AOR DV-1 DEAD EARS.

[k8ble]

Hello all well i bought my secound Aor scanner dv-1 and compared to my 3000ao have and it seems to have dead ears even with out side antenna, also when i leave on overnight either just on or logging it locks up and i have to disconnect the power and restart it. this one is opened up so i'm woudering if that could be a issue as they usually try to retune it after it's been opened up. so if anyone reading this has 'shad simular issues would apreciate any info. 73's. last thing could it be a filter issue.?

 

[iMONITOR]

It could be overwhelmed as it is very sensitive. What are you using as a power supply? Does it overheat? What software are you using?

 

[marlbrook]

Hi, none of the above is usual for the AR-DV1. I too have an AR3000A and their analogue reception across their respective frequency ranges is very similar.

1. Is your AR-DV1 'NEW', or 'second hand'?
2. What firmware is it running? The Manual explains where to look. 1903A is the latest.
3. If you have an SD card inserted, remove it, and see if the DV1 still locks up during testing.
Just accept from me that the smallest of errors on an SD Card can produce many apparently unrelated problems. Does NOT matter if a P.C. can read it, the DV-1 method is very unforgiving in comparison.
If the 'lock ups' stop, put the card into a P.C., SAVE the contents somewhere, FORMAT the card, then copy the files back to it. Providing the Card itself is not failing, that should cure any Card related problems.
4. The above (3.) may explain the lock ups, but not the reception issues.
5. Try a FULL RESET with no SD card inserted. Again it is explained in the Manual.
Occasionally the AR-DV1 has a nervous breakdown, which a full reset will cure.
6. You mention 'logging' ...... are you using external control software? If so which? A fault on the SD Card may be the cause of that. External software may be causing the 'lock up' during logging, though less likely. It will definitely NOT be the cause of poor signal reception as it just tells the radio what to do. However if the USB connection between the DV1 and P.C. gets lost, even for a second, the software is likely to lock up.
7. Check the AGC setting ...... make sure it is set to 'FAST' during testing. Not 'RF-G'. AGC is not accessible in FM / Digital. The 'reset' should have done that automatically.
8. Finally, I assume you are using the same aerial cable and BNC plug when testing between the DV1 and 3000? If not, then use the same one.

If you want any more help, please leave a reply answering all the questions above, with results.

Cheers, Jeff

 

[k8ble]

It could be overwhelmed as it is very sensitive. What are you using as a power supply? Does it overheat? What software are you using?

using original power supply. doesn't seem to get hot ,some warmth. using butel pro software. do you think that because the usb is pluged in 24/7 would that be a problem. thank you for your asap reply.

 

[ka3jjz]

More basic question - did you try to tune in your local NOAA weather, ATIS, even any local AM or FM stations? If you can't, then a dead front end is a possibility. The lockups could also be a processor failure, or on its way to failure.

You mentioned 'retune' - what is that? Sounds like something you would need some gear for? Mike

 

[k8ble]

hello l should of said alinement . like we do on the a radio after installing a new crystal. do a 12db sinad test to find out the senseitivity of the receiver. well i have'n touched it or open it up . i'm in the procees of going thru
the frist reply today. i will reply and let you know what happen's. thanks again..73's

 

[marlbrook]

8. Finally, I assume you are using the same aerial cable and BNC plug when testing between the DV1 and 3000? If not, then use the same one.

If you want any more help, please leave a reply answering all the questions above, with results.

Cheers, Jeff

Not sure whether you read my reply above.

Anyway, in case it might be of interest to you, here are a few simple things I would try initially to see if there are indications that there are problems on the RF side.

After performing a full reset,
1. Disconnect any external aerial.

2. Try each of the following, in AM mode.

3.
a. Enter 2MHZ
b. Look at the S Meter - without an aerial it should not be moving, or at least very little, and note the background audio.
c. Attach a whip, ideally bare metal, the shorter the better. Any change in background noise and S Meter readings?
Now hold the whip and check the background noise and S Meter again.

4. Repeat the above exactly with different frequencies. I would recommend 5MHZ, 10MHZ, 20 MHZ, 80MHZ, 120MHZ, 150MHZ, 250MHZ, 350MHZ and 500MHZ.
The results will vary naturally.

If the noise level increases, especially when you hold the aerial, and the S Meter reading goes up / fluctuates, it is an indication the RF side may be OK, though not definitive because something may have happened regarding frequency accuracy.

Obviously if there is little or no change each time then that is a good indication of trouble in the RF chain.

5. Finally enter the frequency of frequencies you know are putting out strong signals on MW and the VHF FM Band, as indicated by your AR-3000, and then connecting the aerial you used on that to the AR-DV1, using exactly the same mode / cabling. Are the S Meter readings similar etc? (assuming the DV1 is 'hearing' the signals of course)

I would be interested in what you find, if you want to say.

 

[SigIntel8600]

Hello all well i bought my secound Aor scanner dv-1 and compared to my 3000ao have and it seems to have dead ears even with out side antenna, also when i leave on overnight either just on or logging it locks up and i have to disconnect the power and restart it. this one is opened up so i'm woudering if that could be a issue as they usually try to retune it after it's been opened up. so if anyone reading this has 'shad simular issues would apreciate any info. 73's. last thing could it be a filter issue.?

My DV-1 has locked up a few times. I use both eSPYonARD and Butel software with the DV-1. I have had a few lockups solved with a reboot and once I had to pull the power. The DV-1 is very finicky. Mine definitely does NOT have deaf ears. My DV-1 picks up VHF/UHF signals that my Whistler 1098 skips right over. Marlbrook has given you some excellent trouble shooting information. Get his software if you don't have it, worth every penny and different that Butel. I use both Butel and eSPY software.

 

[k8ble]

thanks for all the reply's i'm working very hard to complete all the answers from you all. i have left updates for
more info. do you think i should do a reset before i go any further since it won't let me up grade the firmware
to1903a.dv2. since i have 1801a in there do ihave to use both 1803 and then 1903 next? or just 0ne time with 1903a.dv2.

 

[marlbrook]

The 'lock ups' and requiring the removal of power are just two of the 'strange' behaviours caused by an SD Card that the DV1 does not like. Another one of its reactions is to refuse to update the firmware correctly.

Oh well if you have not done a full reset yet, you can at least relax / forget about the rest of the pointers in both my posts above. Just not worth trying them unless that had been done. Good luck.

 

[k8ble]

working on it the best i can . will start now from a reset. now that i think about it when i went to look at what i had on my sd card, what i seen and what was in the manual was missing a line?.,,
more info to come.

 

[marlbrook]

As I said this is not about the 'deafness' issue, but about the other things you mentioned.

More detailed info about the DV1 and SD Cards:-

https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/ar-dv1-sd-card-can-produce-serious-problems.355556/

For reasons I have never understood, lots of people still seem to initially believe that if their SD Card is read by a P.C. there cannot be any problems with it, and put it straight back in their AR-DV1, without re-formatting it or at least getting the P.C. to check for and correct any errors. Not surprisingly the DV1 problems appear again.

As stated in the post above, the AOR-DV1, unlike a P.C., reacts very badly if there is the slightest error. I do not mean missing letters in the name of a file or anything like that, I mean things like 'cross-linked' entries that are never 'flagged up' unless the Card is scanned in a P.C. to find and fix errors.

It may seem logical to assume that the Radio would only show problems with the SD Card is if it has been told by the Operator to do a read or write operation. Logical perhaps, but the reality is very different.

The AR-DV1's firmware looks at the SD Card, in the background, as a matter of course., not just when it is asked to do so. If it is confused by any error, it can behave strangely. Sometimes it just ignores an operation, sometimes it just does illogical things, and sometimes it just locks up and the power has to be removed to get the DV1 working again.

So if anyone starts to experience ANY 'odd' behaviour in their AR-DV1, the first thing to do is remove the SD Card and see if the problem(s) persist. If they are no longer apparent, look at the RR Forum post above for hints on what to do next.

There could be other more sinister causes naturally, but the SD Card should always be the initial thing to check, and very often the simplest, quickest, and most effective fix.

 

[k8ble]

Hi, none of the above is usual for the AR-DV1. I too have an AR3000A and their analogue reception across their respective frequency ranges is very similar.

1. Is your AR-DV1 'NEW', or 'second hand'?
2. What firmware is it running? The Manual explains where to look. 1903A is the latest.
3. If you have an SD card inserted, remove it, and see if the DV1 still locks up during testing.
Just accept from me that the smallest of errors on an SD Card can produce many apparently unrelated problems. Does NOT matter if a P.C. can read it, the DV-1 method is very unforgiving in comparison.
If the 'lock ups' stop, put the card into a P.C., SAVE the contents somewhere, FORMAT the card, then copy the files back to it. Providing the Card itself is not failing, that should cure any Card related problems.
4. The above (3.) may explain the lock ups, but not the reception issues.
5. Try a FULL RESET with no SD card inserted. Again it is explained in the Manual.
Occasionally the AR-DV1 has a nervous breakdown, which a full reset will cure.
6. You mention 'logging' ...... are you using external control software? If so which? A fault on the SD Card may be the cause of that. External software may be causing the 'lock up' during logging, though less likely. It will definitely NOT be the cause of poor signal reception as it just tells the radio what to do. However if the USB connection between the DV1 and P.C. gets lost, even for a second, the software is likely to lock up.
7. Check the AGC setting ...... make sure it is set to 'FAST' during testing. Not 'RF-G'. AGC is not accessible in FM / Digital. The 'reset' should have done that automatically.
8. Finally, I assume you are using the same aerial cable and BNC plug when testing between the DV1 and 3000? If not, then use the same one.

If you want any more help, please leave a reply answering all the questions above, with results.

Cheers, Jeff

hello well things have chnged a lot since your helpful info. i did the antenna testing and it looked about how you discribed it. going back and fourth was a good was of understanding what differences occurred. it seem that maybe the vol and squelch might of been of a little.
what was on the radio and what was on the software seem different. as things started to add up it seem the sd card had issues, so i decided to do the hard reset because using different sd cards wasn't working to upgrade to 1903a.dv2, i decided to get a sd card from a local store that dealt in sd's.. so after finnally doing the hard reset things started looking up. So then i went AORUSA to download again the most recent firmware 1903a.dv2 directly to the 32g class 10
sd card, i put in the scanner turn it on did F-7 went thru the menu and wala the file was there
in front of me..as i hit the enter button i heard that bad sound of rejection thinking oh back to rejection.. then flash it took it and all was going well. one thing i learn every sd card i bought on line failed and i mark mine. well thanks to you and the groupfor the help. going to spend more time when i get it to further add to the group. will be back with further actions...73's

 

[marlbrook]

Very pleased that there does not appear to be any hardware problems with your AR-DV1.

Bitter experience has taught me only to ever buy Memory Cards from trusted shops. There is a big trade in counterfeit cards, especially on the Internet.

Hope you enjoy the DV1.

 

[k8ble]

marlbrook: thank you and the other's for your help i'm glad that aor is still a giant in the industry.
understanding AOR is like getting used to a new tool that is a success. widening one's experances. i'll keep in touch with anything i can add too in my experance. 73's

 

[k8ble]

marlbrook: thank you and the other's for your help i'm glad that aor is still a giant in the industry.
understanding AOR is like getting used to a new tool that is a success. widening one's experiences. i'll keep in touch with anything i can add too in my experience. 73's

marlbrook: thank you and the other's for your help i'm glad that aor is still a giant in the industry.
understanding AOR is like getting used to a new tool that is a success. widening one's experiences. i'll keep in touch with anything i can add too in my experience. 73's kee

hello marlbrook: i'm back with a simple question, everything work fine for about a week that you and others suggested. but know again it keeps
pull the power to restart sPAIcanning. i think i should send it in to AOR FOR REPAIR....YES / NO PLEASE REPLY

 

[marlbrook]

1. Do NOT assume that because you bought a new SD Card that might not be playing up now
Remove the Card and see if the problem continues. Leave it removed for the time being.

2. If the issue only occurs when Scanning, there may be a corrupt Memory Bank, or Memory Channel. That needs to be identified and removed. Try manually selecting each Memory Channel you have by number, and see what happens.

3. Is this happening under Manual control or using software? No.2. above may still be the cause, but if the Radio is connected to a P.C. via USB (a 'D' icon bottom right of DV1's screen) then that explains why you need to pull the plug. Nearly all buttons etc are disabled under software control, but if the software is not in use, pressing the 'ENT' key will clear the 'D' and the buttons / switches will start to work.

4. Someone had a similar problem recently and it appeared to be a particular programming software (not mine) that was allowing mis-typed information to be uploaded to the DV1. That resulted in a corrupt Memory and the DV1 got stuck during a Scan / Search.

5 At this stage make no assumptions the SD Card is OK. You MUST operate the DV1 without one until testing is complete.

6. My present reaction is that there is no evidence to suggest a hardware fault with the Radio. When You have tried and answered the above I will have a clearer picture

Cheers

 

[k8ble]

Working on it thanks again 73's

 

[wb4sqi]

Working on it thanks again 73's

Run your DV1 for a few days without sd card and without connections to a pc. That will eliminate any external influences to your problems. Please let us know how well this works.

When you are back to using an sd card use sdformatter, not windows. It can be downloaded at sdcard.org.

 

[k8ble]

Run your DV1 for a few days without sd card and without connections to a pc. That will eliminate any external influences to your problems. Please let us know how well this works.

When you are back to using an sd card use sd formatter, not windows. It can be downloaded at sdcard.org.

well it worked great. it came alive, tested each bank for days and it's been weeks now. even audio was better, now what to do with all the SD cards i used
using SD formatter. thanks all. any comments. let me know. 73's