AOR AR2300 User manual

®
AR2300
Black-Box
Receiver
Operating manual
AOR, LTD.
May 12, 2010

1
Table of contents
1. Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5
1-1 Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1-2 Caring for your radio ------------------------------------------------------------------ 7
1-3 Included in this package ------------------------------------------------------------------ 8
1-4 Front panel ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12
1- Rear ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13
2. P control ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 14
2-1 System requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------ 14
2-2 USB (Universal Serial Bus) ------------------------------------------------------ 14
2-2-1 USB Driver installation ------------------------------------------------------ 14
2-3 AR2300 control software installation ------------------------------------------ 17
2-3-1 Starting the program ------------------------------------------------------ 17
2-3-2 In case of difficulty ------------------------------------------------------ 18
2-4 LAN (optional) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 19
3. ontrol commands ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 20
3-1 Command format ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 20
3-2 Response format ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 20
3-3 Power on the AR2300 ------------------------------------------------------------------ 21
3-3-1 Wake up ------------------------------------------------------------------ 21
3-3-2 Wake up ID set up ------------------------------------------------------ 21
3-4 Power off the AR2300 ------------------------------------------------------------------ 21
3-4-1 Standby mode ------------------------------------------------------------------ 21
3-4-2 Sleep timer ------------------------------------------------------------------ 21
3- Audio gain ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 21
3-6 Frequency/memory channel up/down ------------------------------------------ 21
3-7 Step frequency ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 21
3-8 Receive modes, IF bandwidth, AUTO mode ------------------------------------------ 22
3-8-1 Command description ------------------------------------------------------ 22
3-8-2 Simple mode ------------------------------------------------------------------ 22
3-8-3 Advanced mode ------------------------------------------------------------------ 22
3-8-4 Auto mode ------------------------------------------------------------------ 23
3-8- Destination setting ------------------------------------------------------ 23
3-9 Decode assist function ------------------------------------------------------------------ 23
3-9-1 Auto notch (Notch) ------------------------------------------------------ 23
3-9-2 Noise reduction (NR) ------------------------------------------------------ 24
3-9-3 Noise blanker (NB) ------------------------------------------------------ 24
3-9-4 Voice inversion descrambler ------------------------------------------ 24
3-9- IF shift ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 24
3-9-6 CW pitch frequency ------------------------------------------------------ 2

2
3-9-7 Automatic gain control (AGC) ----------------------------------------- 2
3-9-8 Automatic frequency control (AFC) ----------------------------------------- 2
3-9-9 Tone squelch (CTCSS) ------------------------------------------------------ 2
3-9-10 Digital code squelch (DCS) ------------------------------------------ 26
3-9-11 DTMF code ------------------------------------------------------------------ 26
3-9-12 De-emphasis ------------------------------------------------------------------ 26
3-10 Squelch ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 27
3-10-1 Level squelch ------------------------------------------------------------------ 27
3-10-2 Voice squelch ------------------------------------------------------------------ 27
3-11 RF amplifier, attenuator ------------------------------------------------------------------ 27
3-12 Antenna select ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 27
3-12-1 Antenna select programming ------------------------------------------ 28
3-13 S-meter ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 28
3-13-1 Signal level ------------------------------------------------------------------ 28
3-13-2 Auto signal level ------------------------------------------------------------------ 29
3-14 Audio recorder control ------------------------------------------------------------------ 29
3-14-1 Control relay status ------------------------------------------------------ 29
3-14-2 Control relay status report ------------------------------------------------------ 29
3-1 Manual RF gain ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 29
3-16 RF filter bandwidth for A/D converter ------------------------------------------ 30
3-17 RF band pass filter (for below 2 MHz reception) ------------------------------ 30
4. Receive commands ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 30
4-1 VFO mode ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 30
4-2 Search mode (normal search mode) ------------------------------------------ 31
4-2-1 Search bank ------------------------------------------------------------------ 31
4-2-2 Pass frequency ------------------------------------------------------------------ 32
4-2-3 Normal search setting format ------------------------------------------ 33
4-2-4 Search frequency list ------------------------------------------------------ 33
4-3 FFT Search ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 33
4-4 Memory Channel ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 34
4-4-1 Memory read mode ------------------------------------------------------ 34
4-4-2 Memory data setting ------------------------------------------------------ 3
4-4-3 Memory bank resizing ------------------------------------------------------ 3
4-4-4 Delete memory channel ------------------------------------------------------ 3
4-4- Delete memory bank ------------------------------------------------------ 36
4- Scan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 36
4- -1 Start scan ------------------------------------------------------------------ 36
4- -2 Memory data setting ------------------------------------------------------ 36
4- -3 Memory pass ------------------------------------------------------------------ 36
4-6 Select scan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 37

3
4-6-1 Start select scan ------------------------------------------------------------------ 37
4-6-2 Select scan setting ------------------------------------------------------ 37
4-7 Duo frequency / tri frequency receive ------------------------------------------ 37
4-7-1 Duo frequency receive (duo band receive) ------------------------------ 37
4-7-2 Duo frequency receive (frequency offset receive mode) ------ 38
4-7-3 Tri frequency receive ------------------------------------------------------ 39
5 Other receive commands ------------------------------------------------------------------ 39
-1 Priority receive ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 39
-1-1 Priority setup ------------------------------------------------------------------ 39
-1-2 Starting priority ------------------------------------------------------------------ 39
-2 Step adjust ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 40
6 Spectrum display commands ------------------------------------------------------------------ 40
6-1 Start frequency ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 40
6-2 End frequency ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 40
6-3 Center frequency ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 40
6-4 Span frequency ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 40
6- Spectrum step frequency ------------------------------------------------------------------ 40
6-6 Marker frequency ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 41
6-6-1 Marker frequency setup ------------------------------------------------------ 41
6-6-2 Marker frequency / level auto output ------------------------------------------ 41
6-6-3 Transfer the marker frequency to receive frequency ------------------ 41
6-7 Spectrum data output ------------------------------------------------------------------ 41
6-8 High speed spectrum data output ------------------------------------------------------ 41
7 Video monitor commands ------------------------------------------------------------------ 42
7-1 Activate the video monitor function ------------------------------------------------------ 42
7-2 Frequency shift reverse ------------------------------------------------------------------ 42
8 I/Q output commands ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 42
8-1 I/Q bandwidth ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 42
9 Data editor commands ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 43
10 onfiguration commands of other parameters ------------------------------------------ 44
10-1 Selecting interface ------------------------------------------------------------------ 44
10-2 Communication speed ------------------------------------------------------------------ 44
10-3 Flow control ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 44
11 LAN (Local Area Network) control commands ------------------------------------------------------ 45
11-1 Readout settings from the optional LAN-box ------------------------------------------- 4
11-2 Write settings to the LAN-box ------------------------------------------------------- 4
11-3 IPv4 address ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
11-4 Mask address ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
11- Gateway address ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
11-6 DHCP client function ------------------------------------------------------------------- 46

4
11-7 PING response ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 46
11-8 TCP port number ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 46
11-9 UDP port number ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 46
11-10 MAC address ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 46
11-11 Username ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 46
11-12 Password ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 47
12 SD (SDH ) card commands ------------------------------------------------------------------ 47
12-1 Property of SD card ------------------------------------------------------------------ 47
12-2 Display file directory ------------------------------------------------------------------ 47
12-3 Delete data file ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 47
12-4 Format card ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 47
12- Write data to SD card ------------------------------------------------------------------ 47
12-6 Read data from SD card ------------------------------------------------------------------ 47
12-7 Squelch skip ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 48
12-8 Start/Stop recording ------------------------------------------------------------------ 48
12-9 Start/Stop playback ------------------------------------------------------------------ 48
12-10 Recording status ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 48
13 Other control commands ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 49
13-1 Receiver status ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 49
13-1-1 Receiver status ------------------------------------------------------------------ 49
13-1-2 Receiver status auto report------------------------------------------------------ 49
13-2 Product version ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 49
13-3 Reset ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 0
13-4 Flash memory ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 0
14. Specifications ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 51
15. I/Q digital output in details for developers ------------------------------------------------------ 52
16. Reset ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 58
17. Firmware upgrade ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 59
18. Optional accessories ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 62
19. Limited warranty (USA only) ------------------------------------------------------------------- 64

5
1. Introduction
1-1 Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the AR2300 Digital Processing Communications receiver.
As the successor to the SR2200 “black box” receiver, the AR2300 is designed using the very latest
technology to ensure the highest levels of performance and reliability. To obtain the best possible
results from your AR2300, we strongly recommend that you read this manual and familiarize yourself
with the receiver.
Although carefully designed, this receiver (like all receivers) suffers from a degree of internal noises
known as spurious emission. They are a product of the receiver’s circuitry, and therefore, their
presence does not represent a problem. Other apparent problems may be due to accidental
misoperation of the receiver. If you believe there is a problem, carefully read the manual before
deciding to contact your dealer for advice or service.
It is acknowledged that sections of this manual are repetitive, this is to enable the manual to be used
as a reference book.
Every effort has been made to make this manual correct and up to date. Due to continuous
development of the receiver, errors or omission anomalies may be found in the manual and this is
acknowledged.
© This manual is protected by copyright AOR, LTD. 2010. No information contained in this manual may
be copied or transferred by any means without the prior written consent of AOR, LTD. AOR and the AOR
logo are trademarks of AOR, LTD. All other trademarks and names are acknowledged.

6
Main features:
 Wide frequency coverage: 40kHz to 3.1 GHz, with no interruptions (cellular blocked for US
consumer version)
 PC controllable
 DDS (direct digital synthesizer) local oscillator
 Analog TV reception in both NTSC and PAL formats
 IF signal output (4 .0 MHz, +/- 7. MHz for a total of 1 MHz bandwidth) 2 MHz to 3.1 GHz only.
 Multi-mode unit capable of receiving AM (synchronous), ISB, USB, LSB, CW, AIQ (AF-IQ), WFM
including FM stereo (optional headphone or stereo speakers required), NFM and APCO2 digital
(optional)
 Composite video output on the front panel of the unit
 SD/SDHC card interface
 Selectable IF bandwidths: 200Hz, 00Hz, 1kHz, 3kHz, 6kHz, 1 kHz, 30kHz, 100kHz, and 300
kHz along with the ability to shift the IF
 CTCSS and DCS selectable squelch functions
 DTMF tone decode
 Built-in voice-inversion descrambling (Not available for the US consumer version)
 CW pitch control, AGC, AFC
 Auto-notch, noise reduction (NR), noise blanker (NB) features
 Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) analyzer for fast spectrum display processing
 12kHz I/Q output for DRM PC receiver
 USB 2.0 interface
 Two antenna ports (type N)
 Five VFO’s, 2,000 alphanumeric memories
 Trio frequency receive (receive 3 frequencies simultaneously)
 Digital voice recording (requires SD or SDHC card)
 I/Q output with 1MHz bandwidth (optional) 2 MHz to 3.1 GHz only
 Frequency coherent (with optional GPS receiver unit)
 LAN (Local Area Network) control (with optional LAN interface)

7
1-2 aring for your radio
There are no internal operator adjustments. In the unlikely event of service being required, please
contact your dealer for technical assistance.
Do not use or leave the receiver in direct sunlight. It is best to avoid locations where excessive heat,
humidity, dust and vibration are present. Always keep the AR2300 free from dust and moisture. Use a
soft, dry cloth to gently wipe external surfaces clean, never use abrasive cleaners or organic solvents
which may damage certain parts.
Treat the AR2300 with care, avoid spilling or leaking liquids into the receiver and associated power
supply. Special care should be taken to avoid liquid entering the area around the controls, through the
speaker grill or via the connection jacks.
The AR2300 is designed for operation from a good quality regulated DC power supply of 12 to 14 V,
which should be capable of supplying 2 A. Never connect the AR2300 directly to an AC power outlet.
The polarity of the DC input jack is clearly marked, the chassis of the receiver is at negative ground.
SAFETY NOTI E – Always disconnect the power supply from the A outlet when the receiver
is not in use. If used mobile, it should be noted that the AR2300 has NOT been manufactured
or tested to meet any specific mobile safety requirements.
The AR2300 has no user adjustable internal parts.
If using the AR2300 as a base station, the best short wave reception is usually achieved through the
use of a separate external earth (or ground) rod,. However, consider the implications carefully if your
AC building supply uses a Protective Multiple Earth (PME) system. If in doubt, consult a qualified
electrician. Never earth (ground) to a gas pipe!
The AR2300 has two antenna connectors. These are intended for connection to a 0Ω (unbalanced)
coaxial fed antenna such as a discone, dipole, unipole, Yagi, etc.
When installing an antenna, avoid power cables. Ensure that you do not confuse the antenna and
the IF output connector as they are located close to each other.

8
1-3 Included in this package
The following items are provided in this package:
 One AR2300 receiver
 One AC power adapter
 One operating manual (this booklet)
 One CD disk (contains Windows® based control software, USB driver, firmware update program,
manual in pdf format)
 One USB cable
 One 2GB SD card (The supplied card does not need to be formatted. If you really need to format this
or another card, please insert the card in the AR2300 receiver and use the supplied control software
to format, as explained in chapter 12-4.
Formatting through Windows by using a common card reader can lead to recording data errors!

9
Terminology
Search & Scan
If you have not used a wide band receiver before or are not familiar with the terminology used, it is very
important to understand the difference between SEAR H and S AN modes.
SEAR H: The AR2300 provides several operations where transmissions (active frequencies)
may be automatically located by sweeping the receiver over a wide frequency range, either from
the currently displayed frequency traveling upwards (or downwards) in a specified tuning
increment (step) or by sweeping over-and-over between two specified frequency limits. This
process is known as SEAR HING, as the name implies, can take a long time to find
transmissions due to their ‘often intermittent’ and brief nature. For this reason, it is best to slice
large frequency ranges into smaller, more manageable pieces where they may be intensely
monitored.
When examining large frequency segments, it is common to find that 90% of the frequencies are
inactive and only a small number of the remaining constitute what you really want. Searching still
remains the best way to initially locate active and interesting transmissions (in conjunction with a
good frequency listing and band plan).
S AN: Once active transmissions have been identified (either by searching or by using a good
frequency guide), it is more efficient to store the data into memories which can be rapidly and
automatically monitored in succession, stopping when activity is encountered. This is a much
more efficient means of monitoring the most wanted frequencies as you have targeted 100% of
what you most want to hear.
By contrast, searching is very inefficient for day-to-day monitoring.
Note: For the search & scan functions to operate properly, it is very important to advance
the squelch to cancel background noise. This is because the AR 300 believes that it has
found an active frequency when the squelch opens. Advance the squelch control until the
background noise is just cancelled, this is known as the “threshold” position. If the
squelch control is advanced too far, weaker signals may be missed.