AOR DV1 - AM bug?

[m0taz]

Could you help me understand if this is a bug or a fault?

I have noticed when scanning in AM (it may be other modes) on the airband, the receiver will stop on a random frequency and the signal meter will flash from zero to +50 accompanied by an intermittent burst of static. If you remove the antenna, the receiver continues to bust into noise, while showing an almost full-scale deflection "signal".

The noise if obviously being generated inside the receiver, as the only way to clear is power cycle the receiver.
It may continue to scan for hrs, or sometimes minutes before the situation re-occurs.

I have not noticed this in other modes (NFM) for instance.

I have included a link showing this behaviour.

Is this a known issue?
Does your AR DV1 do this?

Thanks, Dave
M0TAZ

 

[ChrisP]

Mine does not do that.

- Chris

 

[marlbrook]

I would imagine that I probably spend more time using the Ar-DV1 than most, creating updates for the eSPYonARD Program.

I too have had the exact same problem, in NFM too. I am 99% sure it only started after the last Firmware update,

It happens so rarely that I have not given it much thought, and like you I found unplugging the Power fixed it.

In some ways I was relieved to see your Post, as there was a nagging doubt in my mind as to whether my DV1 had developed a random hardware fault, but now knowing someone else has experienced it I reckon it is almost certainly firmware related.

Over the years on very rare occasions I have found my Radio has a minor nervous breakdown, usually fixed by a soft reset, or power re-cycling. As they are so very infrequent it does not bother me really.

 

[citiot]

Maybe related to the the strange digital noise (sounds like: "hiccupburpphartsniff!") that occasionally happens when attempting to decode random static?

 

[m0taz]

Thanks for the replies. I did the update to the software recently, but I dont have any history with the receive to be able to form any opinion on the faults source. I purchased my receiver second hand, from a main dealer so it has some warranty included. I wanted to establish if this is a bug or a hardware fault, so I could address this with the seller.

Its definitely repeatable, and for me only seems to happen in AM (cant rule out other modes) but the cause and frequency is unknown.
Sometimes it will can for hrs, no issues other times it will go into this "fake signal" mode 2 or 3 times in a couple of hrs.

If anyone else has some comments, it will help confirm the suspicions its SW related and I can follow it up with AOR and the dealer.

I really need to have a close look at your software eSPYonARD I know you put a lot of hard work into its development!

Thanks Dave
M0TAZ
www.m0taz.co.uk

 

[m0taz]

Mine does not do that.

- Chris

Thanks Chris, are you using the latest firmware?
Based on the AOR serial number are you DV1 or DV2

For receivers with serial numbers 09523001 and higher, use the firmware with the extension .DV2
For receivers with serial numbers below 09523001, use the firmware with the extension .DV1

 

[marlbrook]

I really need to have a close look at your software eSPYonARD I know you put a lot of hard work into its development!

Thanks Dave, yes a lot of work. Just when I think I have gone as far as I can go I get another bl**dy idea and off I go again. Just doing final testing on the latest update, which will hopefully be of interest to anyone using their DV1 to monitor Short Wave frequencies, but lack the ability to use an adequate and necessary 'big' aerial for those Bands.

It integrates the DV1 with WEB based SDR equipment all over the world with just a couple of mouse clicks one can switch from what the Radio can hear on a Short Wave frequency to what a big antenna array is hearing elsewhere, with the added bonus of a real time Waterfall being available at the Web Site, something the DV1 is just not capable of, and if one finds a different interesting frequency there, being able to transfer it to the AR-DV1 instantly, to see if the Radio can hear that one.

As far as the 'problem' is concerned, it does not happen here very often at all, but annoying when it does. I will try to keep track of the parameters that are present when it happens from now on. It may be just one set of circumstances that trigger it. Please try to do the same and we can exchange the information. Being able to isolate the 'trigger(s)' will be the first step in finding a cure.

Good luck with asking AOR about this, I imagine you will find them very disinterested at best (sigh).

 

[ChrisP]

I'm on 1907B and DV1.

- Chris

Thanks Chris, are you using the latest firmware?
Based on the AOR serial number are you DV1 or DV2

 

[m0taz]

I'm on 1907B and DV1.

- Chris

Thanks likewise 1907B DV1

 

[m0taz]

Good luck with asking AOR about this, I imagine you will find them very disinterested at best (sigh).

The dealer has agreed to take the receiver back, but I won't be going to the post office in this current climate. It's also a waste of time if the issue is SW related. I find it a little strange only you and I have noticed the issue, so it would be helpful if others do concur.
I think I will hang onto the radio for a while longer, I really want to keep it unless its an HW fault of course.

My plan was to get the dealer to chase AOR as they have the purchasing power...

Dave
M0TAZ

 

[ChrisP]

Just FYI, I attempted to duplicate your issue, with scanning AM in particular, and could not reproduce it. My unit normally scans a number of FM, DMR and P25 signals, but I do have AM aircraft banks as well. All seemed to scan fine.

- Chris

 

[m0taz]

Just FYI, I attempted to duplicate your issue, with scanning AM in particular, and could not reproduce it. My unit normally scans a number of FM, DMR and P25 signals, but I do have AM aircraft banks as well. All seemed to scan fine.

- Chris

Thanks, Chris if you have some spare time (maybe overnight) and you can leave it scanning (maybe VFO search) some AM frequencies I would be interested if that makes any difference.

I can sometimes take several hrs or several minutes for the fault to occur, it is intermittent and irregular. The two things from fault-finding you really want to hear!

All the best

Dave
M0TAZ

 

[SigIntel8600]

Could you help me understand if this is a bug or a fault?

I have noticed when scanning in AM (it may be other modes) on the airband, the receiver will stop on a random frequency and the signal meter will flash from zero to +50 accompanied by an intermittent burst of static. If you remove the antenna, the receiver continues to bust into noise, while showing an almost full-scale deflection "signal".

The noise if obviously being generated inside the receiver, as the only way to clear is power cycle the receiver.
It may continue to scan for hrs, or sometimes minutes before the situation re-occurs.

I have not noticed this in other modes (NFM) for instance.

I have included a link showing this behaviour.

Is this a known issue?
Does your AR DV1 do this?

Thanks, Dave
M0TAZ

Dave,

I have not seen this with my AOR DV-1 (1907B). I have a whole bank dedicated to AM Air. My DV-1 does stop scanning on its own every once in a blue moon, usually after it's been scanning for a few hours. Power off and on clears it up. Also my display failed after six months of ownership (original owner, purchased brand new), AOR USA sent it to HQ in Japan for a repair. They said it was very rare for this to happen. No issues since.

 

[marlbrook]

I am still strongly inclined to think this is an occasional Firmware mental breakdown.

With both of us it is too intermittent in nature to draw any definite conclusions about our experiences, or of others not having experienced it.

It is conceivable that your DV1 and mine MAY have the same hardware issue naturally, but the sheer random nature of this thing happening makes it really unlikely to be a hardware component matter.

If it were hardware generated one would expect it to be 'heat' related as the most likely cause, and from what you describe, and when it happens on my DV1 that does not seem to be a factor.

From my (perhaps too) long experience using the DV1, and often pushing it to its extremes with functions like eSPYonARD's Band Scope, I have come across several Firmware related 'odd' behaviours. Most I managed to circumvent in my software, but all were very intermittent anyway.

I think I was the first to discover the mad and seemingly unrelated behaviour that could result from even a small Read/Write error on the Radio's SD Card, for example. The sort of error that a P.C. would just ignore, but the Radio's firmware 'fainted' at and did the most peculiar things. Without a doubt the DV1's firmware tries to check the SD Card regularly, irrespective of the normal times one might expect that.

I never managed to discover all the side effects re. 'a not quite perfect SD Card'. In fact, thinking about it, try removing your SD Card and see if the issue you describe goes away. Believe me I know just how unlikely that may sound, but long experience taught me the Card can cause the DV1 to do the most unlikely and unpredictable things, so still worth a try.

In any case, I am 99% convinced this is a Firmware collision somewhere, especially likely as recycling the Power immediately fixes it.

 

[NL12892]

I have the same problem . only with the latest firmware