The Radio Shack BTX-127 is a handheld VHF business band transciever with CTCSS encode and decode. It's a PLL-controlled radio, programmed using DIP switches to a single channel. Transmit power settings are 2 watts (high) and 600 milliwatts (low). It runs on a rechargable nicad 7.2 volt, 950 milliamp-hour battery pack.

The BTX-127 can be programmed to operate on the MURS frequencies. This is accomplished using the DIP switches found inside the radio's battery compartment, above the battery.

As Radio Shack has removed this information from their manuals and support documents, and the last source of it has vanished from the Web (I'm looking at it via Google cache right now), I'm including the entire chart of possible frequencies here.

Up = 1, Down = 0.

Turn switch 1 off to disable CTCSS, unless you're using it...


Switches    Frequency    Color Dot       MURS
23456                       Code
----------------------------------------------
00000       151.625      Red             N
00100       151.700      ?               N
00101       151.760      ?               N
00110       151.820      ?               Yes
00111       151.880      ?               Yes
01000       151.940      ?               Yes
00001       151.955      Purple          N
00010       154.570      Blue            Yes
00011       154.600      Green           Yes

Originally, the manuals included this chart. Now, RadioShack claims the radio can only be programmed by sending it off to a "service center". Although you can perform this programming procedure yourself, DO NOT transmit on frequencies you are not licensed to use. (Of course, since MURS is a license-free radio service, feel free to use those frequencies that are now allocated for it!)

Note that the same switches are used to set the CTCSS tone - to change the CTCSS tone (the chart for that is in the manual, and on RS's website), you must hold the push to talk button while turning the power on after changing the switches.

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