AR-DV10 very serious hardware issue

[EricCottrell]

Reading AORs description about discriminator recording, what exactly were they thinking when:-

1. Each time you want to swap between discriminator audio and just audio, you have to remove the SD card, insert it into a PC and add a blank file with DISC in it, what happened here, was the firmware guy on holiday and the janitor wrote some botch code, how about a menu option to activate and deactivate it?

2. It says "use to decode CTCSS, SCA, FSK, RTTY, FAX, Pager data, and trunked system control data, etc... For details we invite you to ask Google."

So each time you want to decode something you have to remove the SD card, put it back in the PC and then play back your discriminator recording, does this sound like a professional solution on a very expensive radio or some kind of after thought botch?

Hello,

The DV-1 also has discriminator recording. I can see it has some utility when you want to record raw audio for decoding later. The missing piece is using discriminator audio for real-time decoding. I thought the aux jack on the DV-1 might provide it, but it appears to be bandwidth limited. It could not decode a 9600 baud EDACS control channel. One thing I should try to determine is if the discriminator recording setting affects the aux jack output.

73 Eric

 

[marlbrook]

Makes one wonder

Who are you to offer me choices?

A random unknown person who appeared on a forum a few days ago on the other side of the planet, hmm

And you'll buy it from me? Of course LOL

A casual reader might think that certain people believe it is in their interests to have Woodpecker return his DV10 so he is no longer in a position to report on it using his well conducted tests, professional expertise and conclusions.

Of course that could not possibly be true, and their motives are above question. I for one am 100% certain they are not in collusion, or have any questionable motives. I wonder why anyone could even think such a thing?

Without the tests, Woodpecker and some others have carried out, using bona fide testing equipment, current DV10 owners, and those hoping to purchase one would have been faced with the lack of vital information.

One day, I really hope Woodpecker can report back that the DV10 has been totally and correctly fixed. His is one opinion I would trust.

 

[KevinC]

Please re-read this post from the CEO of Radio Reference...

https://forums.radioreference.com/a...ery-serious-hardware-issue-5.html#post2965894

Gentleman, cut it out, or the ban hammer is going to come down.

This is your one and only warning. Quit sniping at each other or find another place to participate.

 

[woodpecker]

Hello,

The DV-1 also has discriminator recording. I can see it has some utility when you want to record raw audio for decoding later. The missing piece is using discriminator audio for real-time decoding. I thought the aux jack on the DV-1 might provide it, but it appears to be bandwidth limited. It could not decode a 9600 baud EDACS control channel. One thing I should try to determine is if the discriminator recording setting affects the aux jack output.

73 Eric

Hi Eric,

The audio jack is a no go for live discriminator use, I also tested the playback of recorded discriminator audio via the audio jack, it gave a high error rate and poor decoding, I checked the response and there was quite a steep roll off below 100Hz, guess they either filtered the audio jack or capacitor coupled it with a value too small to pass low frequencies. Low frequency plot below.

 

[c0ne]

DV10 and a random crash during bootup with cryptic message. What a mess

 

[c0ne]

It also said CHARGING, without any cable connected to, i was to late with taking a picture because i was completely baffled by it...

 

[woodpecker]

Still nothing from AOR on the piece of junk

Still heard nothing from AOR on their DV10 piece of junk problems, another bug today, DV10 had stopped decoding anything digital in Auto Mode, also lost all audio in AM and FM modes, only FM in Auto Mode gave any audio, what a piece of crap.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYrUEGLKCeg

 

[c0ne]

I had the same in AM, radio did receive but was like the audio was muted. I had to restart the brick and it worked again. What a complete mess, never had such a pathetic kit.

 

[c0ne]

They took software engineering back to the 80’s, this company is a complete joke. The level of incompetence is proofen by now. And this is supposed to be sold to governments lmao

 

[c0ne]

Updated manual specifications

In order to get away with the drift, AOR decided to just mention it in the manual.

 

[c0ne]

Correction, they added this single sheet of paper. Its not in the manual.

 

[palmerjrusa]

Aor ardv-10

And to think I was on the point of buying an ARDV-10.

This receiver is unfit for sale, new flaws are being discovered daily.

It's going to be interesting to see how AOR deal with this situation, ignore or be pro-active and resolve the problems.

I wonder if AOR felt forced to release the ARDV-10 prematurely before production issues could be ironed out because Icom had just released their ic-r30 receiver and that's its main competitor in the wideband receiver market. I own an ic-r30 and so far have been very pleased with its performance

 

[c0ne]

If you want something that does DMR/NXDN you are better of with a Uniden/Whistler fir the simple reason it shows detailed signal info wich is kinda needed so you know what/who you are listening to. If you are into HF the icom is most likely a better choice because its frequency is more stable on that.

 

[c0ne]

I assume trunk tracking receivers are more popular in the US, they lack of detailed signal info doesn’t help the DV10 much either.

 

[marlbrook]

Luck us - a page in the Manual that put everything right!

I may be old fashioned, but if I enter an eight or nine digit frequency into a Receiver, I expect not only that it shows them on its display, but it actually 'listens' to exactly that frequency. Not a frequency that may be'close' to it, depending on the actual frequency, or the temperature, or any other factor.

Imagine a Manufacturer releasing a mobile phone that sometimes dialled the digits entered, but often dialled the last 3 digits randomly, if it was warm, or depending on the first few digits entered. OK, I know, they could issue an addendum to their Manual just mentioning that a lot of the time you may actually connect to someone other than the person you wanted.

If it was not so horrendous, it would be a very bad joke.

 

[woodpecker]

AOR and Yaesu - You both should be ashamed for the DV10 mess!

What a disgusting way for AOR and Yaesu to behave, release an off frequency drifting piece of junk and think the fix is to add a telescopic antenna and a sheet of paper saying it doesn't meet spec, wow!!

Also note, besides HF, the drift makes the DV10 useless for SSB/CW on 2m, 70cm and 23cm and any application where you need to know what frequency you're tuned to within a few kHz, there is no accuracy in the tuning whatsoever with it.

It also degrades digital performance as the bit error rate will be higher and the automode filter is way too wide.

For US customers its just not worth looking at, even if you get an in spec unit, at the top of the 900MHz band you could have a radio that drifts nearly 10kHz (+/- 4.8 kHz). Couple that with the fact it displays almost no digital signal information, all you'll get is NAC, Color Code and RAN, no TGs, no RIDs, it doesn't support P25 Phase 2 and the firmware is so broken the radio continually malfunctions and locks up.

No wonder AOR France (F5HPE) and TMac20 have gone quiet, after all the BS the final admission is in black and white print, IT CAN'T BE FIXED!

 

[palmerjrusa]

If you want something that does DMR/NXDN you are better of with a Uniden/Whistler fir the simple reason it shows detailed signal info wich is kinda needed so you know what/who you are listening to. If you are into HF the icom is most likely a better choice because its frequency is more stable on that.

Just bought the SDS100 and so far so good. Apart from the lousy battery life which Uniden has promised to address by sending me a new and better one. We'll see when it arrives.

 

[palmerjrusa]

What a disgusting way for AOR and Yaesu to behave, release an off frequency drifting piece of junk and think the fix is to add a telescopic antenna and a sheet of paper saying it doesn't meet spec, wow!!

Also note, besides HF, the drift makes the DV10 useless for SSB/CW on 2m, 70cm and 23cm and any application where you need to know what frequency you're tuned to within a few kHz, there is no accuracy in the tuning whatsoever with it.

It also degrades digital performance as the bit error rate will be higher and the automode filter is way too wide.

For US customers its just not worth looking at, even if you get an in spec unit, at the top of the 900MHz band you could have a radio that drifts nearly 10kHz (+/- 4.8 kHz). Couple that with the fact it displays almost no digital signal information, all you'll get is NAC, Color Code and RAN, no TGs, no RIDs, it doesn't support P25 Phase 2 and the firmware is so broken the radio continually malfunctions and locks up.

No wonder AOR France (F5HPE) and TMac20 have gone quiet, after all the BS the final admission is in black and white print, IT CAN'T BE FIXED!

They should withdraw it from the market, it's not performing as described.
This is a shame, my AOR 7030 is the best HF receiver I've ever owned and my AR5000+3 is the best wideband receiver I've ever owned.

 

[palmerjrusa]

Hello,

Interesting that Universal Radio put a warning about returns for the DV-10 and not for the DV-1.
"NOTE: The AR-DV10 is not eligible for return or refund under any circumstances. Defective items are resolved directly with the manufacturer under manufacturer warranty."
https://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/widerxvr/0410.html

I am glad I waited as it seems that some dealers do not want to deal with a defective AOR product when AOR does not want to address the defect. It is not like the defect can be totally hidden from users, unless AOR will quietly fix the defect for their "major" customers. Hobbyists seem to be a minor marketing segment to them.

73 Eric

Univeral appear to be saying the same re the ARDV1:

"The special order AR-DV1 is not eligible for return or refund under any circumstances. Defective items are resolved directly with the manufacturer under manufacturer warranty."

https://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/widerxvr/6369.html

 

[woodpecker]

----------------
NO BS has coem from me.

It was you who stated everything would be "exclusively fixed in firmware" and you had inside information on this.

The "fix" is an erratum sheet of paper that says it fails to meet spec and then doesn't even say what it does meet.

Maybe you should get your "contacts" at AOR and Yaesu to upgrade the brochures with this new unknown out of spec frequency stability.

In the UK and EU this behaviour does not comply with the Consumer Contracts Regulations.