AR-DV1 Tricks & Tips

[marlbrook]

Great post, thanks.

Just a few points I would like to add.

eSPYonARD deliberately places a space between each line in the Spreadsheet, it makes it a lot easier to read initially.

Those spaces do not need to be removed manually if you want to apply a filter (MStep has covered filtering perfectly above). If you DO apply your own filters, the empty lines are automatically removed.

The program also by design, does not show empty banks or channels. That also makes it so much easier to read and see what you need, by reducing the spreadsheet to just show the essentials (not rows and rows of empty entries).

For example, if you only had 10 Memory Channels saved, the program produces a spreadsheet 10 lines in depth.

If empty channels were shown, each FULL spreadsheet would show over 1900 lines every time.

It also means it is very easy to spot which banks or channels are available.

Hopefully, yet again, another example of the thought and work that has gone into the whole program to try to ensure that despite being so comprehensive, and including many things that the AR-DV1 just does not do manually, it remains easy to use, with the end-user experience always paramount.

Oh, v.6.0002E has just been uploaded today, with a few more nice little touches and some additions to make some functions even faster. If you are using the FULL or DEMO, always check the web-site often, and install the latest version.

No un-installing is ever required, it just installs itself over the existing files (without losing anything you have stored previously)

FINAL point - Windows 10 users MUST run the program as an Administrator - see my thread for an explanation.

ardv1

 

[MStep]

Watch Those "Split" Freqs In Major Metro Areas

This is primarily for the DV1 "newbies" who might face this issue if they live in RF-congested, major metropolitan areas.

I know many of us tend to leave our radios in "AUTO" mode when monitoring various VHF and UHF channels because of the extra fidelity achieved over "FM" mode. I tend to think that in Auto mode, the bandwidth is greater than the 15 KHz indicated on the display--- you can test this yourself by taking one of your favorite channels that you have programmed in Auto mode, changing it to FM, and setting the bandwidth to 15 KHz. Doesn't sound quite as good as Auto mode, now does it?

My guess is that Auto mode has to be a bit wider than 15 KHz to allow the DV1 to properly identify and lock into the proper digital modes when it receives a digital signal. This also provides some added fidelity to that particular channel.

I believe that we discussed the issue of Auto vs FM fidelity at least once before, both in this thread and in several others. But now we need to address some of the ramifications, particularly for the newbies in major metro areas.

This is not normally an issue, unless you happen to live in a major metropolitan area, where services are being operated on some of the newer, "split" frequencies. A perfect example is here in the NYC area, where Bronx Fire is operating on 482.00625, and Brooklyn Fire is operating on 482.01875. I am equidistant from both transmitting sites, and I receive both borough transmissions on both frequencies equally well.

A solution that you have is to make sure these "split" frequencies, which may be "overlapping" in Auto mode, are reprogrammed in your radio to "FM" mode. Second step is to change the bandwidth to 6 KHz--- yes, you will give up some additional fidelity, but you will lessen the chances of this frequency overlap. The third step that you can take is to make certain that you have any CTCSS or DCS tones that are in use programmed properly into each channel slot.

You really can't just do the third step, without the first two, because signals of nearly the same strength on adjacent frequencies could still prevent proper reception.

Another interesting but strange anomaly---- even when adjacent stations are not transmitting, and with the settings I suggested above, you may pick up something akin to a heterodyne--- an annoying whistling noise, when a station is transmitting. If that should happen, I've been able to knock that out (for the most part) with the DV1's notch filter, set to its highest level.

 

[MStep]

Answer To The "Riddle" I Posed In Post # 20

In post # 20 of this thread, I asked eagle-eyed DV1 users to peruse a portion of the database I had created with one of the elements of the eSPYonARD program to see if they could spot any anomalies in my radio's programming.

Perhaps, because the image I posted was a little blurry, I didn't get many (any?!?) responses, so let me point out a few--- one was program related, and the other is a radio-related malfunction which occasionally occurs.

The first thing you might notice is that the IFBW looked a little "lean". As it turned out, that was an issue with the program misreading some of the codes associated with IFBW settings on digital channels. Jeff, the creator of eSPYonARD, advised that the DV1 sends out ambiguous codes to identify certain parameters of the radio, and at the time that I created my JPG image, he had not yet completely unlocked some of the "secrets" that the DV1 still holds.

But great news--- the code has been cracked by Jeff, and as of his next program update (it may already be posted on his site-- not sure), IFBW's will be displayed for digital channels as well. That's great news for us techno-nerds, who like to completely MAP our radios to look for programming errors and anomalies.

The next error you will notice in my JPG is in the "STEP" column, and this is not a program error, but an actual error in the firmware of the radio which occasionally causes this issue to occur. You'll notice that some of the steps are showing "0.00". Somehow, the radio sometimes gets "confused", and instead of storing the correct step programmed for that channel, it stores the 0.00. This is generally not an issue when scanning, but if you are stopped on one of those channels, and decide to bring the frequency out into the VFO and then try to tune (I call it a "jump-off point"), the radio will do strange things. I prefer to go back to these channels, which are easy to spot in Jeff's program, and reprogram the correct tuning steps.

Those were to two anomalies that I was able to spot in my post. This is why "mapping" your radio occasionally is so important--- it really does help you find these types of errors and issues, and no other program does it better than eSPYonARD.

But there is more good news coming about the program and the mapping function. The next version of the program will include mapping of the "Notch" function as well, and Jeff is updating the entire mapping function in the PRO version of his program to "SMARTMAP" technology, which will allow the user to "pick and choose" which parameters he or she would like to map and examine. Obviously, the more parameters you choose to map, the longer the program will take to run through all the variables, but the full mapping results are really outstanding.

I apologize to those who are not as technically nerdy as I am, although I suspect almost everyone with the AOR DV1 is likely several measures above the typical scanner enthusiast, and hopefully finds this information both helpful and useful in going forward with this great receiver.

 

[marlbrook]

Things have moved on - a lot

One of the things that always challenged me about using my DV1 to search for new and exciting frequencies was the lack of any way to quickly “inventory” or "catalog" my DV1 before an extensive tuning session, so that I know what frequencies I already have stored in my radio, and what swaths of frequencies I had to concentrate on.

The new 'Q' functions in eSPYonARD address this matter simply and with elegance.

It is now such an easy matter to add interesting frequencies to a list with a single click. If you accidentally click the same frequency twice during your surfing, the program detects this, and does not make another entry, but updates that line with a new time and date stamp.

Double click on any line at any time and the frequency / mode is transferred to the radio and program. Great for FM or AM signals, and a GOD Send when they are Side Band.

You are not restricted to any Band, surf anywhere withing the radio's range, find a frequency you want to store or go back to, click a button and it is added. So your newly created list can contain any frequency and mode that the AR-DV1 is capable of receiving. All sorted into frequency order.

The list is saved automatically.

The above is just one small thing 'Q' functions can do. They vary from the 'very useful' to the 'jaw dropping' amazing.

At the Web-Site you can read a short pdf file which describes 'Q' , and another that shows you the brand new 'Q-DB' frequency acquisition and frequency manipulation functions, something that has never been achieved before.

ardv1

Of course if you have not done so already, and have an AR-DV1 then just download the Trial and see them in action.

As far as finding interesting frequencies / frequency lists, from the Net or other places, importing entire lists for almost immediate use by the radio, without modification, and the abilities to Sort them, apply Filters, add PASS frequencies and many other things, 'Q-DB' does what would previously be thought of as impossible.

Big claims I know, but if you have access to an AR-DV1 you can quickly see just how accurate they are.

 

[k8ble]

dcan speed, IF bandwidth

questions guys as i was programing i noticed that the only choice i had for bandwidth was (auto)/ Gommert told what to do but i might of screwed up something as usual.

scanning speed on one of my banks i noticed (D_STAR) was really going very fast nothing like the others,
how can get the other banks going fast?

last thing it seems that 536hp has better sensitivity than the dv-1 any remarks?. my 536hp received better with a indoor antenna than the dv-1 on a dischone 35 ft height?, i don't have a IFR any more to check it.

thanks for any feedback 73's

 

[Ubbe]

As soon as you use an outdoor antenna you really should have a cheap variable RF attenuator to test if the receiver are compromized from interference and overload. The signal level quality should follow the attenuation level and if it doesn't, perhaps the quality gets better with more attenuation, you have problems that need attention. Either use the attenuator permanently or add external filters or it might be some fault with the coax or installation.

When I did some coverage tests from a roof top it turned out to be terrible, but just by moving the antenna 5 meters more from a GHz link changed it to excellent.

/Ubbe

 

[MStep]

questions guys as i was programing i noticed that the only choice i had for bandwidth was (auto)/ Gommert told what to do but i might of screwed up something as usual.

scanning speed on one of my banks i noticed (D_STAR) was really going very fast nothing like the others,
how can get the other banks going fast?

last thing it seems that 536hp has better sensitivity than the dv-1 any remarks?. my 536hp received better with a indoor antenna than the dv-1 on a dischone 35 ft height?, i don't have a IFR any more to check it.

thanks for any feedback 73's

Without knowing much more about the specifics of your operation, I can only offer some cursory comments and thoughts.

When you speak about "programming", are you referring to the settings in Gommert's program? Any software which I have used with the DV1 allows for a choice of any of the available bandwidths. So indeed, there might be some setting in the program which you have overlooked.

Regarding your D-Star speed--- I guess you mean your dedicated D-Star bank, or perhaps during a D-Star search. Lately I've been using the Icom R8600 a bit more than the DV1. It just occurred to me that there is no adjustment for scan or search speed on the DV1 (or is there??). The speed you refer to might have to do with the squelch setting of the radio. There is "noise squelch" and "level squelch" and "voice squelch". All of these work to supplement or compliment the manual squelch control setting knob on the radio.

If these parameters are not set properly, the radio could actually be speeding past signals that would otherwise be detected.

Radio sensitivity is simple and complex. I don't have the manufacturer's specs in front of me to look at the sensitivity ratings of either radio. That would be the simple part. But your 536 receiver with the indoor antenna may "appear" to be more sensitive than the DV1 with the outdoor discone antenna if your DV1's front end is being overloaded. I've noticed that on both the DV1 and the Icom R8600, some signals come up out of the noise when you add attenuation to particular frequency ranges. On the R8600, this is much easier to observe with it's various attenuation settings.

Best bet is to keep experimenting with different settings and antenna configurations.