8600 Mk 2 - ACC Connector

[AOR-262]

The 8600 Mk 2 has an ACC connector (8 Pin Mini Din) at the rear. According to the manual addendum Pins 6 & 7 provides squelch controlled audio output. I purchased a cable with one end an 8 Pin Mini Din and the other end was a free end with 9 free cables (not 8). The cable appears to have 2 'black' cables (I guess that's a 'shield')? I have connected Pins 6 and 8 to a 3.5mm connector that plugs into my PC's Line-In or Mic socket (I believe it correct to use the Line-In)? But the audio from the 8600 that comes out of the PC speakers is ok but all transmissions end with a 2-second dying hissing sound. I'm trying to decode ACARS data but can't get it to work because I believe the cable isn't made up right? Anyone made up their own before or know how to do it--what am I doing wrong here with the cable?

** picture/diagram of cable attached to this message as .PDF file **

Thanks in advance ...

 

[Comp-100]

I've never used this jack, but going by the pinout you posted you certainly don't want to be using pin 6 into a microphone input unless you're trying to break something. Try pin 7 "Low" output since you're feeding a line in, not a speaker. You should be able to use the sound card speaker out to monitor the sound from the scanner and verify it all sounds reasonable (levels are correct) before you try to decode anything.

 

[AOR-262]

I sent an email to AOR. This is the reply I got ...

Dear Sir,

Thank you for using the AR8600MK2 receiver.
ACC pins have been reeassigned in the “MK2” version of the receiver. For up to date info on the connections please see the yellow addendum page in your manual.
Ground is needed.
On sound card use “Line-in”.

Best regards / Mit freundlichen Gruessen / Cordialement,

Frederic Collin

AOR, LTD.
Overseas Sales Dept.
2-6-4 Misuji, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 111-0055
Japan

(to be honest, AOR didn't reply reply with much help!)

 

[Comp-100]

Actually they were somewhat helpful in that they confirmed the level is suitable for line-in, not a mic jack. , My manual is in Japanese so i can't help much more. The yellow addendum page seems to indicate you have the pin-out for the connector correct. So like I said I would try pin 7 to line-in and I think you should be good. Don't use the mic jack. If you do not have a line-in jack then you'll need a resistor network to lower the level some more I think.