Roberts Rambler BT - User Manual

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Radio, mains adaptor, quick start guide and safety/warranty leaet.

Features

Controls

continued overleaf...

STEP 1 - Plug in & play DAB radioWhat is in the Box?

• Bluetooth audio streaming from smartphone, tablet or laptop

• DAB / DAB+ / FM RDS wavebands

• Eco power saving mode

• Clock and alarm functions available with battery power

• 20 radio station presets (10 DAB and 10 FM)

• Multi level display dimmer

• 2 alarms with humane wake

• Sleep and snooze timers

• Battery or mains operation via AC adaptor (included)

• Batteries 4 x C size / LR14 (not included)

• Auxiliary input and headphone socket for private listening

A - Connect to the mains

B - Switch on your radio

C - Select a DAB radio station

Please read the safety leaet provided before connecting

your radio to the mains.

1 Place your radio on a at surface.

2 Fully extend the telescopic aerial located on the rear of

the radio.

3 Plug the cable from the mains adaptor into the DC input

socket. Plug the mains adaptor into a wall socket and

switch on the socket.

4 A start up screen will be displayed and a station scan will

be performed. The clock will set.

Note: If no signals are found it may be necessary to relocate

your radio to a position giving better reception and carry

out a scan for new stations.

D - Scan for DAB stations

As time passes new stations may become available or you may

have moved to a different part of the country.

1 Press and release the Auto Tune button.

2 Your radio will perform a scan of the Band III DAB channels.

As new stations are found, they will be added to the list

stored in the radio.

1 Press and release the On/Off button to switch on the radio.

After each use the radio will remember the mode used and

then switch on in that mode the next time it is used. To switch

off your radio press the On/Off button.

2 If this is the rst time the radio is used a scan of the Band

III DAB channels will be carried out (depending on whether

a scan was completed in standby mode).

1 If needed, press and release the Mode button until the

DAB mode is selected.

2 Rotate the Tuning control to step through the list of available

DAB stations.

3 Press the Tuning control to select the station.

4 Adjust the Volume.

5 Some radio stations may have one or more additional

broadcasts associated with them. If these are available

they will appear immediately after the main station.

• Press and release the Info / Menu button to cycle through

the various DAB display options.

The display options are station name, scrolling text,

program type, signal strength (the minimum signal marker

(

) shows the minimum signal strength needed for good

DAB reception), multiplex name, frequency, bit rate, time

or date.

All displays except the text display will revert to the clock

display after 10 seconds.

Search tuning - FM

1 Carefully, fully extend the telescopic aerial.

2 Press and release the Mode button until FM is selected.

3 Rotate the Tuning control clockwise or anti-clockwise and

then press and release the Auto Tune button. Your radio

will scan upwards (low to high frequency) or downwards

(high to low frequency) and will stop automatically when

it nds a station of sufcient strength.

4 If the signal is strong enough and there is RDS data

present then the radio will display the station name.

5 Adjust the Volume.

• Press and release the Info / Menu button to cycle through

the various FM display options. The display options are

station name, scrolling text, program type, frequency

time or date.

To manual tune, rotate the Tuning control to tune to a

station. The frequency will change in steps of 50 kHz.

STEP 2 - Play FM radio

1 Volume control

2 Headphone socket

3 On / Off / Sleep button

4 Mode button

5 Auto Tune / Bluetooth Pair button

6 Dimmer button

7 Info / Menu / Alarm 1 button

8 Preset / Alarm 2 button

9 Auxiliary input socket

10 Tuning / Select control

11 LCD display

12 Loudspeaker

13 Telescopic aerial

14 DC input socket

15 Battery compartment

16 USB socket (in battery compartment,

for service use only)

Auto Tune

DC 5.9V

Mode

Info/Menu

You may store your preferred DAB or FM radio stations to the preset station memories. There are 20 memory

presets, 10 for DAB and 10 for FM. Presets are remembered by the radio in the event of a power failure.

To store a preset

1 Ensure your radio is switched on.

2 Tune to the required radio station.

3 Apply a long press on the Preset button.

4 Rotate the Tuning control to select the desired station

number under which you wish to store the station.

5 Press the Tuning control. The display will show for example,

‘P1 SAVED’. Repeat this procedure for the remaining

presets. Presets may be overwritten by following the above

procedure.

To recall a preset

1 Choose DAB or FM mode.

2 Press and release the Preset button.

3 Use the Tuning control to select the desired preset. Your

radio will tune to the station stored in the preset memory.

Note: The display will show ‘Empty’ if no station has been

stored to that preset.

Preset radio stations

Preset

1 Ensure Bluetooth is enabled on your smart device.

2 Ensure your radio is switched on.

3 Press and release the Mode button until the Bluetooth

mode is selected on your radio. The Bluetooth indicator

will ash and your radio will show that it is ‘discoverable’.

4 On your smart device select ‘Rambler BT’. Once the

connection is established the indicator will remain steady.

You may now play your music.

5 Adjust the volume using the Volume control on the radio

and on the connected Bluetooth device. If you nd the

volume from the radio is not sufcient, it may be that

the volume setting of the connected device needs to be

increased.

6 The audio player in your smart device may be able to

respond to the Play/Pause, Next or Previous track on

the radio. Press the Tuning control to pause playback.

Press the control again to resume playback. Rotate the

control clockwise or counter-clockwise to skip to the next

or previous track.

Note: Not all player applications or devices may respond

to all of these buttons.

7 To connect a different device press and release

the Bluetooth Pair button. Your radio will become

discoverable by other devices.

STEP 3 - Bluetooth

Menu options

1 You can access your radios menu system by applying

a long press on the Info / Menu button.

2 Rotate and press the Tuning / Select control to select

menu options.

3 To exit menu options press the Info / Menu button as

needed.

Info/Menu

DC 5.9V

16 15

Auto Tune Dimmer

Info/Menu

PresetMode

Aux In

2 3 5 6 7 8 9

• It is recommended that the DAB band be used wherever possible as better results in terms of

quality and freedom from interference will usually be obtained than on the FM band.

Mode

Auto Tune

Mode

Auto Tune

Need help?

Do you have a question about the Roberts Rambler BT and is the answer not in the manual?

Summary

Plug in & Play DAB Radio

Connect to the Mains

Connect the radio to the mains power supply using the adaptor.

Switch on Radio

Turn the radio on and initial station scan.

Preset Radio Stations

Store and recall favourite DAB or FM radio stations.

Play FM Radio

Search Tuning FM

Tune into FM radio stations using search tuning.

Bluetooth Connectivity

Connect and Play via Bluetooth

Connect a smart device to play music wirelessly.

System Settings

Factory Reset

Reset the radio to its initial factory state.

Summary

Plug in & Play DAB Radio

Connect to the Mains

Connect the radio to the mains power supply using the adaptor.

Switch on Radio

Turn the radio on and initial station scan.

Preset Radio Stations

Store and recall favourite DAB or FM radio stations.

Play FM Radio

Search Tuning FM

Tune into FM radio stations using search tuning.

Bluetooth Connectivity

Connect and Play via Bluetooth

Connect a smart device to play music wirelessly.

System Settings

Factory Reset

Reset the radio to its initial factory state.

The Roberts Rambler BT is a portable DAB/DAB+/FM radio with Bluetooth audio streaming capabilities, designed for versatile listening at home or on the go. It features a classic, retro-inspired design combined with modern functionalities, allowing users to enjoy a wide range of audio sources.

Function Description

The primary function of the Rambler BT is to provide high-quality radio reception across DAB/DAB+ and FM RDS wavebands. DAB/DAB+ offers access to digital radio stations with clearer sound and more station choices, while FM RDS provides traditional analogue radio with station information. The radio can store up to 20 station presets (10 DAB and 10 FM), allowing users to quickly access their favorite stations.

Beyond radio, the device integrates Bluetooth 4.1 for wireless audio streaming. This enables users to connect a smartphone, tablet, or laptop and play music or other audio content through the radio's speaker. The Bluetooth functionality supports A2DP and AVRCP profiles, allowing for control of playback (play/pause, next/previous track) directly from the radio, depending on the connected device and application.

The Rambler BT also includes an Auxiliary input socket, enabling wired connection to external audio sources. When an external device is connected via the auxiliary input, the radio plays audio in mono through its speaker and in stereo through headphones.

For personal listening, a 3.5mm headphone socket is provided, which automatically mutes the internal loudspeaker when headphones are plugged in.

Usage Features

The radio is designed for ease of use with a clear LCD display and intuitive controls.

Power and Portability:

The Rambler BT can be powered either by mains electricity using the included AC adaptor or by 4 x C size (LR14) batteries, offering true portability. An Eco power saving mode is available, which significantly extends battery life by minimizing power consumption when in standby, making it ideal for occasional use or when not connected to mains power. This mode keeps the internal clock running for days or weeks, allowing alarm functions to remain active.

Clock and Alarm Functions:

The device features a built-in clock with alarm functions. Users can set two independent alarms, choosing to wake up to DAB radio, FM radio, or a buzzer. Alarms can be configured to sound once, daily, on weekdays, or on weekends. The radio allows users to select a specific radio station (either the last listened or a preset) and a desired volume for the alarm. A "humane wake" feature ensures a gentle start to the day, with the buzzer alarm gradually increasing in volume. A snooze function is also included, allowing for a temporary silence of the alarm for 5 minutes.

Display and Sound Customization:

A multi-level display dimmer allows users to adjust the brightness of the LCD display to suit their environment. For DAB radio, the display can cycle through station name, scrolling text, program type, signal strength, multiplex name, frequency, bit rate, time, or date. For FM radio, options include station name, scrolling text, program type, frequency, time, or date.

The radio offers a Dynamic Range Control (DRC) feature for DAB, which can make quieter sounds easier to hear, especially in noisy environments. Users can also adjust the stereo/mono setting for FM radio, which can improve reception quality for weaker signals by reducing hiss.

Scanning and Presets:

For DAB radio, an auto-tune function scans for available stations and adds them to the station list. A "prune station" option allows users to remove stations that are no longer available. For FM radio, the auto-tune function scans upwards or downwards, stopping automatically when a station of sufficient strength is found. Manual tuning is also possible.

Storing and recalling presets is straightforward. Users can long-press the Preset button to store a station and then rotate the Tuning control to select the desired memory number. A short press of the Preset button allows for quick recall of stored stations.

Menu System:

A comprehensive menu system is accessible via a long press of the Info/Menu button. This allows users to configure various settings, including:

System Settings:
- Time: Automatic clock update via DAB signal or manual time setting.
- ECO Mode: Activation or deactivation of the power-saving mode.
- Factory Reset: To restore the radio to its initial state, erasing all user-entered settings.
- Language: Selection of the desired display language.
- SW Version: Display of the software version for reference.
DAB Menu: Manual tune, DRC settings, and prune station.
FM Menu: Scan setting (distant or local) and stereo/mono setting.

Controls:

The radio features a clear layout of buttons and a rotary Tuning/Select control. Key controls include:

Volume control
On/Off/Sleep button
Mode button (to switch between DAB, FM, Bluetooth, and Aux In)
Auto Tune / Bluetooth Pair button
Dimmer button
Info/Menu / Alarm 1 button
Preset / Alarm 2 button
Auxiliary input socket
Tuning / Select control (rotary for tuning/selection, press to confirm)

Maintenance Features

The manual provides guidance on battery installation and replacement. It recommends removing batteries if the radio will not be used for an extended period and suggests using the AC adaptor whenever possible for economy. The Eco power saving mode is highlighted as a way to maximize battery life during long-term battery-powered use.

The device is designed for simple operation, with no specific user-level maintenance beyond battery management and keeping the unit clean. The manual advises reading the provided safety leaflet before connecting the radio to the mains. In case of issues, a factory reset option is available to revert the radio to its default settings. The telescopic aerial should be fully extended for optimal reception.

Roberts Rambler BT Specifications

General

Antenna type	External
MP3 playback	-
Product color	Blue
Volume control	Rotary
Audible alarm(s)	Yes
Number of alarms	2
Country of origin	China
Bluetooth version	5.0
Headphone outputs	1
Headphone connectivity	3.5 mm
Radio type	Portable
Tuner type	Analog & digital
FM band range	87.5 - 108 MHz
DAB band range	174.928-239.200 MHz
Supported radio bands	DAB, DAB+, FM
Preset stations quantity	20
Clock mode	24h
RMS rated power	- W
Power source	AC/Battery
Cables included	AC
Customs product code (TARIC)	8527990090
Battery type	C
Number of batteries supported	4
Package type	Gift box
Package depth	1280 mm
Package width	2900 mm
Package height	1520 mm
Package weight	1112 g