IC-R30 Priority Watch & Home Channel

Summary: How to use the IC-R30’s Priority Watch to keep checking a channel while you listen or scan, and how to set home channels.

Priority Watch

While you’re in VFO mode or running a VFO scan, Priority Watch briefly checks a selected memory channel (or a memory scan) every 5 seconds. There are four ways to use it: watching a priority channel while receiving in VFO mode, or while scanning in VFO mode, and memory scanning while receiving or scanning in VFO mode. With Dualwatch on, the MAIN and SUB bands can scan independently.

To start:

1. In Memory mode select the priority channel (or a memory scan type).
2. Push [QUICK] and choose PRIO Watch.
3. Choose ON (when a signal arrives on the priority channel, that channel is selected automatically) or Bell (beeps sound and the “S” icon blinks). “PRIO” shows.

To combine it with scanning, start a Memory scan first, then the Priority Watch, then a VFO scan.

To cancel: [QUICK], PRIO Watch OFF. It’s also cancelled when you start the Band Scope or push [CLEAR], [MW] or [F-INP].

While it runs you can still change band, frequency, mode, and start or cancel VFO scans.

Home Channel

Home channels are often-used frequencies you can preset in VFO mode and Memory mode.

1. Select the frequency (VFO) or channel (Memory).
2. Push [QUICK] and choose Home CH Set.
3. Choose Set Frequency (or Set Channel in Memory mode). Clear removes it.

When a home channel is selected by rotating [DIAL] a beep sounds (Sounds, Home CH Beep, default ON), so you can find it without looking. The Home CH function can also be assigned to a key on the optional VS-3 headset.