• VOX100 Headset Mic
For details, consult your Uniden dealer or contact Uniden
directly (see back cover for contact information).

Using the Marine VHF Band
The following features and
options are avilable only when
the radio is in the marine VHF
band. To activate the marine
band, press the BAND-1/2.5/5W
button repreatedly until the
display shows VHF.

VHF

Reading the marine band screen
Transmit
power
(1W, 2.5W
or 5W)
Channel mode
(USA, CANada or
INTernational)

Current band

Alert

Current channel is
stored in memory

Memory

Weather Alert
Watch on
Battery level icon

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Current
channel
number
Status
messages
(see status
message
table)

Marine band status messages
Message
(Channel Name)
TRANSMITTING
RELEASE PTT KEY
CHANNEL SCAN
TRIWATCH
TRIWATCH SCAN
DUALWATCH
DUALWATCH SCAN
BATTERY LOW

Displays When
No other status message is needed (see the
tables staring on page 42 for a list of channel
names)
You press the PUSH TO TALK button.
You press the PUSH TO TALK button but you
cannot transmit at the moment (for example,
because you are on a receive-only channel).
You turn on scanning mode.
You turn on triple watch mode.
You turn on triple watch mode while scanning.
You turn on dual watch mode.
You turn on dual watch mode while scanning..
The battery power level is too low for normal
operation (appears with the battery power level
icon ).

Marine VHF band menu options
Follow the steps below to open the marine VHF band menu:
1. If the top of the display does not show Marine Band,
press the BAND-1/2.5/5W button repreatedly until the
display shows VHF.
2. Wait for the display to show the marine band screen,
then press the MENU button.
3. Refer to the table below for the available options and
settings available in the marine band.

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Menu
Option

Use It To...

Available Settings (default
setting is in italics)

Change the channel mode
USA/
US to Canadian or
CAN/INT from
International channels

USA Mode
Canadian Mode
Int’l Mode

Lamp
Adjust

Change the operation of
the display backlight

Always On
Timer (see page 22 for details)
Always Off

Contrast

Adjust the display contrast

10 contrast levels
(default = 7)

Dual/
TriWatch

Choose between triple
watch and dual watch

16/9 TriWatch
16 DualWatch

the key touch tones
Key Beep Turn
on or off

On
Off

FIPS
Codes

Enter or edit the six-digit
No FIPS codes entered.
codes for the geographic
page 28 for instructions on
areas that you want to hear See
entering FIPS codes
hazard alerts for

Channel
Name

Change the name
displayed for a channel or
reset channel names back
to their default settings

Exit

Close the menu

See the tables starting on page
42 for default channel names
See page 27 for instructions on
changing channel names.

Making a transmission
Remove the radio from the charger, then press and hold the
PUSH TO TALK button. Release the PUSH TO TALK button
when you’re finished talking to let the other party respond.
• To prevent stuck microphone problems or situations
where the PUSH TO TALK button is pushed accidentally,
the radio limits your talk time to 5 minutes in a
single transmission. If you talk for over 5 minutes
continuously, the display shows RELEASE PTT KEY.
Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

• For the best sound quality, hold the microphone about
two inches away from your mouth.
• See the tables starting on page 42 for a list of receiveonly channels.
Boosting the transmission power
In most situations, 1 Watt of transmission power is all you
need. If you find yourself far away from other stations and
have trouble getting a response, you may need to boost the
transmission power from 1 Watt to 2.5 Watts or 5 Watts:
1. Select the channel you want
5 Watts
to transmit on
2. Press and hold the BAND1/2.5/5W button for two
seconds to switch to the next
transmission power level (for
example, from 5 Watts to 2.5
2.5 Watts
Watts; from 2.5 Watts to 1
Watt, or from 1 Watt around
to 5 Watts).
3. The display shows the new
transmission power in the
upper left hand corner. The
1 Watt
transmit power remains at
the new setting until you
change it again.
Note: Don’t forget to
change the transmission setting back to 1 Watt when
you move close to other stations.
Some channels (for example, channels 13 and 67) limit
the power of transmission to 1 Watt so that there is less
interference between boaters attempting to use the channel
at the same time. If you switch to one of these channels, the
radio changes back to 1 Watt automatically. See the tables
starting on page 42 for a list of power-restricted channels.
26

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Choosing Triple Watch or Dual Watch
In Triple Watch mode, the radio checks channels 16 and 9
every two seconds. In Dual Watch mode, the radio checks
channel 16 only. Generally, Triple Watch is used in areas
where channel 9 is used as a hailing frequency, while Dual
Watch is used in areas where channel 16 is used for distress
and hailing. Your radio comes set to use Triple Watch; if you
want to use Dual Watch instead, follow the steps below:
1. Open the menu and choose
Dual/Tri Watch
Dual/Tri Watch.
16/9 TriWatch
2. Highlight 16 DualWatch and
16 DualWatch
press the ENTER button. The
radio activates the new setting Exit
and returns to the menu.
3. To reactivate Triple Watch, repeat the step described
above, but choose 16/9 TriWatch.

Setting the UIC channel mode (USA/CAN/INT)
The radio comes preset to use the channels assigned for
the US. If your current area uses Canadian or international
channels, follow these steps to change the channel mode:
1. Open the menu and choose USA/CAN/INT.
2. Highlight the channel mode you want to use: US (USA
Mode), Canadian (Canadian Mode), or international
(Intl Mode).
3. Press the ENTER button. The radio activates the new
channel mode and exits the menu.

Changing channel names
If you discover that a marine radio channel has a different
common name in your local area, you can change the name
of that channel to make it easier for you to use (see the
channel lists starting on page 42 for the default channel
names). To rename a channel, follow the steps below:
Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

1.
2.
3.
4.

6.
7.

Open the menu and choose Channel Name.The
screen displays the list of channels.
Use CHANNEL UP and CHANNEL DOWN buttons to
highlight the channel you want to change and press
the ENTER button.
Select Rename to enter a new name for this channel
or Default to restore the channel’s original name.
If you select Rename, the radio prompts you to enter
a new name for this channel. Each name can be up
to 16 characters. Use the CHANNEL UP and CHANNEL
DOWN buttons to change the first character.
When the first character is correct, press the ENTER
button. The cursor moves to the next character. Enter
the remaining 15 characters of the name. (If the name
is shorter than 16 characters, press the ENTER button
repeatedly to complete the name entry.
When you finish entering the name, the radio sounds a
confirmation tone and returns to the channel list.
When you are satisfied with the list of channel names,
select Exit to close the menu screen.

Using FIPS codes for weather alerts
The US National Weather Service established 6-digit Federal
Information Processing System (FIPS) codes to issue
weather alerts in specific areas. You can choose which areas
you want to hear alerts for by entering these FIPS codes
in your radio. This can prevent you from being bothered by
events that are far from where you are boating. The radio
only sounds the alert tone if an incoming FIPS code matches
one of the areas you selected.
• For more information about how the NWS uses FIPS
codes, see the NWS website:
www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/nwsfipschg.htm.
• To see an index of FIPS codes by state, see the
28

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

website of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST):
www.itl.nist.gov/fipspubs/co-codes/states.htm.
Note: If you travel outside the areas you have entered
into your radio, you may not hear alerts that effect
your new location. Be sure to enter the FIPS codes of
all the areas you plan to travel to on this trip.
Follow the steps below to edit the list of FIPS codes. You can
store up to 20 different FIPS codes in your radio.
1. Open the menu and select
FIPS Codes.
FIPS CODES
2. The screen displays any
023456
previously-entered FIPS
codes. To add a new FIPS
Add
code, select Add.
Exit
3. Use the CHANNEL UP and
CHANNEL DOWN buttons to
Press the UP or DOWN
change the first of the six
arrow keys to select
the character then
digits; the CHANNEL UP
press the enter key
button increases the number
and the CHANNEL DOWN
0_____
button decreases the
number.
4. When the first digit is correct, press the ENTER
button. The cursor moves to the next digit. Enter the
remaining five digits of the FIPS code in the same way.
5. When the sixth digit is correct, press ENTER. The radio
returns to the list of FIPS codes.
6. To change an existing FIPS code, select the code
you want to change, then select Delete or Edit, then
use the CHANNEL UP and CHANNEL DOWN buttons to
change each of the six digits.
7. When you are satisfied with the list of FIPS codes,
select Exit to close the menu screen.
Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Using the Family Radio Service (FRS) Band
The following features and
options are avilable only when
the radio is in the FRS band. To
activate the FRS band, press
the BAND-1/2.5/5W button
repreatedly until the display
shows FRS.

FRS

Reading the FRS band screen
Current band

Keypad
locked
Current
channel is
stored in
memory

Current channel
number
Current
CTCSS
privacy
code
(001-142
or OFF)

Locked
Memory
Dual Watch

Scan

Status messages
(see the status
message table)

Channel
scanning on

Battery
level
icon

FRS band status messages
Message
Transmitting
Release PTT
TriWatch
DualWatch

Displays When
You press the PUSH TO TALK button.
You press the PUSH TO TALK button but you
cannot transmit at the moment (for example,
because you are scanning).
You turn on triple watch mode.
You turn on dual watch mode.

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

FRS band menu options
Follow the steps below to open the FRS band menu:
1. If the top of the display does not show FRS 2-Way
Radio, press the BAND-1/2.5/5W button repreatedly
until the display shows FRS.
2. Wait for the display to show the FRS band screen,
then press the MENU button.
3. Refer to the table below for the available options and
settings available in the FRS band.
Available Settings (default
setting is in italics)
No privacy codes set.
Set privacy codes for
CODE
See Setting privacy codes
each channel
(below) for instructions.
On
the operation Always
Lamp Adjust Change
Timer
(see
of the display backlight Always Off page 22 for details)
Adjust the display
10 contrast levels
Contrast
contrast
(default = 7)
Choose
between
triple
TriWatch
Dual/TriWatch watch and dual watch 16/9
16 DualWatch
Turn the key touch
On
Key Beep
tones on or off
Off
Exit
Close the menu
Menu Option Use It To...

Setting CTCSS privacy codes
Normally, any FRS radio that is within range and using the
same channel can hear FRS conversations. To prevent other
radios from hearing you or reduce interference with other
radios, you can enable one of the 142 privacy codes for any
channel. Only radios that have the matching privacy code
will be able to decipher your transmission (see page 46 for a
detailed explanation of CTCSS and DSC privacy codes).
Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

1.
2.

Note: Privacy codes are specific to each channel.
Make sure the person you want to communicate with
has the same code set on the same channel you do.
Open the FRS menu. Select CODE and press ENTER.
The current FRS channel
FRS CTCSS
is highlighted. Use the
CHANNEL UP or
Channel 09
CHANNEL DOWN button
Channel 10
to select a different
channel. Any channel
Channel 11
*
that has a privacy code
enabled has an asterisk
in the display.
CHANNEL 10-OFF
Choose On to enable a
On
privacy code on this
Off
channel or choose Off to
disable a previously-set
Exit
code.
Enter a code number
between 001 and 142.
Press the UP or DOWN
Use the CHANNEL UP
arrow keys to select
and CHANNEL DOWN
the character then
buttons to change the
press the enter key
first digit; the CHANNEL
UP button increases the
0
number; the CHANNEL
DOWN button decreases
the number.
When the first digit is correct, press the ENTER button
to move to the next digit. Enter the remaining two
digits of the code in the same way.
Note: If you try to enter a code number less than 001
or greater than 142, an error tone sounds.

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

When the third digit is
CHANNEL 10-119
correct, press ENTER.
The screen displays the
Edit
channel along with the
Off
chosen code number. If
you want to change the
Exit
code, select Edit.
Select Exit to save the settings and exit the menu.

Using the AM Band
The following features and
options are avilable only when
the radio is in the AM band. To
activate the AM band, press the
BAND-1/2.5/5W button
repreatedly until the display
shows AM.

Reading the AM band screen
Current frequency
(AM station number)

Current band

Frequency
step mode
(USA or
Europe)
Keypad
locked

Locked
Memory

Scan

Battery
level icon

Current station is
Channel
stored in memory scanning on

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

AM band menu reference
Follow the steps below to open the AM radio band menu:
1. If the top of the display does not show AM Radio
Band, press the BAND-1/2.5/5W button repreatedly until
the display shows AM.
2. Wait for the display to show the AM band screen, then
press the MENU button.
3. Refer to the table below for the available options and
settings available in the AM band.
Menu
Option

Use It To...

Available Settings
(default setting is in
italics)

Lamp
Adjust

Change the operation of the
display backlight

Always On
Timer (see page 22)
Always Off

Contrast Adjust the display contrast

10 contrast levels
(default = 7)

Tuning
Steps

Set channel frequency steps
Steps
to the US standard (10 kHz) or 910kHz
kHz
Steps
European standard (9 kHz)

Key
Beep

Turn the key touch and menu
confirmation tones on or off

Exit

Close the menu

On
Off

Using the FM Band
The following features and
options are avilable only when
the radio is in the FM band. To
activate the FM band, press the
BAND-1/2.5/5W button
repreatedly until the display
shows FM.
34

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Reading the FM band screen
Current band
Current
frequency
(FM station
number)
Keypad
locked
Current
station is
stored in
memory

Frequency
step mode
(USA or
Europe)
Locked
Memory

Mute on
Scan

Channel
scanning on

Muting on

Battery
level icon

FM band menu options
Follow the steps below to open the FM radio band menu:
1. If the top of the display does not show FM Radio
Band, press the BAND-1/2.5/5W button repreatedly until
the display shows FM.
2. Wait for the display to show the FM band screen, then
press the MENU button.
3. Refer to the table below for the available options and
settings available in the FM band.
Menu
Option

Use It To...

Lamp
Adjust

Change the operation of the
display backlight

Contrast Adjust the display contrast
FM
Muting

Available Settings (default
setting is in italics)
Always On
Timer (see page 22)
Always Off
10 contrast levels
(default = 7)

Mute the noise between
stations or from extremely weak On
Off
signals

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Menu
Option
Tuning
Steps
Key
Beep
Exit

Use It To...
Set channel frequency steps to
the US standard (200 kHz) or
European standard (100 kHz)
Turn the key touch tones on
or off
Close the menu

Available Settings (default
setting is in italics)
100 kHz Steps
200 kHz Steps
On
Off

Using the Aircraft Band
The following features and
options are avilable only when
the radio is in the aircraft band.
To activate the aircraft band,
press the BAND-1/2.5/5W button
repreatedly until the display
shows AIR.

AIR

Reading the aircraft band screen
Current band
Current
frequency

Keypad
locked

Locked
Memory

Scan

Current frequency
is stored in memory

Channel
scanning on

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Battery
level
icon

Aircraft band menu options
Follow the steps below to open the aircraft band menu:
1. If the top of the display does not show Aircraft Radio
Band, press the BAND-1/2.5/5W button repreatedly until
the display shows AIR.
2. Wait for the display to show the aircraft band screen,
then press the MENU button.
3. Refer to the table below for the available options and
settings available in the aircraft band.
Menu
Option

Use It To...

the operation of
Lamp Adjust Change
the display backlight

Available Settings (default
setting is in italics)
Always On
Timer (see page 22)
Always Off

Contrast

contrast levels
Adjust the display contrast 10
(default = 7)

Key Beep

Turn the key touch tones
on or off

Exit

Close the menu

On
Off

Maintenance and Troubleshooting
Due to its rugged design, the MHS550 requires very little
maintenance. However, it is a precision electronic instrument,
so you should follow a few precautions:
• If the antenna has been damaged, do not transmit
except in an emergency situation. Transmitting with a
defective antenna may cause further radio damage.
• You are responsible for continued FCC technical
compliance of your radio.
• You should arrange for periodic performance checks
with your Uniden dealer.
Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Common questions
Problem
Things to Try
The radio won’t power Check the battery power level.
on.
Make sure you are not in weather or scan mode.
Make sure you are not trying to transmit on a
receive-only channel or that you are transmitting
The radio won’t
at the correct power level for this channel (see
transmit.
the channel lists starting on page 42).
Make sure the duration of each transmission is
less than 5 minutes.
Noise comes out of the Adjust the squelch level; it is probably too low.
speaker all the time
I can’t hear anything
Adjust the squelch level; it is probably too high.
from the speaker.
In VHF, check your UIC channel settings (see
I can transmit, but no page 27)
one can hear me.
In FRS, make sure the privacy codes match the
radio you want to talk to (see page 31)
The numbers on the display will flash if the radio
The display flashes,
is in a watch mode or in scan mode. Try turning
and I don’t know why. off scanning, Weather Alert Watch, or Triple/
Dual Watch (see page 10).
I can’t read the display. Adjust the contrast level (see page 22)
Make sure Weather Alert Watch is turned on.
I’m not getting any
Check to make sure the FIPS codes in your
hazard alerts.
radio include your current location (see Using
FIPS codes for weather alerts on page 28).
Check to make sure the FIPS codes in your
radio were entered correctly (see Using FIPS
codes for weather alerts on page 28).
I’m getting all the
the Weather Alert Watch may catch
hazard alerts, not just Sometimes
a
hazard
alert
in the middle of the broadcast and
the ones for my area. miss which FIPS
codes are affected. For your
safety, when this happens, the radio triggers the
alert tone and switches to the weather channel.
Where can I find my
The serial number is on a plate inside the
radio’s serial number? battery compartment.
38

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Specifications
General Specifications
All USA, Canadian and International
Marine-Weather: 156.05 ~ 163.275 MHz, 25 kHz Step
FRS: 462.5625 ~ 467.7125 MHz, 12.5 kHz Step
Frequency
AM Broadcast: 500.00 ~ 1800 kHz, 10 or 9 kHz Step
Range Step
FM Broadcast: 87.5 ~108.0 MHz, 100 or 200 kHz Step
Aircraft: 108.00 ~ 137.00 MHz, 25 kHz Step
Fixed Mount Type
Antenna
External MIC/SPEAKER, 2.5 mm Diam. 3-contact
Connectors
Stereo type
Knobs: Volume with Power On/Off, Squelch
Keys: Channel Up, Channel Down, 16/9-TRI, Menu,
Controls and
Enter, WX-Alert, Scan-Mem, Band-1/2.5/5W, Push to
Switches
Talk, Backlight/Keypad Lock
LCD 128 x 64 Full Dot Matrix
Display
LCD, Front keypad - orange
Backlight
4.21H x 2.55W x 1.38D inches (107 x 65 x 35mm)
Cabinet Size
8.8 oz (250 g)
Weight
Built-in 32mm diam. Dynamic type (8Ω, 0.7W)
Speaker
Built-in Electret type
Microphone
Li-Ion Battery Pack (7.4VDC, 1400mA/hr min) AC
Supplied
Adapter, Drop-In Charger, CLA DC Cord, Alkaline
Accessories
Battery Tray (4xAAA), Belt Clip, Hand Strap
Operating Temp. -20° C to 50° C. (Battery charge: 0° C to 45° C)
Storage Temp. -30° C to 60° C
Input: 100VAC ~ 240VAC, 50/60Hz Output: 12VDC, 1A
AC Adapter
FCC, IC
Regulation
Battery Life
10 Hours, Min.
(Li-Ion)
Compliant to JIS8/IPX8 Immersion Protection
Waterproof
Standards. Submersible in one and a half meters of
Grade
water for 30 minutes without damage.
Channels

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Receiver Specifications

Sensitivity for 12dB
SINAD
Squelch Sensitivity
CTCSS/DSC Opening
SINAD
Audio Freq. Response
1kHz Ref.

MRN
FRS
FM Broadcast
Air
AM Broadcast
Threshold
Tight

Unit
μV
μV
μV
μV
μV
μV
μV

Nominal
0.3
0.35
1.0
1.0
1.0
0.1
0.7

Limit
0.4 max.
0.5 max.
3.0 max.
30 max.
2.0 max.
0.25 max.
2.0 max.

FRS

12 max.

MRN @ 500 Hz
MRN @ 2000 Hz
FRS @ 500 Hz
FRS @ 2000 Hz
MRN ±25 kHz
FRS ±12.5 kHz
MRN

dB
dB
dB
dB
dB
dB
dB

6
-6
6
-6
72
40
63

3 to 7
-9 to -5
3 to 7
-9 to -5
60 min.
30 min.
55 min.

50 min.

dBm

-65

-57 max.

dB
dB
dB
dB
dB
%
W
V
mA
mA

50
37
42
53
42
1.2
0.45
2.9
72
220

35 min.
32 min.
32 min.
32 min.
32 min.
10 max.
0.3 min
3.8 max.
85 max.
250 max.

Adjacent Channel
Selectivity
IM Rejection
Image and Supurious
MRN
Rejection
Conducted Spurious Emission at the
Antenna Terminal
MRN
FRS
AM Broadcast
Hum and Noise Ratio
FM Broadcast
Air
THD @ Standard Output Power (MRN)
Audio Output Power @10% THD (MRN)
Oscillator Dropout Voltage (MRN)
Current Drain @ No Signal (MRN)
Current Drain @ Maximum Output (MRN)

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Transmitter Specifications
Unit

Nominal

Frequency Tolerance @ 25˚C to 50˚C

PPM

± 0.5

Frequency Stability -20˚C to 50˚C
(MRN 5W)
(MRN 2.5W)
Carrier Power
(MRN 1W)
(FRS/MRN 0.5W)
(MRN 5W)
Spurious Emission
(MRN 2.5W/1W)
500 MHz
Modulation Frequency
Response
2000 MHz
(MRN for ± 3 kHz Deviation)
Microphone Sensitivity
(FRS for ±1.5 kHz Deviation)
(MRN)
Maximum Deviation @
100mV Input
(FRS with Subaudio)

PPM
W
W
W
W
dBc
dBc
dB
dB
mV
mV
kHz
kHz

5
2.5
1
0.5
53
58
-6
+6
6
6
± 4.5
± 2.3

0.6

(MRN)

De-emphas 0.3 to 3 kHz PF (FRS)
(MRN)
Current Drain @ High
Power 5W
(FRS)

mA
mA

1500
650

Modulation Distortion 750 μS
De-emphas 0.3 to 3 kHz BPF
Hum and Noise 750 μS

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Channels and Frequencies
US channel frequencies and names
US Marine Channels

Ch RX Freq TX Freq

1A 156.0500 156.0500
3A 156.1500 156.1500
5A 156.2500 156.2500
6
7A
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18A
19A
20
20A
21A
22A
23A
24
25
26
27
28
61A
63A
64A
65A
66A
67
68
69
70

156.3000
156.3500
156.4000
156.4500
156.5000
156.5500
156.6000
156.6500
156.7000
156.7500
156.8000
156.8500
156.9000
156.9500
161.6000
157.0000
157.0500
157.1000
157.1500
161.8000
161.8500
161.9000
161.9500
162.0000
156.0750
156.1750
156.2250
156.2750
156.3250
156.3750
156.4250
156.4750
156.5250

156.3000
156.3500
156.4000
156.4500
156.5000
156.5500
156.6000
156.6500
156.7000
Inhibit
156.8000
156.8500
156.9000
156.9500
157.0000
157.0000
157.0500
157.1000
157.1500
157.2000
157.2500
157.3000
157.3500
157.4000
156.0750
156.1750
156.2250
156.2750
156.3250
156.3750
156.4250
156.4750
Inhibit

Status

16-Character Name

Simplex

Full name
Vessel traffic system/
commercial
Simplex Coast guard,govt only
traffic system/
Simplex Vessel
commercial
Simplex Inter-ship safety
Simplex Commercial
Simplex Commercial
Simplex Non commercial
Simplex Commercial
Simplex Vessel traffic system
Simplex Vessel traffic system
Simplex, 1W Bridge to bridge
Simplex Vessel traffic system
Receive Only Environmental
Simplex Distress/safety/calling
Simplex, 1W Govt maritime control
Simplex Commercial
Simplex Commercial
Duplex Port operation
Simplex Port operation
Simplex Coast guard only
Simplex Coast guard
Simplex Coast guard only
Duplex Marine operator
Duplex Marine operator
Duplex Marine operator
Duplex Marine operator
Duplex Marine operator
Simplex Coast guard
Simplex Vessel traffic system
Simplex Commercial
Simplex Port operation
Simplex Port operation
Simplex, 1W Bridge To Bridge
Simplex Non Commercial
Simplex Non Commercial
Receive Only Digital Selective Calling

VTS/ COMMERCIAL
COAST GUARD ONLY
VTS/ COMMERCIAL
SAFETY
COMMERCIAL
COMMERCIAL
NON COMMERCIAL
COMMERCIAL
VESSEL TRAFFIC
VESSEL TRAFFIC
BRIDGE TO BRIDGE
VESSEL TRAFFIC
ENVIRONMENTAL
DISTRESS
GOVERNMENT
COMMERCIAL
COMMERCIAL
PORT OPERATION
PORT OPERATION
COAST GUARD ONLY
COAST GUARD
COAST GUARD ONLY
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
COAST GUARD
VESSEL TRAFFIC
COMMERCIAL
PORT OPERATION
PORT OPERATION
BRIDGE TO BRIDGE
NON COMMERCIAL
NON COMMERCIAL
DSC RECEIVE ONLY

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Ch RX Freq TX Freq
71 156.5750 156.5750

US Marine Channels

Status
Simplex

Full name
Non Commercial
Commercial (Ship72 156.6250 156.6250 Simplex Non
Ship)
73 156.6750 156.6750 Simplex Port Operation
74 156.7250 156.7250 Simplex Port Operation
75 156.7750 156.7750 Simplex, 1W Port Operation
76 156.8250 156.8250 Simplex, 1W Port Operation
77 156.8750 156.8750 Simplex, 1W Port Operation (Ship-Ship)
78A 156.9250 156.9250 Simplex Non Commercial
79A 156.9750 156.9750 Simplex Commercial
80A 157.0250 157.0250 Simplex Commercial
81A 157.0750 157.0750 Simplex Coast Guard
82A 157.1250 157.1250 Simplex Coast Guard
83A 157.1750 157.1750 Simplex Government
84 161.8250 157.2250 Duplex Marine Operator
85 161.8750 157.2750 Duplex Marine Operator
86 161.9250 157.3250 Duplex Marine Operator
87 161.9750 157.3750 Duplex Marine Operator
88 162.0250 157.4250 Duplex Marine Operator
88A 157.4250 157.4250 Simplex Commercial (Ship-Ship)

Canadian channel frequencies and names
Canadian Marine Channels

Ch
1
2
3
4A
5A
6
7A
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17

RX Freq
160.6500
160.7000
160.7500
156.2000
156.2500
156.3000
156.3500
156.4000
156.4500
156.5000
156.5500
156.6000
156.6500
156.7000
156.7500
156.8000
156.8500

TX Freq
Status
156.0500
Duplex
156.1000
Duplex
156.1500
Duplex
156.2000 Simplex
156.2500 Simplex
156.3000 Simplex
156.3500 Simplex
156.4000 Simplex
156.4500 Simplex
156.5000 Simplex
156.5500 Simplex
156.6000 Simplex
156.6500 Simplex, 1W
156.7000 Simplex
156.7500 Simplex
156.8000 Simplex
156.8500 Simplex, 1W

Full Name
Marine Operator
Marine Operator
Marine Operator
Canadian Coast Guard
Vessel Traffic System
Inter-Ship Safety
Commercial
Commercial
Boater Calling Channel
Commercial
Vessel Traffic System
Vessel Traffic System
Bridge To Bridge
Vessel Traffic System
Environmental
Distress, safety, calling
State Control

16-Character Name
NON COMMERCIAL
NON COMMERCIAL
PORT OPERATION
PORT OPERATION
PORT OPERATION
PORT OPERATION
PORT OPERATION
NON COMMERCIAL
COMMERCIAL
COMMERCIAL
COAST GUARD
COAST GUARD
GOVERNMENT
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
COMMERCIAL

16-Character Name
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
COAST GUARD
VESSEL TRAFFIC
SAFETY
COMMERCIAL
COMMERCIAL
CALLING
COMMERCIAL
VESSEL TRAFFIC
VESSEL TRAFFIC
BRIDGE TO BRIDGE
VESSEL TRAFFIC
ENVIRONMENTAL
DISTRESS
STATE CONTROL

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Ch
18A
19A
20
21A
22A
23
24
25
26
27
28
60
61A
62A
64
64A
65A
66A
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78A
79A
80A
81A
82A
83
83A
84
85
86
87
88

RX Freq
156.9000
156.9500
161.6000
157.0500
157.1000
161.7500
161.8000
161.8500
161.9000
161.9500
162.0000
160.6250
156.0750
156.1250
160.8250
156.2250
156.2750
156.3250
156.3750
156.4250
156.4750
156.5250
156.5750
156.6250
156.6750
156.7250
156.7750
156.8250
156.8750
156.9250
156.9750
157.0250
157.0750
157.1250
161.7750
157.1750
161.8250
161.8750
161.9250
161.9750
162.0250

Canadian Marine Channels

TX Freq
156.9000
156.9500
157.0000
157.0500
157.1000
157.1500
157.2000
157.2500
157.3000
157.3500
157.4000
156.0250
156.0750
156.1250
156.2250
156.2250
156.2750
156.3250
156.3750
156.4250
156.4750
Inhibit
156.5750
156.6250
156.6750
156.7250
156.7750
156.8250
156.8750
156.9250
156.9750
157.0250
157.0750
157.1250
157.1750
157.1750
157.2250
157.2750
157.3250
157.3750
157.4250

Status Full Name
Simplex Commercial
Simplex Canadian Coast Guard
Duplex, 1W Port Operation
Simplex Canadian Coast Guard
Simplex Canadian Coast Guard
Duplex Canadian Coast Guard
Duplex Marine Operator
Duplex Marine Operator
Duplex Marine Operator
Duplex Marine Operator
Duplex Marine Operator
Duplex Marine Operator
Simplex Canadian Coast Guard
Simplex Canadian Coast Guard
Duplex Marine Operator
Simplex Marine Operator
Simplex Search And Rescue
Simplex, 1W Port Operation
Simplex Bridge To Bridge
Simplex Non Commercial
Simplex Non Commercial
Receive Only Digital Selective Calling
Simplex Non Commercial
Simplex Non Commercial
Simplex Port Operation
Simplex Port Operation
Simplex, 1W Port Operation
Simplex, 1W Port Operation
Simplex, 1W Port Operation
Simplex Inter Ship
Simplex Inter Ship
Simplex Inter Ship
Simplex Canadian Coast Guard
Simplex Canadian Coast Guard
Duplex Canadian Coast Guard
Simplex Canadian Coast Guard
Duplex Marine Operator
Duplex Marine Operator
Duplex Marine Operator
Duplex Marine Operator
Duplex Marine Operator

16-Character Name
COMMERCIAL
COAST GUARD
PORT OPERATION
COAST GUARD
COAST GUARD
COAST GUARD
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
COAST GUARD
COAST GUARD
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
SEARCH & RESCUE
PORT OPERATION
BRIDGE TO BRIDGE
NON COMMERCIAL
NON COMMERCIAL
DSC RECEIVE ONLY
NON COMMERCIAL
NON COMMERCIAL
PORT OPERATION
PORT OPERATION
PORT OPERATION
PORT OPERATION
PORT OPERATION
INTER SHIP
INTER SHIP
INTER SHIP
COAST GUARD
COAST GUARD
COAST GUARD
COAST GUARD
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

International channel frequencies and names
Ch
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74

RX Freq
160.6500
160.7000
160.7500
160.8000
160.8500
156.3000
160.9500
156.4000
156.4500
156.5000
156.5500
156.6000
156.6500
156.7000
156.7500
156.8000
156.8500
161.5000
161.5500
161.6000
161.6500
161.7000
161.7500
161.8000
161.8500
161.9000
161.9500
162.0000
160.6250
160.6750
160.7250
160.7750
160.8250
160.8750
160.9250
156.3750
156.4250
156.4750
156.5250
156.5750
156.6250
156.6750
156.7250

International Marine Channels

TX Freq
Status Full Name
16-Character Name
156.0500
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
156.1000
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
156.1500
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
156.2000
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
156.2500
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
156.3000 Simplex Inter-ship safety
SAFETY
156.3500
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
156.4000 Simplex Commercial (ship-ship) COMMERCIAL
156.4500 Simplex Boater calling channel CALLING
156.5000 Simplex Commercial
COMMERCIAL
156.5500 Simplex Vessel traffic system VESSEL TRAFFIC
156.6000 Simplex Vessel traffic system VESSEL TRAFFIC
156.6500 Simplex Bridge to bridge
BRIDGE TO BRIDGE
156.7000 Simplex Vessel traffic system VESSEL TRAFFIC
156.7500 Simplex, 1W Environmental
ENVIRONMENTAL
156.8000 Simplex Distress, safety, calling DISTRESS
156.8500 Simplex, 1W Govt maritime control GOVERNMENT
156.9000
Duplex Port operation
PORT OPERATION
156.9500
Duplex Commercial
COMMERCIAL
157.0000
Duplex Port operation
PORT OPERATION
157.0500
Duplex Port operation
PORT OPERATION
157.1000
Duplex Port operation
PORT OPERATION
157.1500
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
157.2000
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
157.2500
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
157.3000
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
157.3500
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
157.4000
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
156.0250
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
156.0750
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
156.1250
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
156.1750
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
156.2250
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
156.2750
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
156.3250
Duplex Marine operator
MARINE OPERATOR
156.3750 Simplex Bridge to bridge
BRIDGE TO BRIDGE
156.4250 Simplex Non commercial
NON COMMERCIAL
156.4750 Simplex Non commercial
NON COMMERCIAL
Inhibit Receive Only Digital Selective Calling DSC RECEIVE ONLY
156.5750 Simplex Non commercial
NON COMMERCIAL
156.6250 Simplex Non commercial
NON COMMERCIAL
156.6750 Simplex Port operation
PORT OPERATION
156.7250 Simplex Port operation
PORT OPERATION
Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Ch
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88

RX Freq
156.7750
156.8250
156.8750
161.5250
161.5750
161.6250
161.6750
161.7250
161.7750
161.8250
161.8750
161.9250
161.9750
162.0250

International Marine Channels

TX Freq
Status Full Name
156.7750 Simplex, 1W Port operation
156.8250 Simplex, 1W Port operation
156.8750 Simplex Port operation (ship-ship)
156.9250
Duplex Port operation
156.9750
Duplex Port operation
157.0250
Duplex Port operation
157.0750
Duplex Port operation
157.1250
Duplex Port operation
157.1750
Duplex Port operation
157.2250
Duplex Marine operator
157.2750
Duplex Marine operator
157.3250
Duplex Marine operator
157.3750
Duplex Marine operator
157.4250
Duplex Marine operator

Weather channel
frequencies
Channel
WX01
WX02
WX03
WX04
WX05
WX06
WX07
WX08
WX09
WX10

RX
162.5500
162.4000
162.4750
162.4250
162.4500
162.5000
162.5250
161.6500
161.7750
163.2750

16-Character Name
PORT OPERATION
PORT OPERATION
PORT OPERATION
PORT OPERATION
PORT OPERATION
PORT OPERATION
PORT OPERATION
PORT OPERATION
PORT OPERATION
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR
MARINE OPERATOR

FRS channel frequencies
Channel
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

Frequency (MHz)
462.5625
462.5875
462.6125
462.6375
462.6625
462.6875
462.7125
467.5625
467.5875
467.6125
467.6375
467.6625
467.6875
467.7125

FRS privacy codes (CTCSS and DSC codes)
The 142 available privacy codes are a combination of two
different types: 38 Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System
(CTCSS) codes (numbered 001 to 038) and 104 Digital
Squelch Control (DSC) codes (numbered 039 to 142). As long
as you are communicating with another Uniden or a West
Marine radio, the specific type of code does not matter: just
make the numbers designating the privacy codes match.
46

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

If you are trying to communicate with another brand of FRS
radio, you may need to know the actual frequency (for CTCSS
codes) or the octal code (for DSC codes) to program the other
radio. Use the following tables to find the frequency of the
CTCSS code or the octal code of the DSC code:
CTCSS
Code
001
002
003
004
005
006
007
008
009
010
011
012
013
014
015
016
017
018
019
020
021
022
023
024
025
026
027
028
029
030
031
032
033
034
035
036

Freq.
(Hz)
67.0
71.9
74.4
77.0
79.7
82.5
85.4
88.5
91.5
94.8
97.4
100.0
103.5
107.2
110.9
114.8
118.8
123.0
127.3
131.8
136.5
141.3
146.2
151.4
156.7
162.2
167.9
173.8
179.9
186.2
192.8
203.5
210.7
218.1
225.7
233.6

037
038

241.8
250.3

DSC
Code
039
040
041
042
043
044
045
046
047
048
049
050
051
052
053
054
055
056
057
058
059
060
061
062
063
064
065
066
067
068
069
070
071

Octal
Code
023
025
026
031
032
043
047
051
054
065
071
072
073
074
114
115
116
125
131
132
134
143
152
155
156
162
165
172
174
205
223
226
243

DSC
Code
072
073
074
075
076
077
078
079
080
081
082
083
084
085
086
087
088
089
090
091
092
093
094
095
096
097
098
099
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107

Octal
Code
244
245
251
261
263
265
271
306
311
315
331
343
346
351
364
365
371
411
412
413
423
431
432
445
464
465
466
503
506
516
532
546
565
606
612
624

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

DSC
Code
108
109
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142

Octal
Code
627
631
654
662
664
703
712
723
731
732
734
743
754
036
053
122
145
212
225
246
252
255
266
274
325
332
356
446
452
454
455
462
523
526

CEA2009-SAME event codes
Received Code
ADR
AVA
AVW
BHW
BWW
BZW
CAE
CDW
CEM
CFA
CFW
CHW
DBA
DBW
DEW
DMO
DSW
EAN
EAT
EQW
EVI
EVA
FCW
FFA
FFS
FFW
FLA
FLS
FLW
FRW
FSW
FZW
HLS
HMW
HUW

Event Code (Scrolling Name)
Administrative Message
Avalanche Watch
Avalanche Warning
Biological Hazard Warning
Boil Water Warning
Blizzard Warning
Child Abduction Emergency
Civil Danger Warning
Civil Emergency Message
Coastal Flood Watch
Coastal Flood Warning
Chemical Hazard Warning
Dam Watch
Dam Break Warning
Contagious Desease Warning
Practice/demo
Dust Storm Warning
Emergency Action Notification
Emergency Action Termination
Earthquake Warning
Immediate Evacuation
Evacuation Watch
Food Contamination Warning
Flash Flood Watch
Flash Flood Statement
Flash Flood Warning
Flood Watch
Flood Statement
Flood Warning
Fire Warning
Flash Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning
Hurricane Statement
Hazardous Material Warning
Hurricane Watch

Display (16 Charactes)
ADMIN MESSAGE
AVALANCHE WATCH
AVALANCHE WARN
BIOLOGICAL WARN
BOIL WATER WARN
BLIZZARD WARNING
CHILD EMERGENCY
CIVIL DANGER
CIVIL EMERGENCY
COASTAL FLOOD
COASTAL FLOOD
CHEMICAL HAZARD
DAM BREAK WATCH
DAM BREAK WARN
CONTAGIOUS WARN
SYSTEM DEMO
DUST STORM WARN
EMERGENCY NOTIFY
EMERGENCY END
EARTHQUAKE WARN
IMMED EVACUTATION
EVACUATION
FOOD CONTAMIN
FLASH FLOOD WARN
FLASH FLOOD WARN
FLASH FLOOD WARN
FLOOD WATCH
FLOOD STATEMENT
FLOOD WARNING
FIRE WARNING
FLASH FREEZE
FREEZE WARNING
HURRICANE
HAZARDOUS WARN
HURRICANE WATCH

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Received Code
HWA
HWW
IBW
IFW
LAE
LEW
LSW
NAT
NIC
NMN
NPT
NST
NUW
POS
RHW
RMT
RWT
SMW
SPS
SPW
SVA
SVR
SVS
TOA
TOE
TOR
TRA
TRW
TSA
TSW
VOW
WFW
WFA
WSA
WSW
**A

Event Code (Scrolling Name)
High Wind Watch
High Wind Warning
Iceberg Warning
Industrial Fire Warning
Local Area Emergency
Law Enforcment Warning
Land Slide Warning
National Audible Test
National Information Center
Network Notification Message
National Periodic Test
National Silent Test
Nuclear Power Plant Warning
Power Outage Advisory
Radiological Hazard
Required Monthly Test
Required Weekly Test
Special Marine Warning
Special Weather Statement
Shelter In-place Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Weather Statement
Tornado Watch
911 Telephone Outage Emergency
Tornado Warning
Tropical Storm Watch
Tropical Storm Warning
Tsunami Watch
Tsunami Warning
Volcano Warning
Wild Fire Warning
Wild Fire Watch
Winter Storm Watch
Winter Storm Warning
Unrecognized Watch

Display (16 Charactes)
HIGH WIND WATCH
HIGH WIND WARN
ICEBERG
INDUSTRIAL FIRE
LOCAL EMERGENCY
LAW ENFORCE WARN
LAND SLIDE WARN
NATIONAL AUDIBLE
NATIONAL INFORM
NETWORK MESSAGE
NATIONAL PERIODIC
NATIONAL SILENT
NUCLEAR WARNING
POWER OUTAGE ADV
RADIOLOGICAL
REQ MONTHLY TEST
REQ WEEKLY TEST
SPECIAL MRN WARN
SPECIAL WEATHER
SHELTER IN-PLACE
THUNDERSTORM
THUNDERSTORM
SEVERE WEATHER
TORNADO WATCH
911 OUTAGE
TORNADO WARN
TROPIC STORM
TROPIC STORM
TSUNAMI WATCH
TSUNAMI WARNING
VOLCANO WARNING
WILD FIRE WARN
WILD FIRE WATCH
WINTER STORM
WINTER STORM
UNRECOGNIZED

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

Received Code
**E
**S
**W
TXB
TXF
TXO
TXP

Event Code (Scrolling Name)
Unrecognized Emergency
Unrecognized Statement
Unrecognized Warning
Transmitter Backup On
Transmitter Carrier On
Transmitter Carrier Off
Transmitter Primary On

Display (16 Charactes)
UNRECOGNIZED
UNRECOGNIZED
UNRECOGNIZED
No event code shown
No event code shown
No event code shown
No event code shown

Regulations and Safety Warnings
WARNING! Read this information before using the radio.

Maritime radio services operation

Warning! This transmitter will operate on channels/frequencies
that have restricted use in the United States. The channel assignments include frequencies assigned for exclusive use of the U.S.
Coast Guard, use in Canada, and use in international waters. Operation on these frequencies without proper authorization is strictly
forbidden. See pages 42 through 46 for tables of the available
channels and their uses. If you are still not certain which channels
to use, see the FCC maritime radio page at the FCC website
(http://wireless.fcc.gov/marine/) or contact the FCC Call Center
at 1-888-CALL-FCC. For individuals requiring a license, such as
commercial users, you should obtain a license application from
your nearest FCC field office (for US users) or Industry Canada
(for Canadian users).

Basic radio guidelines

You should familiarize yourself with the rules on marine radios and
be aware of which rules apply to your boat. Complete guidelines
for all ship and marine radio types can be found at the US Coast
Guard website under the topic Radio Info for Boaters
(http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/boater.htm). Here are a
few guidelines that affect nearly all boaters.
• If you have a VHF radio on your boat, you must maintain
a watch on channel 16 (156.800 MHz) whenever the radio
is not being used to communicate. If you carry a radio, it
must be on and set to channel 16 whenever your boat is
underway.

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

• If you hear a distress call, wait a few minutes to let a shore
station or Coast Guard vessel respond. If no other station
has responded after 5 minutes, you must respond to the
distress call.
• Do not make false mayday or distress calls as a prank or to
test your radio. (This is essentially like making a false 9-1-1
call; you may be subject to fines.)

FCC/Industry Canada information

• Certification: FCC Part 80 or RSS-182/188
• Output Power: 5W
• Emission: 16K0F3E, 16K0F2D
• Transmitter Frequency Range: 156.025-157.425 MHz
This device complies with Part 80 of the FCC Rules, as well as
Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the condition
that this device does not cause harmful interference.
Unauthorized changes or modifications to this equipment may
void compliance with the FCC Rules. Any change or modification
must be approved in writing by Uniden. Changes or modifications
not approved by Uniden could void the user’s authority to operate
the equipment.

FCC RF exposure information

In August 1996 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
of the United States with its action in Report and Order FCC 96326 adopted an updated safety standard for human exposure to
radio frequency electromagnetic energy emitted by FCC regulated
transmitters. Those guidelines are consistent with the safety standard previously set by both U.S. and international standards bodies. The design of the radio complies with the FCC guidelines and
these international standards.
Never allow children to operate the radio without adult supervision
and the knowledge of the following guidelines.
WARNING! It is up to the user to properly operate this radio transmitter to insure safe operation. Please adhere to the following:
• Use only the supplied or an approved antenna. Unauthorized
antennas, modifications, or attachments could impair call
quality, damage the radio, or violate FCC regulations.
• Do not use the radio with a damaged antenna. If a damaged
antenna comes into contact with the skin, a minor burn may
result. Contact your local dealer for a replacement antenna.
Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

• Body-worn Operation: This device was tested for typical
body-worn operations using the supplied belt-clip. To maintain compliance with FCC RF exposure requirements, bodyworn operations are restricted to the supplied belt-clip. For
hand-held operation, the radio should be held 1 inch from
the user’s face. The use of accessories that do not satisfy
these requirements may not comply with FCC RF exposure
requirements and should be avoided. For more information
about RF exposure, visit the FCC website at www.fcc.gov.

Lithium ion battery warning

This equipment contains a rechargeable Lithium Ion battery. The
rechargeable Lithium Ion battery contained in this equipment may
explode if disposed of in a fire.
Do not short-circuit the battery.
Do not charge the rechargeable battery used in this equipment in
any charger other than the one specified in the owner’s manual.
Using another charger may damage the battery or cause the battery to explode.

Li-Ion batteries must be recycled or disposed of properly.

Avoid exposing the battery (whether attached to the radio or not)
to direct sunlight, heated cars, or temperatures below -4°F (-20°C)
or above +140°F (+60°C). Exposing the chemical contained within the battery pack to temperatures above +140°F (+60°C) may
cause the battery to rupture, fail, or reduce performance.
In case of exposure to the cell contents, wash the affected area
thoroughly, and seek medical attention.

Three Year Limited Warranty Statement

WARRANTOR: Uniden America Corp. (“Uniden”)
ELEMENTS OF WARRANTY: Uniden warrants, for three years,
to the original retail owner, this Uniden Product to be free from defects in materials and crafts-manship 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 36 months after the date of
original retail sale. The warranty is invalid if the Product is (A)
damaged or not maintained as reasonable or necessary, (B) modified, altered, or used as part of any con-version kits, subassem-

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

blies, or any configurations not sold by Uniden, (C) improperly
installed, (D) serviced or repaired by someone other than an authorized Uniden service center for a defect or malfunction covered
by this warranty, (E) used in any conjunction with equipment or
parts or as part of any system not manufactured by Uniden, or (F)
installed or programmed by anyone other than as detailed by the
Operating Guide for this product.
STATEMENT OF REMEDY: In the event that the product does not
conform to this warranty at any time while this warranty is in effect,
warrantor will repair the defect and return it to you without charge
for parts, service, or any other cost (except shipping and handling)
incurred by warrantor or its representatives in connection with
the performance of this warranty. THE LIMITED WARRANTY SET
FORTH ABOVE IS THE SOLE AND ENTIRE WARRANTY PERTAINING TO THE PRODUCT AND IS IN LIEU OF AND EXCLUDES
ALL OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY NATURE WHATSOEVER,
WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR ARISING BY OPERATION
OF LAW, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER OR PROVIDE FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT OR PAYMENT OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. Some states do not allow
this exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages
so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you.
LEGAL REMEDIES: This warranty gives you specific legal rights,
and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
This warranty is void outside the United States of America.
PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING PERFORMANCE OF WARRANTY:
If, after following the instructions in this Operating Guide you are
certain that the Product is defective, pack the Product carefully
(preferably in its original packaging). Include evidence of original
purchase and a note describing the defect that has caused you to
return it. The Product should be shipped freight prepaid, by traceable means, or delivered, to warrantor at:

Uniden America Corporation
Parts and Service Division
4700 Amon Carter Boulevard
Fort Worth, TX, 76155
(800) 554-3988

Uniden MHS550 Radio Owner’s Manual

A World Without Wires®

QUESTIONS?

Visit our website at

www.uniden.com
or call 1-800-297-1023
during regular business
hours (Central time).
© 2007 Uniden America Corp., Fort Worth, Texas. Contains additional foreign articles. Printed in China.

UTZZ01612ZC(0)

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