AR-DV3 Getting Started: Power, Clock, Region, Volume & Squelch

Summary: Switching on the AR-DV3, setting the clock and region, and setting the volume and squelch.

Power On and Off

Press the [POWER] knob. To switch off, press and hold it; the settings are saved and the unit shuts down. If the PROTECT config item is ON the state isn’t saved. Disconnecting external power without shutting down first loses the current state, and never disconnect during start-up or shutdown.

Key Lock

Hold [LOCK] to lock everything except volume and squelch (an icon shows). You can’t power off while it’s on, so unlock first.

Clock

[F] then [3], move down to CLOCK and type year, month, day, hour and minute (for 18:00 on 15 February 2026: 2602151800), then [ENT]. The clock also drives the alarm and timer.

User Region

[F] then [7] (CONFIG), move to REGION, choose USA, JAPAN or EURO and [ENT]. This changes the band plan that Auto Mode (F-AU) uses, so set it to EURO in the UK.

Volume

Turn [VOL] (0-99). It affects the speaker, phones and external speaker but not the LINE output or the recording level. Press the SQL knob to show the current volume and squelch.

Squelch

Turn SQL clockwise (0-99) until the noise just disappears. It’s used in VFO, search and scan modes, and in scan and search it’s the threshold for deciding a signal is present.

Types (press and hold SQL to invert the display, then turn SQL or the dial):

• LSQ level squelch: stable, based on signal strength.
• NSQ noise squelch: judges the noise; ideal for FM.
• AUTO: NSQ for FM; LSQ for other analogue modes and digital modes.

Other squelches are in AR-DV3 Tone Squelch, DCS, Voice Squelch & Descrambler.