i have a question regarding a button on an alpine cd deck model CDA-7838. i was wondering what does the "F" button (the one to the right of the "TITLE button") does? i don't know how old this model is bc i'm asking for a friend. thanks!

 

I have an old Alpine in my truck. I believe that is a "function" button. At least on my HU, the preset buttons serve a different function other than just changing stations.

 

thanks... i was thinking that it might be a function key also, but what does it actually do? i tried looking for the manual for him, but i couldn't find it anywhere. if anyone knows, pls reply. thanks

 

I've got the CDA 7839, my manual covers the 7838 and the 7839. These are 1999 model year radios.

On these radios there is something called Direct Access Preset ("DAP"). What this does is lets you program both AM and FM stations onto the six radio buttons at the same time. For example, I only listen to four FM stations and two AM stations. #s 3 and 6 on my presets are AM stations, 1, 2, 4, and 5 are FM stations. So I can switch from an AM station to a particular FM station with the press of one button. Otherwise, I would need to press two, or three buttons (to switch from FM1 to FM 2 to AM, then a button to select the station). Modern Alpine models don't have DAP, for some reason.

Anyway, back to the F button. Here are the instructions for storing into the DAP band:

1. Press the F button. The lamp on the button will turn off.
2. Press the DAP button until the DAP indicator appears.
- press the BAND button to select FM or AM.
- the selected band will be displayed.
- to memorize stations onto the DAP band, follow the steps for the automatic or Manual Storing of Station Presets Section above [[previous page, just turn the radio to the station you want, on AM or FM, and hold in a button for a couple of seconds]]

To cancel DAP mode, press the DAP button. The DAP indicator will turn off.

3. Press the F button to activate the normal mode. The lamp on the button will illuminate. Note: Setting should be performed within 5 seconds after the F button is pressed. The unit will automatically return to the normal mode 5 seconds after pressing the F button.

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The F button is also used to switch between mono and stereo settings.

1. Press the F button. The lamp on the button will turn off.
2. "ST" indicator appears when a stereo FM station is tuned in. Press the MONO button to switch from stereo to monaural FM reception. This will help in reducing the noise of weak FM stereo broadcasts. In the monaural mode, the MO indicator appears. Press the MONO button again to return to the stereo mode.
3. Press the F button to activate the normal mode. The lamp on the button will illuminate. Note: Setting should be performed within 5 seconds after the F button is pressed. The unit will automatically return to the normal mode 5 seconds after pressing the F button.

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Also, if you have a 6 or 12 disk CD shuttle attached, you can use the F button to stop a scan of the CDs (scan being where the first ten seconds of each track are played).

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This doesn't have to do with the F button, but you can display radio station and CD titles with this head unit.

Titling stations:
1. Tune in a station to be titled.
2. Press the TITLE button twice (once if you are already in the Clock Priority mode) to select the preset station titling mode. A "-------" will flash in the display.
3. Press and hold the TITLE button for at least 3 seconds. The first digit will blink.
4. Rotate the MODE (Audio Control) **** to select the desired letter / numerals / symbol available for naming ("A" for example).
5. Press the MODE (Audio Control) button to store the first character. The first character will stop blinking and the display will automatically advance to the next character. When that character begins to blink, you may choose the next letter or symbol of your title.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 above to complete the titling. All 8 character positions should be filled. Use spaces where characters are not needed (for example, at the end of a 5 character title, use 3 spaces to complete the title).
7. After the last (8th) character has been entered, the title will be automatically stored.
Notes: When you want to erase a title, enter the [[block]] symbol into all spaces.
When the title memory is used up, the display shows "FULL DATA." Storing new station titles after the "FULL DATA" message has been displayed, causes previously stored titles to be erased. The new station titles will replace the old titles beginning with the first one created.
A total of 24 titles for AM and FM stations may be entered.
If the battery is disconnected, the memorized titles will be erased.

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Searching for Titled Stations (Title Menu Search)

1. Press and hold the TSM button for at least 2 seconds while the station title is displayed. The titled station in memory blinks in the display.
2. Press the << DN or >> UP button to select the desired station title.
3. Press the TSM button to play the selected station. The unit will automatically search for the station and will play that station.

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Titling Discs

(same as titling radio stations, but when a disk is in the head unit. The memory capacity for CD titles is 18.)

 

One other interesting thing that the radio can do: Automatic Memory of Station Presets. This is useful for FM2 stations (since I never have anything useful programmed there) when I am in different towns, I can do the automatic presets to put the six strongest stations onto FM2 presets 1 through 6.

Instructions:

1. Press the SOURCE button to select the radio mode.
2. Press the BAND button repeatedly until the desired radio station is displayed.
3. Press and hold the A. ME button [to the left of the volume ****] for at least 2 seconds. The frequency on the display continues to change while the automatic memory is in progress. The tunor will automatically seek and store 6 strong stations in the selected band onto the 1 to 6 buttons in order of signal strength.
When automatic memory has been completed, teh tunor goes to the station stores in the preset location No. 1.
Note: If no stations are stoerd, the tuner will return to the original station you were listening to before the auto memory procedure began.