AR-DV1 Getting Started: Power, Antenna, Volume & Squelch

Summary: Connecting the AR-DV1, switching it on and setting the volume, squelch and VFO.

Antenna and Power

• Connect the supplied telescopic antenna, or an external 50 ohm unbalanced antenna (discone, dipole, Yagi and so on) to the rear BNC. Keep antennas away from power cables, and never earth to a gas pipe.
• Power it from the supplied AC adapter or a regulated DC supply of 10.8 to 16 V, 1 A (centre positive). Don’t connect it to a 24 V system, and avoid switching supplies, which can add noise.
• The clock shows once power is connected. The clock and timers need power connected all the time; disconnecting power erases the clock and timer settings.
• Unplug it from the AC outlet if it won’t be used for a long time. It has not been built or tested for specific mobile safety requirements.

Switching On and Off

Push the volume knob. The start screen appears and the main screen follows after about eight seconds. Hold the knob for about two seconds to shut down.

Volume and Squelch

Turn the VOL knob for volume (the bar shows on the LCD). Turn SQL clockwise until the background noise is just cancelled, which is the threshold point. The B (busy) icon lights when the squelch opens. Don’t advance it further than needed or weak signals are missed. Set the squelch properly before scanning or searching, since the receiver treats an open squelch as an active frequency.

VFO Selection

There are three VFOs: VFO-A, VFO-B and VFO-Z, each storing frequency, step, step adjust and so on. [VFO] toggles A and B. VFO-Z is used to receive a frequency copied from search, scan or memory, by pressing [ENT]. Copy one VFO to another with [F] then [PASS].

Setting a Frequency

• Keypad: type MHz then [ENT]. 81.3 MHz is 8, 1, ., 3, ENT; 1134 kHz is 1, ., 1, 3, 4, ENT. [CLR] deletes from the right.
• Dial: clockwise increases, in the current step.
• [UP]/[DOWN]: steps the frequency. Press [F] first to move ten times faster (the dial as well).

Key Lock

Hold [LOCK] for two seconds. Volume and squelch stay active.

Operating Anomalies

If the receiver seems frozen, switch it off for 10 seconds and on again. If it’s still strange, do a reset: see AR-DV1 Reset, Firmware Update & Troubleshooting.