RA 2600BT - Radio Karcher Audio - Free user manual and instructions

Product Type	Portable Radio with Bluetooth & MP3 Playback
Brand	Karcher Audio
Model	RA 2600BT
Dimensions (W x D x H)	180 x 144 x 362 mm
Weight	Approx. 1.5 kg
Power Supply	DC 12V 1.2A (external adaptor) or 8 x 1.5V C/UM-2/R14 batteries (not included)
Radio Frequency Range	FM 87.5 - 108 MHz
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.0? (A2DP), range up to 10 m
Media Playback	MP3 files via USB flash drive or SD/MMC card
AUX Input	3.5 mm stereo jack
Water Resistance	IPx4 (splash-proof)
Display	LCD screen with frequency and track info
Number of Preset Stations	20 (FM)
Speaker	Built-in monophonic speaker
Auto Standby	After 15 minutes of no audio signal
Controls	Buttons for power, function, volume, tuning, playback, presets
Care & Cleaning	Wipe with a dry cloth; do not use chemical cleaners
Safety Features	IPx4 protection, battery polarity protection, automatic shutdown
Repairability	No user-serviceable parts; refer to qualified service personnel
Included Accessories	DC adaptor, user manual

Frequently Asked Questions - RA 2600BT Karcher Audio

How do I power on the RA 2600BT?

Press the STANDBY I/O button. Ensure the unit is connected to power via the DC adaptor or batteries. If using batteries, insert 8 x 1.5V C size batteries with correct polarity.

Why is there no sound from the radio?

Check that the volume is not set to zero using VOL+ and VOL-. Ensure the correct function is selected (Radio, USB, SD, Bluetooth, AUX). If using Bluetooth, confirm the external device is connected and playing.

How do I pair my smartphone via Bluetooth?

Press FUNCTION to select Bluetooth mode ('bt'). On your smartphone, enable Bluetooth and search for devices. Select 'RA 2600BT'. If prompted, enter passcode 0000. The BT LED will light steadily when connected.

How can I store radio stations as presets?

Tune to a station, then press and hold PRE-UP/+10/PRO for 2 seconds. The preset number flashes. Use the left or right (Tune) buttons to select a preset (P01-P20) and press PRE-UP/+10/PRO again to confirm. Recall presets by pressing PRE-UP/+10/PRO repeatedly.

Can I use the radio while charging?

Yes, the RA 2600BT can be powered via the DC adaptor while batteries are installed. The adaptor supplies power and will not charge the batteries.

Why won't my USB flash drive play MP3 files?

Ensure the drive is formatted as FAT32 and contains only MP3 files. Insert it directly into the USB port (no extension cables). If the unit does not read it, try a different drive. Note that some USB MP3 players may not be compatible.

How do I clean the RA 2600BT?

Unplug the unit and wipe with a dry, clean cloth. Do not use chemical cleaners or detergents. Avoid getting moisture into openings.

What is the range of the Bluetooth connection?

The Bluetooth range is approximately 10 meters in open space. Walls and obstacles may reduce this range. Keep the paired device within line of sight for best performance.

How do I reset the unit if it freezes?

If the unit becomes unresponsive, disconnect the power source (remove batteries or unplug adaptor) and wait 30 seconds. Reconnect power and turn on again. This will reset the electronics.

Can I use rechargeable batteries?

Yes, you can use rechargeable NiMH batteries of size C. Note that the unit does not charge them internally; use an external charger. Observe correct polarity and do not mix battery types.

USER MANUAL RA 2600BT Karcher Audio

Green and black portable radio station with digital display and antenna (no visible text or symbols)

RA 2600BT

Outdoor Radio with Bluetooth®, USB/SD & PLL Radio

Diagram of a device panel with two labeled ports and directional arrows indicating movement (no text or symbols)

1. Read Instructions - All the safety and operating instructions should be read before the appliance is operated.
2. Retain Instructions - The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.
3. Heed Warnings - All warnings on the appliance and in the operating instructions should be adhered to.
4. Water and Moisture – This unit is protected against spray water from any angle (IPx4 class). Refrain from exposing the unit to any water beyond this, such as heavy water streams, short term submerging or permanent submerging. Do not use the apparatus near water (e.g. bath tub, sink, swimming pool) or in wet places or tropical climates. Do not place objects filled with liquids, such as vases, on top of the apparatus.
5. Setup – The apparatus should only be placed on a stable, flat surface. Do not let the apparatus fall down or expose it to shock.
6. Wall or Ceiling Mounting - The appliance should be mounted to a wall or ceiling only as recommended by the manufacturer.
7. Ventilation - The appliance should be situated so that its location or position does not interfere with its proper ventilation. For example, the appliance should not be situated on a bed, sofa, rug, or similar surface that may block the ventilation openings; or, placed in a built-in installation, such as a bookcase or cabinet that may impede the flow of air through the ventilation openings. Ensure a minimum distance of 5 cm around the apparatus for sufficient ventilation. Ensure that the ventilation is not impeded by covering the ventilation openings with items such as newspapers, table-cloths, curtains, etc.
8. Heat - The appliance should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other appliances (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
9. Power Sources - The appliance should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the appliance.
10. Cables and Plugs – The mains plug shall remain readily operable. All cables should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the appliance.
11. Cleaning - The appliance should be cleaned only as recommended by the manufacturer. Clean by wiping with a dry and clean cloth. Do not use chemical cleaners or detergents. Always pull the mains plug before cleaning the unit.
12. Non-use Periods - The power cord of the appliance should be unplugged from the outlet when left unused for a long period of time.
13. Object and Liquid Entry - Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through openings.
14. Damage Requiring Service - The appliance should be serviced by qualified service personnel when:
    a) The power-supply cord or the plug has been damaged; or
    b) Objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled into the appliance; or
    c) The appliance has been exposed to rain; or
    d) The appliance does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance; or
    e) The appliance has been dropped, or the enclosure damaged.
15. Servicing - The user should not attempt to service the appliance beyond that described in the operating instructions. All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel.
16. Open Fire – Keep the apparatus away from open fires. Do not place naked flame sources, such as lighted candles on the apparatus.
17. Thunderstorms – During a thunderstorm the mains plug should be unplugged.
18. Safety Check – After servicing the technician should conduct a safety check in order to ensure that the apparatus is working properly and safely.
19. Batteries – Always place batteries in the correct polarization into electrical components. Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced. Replace only with the same or equivalent type. Do not mix old and new batteries. Take attention to the environmental aspects of battery disposal. Batteries

shall not be exposed to excessive heat such as sunshine, fire or the like. Remove batteries before disposing of the product.

1. Volume Levels – To prevent possible hearing damage, do not listen at high volume levels for long periods.
2. Headphones (if applicable) – Excessive sound pressure from earphones and headphones can cause hearing loss.

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRO SHOCK DO NOT OPEN

WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this appliance to dripping or splashing.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove cover (or back). No user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to qualified service personnel.

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage within the product's enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.

Batteries

Batteries may not be disposed of in regular house hold trash. Every consumer has the obligation to return batteries to special disposal locations.

Disposal of Used Electrical & Electronic Equipment

The meaning of the symbol on the product, its accessory or packaging indicates that this product shall not be treated as household waste. Please, dispose of this equipment at your applicable collection point for the recycling of electrical & electronic equipments waste. By ensuring the correct disposal of this product, you will help prevent potential hazards to the environment and to human health, which could otherwise be caused by unsuitable waste handling of this product. The recycling of materials will help conserve natural resources. For more detailed information about recycling of this product, please contact your local city office, your household waste disposal service or the shop where you purchased the product.

NOTES ABOUT THIS INSTRUCTION MANUAL

1. This instruction manual is published by the manufacturer without any warranty. Corrections and changes of this instruction manual for the removal of typographic mistakes and editorial inaccuracies as well as due to (technical) improvements (changes) of the devices can be done by the manufacturer at any time without announcement. Changes of this kind are considered in future versions of this user manual. All rights reserved.
2. All figures are only for illustration and do not always show the exact representation of the product.
3. This unit is not intended for use by persons (including children) with reduced physical, sensory, or mental capacities, or lack of experience and knowledge, unless they have been given supervision or instruction concerning use of the appliance by a person responsible for their safety. Children should be supervised to ensure that they do not play with the unit.

FURTHER NOTES ON THE DEVICE

Setting a safe volume level

• If you continually listen to loud music, your hearing gradually adapts to it and gives you the impression that the volume is lower.
  • What seems normal to you can be already for long time too loud and unhealthy.
• To protect yourself from this, set the volume to a low level.
• Increase the volume slowly.
• Damage to your hearing can be extensive and cannot be reversed.
• If you notice a hearing problem, please consult a doctor.

Condensation

- Condensation may occur when moving the device from a cold to a warm environment. If there is moisture inside the player, it may not operate properly. Don't turn on the device and wait about one hour for the moisture to evaporate.

Saving energy

• If the unit is not used for a long period of time, it should be unplugged from the power supply and batteries should be removed.
• If there is no audio signal for approximately 15 minutes, the unit will automatically switch into standby mode.

Unpacking

• Take out carefully the unit from the packing. Please keep the packing for further use.
- Carefully remove possible protection cardboards and slipcovers.

Location of Controls

1. LCD Display
2. FUNCTION button
3. STANDBY I/ ⏻ button
4. Repeat/Random button
5. Tune/Skip Down button
6. Tune/Skip Up button
7. SD/MMC Card slot
8. USB socket

9. 3.5 mm AUX In jack

10. PRE-UP/+10/PRO button

11. VOL- button
12. Bluetooth ^® LED indicator
13. VOL+ button
14. Play/Pause Button
15. Stop ■ button
16. Battery compartment
17. FM antenna
18. DC In jack

Power Supply

Power Adaptor

1. The unit requires DC 12V 1.2A.
2. Plug the supplied adaptor cable into the connector on the back of the unit and the other end into a suitable wall socket.
3. Make sure that the output power of the wall outlet matches the required power of the adaptor.

Battery Power

1. Open the battery compartment on the back of the unit by losing the screw. The battery cover can be flipped open. The screw is attached to the battery cover.
2. Insert 8 pcs. 1.5V batteries (C/UM-2/R14 size, not included). Please mind the safety information regarding batteries on page 14 of this manual.
3. Close the battery cover by flipping it up and tighten the screw. Take care not to overtighten the screw as this could damage the unit.

Basic Functions

Switching the Unit On & Off

1. Power the unit as described above.
2. The unit is now in standby mode.
3. To switch the unit on, press the STANDBY I/O button.
4. To switch the unit off into standby mode, press the STANDBY I/O button once again.

Function Selection

- To select between functions (Radio, USB, SD, Bluetooth ^ , AUX In) press the FUNCTION button repeatedly.

Volume Setting

• To increase the volume, press the VOL+ button.
• To decrease the volume, press the VOL- button.

Radio

1. Switch the unit on as described previously.
2. Press the FUNCTION button repeatedly to select radio mode "tun". The frequency will be shown in the display.
3. Select a desired radio station by pressing the ◀ button repeatedly.
4. To automatically search for the next available radio station, press and hold for 2 seconds the or ▶ button.
5. For the best reception fully extend the FM antenna.

Radio Station Presets

This unit enables you to store up to 20 radio stations.

1. Tune to a radio station which you would like to store.
2. Press and hold for 2 seconds the PRE-UP/+10/PRO button. The presets will start flashing (e.g. "P01").

3. Select a desired preset place from P01 - P20 on which you want to store the current frequency by pressing the left button.

4. Press the PRE-UP/+10/PRO button again to confirm your setting.

5. Repeat steps 1 - 4 to store up to 20 frequencies.

6. To recall a stored frequency, repeatedly press the PRE-UP/+10/PRO button until you reach the desired preset.

Notes:

• If the unit is disconnected from the power supply or batteries are removed, the radio station memory will be erased.
• A preset station can be overwritten by storing another frequency on that preset.

MP3 Playback via USB or SD

This unit is equipped with a USB socket and SD/MMC card reader which can accept and play MP3 files stored on standard USB flash drives and SD or MMC storage cards.

1. While the unit is in standby mode insert a suitable USB flash drive or SD card into the USB port or SD card reader on the unit.

2. Switch the unit on and select either the USB mode ("USb") or SD mode ("Sd") by pressing the FUNCTION button repeatedly.

3. The USB flash drive or SD card will be read and the total number of tracks will be shown in the display.

4. Playback starts automatically once the USB flash drive or SD card is read. If not, press the PLAY/PAUSE▶button to start the playback.

5. To temporarily stop the playback (pause), press the PLAY/PAUSE ▶II button once. The display will be flashing. Press the button again to resume playback.

6. To stop playback, press the STOP ■ button.

Diagram of a device panel with two labeled buttons and directional arrows indicating movement (no text or symbols)

Fast Forward / Fast Rewind & Skipping Tracks

• To jump to the previous track, press the button once.

• To skip to the next track, press the button once.

• To fast forward the currently playing track, press and hold the ▶ button. Once you reach the desired section of the track, release the button to resume normal playback.

• To fast rewind the currently playing track, press and hold the button. Once you reach the desired section of the track, release the button to resume normal playback.
• To skip 10 tracks at a time, press the PRE-UP/+10/PRO button once. This is especially helpful for USB flash drives or SD cards which contain many MP3 files.

Playback Modes

At any time during playback, repeatedly press the REPEAT/RANDOM button to select one of the playback modes. Each press of the button will change the mode as follows:

(1) Random (2) Repeat 1 (3) Intro (4) Off (normal playback)

Mode Indicator in Display
Random (all tracks are played in random order) RAN
Repeat 1 (the current track will be repeated)
Intro (each track plays for 10 seconds) INTRO
Off (normal playback) ----

In normal playback after the last track is finished, the unit will start playback again from the very first track.

Notes:

• A USB device must always be connected directly to the USB port of this product. The use of a USB extension cord is not supported by this product. The USB port of this product cannot communicate with a computer directly.
• The reading time for a USB drive or SD card varies depending on the speed of the memory device and the number of songs and folders. In some cases the reading time may be as long as 60 seconds.
• Always switch off the unit before removing a USB flash drive or SD card to prevent damage to the USB device or memory card. The manufacturer is not responsible for the loss or damage of data.
• This unit does not support USB MP3 players due to their inherent lack of software compatibility. Only USB “pen drives” (flash memory usb drives) can be used for MP3 playback.
• Only MP3 files can be played. Due to numerous methods of compression it could be that some files or USB flash drives cannot be played.

Bluetooth® Wireless Playback

This unit can wirelessly stream audio from any Bluetooth® device within approximately 10 metres. Obstacles such as walls and other devices may limit this range.

Simply pair the device and enjoy wireless playback and control from your compatible Bluetooth ^® device.

1. Switch the unit on and select the Bluetooth ^ mode "bt" by pressing the FUNCTION button.
2. Turn on the Bluetooth ^ function in your device. Please refer to your device's manual for further details.

3. Pairing with a new device for the first time: BT LED indicator flashes slowly. Connecting to an already paired device: BT LED indicator flashes rapidly.

4. Go to your device's Bluetooth ^ settings. Add or search for devices. When the model no. "RA 2600BT" appears, select the device. If asked for a pass code, enter "0000".

5. Once a device is connected, the BT LED indicator will be lit steadily.

6. You can now play music on your device, it will be heard over the unit speaker.

7. The unit automatically connects to your external device if it has been paired with the unit before, unless RA 2600BT is currently connected via Bluetooth® to another device.

Note:

- Only one device can be connected and played at a time.

Volume Control

• Increase and decrease the volume using the VOL+ and VOL- buttons on the RA 2600BT and using the volume controls on your connected device.
  • Additionally you can set the equalizer on your connected device in order to reach the perfect sound.

Note:

- If there is no playback, ensure that neither the unit nor your Bluetooth® device are set to zero volume and the right device for playback is paired and connected.

Additional Guidelines for Bluetooth® Devices

- The short wave radio signals of a Bluetooth and medical devices.

® device may impair the operation of other electronic

- Switch off the device where it is prohibited.

Compatibility Disclaimer

- Wireless performance is dependent on your device's Bluetooth ^ wireless technology. Refer to your device's user manual.

- The manufacturer cannot be held liable for any loss or leakage of or damage to data.

AUX Input

You can connect the audio output of an external device such as a CD or MP3 player to this unit to listen to the sound of that device through the amplifier of this music system.

- To connect the external device please use a standard stereo audio cable (3.5 mm to 3.5 mm plugs) (not included) to connect the headphone out or audio line out of the external device to the AUX input socket of this unit.

- Switch the unit on and select the AUX mode "AU in" by pressing the FUNCTION button.

- Switch the external device (e.g. MP3 player) on.

- Start playback of the external device and adjust the volume of RA 2600BT and your external device to a desired level.

- Remember to switch off the unit when you are finished using the external device.

Troubleshooting

If there should be any problem with this product, please try to solve it with the help of the following information before contacting service. Most problems can be solved easily.

• RA 2600BT cannot be powered on

Make sure that the unit is properly connected to a power source. If you are using batteries, make sure that they are not empty. Replace them with new ones if necessary.

- There is no Bluetooth ^ link between RA 2600BT and the external device

Ensure that your Bluetooth ^® enabled device supports the A2DP profile. Refer to its user manual on how to turn on the Bluetooth ^® functions and capabilities.

You may also try the following:

• Delete the RA 2600BT name entry from your Bluetooth® device paired memory list and perform the steps from “Bluetooth® Wireless Playback” to re-pair your device with RA 2600BT.
• Ensure that both RA 2600BT and your Bluetooth® device are not connected to any other devices.
• On some Bluetooth ^ devices you may need to select RA 2600BT as your default output device after pairing is completed.

- Bluetooth ^ link is established and paired between the devices but there is no music

Make sure that the volume of the speaker and the external device is not set to zero (muted).

With some built-in Bluetooth ^® enabled computers, 3rd party USB Bluetooth ^® dongles or other devices, you may be required to manually specify/set-up the audio output as RA 2600BT. Please refer to the documentation of the external device for further information.

Specifications

Power Supply:

DC 12V-1.2A (external adaptor)

Batteries: 8x 1.5V (C/UM-2/R14 size, not included)

Radio Frequency Range: FM 87.5 - 108 MHz

Dimensions (WxDxH) ca.: 180 x 144 x 362 mm

Technical specifications and design may change without notice.

Bluetooth®

The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Karcher is under license. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.

Bluetooth® QDID: B018164

Karcher

www.karcher-products.de