Scout User Guide
Owner's manual. Transmitters
How to use the Scout transmitter
The Scout is a machined aluminum transmitter with a CR2032 cell. On a new battery it runs about 40 days. Leg weight is 9 grams. Tail weight is 9.5 grams.
40 miles, line of sightAbout 40 daysCR2032 batteryMinus 40 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit on a new cell
Getting started
Specifications
| Temperature | Minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit to 150 degrees Fahrenheit, with a new battery. |
| Weight | 9 grams on a leg mount. 9.5 grams on a tail mount. |
| Standard pulses | 40 milliseconds, 40 pulses per minute. |
| Range | 40 miles, line of sight. |
| Battery life | 40 days, continuous. |
| Antenna | Short and Safe, 7 inches. 7 inches at 216 megahertz, 9 inches at 173 megahertz. |
| Housing | Machined aircraft aluminum, hard-coat anodized. |
Install the battery
Use a CR2032 lithium 3-volt cell. Marshall recommends the Renata CR2032.
Put the negative side down. After it is in, you should be able to read CR2032 and the plus sign on the top of the cell.
Insert it at an angle, toward the tab spring. Do not push it straight down. That can damage the springs. The transmitter starts as soon as the cell is in.
Screw the lid on as tight as you can with your fingers. A little more torque with pliers is fine. A loose lid can come off.
To take a cell out, turn the transmitter upside down and tap it gently.
If your Scout has a magnet, leave the old cell out for 1 to 2 minutes before you install the new one. The Scout remembers the last state, and the pause clears it. A Scout without a magnet does not need the wait.
How long the battery lasts
About 40 days of continuous transmission on a new battery. A double beep every 10 pulses means about 20 days remain. The Scout tracks total transmission time and also checks voltage, so it warns you if you install an old battery.
Turn it on and off
If your Scout has a magnet, touch it to the battery lid. You will hear 5 fast beeps for off and 3 fast beeps for on. The short wait keeps a brush of the magnet from turning it off. If you lose the magnet, unscrew the lid. Listen for the signal before you fly and after you switch it off. A new battery is still fine after two years inside a Scout that is switched off.
Apollo 13 Mode
After 24 hours of continuous running, the pulses get shorter and less frequent. On a new battery you have 40 days to find the bird. If the bird was lost just before the low-battery warning, you still have about 10 more days.
Wash and inspect
The Scout is waterproof. Wash it with hot water. Dry the inside of the case and the lid before you install a battery.
Replace the antenna at the first crack or bare wire.
On a tail mount, inspect the tail spring. Replace it if you see a crack or if it feels weak.
On a leg mount, inspect the bewit slot for wear or thinning.
Replace the antenna
The antenna is 7 inches for 216 megahertz, and 9 inches for 173 megahertz. The replacement comes with instructions. Use only a genuine Marshall antenna with Power Line Static Protection.
Unscrew the antenna protector.
Unscrew the old antenna with your fingers.
Screw the new antenna on hand tight. A small bead of quick-drying epoxy at the base is fine.
Put the protector back on.
Do not use liquid super glue or a thread locker. Super glue runs up the threads and bonds to the antenna stud. Unscrew the old antenna with your fingers only. Pliers can damage the transmitter.
What range to expect
Tested past 40 miles, line of sight, on the bird. In the western deserts of the United States, hunts have run from 3 to 40 miles, depending on height, ground, obstacles, and radio noise.
How it mounts on the bird
Match the photo to the hardware you ordered. The bird photos show the leg and tail methods. They use a GPS transmitter so you can see where the hardware sits.
Point the receiver
The signal from the Scout is strongest when the receiver antenna lines up with the transmitter antenna.
A bird on a perch holds its tail nearly straight up. Hold the receiver elements straight up.
A bird on the ground can leave the antenna nearly flat. Turn the elements flat and listen again.
If you can hear the signal both ways, use the flat position to pinpoint the bird.
Change the frequency without opening it
The channel can be changed without opening the case. The range is 216.000 to 219.995 megahertz on 216 megahertz models, and 173.000 to 173.995 megahertz on 173 megahertz models. Pulse width, pulse rate, and the low-battery point can also be changed. The defaults are 40 pulses per minute, 40 milliseconds, and about 10 days before low-battery mode. Send it to Marshall Radio. The charge is 35 dollars plus shipping, and the turnaround is one business day.
Warranty
Marshall Radio Telemetry warrants that the Scout will be free from defects of workmanship and materials for one (1) year from the date of purchase by the end user. Return a defective transmitter directly to Marshall Radio Telemetry and we will repair or replace it and return it free of charge. Damage from misuse or normal wear and tear is not covered, and the warranty is void if a non-Marshall antenna has been used. Marshall Radio is not responsible for damages or loss beyond the value of the transmitter itself, including but not limited to the loss of a bird or lost time.
This device does not interfere with television reception or Federal Government radar.
Troubleshooting
Work down this list before you change anything else.
The new cell does nothing, or the old state comes back. On a Scout with a magnet, leave the cell out for 1 to 2 minutes before you install the new one. Negative side down. The printing faces you.
The lid comes loose. Tighten it with your fingers, then a little more with pliers if you need it. A loose lid can come off in flight.
You hear a double beep every 10 pulses. About 20 days remain, or the cell is old. Plan a fresh cell before a long trip.
The pulses get shorter and less frequent. Apollo 13 Mode has started after 24 hours. The battery is being saved.
You lost the magnet. Unscrew the lid to turn it off. Listen on the receiver before you fly and after you think it is off.
The range is short. Hold the receiver elements straight up for a bird on a perch, and flat if the bird is on the ground. If you hear both, use the flat position to pinpoint.
FAQs
How long does a battery last?
About 40 days of continuous transmission on a new battery. A double beep every 10 pulses means about 20 days remain.
Which battery does it use?
A CR2032 lithium 3-volt cell. Marshall recommends the Renata CR2032. Put the negative side down and slide it in at an angle toward the tab spring.
How do I turn it on and off?
If your Scout has a magnet, touch it to the battery lid. Five fast beeps means off. Three fast beeps means on. If you lose the magnet, unscrew the lid.
What is Apollo 13 Mode?
After 24 hours of continuous running, the pulses get shorter and less frequent. On a new battery you have 40 days to find the bird.
What range should I expect?
40 miles, line of sight, on the bird.
What is the warranty?
One year from the date of purchase, for defects of workmanship and materials.
