AOR ARD300 User manual

MULTI-DIGITAL VOICE DECODER
ARD300
User Manual
AOR Ltd.
Authority On Radio Co unications
®

Table of contents
1．Introduction ............................................................................................... 1
2．To read before use .................................................................................... 2
Supplied accessories ............................................................................. 2
Co patible AOR receivers ..................................................................... 2
Co patibility with non-AOR receivers.................................................... 2
Power supply.......................................................................................... 3
LCD display ............................................................................................ 3
3．Digital voice ode co patibility chart ....................................................... 4
4．Panels ....................................................................................................... 5
Front panel ............................................................................................. 5
Rear panel.............................................................................................. 6
5．Connect ARD300 to AR8600MK2 ............................................................. 7
Known issues with the AR8600MK2 IF signal output ............................. 8
How to enable 10.7MHz IF output in all odes ..................................... 9
How to change the IF output fro 10.7MHz to 45.05MHz ................... 10
6．Connect ARD300 to AR5000/5000A/5000A+3 ....................................... 11
7．Connect ARD300 to AR2300 .................................................................. 12
8．Connect ARD300 to AR5001D/6000....................................................... 13
9．Connect to non-AOR receivers ............................................................... 14
10．Receiver enu setup of ARD300.......................................................... 15
Volu e control ..................................................................................... 16
11．Digital ode selection enu ................................................................. 17
12．Decoding D-Star ................................................................................... 19
13．Encryption code setting (Digital CR only) ............................................ 21
14．Fir ware update ................................................................................... 23
15．Device RESET ...................................................................................... 23
16．Specifications ........................................................................................ 24

1. Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the ARD300 MULTI-DIGITAL VOICE DECODER.
AOR proudly brings a solution to a co on proble the listening enthusiasts are
facing: There are less and less signals to listen to with a traditional analog receiver, as
digital co unication slowly but surely is replacing analog co unication. This is
where ARD300 co es in place!
ARD300 is a digital voice decoder to be connected to a radio receiver’s I.F output.
This powerful device offers any great features as follows:
 Decodes popular a ateur digital voice odes fro Ico (D-Star), Alinco and
Yaesu
(*1)
.
 Decodes popular co ercial digital voice odes dPMR
(*2)
and NXDN
(*3)
, as
well as APCO 25 (Phase 1, conventional ode) used by U.S ilitary and
diplo atic services around the world.
 Co patible with AOR legacy receivers AR8600MK2, AR5000(A/+3)
(*4)
,
AR-ONE
(*4)
and newer AR2300, AR5001D, AR6000.
 Even supports any other brand’s receiver
(*4)
, featuring a 10.7MHz or
45.05MHz I.F output.
(*5)
 When connected to the receiver’s audio-out, its internal speaker can output
both the analog signals and the decoded digital voice.
*1 V/D ode only.
*2 dPMR446 and Tier 1 odes only.
*3 6.25kHz ode only.
*4 ARD300 needs to be powered by a (non supplied) external power source.
*5 Not all 3
rd
party receivers have been tested. So e receivers ight be inco patible for
unknown reasons. AOR support strictly li ited to use with AOR receivers.
To obtain best possible results fro your ARD300, we strongly reco end that you
read this anual before use and fa iliarize yourself with ARD300.
Every effort has been ade to ake this anual correct and up to date. Due to
continuous develop ent of this device, we acknowledge that there ight be so e
errors or o ission ano alies.
CAUTION: The interception and decoding of so e digital voice odes ight be
restricted by law in so e countries. Be sure to check this atter with your local
authorities.
Other co pany and product na es entioned in this anual are the property of their respective owners.
1

2. To read before use
Supplied accessories
1. DC cable
For power sharing, when the receiver used is either AR8600MK2,
or AR2300/5001D/6000.
１
2. DC cable (open-end)
Use this cable to connect ARD300 to your own power supply; in
case ARD300 cannot share power with the receiver.
１
3. IF cable １
4. Audio cable １
5. Printed user anual １
Compatible AOR receivers
AR8600MK2
AR5000
AR5000A
AR5000A+3
AR-ONE
AR2300
AR5001D
AR6000
Compatibility with non AOR receivers
ARD300 supports any other brand’s receiver featuring a 10.7MHz or 45.05MHz I.F
output, under following conditions:
-I.F carrier-to-noise floor ratio ust be sufficient for good quality decoding. Ideal value
approxi ately 100dBc/sec.
-Receiver step size should be set at 6.25kHz to avoid frequency is atch.
-Tuned frequency should not be ore distant than 1kHz fro received signal, for error
free decoding.
Not all 3rd party receivers have been tested. So e receivers ight be inco patible for
unknown reasons.
The quality of the digital voice decoding does depend on the receiver’s sensitivity.
AOR support is li ited to use with AOR receivers.
2

Power supply
ARD300 requires a (non-supplied) 12V DC power supply of ini u 450 A.
Use the supplied “open-end” DC cable to connect ARD300 to your power supply.
However, when used in co bination with the AOR AR8600MK2、AR2300、AR5001D、
AR6000 receivers, the supplied DC cable allows ARD300 to share the receiver’s AC
adapter. In that case ARD300 is able to detect the receiver’s ON/OFF state and
switches itself ON whenever the receiver is ON.
CAUTION when sharing the AR5001D/6000 power supply:
To switch the receiver ON or OFF, be sure to use the receiver’s FRONT PANEL
power switch, rather than the back panel’s ain power switch. ARD300 could be
da aged by the i portant power fluctuations when the back panel’s ain power
switch is used.
ARD300 device settings back-up:
Device settings such as receiver, volu e level, digital ode and confidential code
selection are saved in the device’s internal e ory. ARD300 will be in the sa e
state when switched ON, as it was before being switched OFF.
CAUTION: Settings ight not be saved correctly when ARD300 is not powered OFF
in the proper way, such as when the power supply is suddenly interrupted.
LCD display
At lower te peratures, the LCD ight respond slower than usual, this is not a
alfunction.
3

3. Digital voice mode compatibility chart
ARD300 ight so eti es isinterpret white noise as a digital ode and try to
decode it. This does not represent a device alfunction.
The D-Star call-sign ight so eti es not appear on the LCD screen. The ost likely
reasons are:
-ARD300 did not receive the header at the beginning of each trans ission, as the
header contains the call-sign data. This is likely to happen during receiver SCAN or
SEARCH.
-Poor quality of the received signal.
The D-Star call-sign infor ation ight so eti es disappear in the iddle of a
trans ission. The cause for this is sudden interruption of the signal, due to poor
reception conditions. Whenever this happens, ARD300 will indicate “BSY D-STAR”
and wait for the next valid trans ission header containing the call-sign infor ation.
The ARD300 decoding being based on the receiver’s IF OUT signal, the receiver’s
reception ode setting does not atter. Nevertheless for SCAN and SEARCH, the
receiver’s squelch has to be set properly in order to correctly stop on the desired
signal.
DIGITAL MODE BANDWIDTH MODE VARIOUS COMPATIBLE VOCODER ARD300 VOICE
DECODING
D STAR 12.5kHz AMBE
O
ALINCO DIGITAL 12.5kHz AMBE
O
12.5kHz V/D ode AMBE+2
O
12.5kHz Voice FR ode
X
6.25kHz NON-ENCRYPTED AMBE+2
O
6.25kHz ENCRYPTED AMBE+2
X
6.25kHz REGULAR MODE NON-ENCRYPTED AMBE+2
O
REGULAR MODE SCRAMBLED AMBE+2
O
ENCRYPTED
X
TRUNKING
X
12.5kHz
X
6.25kHz dPMR446 AMBE+2
O
6.25kHz TIER 1 AMBE+2
O
TIER 2
X
TIER 3
X
6.25kHz & 12.5kHz PHASE 1 NON-ENCRYPTED IMBE
O
PHASE 1 ENCRYPTED
X
PHASE 2
X
P25
YAESU DIGITAL
DIGITAL CR
NXDN
DPMR
4

4. Panels
Front panel
①
①①
①
PHONE socket Φ3.5 stereo jack for earphones and head phones.
Left & right channels identical.
②
②②
②
LCD display Alphanu eric display, 8 characters x 2 lines
③
③③
③
▲ UP key Volu e up or enu selection change
④
④④
④
▼ DOWN key Volu e down or enu selection change
⑤
⑤⑤
⑤
ENTER key To access the set-up enu and validate a selection.
Press and hold to enter Digital CR ID code.
⑥
⑥⑥
⑥
ESC Escape key Exit the present selection.
Access the receiver selection enu.
①
②
③
⑤
④
⑥
5

Rear panel
①
①①
①
IF IN
IF signal input
BNC connector (50Ω)
Receiver’s IF signal ust be either 10.7MHz or
45.05MHz.
②
②②
②
SP IN
Speaker input
Φ3.5 jack, ono (input resistance 2kΩ,
axi u voltage 10V p-p)
Connect to receiver’s speaker output with supplied
audio cable.
③
③③
③
SP OUT
Speaker output
Φ3.5 jack, ono (8Ω, 1W) for external
speaker.
④
④④
④
SERVICE
Service socket
D-SUB 9pin, ale.
For factory aintenance and fir ware upgrade.
⑤
⑤⑤
⑤
DC12V OUT
Power output
Used to power the receiver when ARD300 and the
receiver share the sa e power source. (12V@2A
ax.)
⑥
⑥⑥
⑥
DC12V IN
Power input
Connect a (non-supplied) power source. Open-end
DC cable supplied.
⑦
⑦⑦
⑦ Power switch
When ARD300 and receiver share the sa e power
source:
OFF (0): Receiver is powered while ARD300
switches on/off auto atically in synch with the
receiver.
ON (I): Both receiver and ARD300 are powered.
When ARD300 has its own power source:
OFF (0): ARD300 is off.
ON (I): ARD300 is on.
⑦
⑥
⑤
④
③
②
①
6

5. Connect ARD300 to AR8600MK2
Use the supplied IF, DC and audio cables.
The power supply used is the AR8600MK2 AC adapter, which will power both units
si ultaneously.
• Connect one end of the supplied IF cable to the IF output of the receiver, and
the other end to the IF IN socket of ARD300.
• Connect one end of the supplied DC cable to the DC 12V socket of the
receiver. And the other end to the DC 12V OUT socket of ARD300.
• If you would like the ARD300 internal speaker to output both the analog signal
audio and the decoded digital audio, connect the supplied audio cable to the
receiver’s EXT SP socket and the SP IN socket of ARD300.
• At last, plug in the AC adapter’s DC plug into the DC12V IN socket of ARD300.
Proceed to chapter 10 “Receiver enu setup of ARD300”.
7