Aor digital upgrade, options and satisfaction

[KIKINWING]

I just replaced a power board on my AOR 8200 MKIII and to my surprise found out I cant upgrade to digital unless I replace the CPU.

The upgrade is 299.00 the CPU exchange add on 85.00

Here is my questions;

1) has anyone upgraded to digital, APCO25, and are you happy with what you now have? (audio, etc..etc..)

2) Has anyone used the digital scout with "reaction tune" with the unit and how happy are you with its performance?

3) Are there not many alternatives built in to scanners, (the MK3 is a receiver) that functions just as good, if not better, then the reaction tune?

Please give me some direction, thank you....

 

[prcguy]

I am reasonably happy with my upgrade and the recovered audio is very good. There is one channel in my local P25 system where the radio does not quiet during the repeater hang time and makes a loud buzzing sound and other P25 scanners do not have this problem.

Battery life will be shortened with the P-25 upgrade and I think the extra circuitry uses an additional 80ma or so. I also think my radio has a few extra birdies and the S-meter shows a bunch of bars on some frequencies with no traffic which I don't remember before the upgrade.

I'm curious why you need a new processor as mine did not.
prcguy

I just replaced a power board on my AOR 8200 MKIII and to my surprise found out I cant upgrade to digital unless I replace the CPU.

The upgrade is 299.00 the CPU exchange add on 85.00

Here is my questions;

1) has anyone upgraded to digital, APCO25, and are you happy with what you now have? (audio, etc..etc..)

2) Has anyone used the digital scout with "reaction tune" with the unit and how happy are you with its performance?

3) Are there not many alternatives built in to scanners, (the MK3 is a receiver) that functions just as good, if not better, then the reaction tune?

Please give me some direction, thank you....

 

[freqseek]

I have had no luck with the p25 installed in the AR8600II, It sounded garbled unless you were with in a few mile of the tower. I had the PSR500 side by side with it to make sure there was signal had no encryption. I sent it back to aor and they tested it and said nothing was wrong.

I have the AR5001 and installed the p25 board and it picks up the voice frequencies with a loud annoying control channel noise, I sent it in to AOR 3 time, for according to them a firmware up grade, but each time it got worse, then they sent me a new one and it did the same thing, I ask for a refund and the told me that the engineers in japan was working on it. Its been aprox 8 months and I haven't heard a thing.

I've only used it on the Michigan & Indiana trunked systems and don't Recommend Aor P25 boards on trunked systems from my experience.

I would say stay with a dedicated P25 trunking scanner, it's been a expensive disaster on my end. with no support.

I love AOR Receivers and owned many sense the AR3000, I would stay away from the P25 side until they can prove a quality p25 system that works, I have had absolutely no luck getting them to work even halfway properly. my psr500 will do a search without any trunking turned on and decodes the voice frequency with out any problems.

I would like to here from others on this issue also

 

[KIKINWING]

Thanks for your reply prcguy....

I need the new processor because mine is cellular unblocked so AOR wont or (cant?) work on it according to them according to the FCC.

So I say okay, why not? Ohhhh and they did tell me they would cut the cost down to 35.00 from the 85.00 probablly cause I already have it open doing the other upgrade. But whatever the reason it's good business from this corner.

If you read freqseek's message, he put two units, a scanner and the upgraded receiver right next to each other and has not had great luck. Have you tried that as well and what has been your luck?

Lastly what I am hoping for is somebody, actually a bunch of somebody's to tell me their experiences with reaction tune with the opto electronic scouts?

Thnx

 

[KIKINWING]

Hey Freqseek thnx for your response....

When did you complete the upgrade? But other then the slight garble it worked ok? The further back from a tower did it get worse or the same? lastly was it in just one area or is this a problem in perpetuity?

have you used the OPTO ELECTRONICS SCOUT with reaction tune unit with the AOR 8200 MKIII? I would love to hear about that

lastly are you aware of the AOR ARD25 Digital Decoder that they have out now? It seems like it may do the trick instead of the board in your 5001?

Thnx for all your help!!

 

[freqseek]

I don't have the AR8600II any more, It was about 2 yrs ago, I Drove it around a 100 mile radus in west Michigan with a couple different 800mhz antennas and it wouldn't receive a clear voice signal unless I was around 5/6 miles from any of the towers, I thought there was something wrong with the receive but AOR USA said that it tested 100%

have you used the OPTO ELECTRONICS SCOUT with reaction tune unit with the AOR 8200 MKIII?
NO Experience

AOR ARD25 - its been out for a while now, and I thought about purchasing it and now I kinda wish I would have went that route.

Did you know the AR8200D is available in Ja. now with
1: APCO 25 (P25) Decorder
2: Voice Recording
3: CTCSS decorder
4: Voice Inverter
5: USB Interface

 

[KIKINWING]

I don't have the AR8600II any more, It was about 2 yrs ago, I Drove it around a 100 mile radus in west Michigan with a couple different 800mhz antennas and it wouldn't receive a clear voice signal unless I was around 5/6 miles from any of the towers, I thought there was something wrong with the receive but AOR USA said that it tested 100%

I wanna be sure we r talking apples and apples. You said AR8600II and I am talking 8200MKIII, Is that a brain fart on your end?

And are you saying instead of the upgrade they are producing them now off the line?

If so interesting.... I wonder the cost and if it is better then an upgrade?

When and if they will bring them into USA?

Have you seen this, the 6000? I want one... How can I become Govt." http://www.aorusa.com/receivers/ar6000.html

Lastly your upgrade wouldnt handle trunked systems correct?

Thnx for your help!!

 

[freqseek]

Yes, I new you were talking 8200, and I was talking 8600 but my point is that I have been unsuccessful with any aors P25 options that I have tried, I will sent you a PM

 

[KIKINWING]

I C says da blind man!! Thnx...

 

[dkf435]

Have 3 ARD25s on AR5000 and ICOM R8500 receivers and a couple of AR8600MKII with the P25 board installed with good results. At least the AOR stuff switches modes automatically, the ICOM R2500/PCR/2500 will not switch automatically between digital and analog.

DavidKb7uns

 

[freqseek]

dkf435

That is good to here, are any of the P25 frequency you monitor on trunk systems

 

[KIKINWING]

Yeah will the AOR8200 mk2 work P25 on trunked? I doubt it hu? But it will switch over automatically?

 

[prcguy]

I thought only the 82000MK3 was upgradable to P25?
prcguy

Yeah will the AOR8200 mk2 work P25 on trunked? I doubt it hu? But it will switch over automatically?

 

[dkf435]

dkf435

That is good to here, are any of the P25 frequency you monitor on trunk systems

Just P25 repeaters on VHF and UHF.

David Kb7uns