AR5700D First impressions

[sub101uk]

Oh dear this sounds very bad for any out of warranty AOR radios because of the time and cost its going to be if all there radios are being returned to Japan for service .

By the sound of it the best thing I can do is get the 5700D fixed and sell it .The problem what do replace it with if you want full digital decode .

 

[palmerjrusa]

Oh dear this sounds very bad for any out of warranty AOR radios because of the time and cost its going to be if all there radios are being returned to Japan for service .

By the sound of it the best thing I can do is get the 5700D fixed and sell it .The problem what do replace it with if you want full digital decode .

Do you already own a DV1?

 

[sub101uk]

I own a 5700D but listening to others it would seem in the states that DV1 are no longer being repaired in US but being sent to Japan .Do you own a 5700D .

 

[palmerjrusa]

I own a 5700D but listening to others it would seem in the states that DV1 are no longer being repaired in US but being sent to Japan .Do you own a 5700D .

No, I do own an AR5000+3 which is just an outstanding receiver in all respects, just lacks the bells and whistles of my IC-R8600 (which I dearly love too😁). Also three AR7030s, with one back in the UK where I'm from.

I almost pulled the lever on a ARDV1 a while back, then came the reports concerning problems witn USB ports I think.
I'm still interested in the DV1, but if you search around here you get conflicting information, ScannerMaster says it's discontinued, it's available from HRO (but not in stock). You see it for sale on eBay at way, way inflated prices ($1,700 plus dollars!). This makes me nervous about buying one and of course the repair issue should any problems arise.

 

[sub101uk]

Understood you dont own a 5700D . Yes understand you have a IC-R8600 yes there a nice receiver and a far better build than the 5700D but the only problem is it lacks digital modes and does not even decode DMR . As you can see from the list of radios there is not much to chose from . DV1 are still available in the UK and also used ones for about £850 .
When the 5700D is working its good the problem is keeping it working as servicing is only done now from Japan and since the radio is out of warranty its going to cost a arm + leg on shipping cost .

The other problem is buying from overseas with import duty and shipping cost this even applys to used items as you can see on buy used valves for my Henry .

 

[marlbrook]

IC-R8600 yes there a nice receiver and a far better build than the 5700D but the only problem is it lacks digital modes

I am a little confused. By 'lacks' do you mean the IC-R8600 has no Digital modes and is Analogue only, or not as many as the 5700/DV1?

 

[sub101uk]

Please see attached list on what the IC-8600 can decode compared to the others that are available . I would happy man if the IC-R8600 could receive the same modes as the 5700D but it dont the only way is to bolt on a DV1 via the I.F. on the IC-R8600 .

 

[G7HID]

To be honest if you are in the UK what other unencrypted digital modes are in regular use apart from DMR, NXDN, DStar and on USAF bases P25 ?

Mike

 

[sub101uk]

Well it would be nice to have DMR but we both know that Icom have said NO ! Many people over the years has asked and the reply has been the same .

 

[G7HID]

8600 and complimented by a Whistler or Uniden digital scanner would fit the bill then ..

Mike

 

[danesgs]

I have to admit if there was such as my girlfriend proclaims is "radio porn" then we are all knee deep.

 

[sub101uk]

Well showing my age now from a 19 set to a AOR 5700D , Well when the 5700D is working its good the problem is that every few months some thing seems to go wrong with it and since the radio is out of warranty and it would seem that only AOR in japan deals with repairs of these radios its going to cost a arm and leg in shipping cost not to mention the amount of time your going to without your radio .

Mike what happens if you have problems with your DV1 do you send it back to W&S or does that also go to Japan ? Speaking to many of the guys in the states it would seem they have closed down the AOR workshops in the states and all repairs are done in Japan . But your right a DV1 + IC-R8600 and decode that way .

 

[G7HID]

Mike what happens if you have problems with your DV1 do you send it back to W&S or does that also go to Japan ?

Have had the DV1 for over 4 years now without a problem, apart from the buggy firmware updates..
I think if I had a problem I would have a go and fix it myself or if financially viable see if Martin Lynch's engineers can fix it.

Mike

 

[sub101uk]

Understood Mike since my 5700D is now out of warranty I may end up doing that , But you dont expect these amount of problems with a radio costing £4500 . But I will see what the independent workshop has to say regarding the sensitivity but as you have seen from the pictures its deaf at the moment . Then its back to importer and AOR in Japan ! But the only way forward is to change out the radio or refund .

 

[palmerjrusa]

But you dont expect these amount of problems with a radio costing £4500 .

Or any problems at all...

Good grief, if AOR had any serious competitors for the "AR5700/ARDV1" market niche it would already be long gone, merely a footnote in Amateur Radio history.

That they can get away with behaving like this speaks volumes to their monopoly status for this niche in the radio market.

 

[sub101uk]

Well like you say AOR have no serious competitors .I would love to buy a IC-R8600 but it comes no were near what the DV1 or the 5700D decodes as for my 5700D the best thing AOR can do is exchange the radio or give me a refund . Its a pity as when the radio is working its good but I cant keep sending this radio back for repairs and checks every few months .

 

[palmerjrusa]

Well like you say AOR have no serious competitors .I would love to buy a IC-R8600 but it comes no were near what the DV1 or the 5700D decodes as for my 5700D the best thing AOR can do is exchange the radio or give me a refund . Its a pity as when the radio is working its good but I cant keep sending this radio back for repairs and checks every few months .

You could sell your AR5700D and probably be able to buy an IC-R8600 and an ARDV1 with the proceeds

I am still kinda interested in buying a DV1, it has mixed reviews out there, mainly due to its susceptibility to overloading it seems.

The following is suppy and demand in action re the recently discontinued Kenwood TH-D74A:

Open Box Like New Kenwood TH-D74A Digital HT - 30 Day GigaParts Warranty - No Manufacturer Warranty

Kenwood TH-D74A Digital HT

www.gigaparts.com

$849.95 for an AH-D74A, and it's not even new!!

 

[sub101uk]

Yes your right on that a IC-R8600 + DV1 maybe the way forward but speaking to other owners of 5700D none have this amount of problems .When the radio was under warranty and was returned to Japan twice it was only time that you lost out on but now that the radio is no longer under warranty its running cost is going to a few hundred pounds every time its returned for repairs .You only have to look at the firmware and sensitivity check that I had done in Feb /Mar 2021 that cost £175 and that was done in the UK by the importer so I hate to think how much its going to cost shipping the radio back to Japan every few months .

But like I said when the radio started having problems last year it should have been changed out for a replacement as I wasted 5 - 6 months of warranty cover . It a pity the people that did this review for RadioUser did not use my radio for the review .

 

[G7HID]

... It a pity the people that did this review for RadioUser did not use my radio for the review .

If they did use your radio for the review it probably would not have been published in the RadioUser magazine..
When was the last time a radio magazine did a review stating the item under test was rubbish ?

Mike

 

[sub101uk]

Very true Mike which is a pity ! or if they had published it I dare say they would have said fake news . Its sad as I thought products from Japan were high quality because of there build quality but this radio has been plagued by problems from the very start . I think most manufacturers would have changed the radio out by now but all they seem to do is kick the can down the road . Lets face it who is going to buy a deaf radio 5700D I can see the ad on Ebay under " Spares or Repairs "