Technical blog

AMS radio settings: handy hints you should know

AMS radio settings: handy hints you should know

Question 1: How do I enter the password into my radio ?

When turning on the radio, you might be asked for a password. The default password for the radio is 1234. Turn the volume button until “1” appears on the display, then press “>>” to enter that number. Repeat this sequence 3 more times until you have entered the code “1234”. Once entered, confirm it by pressing “SEL” (series CT412) or “MENU” (series CB710) for 2 seconds. You can deactivate the code in the menu “PWD ON/OFF” or change the code in menu “PWD SET”. If 1234 is invalid, the password has been changed. Contact the after-sales service for help.

Once entered, confirm it by pressing “SEL” (series CT412) or “MENU” (series CB710) for 2 seconds.

You can deactivate the code in the menu “PWD ON/OFF” or change the code in menu “PWD SET”. If 1234 is invalid, the password has been changed. Contact the after-sales service for help.

Question 2: How can I deactivate local mode on my radio ?

Local mode restricts the reception of distant transmitters, blocking access to some stations. If you can only find a few stations and you want more, check if the “LOCAL” or “CITY” mode is on. If it is, turn it off to receive more stations.

On the CT412 radio, press and hold the DSP button and the radio will display “LOC OFF”. For CT412 BT and CT412 DAB BT radios, press the DSP button, select “DX local or RURAL” using the arrows and confirm using the volume button.

Question 3: How can I access the PTY (Programme Type) menu?

The PTY (Programme Type) programme allows you to search for a station according to theme. Press and hold for 2 seconds the [SEL] button (for CT412 models), or the [SRC] button (for CT412-BT and DAB models), or [PTY] (on CB710 models) to access the PTY function and turn the volume button to choose the station type: news, pop, sport, culture, etc. Once you have chosen the type, the radio will begin to automatically search for those stations.

Question 4: How can I turn on the backlight for the radio buttons ?

On CT412, CB710 and CT412 DAB models, the buttons are backlit by default when the radio is turned on. On the other hand, the CT412 BT model does not automatically light up the buttons. The backlight only turns on when the headlights are turned on and if the wiring of the vehicle allows it.

If the vehicle’s ISO connector is equipped with backlighting (A6 pin), the buttons will light up by turning on the headlights.

But if this not the case, here are the solutions:

Solution 1: Set up the automatic backlight

Find the power source of your vehicle’s headlights and redirect it to the A6 pin of the ISO connector.

Solution 2: Use the A5 pin (antenna) to power the A6 pin

Connect the A5 pin to the A6 pin to give it power. The backlight will be activated when the radio is turned on.

Question 5: How can I adjust the tuner’s sensitivity ?

Our radios are equipped with a tuner designed for optimal reception even in poor-reception areas. By default, the tuner is set to capture only stations with very good quality. If you are in an area with poor reception, you can adjust the tuner sensitivity of your AMS radio.

How is this done?

Tuner sensitivity is adjusted in the FSTOP menu. FSTOP goes from level 1 (high sensitivity) to level 19 (low sensitivity). To receive the largest number of stations which may have distant transmitters, you should lower the tuner’s level. Before starting, manually set the tuner to the start of the band, 87.50.

If, after you have carried out all these steps, you still have concerns about the reception, check the condition of your antenna.

One further step you can do is to check the radiomap website to find an overview of the available transmitters.