AOR AR Mini

[ddoorman]

For sometime now I have been looking at this discontinued receiver. I have searched this web site, Google and any other sites I could find.

Now I would like more currant information. If you have/had this unit please tell me what you like/disliked about it. If the unit was still being manufactured would you buy it today?

 

[VE2XWA]

http://webpages.charter.net/n9ewo2/armini.html

 

[larry308]

I bought one a few months ago via Ebay from Hong Kong. The only thing I don't like is no SSB. The programing software is available but not the cable to use it. I have sent AORJA a email this morning to see if they would send me a diagram so I could build my own. Now to see if they can help. I have two RS cables and a GRE cable, but don't want to chance it. I love the freq range. I would buy it again.

 

[Andy3]

I had one briefly to review it for Radio User Magazine. It's pretty nice, very much like the Icom ICR2/ICR5 to use, and IIRC the memory layout made a bit more sense.

 

[safetyobc]

I personally would go with the Icom R6. Similar in size and an excellent performer.

 

[luckygecko]

. I have sent AORJA a email this morning to see if they would send me a diagram so I could build my own. .

Did you find the pin-outs for this programming cable? I have on order, a USB Programming USB to TTL Serial Cable. ("he power pin provides the 500mA direct from the USB port and the RX/TX pins are 3.3V level for interfacing with the most common 3.3V logic level chipsets") It is 4 outputs. Even though they call it TTL, it has Ground, 3.3V logic on RX/TX, and a 5V power cable extra. (right from the USB bus) Assuming since the AR-Mini's programming cable is only tip/center/ring, there is no CTS/RTS to worry about.

If I knew where the RX/TX and Ground were on the tip/center/ring programming earphone plug I think it would work for that purpose.


The stock power supply is: 6 VDC 500mA . As for the 5V power on this cable, since this radio uses a 6V power supply, so I am going to see if I can power the radio from 5V/500mw, for it would be nice to run it off of USB battery packs in a bind.

But, my most important task, is finding the correct Tip/Center/Ring for programming. I am guessing ring is ground, and that should be easy to check with a continuity meter from ring plugged into a powered down, battery less radio and touching the ground terminal in the battery compartment.

 

[skanit]

AR MINI

I've long been a fan of the Icom ICR6. I just purchased an AR-Mini from HRO and I'm quite happy. Much steeper learning curve, nice sound. Slow scan rate (but this is a receiver that scans vs a "scanner"). Great battery life, big readable display with pleasant green backlight. It programs with an Alinco 9pin cable ERW-4c Sadly there's just no good programming (quick with import, etc) software options, just the free one from AOR. One of the nice perks the AR-Mini has is scanning with an open squelch, the scan speeds slows on reception of a signal, good for finding bugs, faint SW stations, etc without having to continually turn the dial. The AM bar antenna is as good as the R6, maybe a bit better but no match for a good am radio (Sony ICF-S10mkII). Anyhow, it's a handy little radio with enough functionality to be an EDC. I've had good reception from 800 systems (no it does not do trunking, but listening to a bank of simulcast site channels is a good way to get a feel for what's going in without carrying a trunking scanner) to SW. According to AOR these have been discontinued but the do have several left. About $150 from HRO.

 

[jonGjack]

It programs with an Alinco 9pin cable ERW-4c

Hi, I tried the Alinco 9pin cable and it didn't read or write anything to the AR-mini, just the usual "Failed to read out" error message. Is there something special in the com settings? I'm using Windows at 9600 baud with the AOR ar-mini software.

Thanks

 

[skanit]

AOR-Mini cable

Not sure, it may be that the cable is too out-dated... did you download the driver from the Alinco site?

 

[jonGjack]

The only one I see is the FTDI usb chip driver. Do you have a link or if you could upload the driver to me? upload

thanks