AOR AR7030m Operation Information Manual

							AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL          PAGE 11
5-15 Computer control socket
This accessory socket is used for connection to a computer
via RS232 link.
The socket is a 5-pin / 240° DIN with the following
connections:
Pin 1 External supply output available,
 nominal 14V @ 100mA MAX
Pin 2 RXD
Pin 3 TXD
Pin 4 No connection
Pin 5GROUND
Connection to a PC should be as follows:
AR7030 PC 9-D PC 25-D
pin 2 pin 3 pin 2
pin 3 pin 2 pin 3
pin 5 pin 5 pin 7 (GND)
5-16 Auxiliary equipment socket
This accessory socket is used for connection to tape
recorders and data decoders. Two audio outputs are
provided unaffected by volume and tone settings. A mute
input and a 455 kHz IF output are also present.
The socket is of an 8-pin DIN, circular configuration with
pin 8 being at the centre. The connections are as
follows:
Pin 1 MUTE - ground to mute the receiver
 (in conjunction with a transmitter)
Pin 2GROUND
Pin 3 External supply output available,
 nominal 14V @ 100mA MAX
Pin 4 Auxiliary audio output (LEFT) 0-800mV
 from 1kohm
Pin 5 Auxiliary audio output (RIGHT) 0-800mV
 from 1kohm
Pin 6 Aux control relay contact A
 (for tape recorder motor control)
Pin 7 Aux control relay contact B
 (for tape recorder motor control)
Pin 8 455 kHz IF output -20dBm / 50 ohms
The aux relay can only be used for
low voltage control, NEVER
CONNECT MAINS TO THE AUX
RELAY CONTACTS.
5-17 DC power input
This is a 2.1mm coaxial power socket designed to accept
external d.c. input from an ac adapter. See section 4-3
for supply details.
5-18 External speaker output socket
This 3.5mm mono jack socket provides audio output to
drive an external speaker unit. Connection to this socket
automatically disables the internal speaker but not a
headphone if connected to the front panel socket.
An external speaker should have a minimum 8 ohm
impedance and power handling of 2 watts or greater.
5-19 Display contrast adjustment
This rotary control adjusts the LCD display contrast and
viewing angle. Adjust this for optimum display readability
- it may need re-adjusting if the viewing angle is changed
or if there is a significant change in temperature. The
normal control position will often be slightly less than fully-
clockwise.
5-20 Ground (chassis) connection
Ground connection for an external RF earth. This often
reduces noise.
5-21 Wire aerial connection
Connect a long wire aerial to this terminal.
5-22 Antenna selection switch
This slide switch is used to select the aerial connection
and function: 50 OHM, WHIP or WIRE.
5-23 50 OHM aerial socket
50 OHM SO239 socket designed for connection to
unbalanced 50 OHM aerials with coaxial feeders, or, with
the selection switch in the WHIP position, a telescopic
aerial. 
						

							PAGE  12          AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL
Infrared controller
5-24 Filter change key 
One of a group of six keys contained within an outline, the
 key chooses filter selection for subsequent change
with the 
 and  keys. When  is pressed
the receiver briefly displays the legend Filter along with
the sequence number (1 to 6) of the current filter (the
standard receiver displays 1 to 4 because it is fitted with 4
filters). This message is displayed for about 5 seconds
then the display returns to its previous condition.
For example, if the narrowest filter (2.2 kHz as standard)
is currently selected, the display will show Filter 1
The 
 and  keys can be used to step through
the available filters with the display confirming the selection.
 and  will continue to modify the filter
selection until one of the other change keys 
  or the  or  key is pressed.
5-25 PBS change key 
One of a group of six keys contained within an outline, the
 key selects passband shift for subsequent change
with the 
 and  keys. When  is pressed
the receiver briefly displays the legend PBS along with
the current shift value in kHz (-4.2 to +4.2 with 0.0 indicating
no shift). This message is displayed for about 5 seconds
then the display returns to its previous condition.The 
 and  keys can be used to increase or
decrease the passband shift value with the display
following the changes, and will continue to modify PBS
until one of the other change keys 
  
or the  or  key is pressed.
The PBS can be quickly turned off (set to zero) by pressing
 then .
5-26 Treble change key 
One of a group of six keys contained within an outline, the
 key selects treble audio tone for subsequent
change with the 
 and  keys. When 
is pressed the receiver briefly displays the legend Treb
along with the current value in dB (-8 to +8 with +0
indicating a flat response). This message is displayed for
about 5 seconds then the display returns to its previous
condition.
The 
 and  keys can be used to increase or
decrease the treble tone value with the display following
the changes, and will continue to modify treble tone until
one of the other change keys 
   or
the 
 or  key is pressed.
5-27 Bass change key 
One of a group of six keys contained within an outline, the
 key selects bass audio tone for subsequent change
with the 
 and  keys. When  is pressed
the receiver briefly displays the legend Bass along with
the current value in dB (-9 to +9 with +0 indicating a flat
response). This message is displayed for about 5 seconds
then the display returns to its previous condition.
The 
 and  keys can be used to increase or
decrease the bass tone value with the display following
the changes, and will continue to modify bass tone until
one of the other change keys 
   or
the 
 or  key is pressed.
5-28 Increase and decrease keys
  
The  and  keys are contained within a group
of six and are used to change the selected filter or values
of PBS or tone control settings (see above). They can
also be used to step through the frequency memories if
used after either the 
 or  keys have been
pressed. These keys will auto-repeat if held down for more
than half a second.
5-29 Tune-up and Tune-down keys
 
 
These two keys allow the receive frequency to be varied
(tuned) upwards or downwards in any selected step size
between 2.7 Hz and 50 kHz. These keys will auto-repeat
if held down for more than half a second.
 The step size is set by entering a frequency via the keypad
of 50 kHz or less. Tuning using the 
 and 
keys can be done in addition to using the main dial. 
						

							AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL          PAGE 13
5-30 Volume increase and decrease keys
 
 
These two keys allow the volume of the receiver to be
varied between minimum and maximum. They will auto-
repeat if held down for more than half a second.
5-31 Store into memory key 
The  key is used to store the current receiver
frequency and mode into the current memory channel.
The legend Stored .. on the receiver’s display confirms
operation, and appears for about 5 seconds in the top left
corner. Keying in a memory number before pressing
 will use that memory.
5-32 Memory preview key 
The  key is used to preview, rather than recall,
the frequency contained in the currently selected memory.
The memory’s stored frequency is displayed in the top
left corner of the LCD for about 5 seconds. If no data is
stored in the memory, the frequency 000.00 is displayed.
A particular memory may be examined by keying in its
number then pressing 
. Subsequently pressing
 or  will step through memory channels.
5-33 Change VFO key 
The  key swaps between active and background
VFOs (A and B). If no data has been previously stored in
the background VFO, the current contents of the active
VFO are copied to the background VFO which is then
recalled... nothing appears to happen on the LCD in this
situation as the contents of the two VFOs are identical.
Each VFO contains nearly all of the current operating
conditions of the receiver, including frequency, mode, filter,
PBS, volume, treble, bass, squelch, IF gain, AGC speed
and tuning step size for 
 and .
Note: The Background VFO information is lost when
power to the receiver is switched off.
5-34 Mode select keys  
 
These keys, contained in a group of three, are used to
directly select the reception mode as an alternative to
stepping through a list of modes with the front panel
buttons. When any of these keys is pressed the mode
specified first is selected unless that mode is already in
use, in which case the second mode is chosen.
Foe example, to change from AM mode to USB mode,
the 
 key would be pressed twice. Subsequent
presses would then toggle between LSB and USB modes.
5-35 Number keys  . . .  and 
The numeric keypad is used to enter frequencies, step
sizes and memory numbers. The receiver will display
keystrokes in the top left corner of its display as they are
entered until input is completed or a long time elapses
(about 20 seconds after the last keystroke).
The 
 key is used when keying frequencies to enter
fractions of kHz or MHz as desired. It is not needed when
entering whole numbers.
5-36 Backspace key 
Pressing  will delete the last keypress from your
entry. This only works with the number keys while the
current keyed input is displayed on the LCD - it will not
undo an operation once it is completed.
5-37 Clear key 
The  key will delete a whole line of entered digits to
allow a fresh start.
5-38 Memory recall key 
The  key is used to directly recall memory
frequencies into the VFO. Each time the key is pressed,
the receiver advances to the next memory channel and
receives what ever frequency is stored. The 
 and
 keys may also be used in conjunction with 
to select the starting position for memory recall. When
the desired memory channel is displayed in the top left
corner of the LCD, the 
 key then recalls the data
and tunes the receiver.
Additionally the 
 key can be used in conjunction
with the numeric keypad to directly recall a memory. For
example to recall and listen to the frequency stored in
memory 25, press 
  . The legend Mem 25
is briefly displayed in the top left corner of the LCD to
confirm selection and the receiver is tuned to the memory
frequency.
5-39 Frequency entry keys  
These keys complete a key entry and tune the receiver.
Frequencies can be entered in MHz or kHz and terminated
with the appropriate key. Frequency accuracy can be to
1Hz, with the receiver tuning to its nearest step (maximum
error is 1.4Hz).
For example, to tune to 15.070 MHz (which is 15070 kHz),
press
     
(to enter frequency in MHz)
or press
     
(to enter frequency in kHz) 
						

							PAGE  14          AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL
6 Receiver operation - Main functions
It may be useful to refer to the overview and quick
reference guides in section 2 of this manual whilst working
through this section.
6-1 First switch-on
Connect an appropriate aerial to the input on the rear of
the receiver and make sure that the ANTENNA SELECT
switch is correctly set. The selection of aerial depends
upon your location and specific requirements but may
include a dipole or long wire.
Plug the d.c. cable of the supplied mains adapter into the
power socket on the rear of the AR7030 and then plug
the adapter into the mains supply. Never connect the
receiver directly to the a.c. mains.
Press and release the power button 
, the receiver
will turn on and the LCD back light will illuminate.
Firstly, check the clock time - it should be displayed at the
top left corner of the display. If it has started from 00:00:00
instead of reading a sensible time then it is likely that the
small rechargeable battery in the receiver has run down.
This battery operates the clock and retains some
calibration data in memory, so you should work through
sections 6-2 and 6-3 to restore this data before using the
receiver. To re-charge the battery leave the receiver
connected to its mains adapter for about 48 hours (it
doesn’t matter whether the receiver is switched on or off).
The charge should last for many months.
If the clock looks OK then you can skip sections 6-2 and
6-3 for the time being, but have a look at them later.
6-2 Filter calibration
If the data retention battery is discharged, or you have
added extra filters, or you have just got bored with listening
to your radio then you can run through the filter calibration
procedure. This is an automatic process once started and
takes about half a minute. Choose the SETUP menu by
pressing the 
 button and then choose CONFIGURE
by pressing 
 (the soft-key function shown on the
display above the 
 button). Rotate the spin-wheel
one click anti-clockwise to display Filter calibrate: and
press 
.
The receiver will display the filter number currently being
calibrated, signal level, -20dB and -6dB frequency offsetsfor high-side and low-side calibration. The AR7030
generates and injects a variable frequency signal from
the DDS and uses the AGC system to measure the filter
passband characteristics. In the process, the -6dB
bandwidth, centre frequency and USB and LSB carrier
insertion frequencies are determined. A list of filters is then
generated in ascending bandwidth order, regardless of
the physical position in which any filter has been fitted.
Ideally the calibration should be made when the set is at
its normal operating temperature (i.e. after about 30
minutes of use). You may carry out the calibration as often
as you like... it will not affect the performance of the
receiver if run more than once but it is interesting to watch!
The displayed bandwidth is rounded to the nearest 0.1kHz
so there may be slight variations in the results between
different calibration runs. Some filters are quite sensitive
to temperature changes.
Note: Most filter manufacturers usually quote a 
minimum
pass-band bandwidth (and a maximum stop-band
bandwidth) so in practice filters often measure wider than
their specification. The receiver, of course, doesn’t know
the spec - it can only measure what’s fitted. In fact the
standard 5.5kHz filter fitted to the AR7030 has a specified
bandwidth of 4kHz, so be careful when comparing the
filter calibrate results with bandwidths specified for optional
filters or other receivers.
Ceramic filters, such as the Murata ones fitted to the
AR7030, have very rounded filter characteristics. Many
people like the AM audio sound produced by this type of
filter, however such a filter is very difficult to accurately
measure. Collins mechanical filters can be fitted to the
AR7030 and have much sharper shoulders making them
easier to measure. Collins produces a 4.0 kHz AM
mechanical filter which will provide excellent results, the
optional 500 Hz CW mechanical filter and 2.5 kHz
mechanical filter are also very good. The displayed
bandwidth is not important for the receiver’s performance
- it is only used by the receiver to build its filter table in
ascending order and as identification of which filter is
selected at any time.
Typical displayed bandwidths for the standard filters are:-
Filter 1 Displays as 1.8 to 2.3 kHz
(Spec. nominal 2.2 kHz)
Filter 2 Displays as 5.4 to 5.9 kHz
(Spec. minimum 4kHz)
Filter 3 Displays as 6.3 to 7.0 kHz
(Spec. minimum 6kHz)
Filter 4 Displays as 9.5 kHz
(Spec. minimum 9kHz) 
						

							AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL          PAGE 15
Typical displayed bandwidths for the optional Collins
filters are:-
Collins 500 Hz Displays as 0.7 or 0.8kHz
Collins 2.5 kHz Typically displays as 2.3 kHz
Collins 4.0 kHz Typically displays as 3.5 kHz
When the filter setup is complete, the receiver’s display
returns to frequency readout.
6-3 Memory restoration
If the data retention battery is discharged (refer section 6-
1) then some of the setup memories may contain rubbish
which will cause unusual operation of the receiver. To avoid
this problem the following procedure should be followed
after the filter calibrate operation. It is only necessary to
do this if the clock time has been lost.
From the SETUP menu (press the 
 button if Setup
is not displayed above the spin-wheel), Rotate the spin-
wheel one click anti-clockwise so that the legend Deflt
Set is displayed then press the 
 button. The legend
Loaded.. confirms that default settings are in operation.
Rotate the spin-wheel again one click anti-clockwise and
press 
 (the soft-key legend above the  button),
then repeat twice more. This will save default settings in
all three setup memories - the display should show
SetC:Save then SetB:Save then SetA:Save.
Now enjoy !
6-4 Changing receive frequency
There are THREE main ways in which receive frequency
may be selected and tuned, the choice is dependant upon
the type of operation (transportable / desktop) and
personal preference.
a. Main rotary tuning dial
The most obvious method for tuning the receiver is by the
rotary tuning control (main dial). This is the traditional
approach and provides the best human interface to the
receiver.
To increase displayed frequency rotate the main dial
clockwise. In SSB modes the tuning speed is around 1kHz
per revolution for silky-smooth tuning. As the main dial is
rotated more quickly, the receiver steps up the tuning rate,
if the main dial continues to be rotated quickly, so the tuningspeed is increased again and again. Careful attention has
been paid to the tuning dynamics so that the operator is
largely unaware that anything happens and the tuning
speed remains intuitive.
To decrease the displayed frequency, rotate the main dial
anti-clockwise, auto increase in tuning speed operates in
both directions.
Note: The main dial uses a mechanical encoder, and from
time to time, as with all such devices, contact noise may
cause the display to creep up or down very slightly. Should
this happen a tiny movement of the tuning knob will be
enough to clear the problem. The control likes to be used...
give it a few turns once in a while.
FAST TUNING: Should you wish to tune VERY quickly,
such as when changing bands, it is possible to manually
increase the tuning rate of the receiver.
Above-left of the main dial at about the 10 o’clock position
is the 
 button. Pressing this changes the frequency
display by putting an F (for fast) where the fractions of
kHz digits are normally shown. The tuning rate of the main
dial will be very fast while the F is displayed.
To cancel fast tuning, simply press the  button again,
it acts as a toggle.
Note: When tuning in AUTO SYNCHRONOUS AM, the
FAST tuning is automatically cancelled when the self tune
process starts.
b. Numeric keypad
For rapid change to a known frequency, the infrared
controller keypad provides the simplest, quickest and most
accurate route. Frequencies may be entered as MHz or
kHz, there is backspace correction and cancel entry to
further add to convenience.
The numeric keys 
 to  are used in conjunction
with 
, , ,  and . A summary
of key operation is as follows:-
 to Used to enter the digits of desired
frequencies.
Used as a decimal separator when
entering frequencies as MHz or kHz.
Used to complete frequency entry as kHz.
Used to complete frequency entry
as MHz.
Used to cancel frequency entry and abort
the process 
						

							PAGE  16          AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL
Used to backspace frequency entry from
the right hand side, each additional press
of this key deletes one further figure. This
is useful for correcting a mistake without
the need to re-enter the whole frequency.
Frequency entry using the infrared controller is accepted
in the range 0.051 MHz (actually 50.977 kHz) to 32 MHz
(actually 32.01672 MHz). Frequencies above the specified
top limit up to about 44 MHz will result in the receiver
tuning to the top frequency limit just above 32 MHz.
Incorrect frequency entry usually results in an error
message Keypad ?? being displayed in the top left corner
of the LCD.
You cannot key in a frequency of 50 kHz or less to tune
the receiver. Instead this is how the tuning keys’ step size
is set.
Examples: An example frequency entry using the 
key of 693 kHz (0.693 MHz), as follows:-
 
  
As the frequency is entered through the keypad, the digits
are displayed in the top left hand corner of the LCD, to
the right of a > symbol.
When the entry is completed using the  key, the
frequency transfers to the main VFO frequency readout
of the LCD and the top left display returns to its previous
state.
Another example of frequency entry for the international
search and rescue frequency 5680 kHz (5.680 MHz)
would be as follows:-
    
When the  key is used, the AR7030 automatically
calculates where the decimal MHz separator should be
inserted.
It is possible to enter frequencies using 
 and a
decimal point for hundreds and tens of Hz. This may be
useful for certain data communications applications such
as FAX. For example, to tune to 132.5 kHz type:-
     
As frequency increases past a few MHz, it becomes more
natural and easier to enter frequencies directly in MHz.
An example frequency entry of 14.250 MHz (14250 kHz)
would be as follows:-
      
As the frequency is entered through the keypad, the inputis displayed in the top left hand corner of the LCD, to the
right of a > symbol. When the entry is completed using
the 
 key, the frequency transfers to the main VFO
frequency readout of the LCD and the top left display
returns to its previous state.
It is not necessary to add leading or trailing zeros to any
frequency. Entry of 14.250 MHz may alternatively be:-
     
The three trailing zeros will be added automatically to the
display by the AR7030.
Similarly, when frequencies below 1 MHz are entered, it
is not necessary to precede with zeros. To enter a
frequency of 0.198 MHz (198 kHz) using the 
 key:-
    
The preceding zeros are assumed by the AR7030 and
trailing zeros added automatically.
Cancelling frequency input: At any time during frequency
entry via the keypad, the process may be aborted by
pressing the 
 key. Any input displayed in the top
left corner of the LCD is cancelled and the displayed
reverts to its previous state.
Correcting frequency entry during input: Should a
mistake be made while entering frequency via the keypad,
it may be corrected using the back-space key 
.
However, the entry cannot be corrected once the 
or  keys have been pressed.
Each time the 
 key is pressed, the frequency entry
(progress is displayed in the top left of the LCD following
a > symbol) is deleted from the right-most digit (the last
one entered). Each additional press of this key deletes
one further digit. This is useful for correcting a mistake
without the need to retype the whole frequency.
For example, if the entry has been mis-typed as 
 
 and the mistake realised before the  key is
pressed, press 
 to delete the figure 4. Enter  to
replace it, then complete the process by pressing 
.
c. Tuning step keys  
Occasionally it is convenient to tune up and down the
frequency spectrum in specific step sizes such as 5 kHz
for short wave, 9 kHz for European medium and long wave
or 10 kHz for US medium wave. The step tuning facility
also makes fine tuning sprawling amateur band nets easy
when the receiver is just out of reach.
First the tuning step size needs to be defined and this is
achieved using the numeric keypad. For example, to select
a tuning step of 5 kHz from the from the infrared controller
type:-
  
						

							AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL          PAGE 17
Other permutations are also accepted:-
  
or       
or      
The LCD briefly confirms entry as Step 05.00 in the top
left of the LCD to show that the entry is accepted as a
step size and not a frequency to tune to.
Each time the keys  or  are pressed, the
receiver will step up or down by 5kHz (as this is the step
size currently selected). The LCD frequency readout
changes as the receiver tunes to new frequencies. You
may hold down the 
 or  keys for
continuous tuning in the selected step size.
To select a tuning step of 10 Hz, type
   
To select the smallest possible tuning step, type
    
VFO-A and VFO-B can store different step sizes.
Note: The receiver stores all of its frequencies in binary
steps (the AR7030 doesn’t think in decimal!) and as a
result the last digit of the displayed frequency may gain or
loose 10 Hz especially if the TUNE keys are used
repeatedly. This is simply because the step size cannot
be stored as an exact number of kHz.
d. Other methods of frequency selection
It is also possible to recall memories into the active VFO
as a means of changing frequency. For instance, a number
of memory channels could be set up with the centre or
most popular section of your favourite amateur bands or
broadcast bands then recalled as the starting point for
manual tuning.
Frequency selection may also be accomplished using an
external computer connected to the remote port.
6-5 Changing reception mode
The AR7030 is equipped with seven reception modes as
standard, these being:- DATA, CW, USB, LSB, AM,
Synchronous AM and NFM.
Mode selection buttons are ergonomically placed above
the main dial, located toward the top right corner of the
front panel. These mode buttons have only one function
and are not used for anything else, this makes them
available at all times - reception mode may be changed
regardless of what menu is displayed on the AR7030 LCD
(except when it’s switched off!).The mode buttons select from a rolling list:-
Dat(data reception)
CW
LSB
USB
AM
Snc(synchronous AM)
NFM
The reception mode is displayed to the right of the
frequency readout on the LCD. Any reception mode may
be selected on any frequency within the receiver’s short
wave coverage.
Mode may also be changed using the keys of the infrared
controller 
,  and . Data
reception mode cannot be selected from the infrared
controller.
The keys select the mode listed first (to the left) i.e. CW,
LSB and AM unless that mode is already in operation,
when they will select the mode listed second i.e. NFM,
USB and SYNC.
AMAmplitude Modulation - Used by broadcast services
throughout the world on long wave, medium wave and
short wave.
For best results use either the 5.5 kHz IF filter (for normal
operation) or the 7.0 kHz IF filter for higher fidelity when
signals are strong and free from interference. You will have
to experiment with the setting of the AGC so medium
speed (Med) may be a good starting point.
SncSynchronous AM - the AR7030 uses a new
automatic variable bandwidth synchronous AM circuit
which is capable of automatically tuning the receiver and
locking on to fading transmissions. It is also possible to
select manual synchronous AM although the default is
automatic.
Synchronous AM is a special form of AM detection capable
of reducing the effects of fading on long wave, medium
wave and short wave signals.
LSBLower Side Band - is a form of Single Side Band
(SSB). LSB tends not to be used commercially but is
extensively used by radio amateurs on frequencies below
10 MHz. This assists the separation of commercial and
amateur users on traditionally shared bands and prevents
them from unintentionally speaking with each other.
SSB is a very efficient method of transmission as the
unwanted second sideband and carrier have been
removed. This allows the full transmitter power to be
employed in carrying useful information within the wanted
sideband. As a result greater distances are possible on
SSB and a smaller frequency bandwidth is required than
most other modes.
The AR7030 uses true carrier re-insertion so that voice
becomes intelligible - with ease. However due to the
complexities of SSB, audio may never sound quite 100%
natural and often listeners comment on it sounding a little
like Donald Duck. This is normal, and with practice you
soon become used to tuning and listening to SSB... it is
not a problem specific to the AR7030. 
						

							PAGE  18          AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL
The setting of AGC speed is important for SSB reception.
Usually a SLOW setting provides the best results when
background noise will usually be reduced. Select the 2.2
kHz IF filter and experiment with the AGC and IF GAIN
for best results. If splatter is encountered from adjacent
channels, it may help to reduce the bass audio tone control
to -5 and the treble control to no more than +2.
When listening to amateur band nets and wishing to keep
background noise to a minimum, rotate the IF gain control
anti-clockwise to reduce gain so that the S-meter graphic
just lifts with voice peaks, this can reduce the background
noise especially during pauses in speech.
Do remember that reducing the IF GAIN control (which
increases deflection of the S-meter) reduces the sensitivity
of the receiver, the normal position is fully clockwise: 99%
= maximum sensitivity.
USBUpper Side Band - The same comments apply as
for LSB. By convention, radio amateurs use USB above
10MHz. USB is used by most commercial long distance
point-to-point communication links on short wave including
shipping and oceanic air traffic control.
CWContinuous Wave - Often referred to a carrier wave
or Morse code. The BFO injection frequency may be
varied for optimum reception. An optional Collins, 500Hz,
7 resonator, mechanical filter may be fitted and will greatly
aid rejection of unwanted signals on this mode.
DatData mode - the data mode enables different carrier
reinsertion (BFO) and pass band (PBS) settings so that it
can be tailored for whatever decoder is attached to the
receiver (FAX or RTTY, etc).
When the PBS menu is chosen in CW or DATA modes,
the BFO frequency is also displayed (where the filter
number is usually shown).
NFMNarrow-band Frequency Modulation - this provides
high quality communication for relatively short distance
operation. NFM uses a greater frequency bandwidth than
other modes such as SSB so is only used at the higher
frequency end of the HF band. Typically, on short wave,
FM is used by Citizen Band radio in some geographical
locations and 10m amateur band operation centred around
29.6 MHz. Always select the widest filter (10 kHz).
On the FILTER menu the spin-wheel is assigned to squelch
level, in place of PBS on other modes (PBS is pointless in
NFM mode). The squelch level is expressed as a
percentage and the soft key 
 (the  button) turns
squelch muting on or off. When the squelch is advanced
far enough to cancel the background noise, a reversed
S is displayed to the left of the frequency readout. If the
Mute bullet is filled (i.e. muting enabled) the audio will be
silenced in the absence of a transmission.
If the squelch control is set too low, or muting is not enabled
the background noise may be quite loud in the absence
of a transmission. For ease of listening the squelch control
should be rotated clockwise until the reversed S indicatorjust comes on. This adjustment should be carried out when
no signal is present - the point where the squelch indicator
changes is known as the threshold point. Do not advance
the squelch control more than necessary or the receiver
will not un-mute when weak signals are received.
Note regarding squelch: The squelch operation on the
AR7030 is driven from signal strength, so it will work in all
reception modes. The reverse S on the LCD indicates
when the squelch is active... you may enable or disable
muting as you wish. The squelch is also used to control
scanning and dual VFO operation.
Automatic synchronous AM: The receiver will display
an (S) as the mode indication on the LCD while evaluating
the frequency of the tuned signal, then will re-tune the
receiver automatically before locking on to the
transmission. Even if the transmission subsequently moves
in frequency to some degree, the AR7030 will track it
automatically, but the display will not change. The auto-
track reduces the chances of unlock due to thermal
changes in the receiver or wandering transmitters.
The exact process is:-
(S)The receiver is in AM mode, switches off any passband
shift and evaluates the frequency of the transmission. The
receiver is automatically re-tuned as necessary. The set
is capable of determining centre frequency to better than
100 Hz with an error of around 30 Hz being typical.
Sometimes it is spot on!
Initially a wide synchronous detector bandwidth is
employed as the receiver ‘homes in’ on the desired signal.
When almost on target a narrow bandwidth is selected
which can cope with deep fades.
Any previous PBS setting is re-applied.
SncThe receiver is now locked onto the transmitters
carrier signal. Any carrier reduction and the accompanying
selective fading distortion will be greatly reduced.
Even if the transmission frequency wanders (such as
pirate, low cost stations) the receiver will track it and remain
firmly locked. Although the set is effectively re-tuned to
maintain lock, the display is not updated, this reduces any
annoying effect of numbers blinking back and forth.
(A)While Snc mode is selected, you may turn the main
dial to tune the receiver without first returning to AM mode.
The receiver will automatically drop back to standard AM
and will display the legend (A) to indicate that it is
temporarily receiving in AM mode. This is to prevent
unpleasant whistles which are associated with tuning a
receiver while in synchronous AM mode. The synchronous
AM system will automatically reactivate a few seconds
after tuning has stopped.
Note: Pass band tuning may be used in conjunction with
synchronous AM for selecting double sideband, upper
sideband or lower sideband. Do not swing the PBS control
too far while receiving in synchronous AM because the
receiver will have difficulty locking when the carrier is
moved outside of the filter passband. 
						

							AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL          PAGE 19
Manual synchronous AM : If you prefer to be in total
control, the automatic synchronous AM system may be
switched off and a manual system used in its place with
selectable wide and narrow bandwidths.
From the SETUP menu (press the 
 button if Setup
is not displayed above the spin-wheel) choose 
 to
go the to CONFIGURE menu.
Rotate the spin-wheel until the display indicates
Sync detector:
Pressing the soft-key on the right will change the
synchronous detector through its three modes:- Auto,
Narrow and Wide. Narrow and Wide are both manual
modes. Operational changes are made immediately so
that you can assess the results. Press the 
 button
to exit from CONFIGURE.
In wide mode the synchronous detector is easy to tune
but deep fades may result in an unlock and some
distortion. Narrow mode requires precise tuning but copes
better with deep fades. In either mode the frequency
indicated at the lock point may be offset by a couple of
hundred Hertz from the transmission frequency. This is
quite normal and will vary with temperature. The frequency
readout is not accurate because the detector calibration
is by-passed in manual mode. Once the receiver is locked,
phase error is used to produce tuning aid symbols
> to enable optimum tuning.
In manual synchronous mode, the AR7030 should be
tuned in a similar manner to any other receiver equipped
with synchronous AM - so that there is no beat note (this
is referred to as zero beat). Zero beat is a null point at the
centre of an AM transmission where the carrier is phase
locked to an injected carrier generated by the AR7030.
There will be ascending tones when tuning to either side
when the carriers are not locked.
Even when tuning in manual synchronous AM, the AR7030
provides useful status information:-
SncSynchronous AM mode is selected and is locked.
This is always displayed for the first couple of seconds
after synchronous mode is selected.
(U)Synchronous AM is unlocked, you can usually hear a
beat note.
The detector is locked but not optimally tuned to give
the best audio quality. To correct this, tune the receiver to
a higher frequency by rotating the main dial clockwise.(A)The receiver is being tuned and has temporarily
switched to AM mode. While synchronous AM is selected,
you may turn the main dial to tune the receiver without
first returning to AM mode. The receiver will automatically
drop back to AM mode and will display the legend (A) to
indicate this. The synchronous AM system will
automatically reactivate a few seconds after tuning has
stopped.
6-6 IF filter bandwidth selection
As standard the AR7030 is fitted with four different filter
bandwidths. USB, LSB, CW and DATA modes require a
narrow filter of 2.5 kHz or less while AM and Synchronous
AM require a wider bandwidth of 4.0 to 7.0 kHz and NFM
requires a bandwidth of 9.0 to 15.0 kHz. The wider the
filter, the better the audio quality but the receiver is then
more prone to adjacent channel interference. For this
reason different bandwidths can be selected for each
mode. A further two filters, giving a greater selection of
bandwidths, may be installed.
The receiver identifies its filters by number, 1 being the
narrowest up to 4 as the widest on the standard unit. If
more are fitted the order is maintained, so the widest may
be number 5 or 6. The numbers are independent of the
circuit position where the filters are installed. To help the
operator, the receiver also displays the bandwidth of the
current filter selected. This figure is established by the
receiver for each filter fitted when the calibration routine
is run (see section 6-2).
To review the current filter at any time press the 
key on the infrared controller and the currently selected
filter will be displayed in the top left corner of the LCD for
about 5 seconds.
On the standard model fitted with four filters, the
USB/LSB default filter (2.2 kHz) is displayed as:-
After pressing  the bandwidth can be changed using
the 
 and  keys.
Filter selection from the receiver’s front panel requires the
FILTER menu. If the S-meter is not displayed, press the
 button to return to the menu root. Press the 
button to choose the FILTER menu - the LCD will show
PBS, filter number, filter bandwidth plus a menu link to
TONE. The exact form of the menu depends on the
selected mode, for example NFM has squelch in place of
PBS and CW or DATA modes include BFO.
To change filter, press the buttons beneath the up or down
arrows on either side of the displayed filter bandwidth. To
cycle through the available filters, press the 
 button
(available in LSB, USB, AM and Sync modes). 
						

							PAGE  20          AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL
To restore an S-meter display, press the  button.
VFO-A and VFO-B and each mode may have different
filter selections in order to provide the greatest flexibility,
especially when moving between AM and SSB while
DXing using ECSS.
6-7 Passband Shift (PBS)
The AR7030 is fitted with a powerful system to help
eliminate the effects of adjacent channel interference by
shifting the passband of the IF filter upward or downward
in frequency. PBS operates in all modes except for NFM
and each mode retains its individual PBS setting. For
example, if you apply a PBS offset in AM mode it will not
be the same in other modes such as USB or LSB, which
adds versatility to the receiver and reduces the amount of
unnecessary button pressing when changing modes, when
DXing using ECSS (listening to AM with SSB modes) etc.
PBS may be used when receiving in Synchronous AM
mode so that USB, LSB or anything in between may be
selected, but avoid so much offset that the carrier cannot
get through the filter - don’t apply more than half of the
filter bandwidth.
PBS offset adjustment from the receiver’s front panel
requires the FILTER menu. If the S-meter is not displayed,
press the 
 button to return to the menu root. Press
the 
 button to choose the FILTER menu - the LCD
will display PBS above the spin-wheel, indicating this as
the spin-wheel function. The current PBS offset appears
in the top left corner of the LCD. A value of 0.0 indicates
no offset (the default setting).
Turn the spin-wheel to change the PBS offset. Press the
 button to restore an S-meter display, .
When an IF filter bandwidth greater than 3.0 kHz is in
use, the PBS control shifts the passband in 100 Hz steps
(0.1 kHz). When a narrower filter is used the steps reduce
to 33 Hz (0.033 kHz). The PBS offset is displayed to the
nearest 100Hz step.
The infrared controller may also be used to check, modify
and cancel PBS settings at any time. Press the 
key to review the current value, which will be displayed on
the top left of the LCD (for about 5 seconds). Once the
 key has been used, the value of the PBS offset
may be increased or decreased using the 
 and
 keys on the remote controller. To quickly reset PBS
to zero press 
 .
6-8 Audio tone controls
The AR7030 is equipped with separate treble and bass
tone controls, which are especially useful for reducing theeffects of whistles, spit and splatter on crowded bands,
and refine the audio quality when listening to good solid
transmissions. Tone control settings may be reviewed and
modified either from the infrared controller or from the
front panel of the receiver.
Adjusting the tone controls from the receiver’s front panel
requires the FILTER menu then the TONE menu. If the
S-meter is not displayed, press the 
 button to return
to the menu root. Press the 
 button and then the
 soft-key to choose the TONE menu - the LCD will
show Treb above the spin-wheel, indicating this as the
spin-wheel function. Bass is displayed above the 
button, and pressing this will reverse the Treb and Bass
designations, allowing either to be modified by turning the
spin-wheel. The current settings (in dB) are displayed in
the top left corner of the LCD. Values of +0 indicate a flat
response.
To restore an S-meter display, press the  button.
The treble and bass controls will remain available on the
spin-wheel and 
 button.
The infrared controller may also be used to check and
modify the tone control settings at any time. Press the
 or  keys to review the current value, which
will be displayed on the top left of the LCD (for about 5
seconds). Once either of the tone keys has been used,
the appropriate setting may be increased or decreased
using the 
 and  keys on the remote controller.
Note: VFO-A and VFO-B may contain different audio tone
settings.
6-9 RF Gain (Attenuator and Preamp)
The RF gain setting switches in attenuators or preamplifier
to suit the band conditions and aerial in use. Using the
attenuator (RF gain settings with negative values) can be
useful for reducing the level of unwanted strong signals -
the preamplifier (+10 setting) can help to extract weak
signals from the noise. The AR7030 has six settings of
RF gain:- +10dB (preamplifier on, the legend P is displayed
to the left of the S-meter), 0dB (no indication on the LCD,
this is the normal setting), -10dB (when the attenuator is
on an A is displayed to the left of the S-meter), -20dB,
-30db and -40dB. Each VFO may contain different settings
of RF gain.
RF gain settings are made in the RF / IF menu. If the
S-meter is not displayed, press the 
 button to return
to the menu root. Press the 
 button to choose the