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AOR AR-1000 Handheld Wide Range Communications Monitor
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o Frequency range: 8-600, 805-1300 Mhz (minus TV)
o Scan/search/manual tuning
o 1000 non-volatile memories, 10 banks of 100 channels/bank
o Scan rate: 20 memories/sec
o Tuning steps: 5 to 995 kHz, divisible by 5 or 12.5
o Receiving modes: AM, NFM, WFM
o Sensitivity: 0.35 uV NFM, 1 uV AM/WFM
o Search: 40 increments/sec
o Features: delay/hold, squelch, priority on any channel, 10 db
selectable attenuator, 4 AA nicads (13.6 VDC), 12 oz weight,
2.5"W x 6.84"H x 1.75"D, AC wall charger/adapter, carrying
case, belt clip, cigarette lighter adapter
o Price: $499, Grove has for $459
First (open box) impressions:
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The case looks much better than the Uniden cases. There is a
removable metal belt clip poking through from the back of the scanner
and a clear plastic shield over the keys. The whip antenna looks
like one of the Larsens. The weight and feel are JUST right, unlike
the heavy and tiring Bearcat. The manual tuning knob on the top
seems a bit too long for the unit; it rotates left/right to
decrement/increment the frequency by the desired step. Squelch and
volume are a single knob on the top; the squelch is the outside
jacket of the volume. The local/DX switch is also on top.
The keypad looks nice, and so does the display. The light is a
little wimpy, though. Four(4) AA nicads supply power to the unit, no
more hunting for odd battery packs.
Operation:
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Here we go. It took about 1 hour to master the Bearcat; it took 3
_DAYS_ to learn the AOR. Their manual didn't help matters. It looks
like something an engineer knocked out (no offense intended). It is
a piece of junk. Things are cut-and-pasted into a mess, there are
two(2) sections on scan limiting that are identical, and there are
general errors. But the manual is vital in order to learn the unit.
It's like flying the shuttle. Take entering bank numbers to scan for
example:
o Bearcat: hit , then the bank number. For multiple banks
press their numbers. The numbers are toggles (on/off).
o AOR: hit , , , , lower bank limit,
, upper bank limit, .
Searching is MUCH worse. Gripe: if I wanted to scan banks 1 and 5, I
can't. I'd have to scan banks 1 THROUGH 5. Trying to lock and unlock banks
is also a pain. I accidentally locked out all the banks, and it took 2 hours
of unlocking every channel to get the scanner back. Scanning: ---------
Performance rolls off below 30 Mhz and above 1200 Mhz. As a shortwave receiver
I don't put much stock in the AOR. It didn't do well. I was able to copy a
few stations but they faded in and out. OK, so I didn't hook it up to an
active antenna or a longwire. I only used the whip and a shortwire. But I
barely picked up anything under 30 Mhz even under good conditions. UHF,
particularly ~460 Mhz (local police): does OK. Some birdies and false
detections around here (400 to 600 Mhz), but all-in-all just as good as the
Bearcat. Couldn't test the 200 Mhz region since we don't have any close
military installations, and I couldn't get any
drug/FBI/Secret Service/gov't stuff.
Aircraft bands (108-136 Mhz): here I had a problem. Even sitting at
the end of the runway I could not pick up traffic as well as the
Bearcat. The transmissions were garbled and faint. The AOR
apparently has problems with this region.
Cellular? Of course I didn't listen, so I can't say (ahem). I
imagine, though, that it would do as well as can be expected (cough).
The upper reaches (900+ Mhz) went untested as I never could hear
anything. CONCLUSION:
-----------
It went back to Grove 12 days after receipt. I got tired of fighting
it and constantly being reminded of its shortcomings. And I really
wanted shortwave, where it showed its worst performance. Perhaps a
real shortwave antenna would have helped. As far as the other bands
were concerned I used the unit with the supplied whip and with a
Radio Shack discone antenna (25-1300 Mhz). Reception improved, but
so did the false reports (it locked more noise as a station).
Rejection was not too good. Also, it seemed that every time I turned
the unit on I had to re-adjust the squelch, even if I had not moved
it. Another thing: it picks up harmonics VERY well. One of our
local stations on 89.7 Mhz FM came through on our local NWS weather
channel (162.55 Mhz), down to about 50 Mhz, and all the way up to 200
Mhz in good conditions. Admittedly this is their problem, but the
AOR didn't make it its problem.
In short, I was disappointed. Looking back I have to realize that
AOR was trying to cram quite a lot into such a small package and that
I should not have set my hopes too high (an ICOM R-9000 in a
handheld). But I still feel that a separate shortwave and scanner
are the way to go with the current market situation. I continue to
await the ICOM R1, and will make a road trip to see and test it. But
I'm going to be happy with my new Bearcat 200XLT until then. This
may, however, be the scanner for you. I will not go onto the record
as opposed to the AOR; it simply wasn't what I wanted. You should
try one out before you buy it or any other. If anyone has any
specific questions or discussion I'll be happy to answer them as best
I can without the unit. Just drop me some mail.
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Michael Garvin [email protected]
NCSU Computing Center - Systems Raleigh, NC
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* Origin: Gandalf's - San Diego, Ca - 619-466-9505 - VHST (1:202/302)
73s de Jeronimo EA7FHR @EA7CVC.EAAL.ESP.EU.