Very disappointing DMR performance from the AOR AR-DV10 when compared against the RSP1A SDR, both on same antenna. Perfect decode on the RSP1A with DSD+ but signal not even detected on the AOR DV10.
Considering the AOR AR-DV10 is using I/Q demodulation you would expect high performance decoding, however in our tests we’ve found it can’t even hear a signal that a Uniden BDC436HP could decode perfectly. The DV10 doesn’t even detect the DMR signal in the noise let alone decode any audio from it. This maybe partly because the AR-DV10 appears to be using a 15kHz filter in auto mode and DMR mode which is far too wide. We have reported various issues to AOR in Japan but have no had response so far.
Video comparison below, AOR AR-DV10 vs Uniden BCD436HP DMR
This is the list of known AOR DV10 problems, firmware bugs and other items that need fixing as of June 2018, firmware 1806B
Critical – Certain Remote commands mainly associated with memory channels / search channels cause the DV10 to completely freeze requiring the battery to be removed.
Critical – The AR-DV10 hangs when a recording to the SD card finishes.
Important – The DMR bandwidth is too wide, it should be FM6 not FM15
Important – An option to select FM6 in automode needs to be added, FM15 is too wide for narrow modes
Important – The DV10 will randomly mis-identify noise as a digital signal and blurt out garbled noise, like R2D2
Missing Feature – Display of Radio Ids (RId) and Talkgroups (TG)
The supplied antenna appears to be tuned for Airband frequencies and does not perform well at UHF – AOR have stated they are going to supply a telescopic replacement antenna to address this.
AOR have just released version 1806B firmware for their AR-DV10 receiver but it seems to be half finished and full of bugs. One of the main issues noted so far is trying to issue remote control commands to the receiver via USB. Whilst some commands seem to function, almost anything memory related causes the DV10 to completely freeze to the point where the battery has to be removed.
One developer commented:-
I have been struggling all day, and on previous days, with the DV10 external control and it ‘locking up’ intermittently, needing power removed and re-applied to get it going.
My problems relate to Memory Channels too, specifically reading them back from the DV10. Sometimes it reads back a few, then locks up. As you say there is no way of using the Radio until power is removed.
I had come to the conclusion it was most likely a firmware glitch, but as to all intermittent things, one can never be quite sure if it is Operator error. I have tried in vain to isolate a cause re. programming, but in the light of your comment am 99% sure it is a firmware glitch.
On a superficial basis many of them respond, but that is not good enough, because repeating the same command, or sending another can result in a ‘freeze’.
There are other problem commands too. For example in a Search Bank the ‘Title’ is often not saved, or will not appear when ‘reading’ a Search Bank’s details. Again an ‘intermittent. Executing a SEARCH often results in the Radio locking up. I am slowly going through all the commands I need for my program, and it is very frustrating.
A common question that comes up is what is the AR-DV1 scan speed? A digital scanner is always going to be slower than a conventional scanner but the settings you choose can make quite a difference. We quite often like to search for new DMR systems only and here is an example of how to do it.
The reason we like to fix the mode to DMR on the AR-DV1 is because it won’t let you select the 6kHz bandwidth IF filter when in auto mode, it only allows 15kHz which is poor for weak DMR signals, its quite frustrating that AOR doesn’t allow selection of the filter, 15kHz is too wide if you only want to scan for narrow band signals.
For scanning memory channels we also find the level squelch the best option.
There’s a new kid in town, the AOR AR-DV1 is the first scanner to support most popular digital radio modulation schemes including DMR, Alinco, Yaesu Fusion, Nexedge/iDas/NXDN4800, dPMR and Apco P25, it also supports all the usual analogue modulation types.
Over the past couple of years many PMR users in the UK have migrated to digital systems, the most common of which is DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) often Mototrbo which is a Motorola variant, there are also some NXDN Nexedge and iDas systems around.
The AR-DV1 does a pretty job of decoding these systems, you don’t need to know the Talkgroups, Radio Ids or Colour Codes of the DMR systems and the DV1 will even tell you the colour code with its latest 1601B firmware.
Wide frequency coverage: 100 kHz to 1.3 GHz (Cellular blocked for the US consumer version)
Direct conversion (100 kHz ~ 18 MHz)
PC controllable with Hyperterminal software by using our COMMAND LIST to be downloaded at
http://aorja.com/receivers/ar-dv1.html.
Multi-mode unit capable of receiving AM (Synchronous), USB, LSB, CW, NFM, P25 (APCO25),
NXDN™, D-STAR ™, ALINCO EJ-47U, YAESU, DIGITAL CR, dPMR™, DMR, MOTOTRBO™,
KENWOOD ®
SD card interface
Selectable IF filter bandwidths
CTCSS and DCS selectable squelch functions
Built-in voice-inversion descrambling (Not available for the US consumer version)
AGC
Auto-notch, noise reduction (NR)
USB interface
3 VFO’s, 2,000 alphanumeric memories
Frequency range:
100 kHz ~ 1300* MHz (Note: Specifications guaranteed above
530 kHz)
(Cellular frequencies blocked for US consumer version)
Digital receive modes: D-STAR (GMSK), ALINCO (GMSK), YAESU (C4FM), DIGITAL
CR (C4FM), NXDN (C4FM), dPMR (C4FM), P25 (Phase 1)
(C4FM), DMR (4FSK). (**)
Analog receive modes: FM, AM, Synchronous AM (SAH, SAL), USB, LSB, CW
Receiver system:
100 KHz ~ 18 MHz : Direct conversion
18 MHz ~ 180 MHz: Double conversion super heterodyne
(1st IF: 393 MHz, 2nd IF: 31.0 MHz)
180 MHz ~ 1300 MHz: Triple conversion super heterodyne
(1st IF: 1705 MHz, 2nd IF: 393 MHz, 3rd IF: 31.0 MHz)
IF filter bandwidths: 200 Hz, 500 Hz, 1.8 kHz, 2.6 kHz, 3.8 kHz, 5.5 kHz, 6 kHz, 8 kHz,
15 kHz, 30 kHz, 100 kHz, 200 kHz
Receive assisted functions: Auto notch, Noise reduction, Analog voice descrambler (not
available for the US consumer version), AGC, Step adjust, Offset
receive, Priority
Squelch modes: Level squelch, Noise squelch, Voice squelch, Tone squelch, DCS
Frequency stability: Less than +/- 2.5 ppm after warm-up (5 minutes)
Sensitivity:
530 KHz ~ 17.99999 MHz : 0.71μV typ. (12dB SINAD)
18 MHz ~ 1300 MHz: 0.32μV typ. (12dB SINAD)
Number of VFO’s: 3
Memory channels: 2,000
Memory banks: 40
Search banks: 40
Priority channel: 1
Pass frequencies: 50 per bank or VFO
Audio outputs:
Internal speaker & speaker-out: min.1.0 W @ 8 Ohm, 12 V DC
input. 10% THD.
3.5mm jacks for headphone, speaker-out and discriminator (FM
only)
Recording/playback media: SD/SDHC, 1 channel, 19 kHz sampling in wav format. Approx. 7
hours recording for 1 GB.
Timer functions: Sleep timer 30, 60 90, 120 min., alarm and timer recording (once,
daily, weekly)
PC connection: Micro-USB for receiver control with command list.
Antenna input: BNC, 50 Ohm
Max. antenna input level: +0dBm
Power requirements: 10.8 ~ 16.0 V DC, approx. 750 mA (at 12V DC)
Operating temperature: 0 ~ 50 °C, 32 ~ 122 °F
Dimensions:
Approx. 178 mm (W) x 50 mm (H) x 215 mm (D) (proj.excl.)
7 (W) x 1.97 (H) x 8.46 (D) inches
Weight: Approx. 1.5 kg (3lb 5oz)
Coming soon our in depth review of the AOR AR-Alpha receiver.
