AOR AR7030m Operation Information Manual

							AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL          PAGE 21
RF / IF menu - the LCD will show Gain above the
spin-wheel, but this is IF gain (see section 6-11) - the
RF gain setting is shown in the centre of the display
between up and down arrows. For example < RF+00 >
indicates the normal setting.
Pressing the buttons below the up or down arrows changes
the RF gain setting. The value displayed is actually the
maximum value that the receiver will use. Unless
specifically disabled (see section 9-4) the RF gain will be
reduced automatically when strong signals are received -
this maximises the AGC range of the receiver. Signal
strengths over S9+40dB will reduce RF gain, which will
be restored again if signal strength falls below S9+10dB.
There is a small delay in this automatic system to prevent
spurious switching during signal fades.
To restore an S-meter display, press the 
 button.
6-10 Automatic Gain Control (AGC)
The RF / IF menu is used to select the AGC setting, which
may be different for each mode and VFO. The AR7030
features a newly designed AGC system with a special
release characteristics for very smooth audio especially
when monitoring SSB.
If the S-meter is not displayed, press the 
 button to
return to the menu root. Press the 
 button to choose
the RF / IF menu - the LCD will show AGC above the 
button and the AGC setting (Fast, Med, Slow or Off) above
that. Pressing the 
 soft-key will cycle through the
four settings.
The default settings for each mode are:-
AM Slow
Snc AM Slow
USB Medium
LSB Medium
C W Medium
Data Medium
NFM Fast (no other setting
recommended)
Generally speaking Slow AGC will provide the best audio
quality when signal strength is steady. Under fluctuating
signal conditions a faster speed will keep track of the
changing signal level. When listening to SSB transmissions
a faster speed will increase the noise during pauses in
transmission, but will enable a weak signal to be heard
more quickly after a strong transmission or a burst of
interference. When tuning quickly, AGC is automatically
set to fast speed - it returns to the user setting when tuning
stops. AGC off can be used in conjunction with the
IF gain control for squeezing the very last ounce of
performance out of the receiver under difficult conditions.To restore an S-meter display, press the 
 button.
The AGC speed control will remain available on the
 
 button.
6-11 IF Gain control
The IF Gain control reduces the amplification in the
receiver’s IF circuits and has the effect of reducing the
sensitivity of the receiver. Normally this job is performed
by the AGC system, and the control is left at maximum
gain (99%), but reducing the gain can be useful to limit
noise when listening to CW or SSB signals. The IF Gain
control 
must be used if the AGC is turned off.
The RF / IF menu is used to adjust the IF Gain setting,
which may be different for each mode and VFO. If the
S-meter is not displayed, press the 
 button to return
to the menu root. Press the 
 button to choose the
RF / IF menu - the LCD will show Gain above the spin-
wheel and the gain setting (3% to 99%) above that. Turning
the spin-wheel will alter the gain.
To restore an S-meter display, press the  button.
IF Gain control will remain available on the spin-wheel .
Note: Because the IF Gain, S-meter and squelch systems
are inextricably linked, the signal strength indication will
increase as IF Gain is reduced. Squelch operation is
impaired unless the IF Gain control is set to its maximum
99%.
6-12 Squelch control
The AR7030 is equipped with an all mode squelch system
which may be used to eliminate unwanted background
noise when monitoring a normally inactive frequency (such
as 5.680MHz international search and rescue) or for scan
control when dual VFO or memory scan is selected. The
squelch is not normally used when listening to broadcast
transmissions because they are continuous. In this case
the squelch level is set to 0% (squelch off).
The squelch operation is controlled by signal strength and
can be used to mute the receiver’s audio, control the scan
/ hold (for memory scanning and dual VFO operation) and
control the auxiliary relay (for switching a tape recorder).
Each of these functions can be enabled or disabled as
required (see also sections 7-3, 8-4 and 9-4).
Squelch level is adjusted with the spin-wheel, the function
being available from several menus when it is likely to be
needed (in NFM mode and when scanning memories).
General access to the squelch level is easiest through the
VFO 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 VFO
menu - the LCD will show Sql above the spin-wheel, 
						

							PAGE  22          AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL
indicating this as the spin-wheel function. When the spin-
wheel is turned, the squelch level (as a percentage) will
be displayed at the top left of the LCD for about 5 seconds.
When the squelch level is advanced above the current
signal strength, a reversed S is displayed to the left of the
frequency readout.
The VFO menu is split into two parts - each can be selected
using the 
 or  soft-keys. In the second part
of the menu there is a soft-key labelled Mut followed by a
bullet. If the bullet is filled (i.e. muting enabled) then audio
will be silenced when squelch is active (reversed S
displayed).
Use the  soft-key to return to the first part of the
VFO menu with squelch control on the spin-wheel. To
restore an S-meter display, press the 
 button -
squelch control will remain available.
6-13 Beat Frequency Oscillator (BFO)
In the CW and DATA reception modes the AR7030 is
equipped with a variable BFO. This allows the pitch of the
resolved signal to be changed without moving the filter
passband relative to the signals being received. For CW
listening the note of the resolved Morse can be set as
desired. In DATA mode the audio fed to a decoder can
be set to the correct frequency without having to de-tune
the receiver. A combination of BFO and PBS settings can
tailor the receiver to almost any signal / decoder
combination, and both settings are stored along with
frequency in the receiver ’s memories.
BFO settings default to 800Hz for CW mode and 1.35kHz
for DATA mode - they are adjustable in 33Hz steps.
BFO adjustment is available along with PBS offset from
the receiver’s FILTER menu when either CW or DATA
modes are selected. 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. BFO is shown above the 
 button,
and pressing this will exchange the PBS and BFO legends,
enabling either setting to be altered by turning the spin-
wheel. The current settings of PBS offset and BFO
frequency appear in the top left corner of the LCD.
Press the  button to restore an S-meter display -
PBS and BFO settings will remain available on the spin-
wheel.
7 VFO functions
7-1 Tuning control LOCK
It is possible to lock the main dial to prevent accidental
change of frequency. No other front panel function, infrared
control or computer control operations are affected. The
tuning knob is not mechanically locked, but its rotation is
ignored.
Dial lock is selected from the VFO 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 VFO menu.
Dial lock is toggled on and off with the  soft-key, a
reverse L on the display between frequency and mode
indicates the main dial is locked.
7-2 Selecting VFO-A and VFO-B
The AR7030 has two VFOs, A and B - (Active and
Background). Each VFO holds settings of volume, tone,
receive frequency, reception mode, filter bandwidth, PBS,
BFO, RF attenuator, IF gain, AGC speed, squelch, scan
delay time and scan mode. Only the active VFO can be
tuned. The two VFOs make the AR7030 ideal for chasing
split-frequency / split-band amateur band nets or
comparing short wave transmissions on different
frequencies.
Selection of the active VFO is by swapping the active and
background VFO contents. This can be done either from
the infrared controller or from the front panel VFO menu.
Additionally the active VFO can be copied into the
background VFO, which is very useful for marking a
frequency for later return. If the background VFO has not
been assigned a frequency then a swap operation will
actually result in a copy.
Note: The background VFO data will be lost when power
to the receiver is switched off.
From the infrared controller the contents of the VFOs can
be exchanged using the 
 button.
From the receiver’s front panel, use 
  and
then 
 to choose the VFO menu. VFO contents can
be exchanged using the 
 soft-key, or VFO-A copied
to VFO-B using the 
 soft-key. 
						

							AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL          PAGE 23
From the above illustration, pressing the  soft-key
again would produce:
7-3 Dual VFO operation
The AR7030 can implement a scanning system between
the two VFOs termed DUAL VFO operation. This facility
is more versatile than the memory scanning (section 8)
because each VFO can have individual volume, delay and
hold characteristics. This can be especially useful for
automatically checking for activity on an amateur band
net frequency or for checking international search and
rescue frequencies such as 5.680 MHz USB while
generally listening to a completely different frequency and
mode.
Dual VFO operation is selected from the second section
of the VFO menu. Select 
 then  and 
to get to this menu.
First, an explanation of some terms used in the scanning
system:-
DELAY 
 Sets the minimum time that a VFO is
monitored before changing to the other VFO. It can be
set from half a second to 30 seconds by turning the spin-
wheel and each VFO can have a different delay. This
allows one VFO for general listening and the second to
be monitored briefly at regular intervals - similar to a priority
facility if the hold facility is used on the second VFO.
HOLD 
 The soft-key legend Hold is followed by a
bullet which indicates the current VFO’s state. When the
bullet is filled (hold enabled) the receiver will remain tuned
to that VFO provided the signal level is above the squelch
threshold (see section 6-12). When the signal level falls,
the delay time will be invoked before the other VFO is
monitored. If hold is disabled the receiver will monitor for
the delay time before changing to the other VFO. The
 soft-key toggles hold mode on and off.
MUTE 
 The soft-key legend Mut is followed by a
bullet. If the bullet is filled (i.e. muting enabled) then audio
will be silenced when squelch is active (reversed
S displayed). The 
 soft-key toggles muting on
and off.
DUAL 
 The soft-key legend Dual is followed by a
bullet which indicates if Dual VFO mode is active. If the
bullet is filled (i.e. dual VFO enabled) then the receiver
will switch between VFOs when the delay and hold
conditions permit. The 
 soft-key toggles dual VFO
mode on and off - additionally dual VFO will be turned off
if menus other than the VFO menu or the S-meter are
selected on the display.
 and  soft-keys switch between the two
sections of the VFO menu.
Example: To set a broadcast frequency on one VFO for
general listening with the international search and rescue
frequency as a priority watch:-
1.Select the VFO menu - use 
  and then
the 
 soft-key.
2.Tune to a broadcast frequency for general listening,
for example 15070kHz, AM mode. Set the volume
as required. Turn the squelch off by rotating the spin-
wheel anti-clockwise until Sql 0% is displayed at the
top left of the LCD.
3.Select the other part of the VFO menu with ,
then set the delay to 15 seconds (or whatever you
want) by turning the spin-wheel. Make sure that the
Hold and Mut bullets are turned off (press the soft-
keys if necessary).
4.Return to the first section of the VFO menu with 
and then select the other VFO with . Now tune
to the international search and rescue frequency
5680kHz, USB mode.
5.When there is no signal (only noise) increase the
squelch level with the spin-wheel until the reversed S
squelch indicator appears (if the indicator is already
displayed, first decrease and then increase the level).
This has set the squelch threshold.
6.Increase the volume slightly, so that when the
frequency becomes active it will be noticeable. Press
the 
 soft-key and then set the delay to 1 second
with the spin-wheel. Enable hold and mute with the
 and  soft keys so that both bullets
are filled. 
						

							PAGE  24          AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL
7.Finally activate dual VFO by pressing the  soft-
key. Scanning can be stopped by pressing this key
again. Whilst scanning you can go to either VFO menu
(using the 
 and  soft-keys) and display
the S-meter (using the 
 button) - selecting any
other menu will stop scanning, but leave all items set
up ready to start again when required.
The receiver will monitor the second VFO for 1 second
every 15 seconds. Should the VFO containing 5680kHz
become active, the HOLD setting ensures that the receiver
remains on-frequency until the transmission clears and
squelch closes. Many factors affect the way in which dual
VFO operates, particularly if SSB is in use. If the squelch
takes a little while to close each time the VFO is switched,
set AGC to fast on the priority VFO and maybe add some
RF attenuation to the general listening VFO. Problems
usually only occur if there is a very large difference in signal
strengths between the two stations. Squelch flutter can
prevent the receiver from moving off the priority frequency
when there is no channel activity. Increasing the squelch
level and turning MUTE off can often help.
The dual VFO facility is very versatile and powerful. You
will probably find uses for it that the designers never
thought of!
8 Memory facilities
The AR7030 is equipped with 100 frequency memories.
VFO data may be stored in any memory channel, recalled,
previewed, overwritten, and included or excluded from
scanning.
Each memory channel can hold receiver frequency,
IF bandwidth, PBS, squelch setting (in AM, NFM and SSB
modes), and BFO setting (in CW and DATA modes).
Most memory operations (storing, recalling, preview) can
be done either from the front panel or using the infrared
controller. Scanning can only be controlled from the front
panel. Memory channels are never empty, but to start with
they all contain the frequency 000.00 - the AR7030 treats
this as a null frequency and will automatically exclude these
memories from scanning (although they can be recalled).
Storing a new frequency into a memory will overwrite the
previous contents.
See also section 9-1 for setup memories.
8-1 Preview memory contents
Using the infrared controller, a memory frequency can be
previewed (without altering the receiver’s frequency or the
memory contents) by entering the memory number
followed by 
. For example, to look at memory
number 12, press 
  . The frequency in
the memory will be displayed at the top left of the LCD for
about 5 seconds. The 
 and  keys can be
used to move to next or previous memories, which in turn
may be examined with 
. After a preview, you
can use the 
 key to recall the memory or the
 key to overwrite it.
From the front panel choose the MEMORY menu - use
 and . The current memory number Mxx is
displayed above the spin-wheel, and a preview of the
memory frequency displayed above that.
Use the spin-wheel to select the desired memory number,
and preview its contents.
8-2 Store into memory
Using the infrared controller, the current VFO settings can
be stored in a memory by entering the memory number
followed by 
. For example, to store the current
VFO data into memory number 12, press 
 
. The message Stored .. is briefly displayed at
the top left of the LCD to confirm the operation.
If 
 is pressed without first entering a memory
number then the current memory (the last one referred
to) is used. This is useful to preview memory contents
before storing, so that you don’t overwrite a frequency
that you want. For example to preview memory 12 before
storing, press 
  . The frequency currently
in memory 12 is displayed at the top left of the LCD. Should 
						

							AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL          PAGE 25
you wish this frequency to be overwritten, press .
If you want to keep memory 12 unaltered, then choose
another memory before storing. The next or previous
memories can be selected using the 
 or 
keys (then ), or a new memory number can be
keyed in.
From the front panel choose the MEMORY menu - use
 and . The current memory number Mxx
is displayed above the spin-wheel, and a preview of the
memory frequency displayed above that.
Use the spin-wheel to select the desired memory number,
and preview its contents. To store the current VFO data
into the chosen memory, press the 
 soft-key. The
message Stored .. is briefly displayed at the top left of
the LCD to confirm the operation.
8-3 Recall from memory
When a memory is recalled, its contents are copied into
the active VFO and the receiver is tuned to the memory’s
frequency. After this operation the receiver can be tuned,
mode changed, or any other settings altered without
modifying the memory contents - the only way to change
a memory is with a store operation.
Using the infrared controller, a memory can be recalled
into the VFO by entering the memory number followed by
. For example, to recall memory number 12, press
  . The message Mem 12 is briefly
displayed at the top left of the LCD, and the receiver will
tune to the memory frequency to confirm the operation.
If 
 is pressed without first entering a memory
number then the current memory (the last one referred
to) is recalled, unless the last thing that you did was to
recall the memory. In this case the 
next memory is recalled
- by repeatedly pressing 
 each memory in turn can
be listened to. After using 
 to look at a memory,
 will recall that memory. The next or previous
memories can be selected using the 
 or 
keys, followed by  to recall.
From the front panel choose the MEMORY menu - use
 and . The current memory number Mxx is
displayed above the spin-wheel, and a preview of the
memory frequency displayed above that.
Use the spin-wheel to select the desired memory number,
and preview its contents. To recall the chosen memory
data into the VFO, press the 
 soft-key. The receiver
will tune to the new frequency to confirm the operation.
8-4 Memory scanning
A set of memory channels within the AR7030 can be
automatically recalled and checked for activity - the
receiver uses the squelch setting to determine whether
the frequency is active or dormant. This is referred to as
scanning. Of course, you need to have stored frequencies
in at least two memory channels for this process to
operate. As each memory channel can retain an individual
squelch level the scanning process can operate even when
some channels are more noisy than others (due to higher
background band noise or interference).
Firstly a block of memory channels to scan is defined (the
default block comprises memories 1 to 10). Unwanted
channels in the block may be excluded from the scan
sequence (but you should leave at least two available
otherwise the scan is pointless). The scan process can
then be started, either at a steady speed (allowing channels
to be monitored manually), or using squelch to pause the
scan on active channels (with continuation when the signal
drops or by manual intervention).
After the scan has worked its way through the block of
memories it will start again at the beginning. This will give
results as expected if the start channel number is lower
than the stop channel number. If, however, the start
channel number is higher than the stop channel the scan
system will work from the start channel up to memory 99
and then from memory 0 up to the stop channel. This
process will then repeat. Scanning cannot be started if
the start and stop channels are the same.
Scanning operation is controlled from the SCAN and
SCAN SETUP menus. Use 
 then 
(and ) to get to these menus.
An explanation of some terms used in the scanning
system:-
DELAY 
 Sets the minimum time that a channel is
monitored before changing to the next channel. It can be
set from half a second to 30 seconds by turning the spin-
wheel.
HOLD 
 The soft-key legend Hold is followed by a
bullet which indicates the current state. When the bullet is
filled (hold enabled) the receiver will remain tuned to that
channel provided the signal level is above the squelch
threshold (see section 6-12). When the signal level falls,
the delay time will be invoked before the next channel is
monitored. If hold is disabled the receiver will monitor for
the delay time before moving to the next channel. The
 soft-key toggles hold mode on and off. 
						

							PAGE  26          AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL
Mxx  The memory number displayed before the
arrow is the first channel of the block of memories to be
scanned. Pressing the 
 soft-key allows the spin-
wheel to modify this (spin-wheel legend is From).
Mxx 
 The memory number displayed after the arrow
is the last channel of the block of memories to be scanned.
Pressing the 
 soft-key allows the spin-wheel to
modify this (spin-wheel legend is To).
SQUELCH 
 Sets the minimum signal level that will
stop the scan (if HOLD is enabled) or unmute the audio
(if MUTE is enabled). When the scan is active the squelch
level will be recalled from each memory channel as it is
monitored. If the squelch level is changed with the spin-
wheel then the new value will be stored back into the
memory automatically.
SCAN 
 The soft-key legend Scan is followed by a
bullet which indicates if scanning is active. If the bullet is
filled (i.e. scanning enabled) then the receiver will switch
to the next channel when the delay and hold conditions
permit. The 
 soft-key toggles scanning on and off -
additionally scanning will be turned off if menus other than
SCAN or SCAN SETUP or the S-meter are selected on
the display. Pressing 
 TWICE when scan is active
will manually advance to the next channel.
MUTE 
 The soft-key legend Mut is followed by a
bullet. If the bullet is filled (i.e. muting enabled) then audio
will be silenced when squelch is active (reversed
S displayed). The 
 soft-key toggles muting on
and off.
EXCLUDE 
 The soft-key legend Excl is followed
by a bullet. If the bullet is filled (i.e. memory channel
excluded) then this memory will not be checked during
the scanning cycle. The first channel in the block of
memories to be scanned will not be excluded, even if it is
so marked. The 
 soft-key toggles exclude on and
off for the currently selected memory channel.
 and  soft-keys switch between the SCAN
and SCAN SETUP menus. The 
 soft-key returns
to the MEMORY menu.
Note: It is possible to use the infrared controller 
key to manually advance the scan to the next channel,
but this does not check for excluded memories or for the
end of the scan block (it just recalls the next memory as
the 
 key normally does). It is possible to jump
outside of the scan loop by using this key and left to its
own devices the receiver will work round all of the
memories until it returns to the loop. If this occurs it can
be simply fixed by pressing the 
 soft-key TWICE.
Example: To scan memory channels from 5 to 9 with
memory 8 excluded. It is assumed that useful frequencies
have been stored in these memories. In this example the
frequencies are all intermittent communication channels,
so the receiver is set to stop and monitor a channel when
it finds a signal:-1.Select the MEMORY menu - use 
 and
. Turn the spin-wheel to select memory 5
and make sure that the bullet after Excl is not filled.
Press the 
 soft-key if necessary.
Step through each memory up to 9 using the spin-
wheel making sure that none are excluded, except
for number 8 which we want to omit from the scan.
2.Select the SCAN SETUP menu - use the  soft-
key and then the 
 soft-key. This step is to define
the scanning memory block.
If the start channel number Mxx is not set to 5 then
press the 
 soft-key and use the spin-wheel to
set the block start to 5. The legend From will appear
over the spin-wheel indicating that the block start is
being changed.
If the stop channel number Mxx is not set to 9 then
press the 
 soft-key and use the spin-wheel to
set the block end to 9. The legend To will appear over
the spin-wheel indicating that the block end is being
changed.
3.Press the 
 soft-key (if Dly is not above the spin
wheel) and then use the spin-wheel to set the scan
delay to 5.0s - the value is displayed at the top left of
the LCD.
Make sure that the Hold bullet is turned on (press the
 soft-key if necessary).
Note: This scan speed (5 seconds delay) is rather
slow for the present application, but it will be easy to
see what is happening, and it will also be possible to
adjust the squelch levels while the scan is running.
Once everything is set the scan delay can be reduced
to about 1 second for this example.
4.Return to the SCAN menu with 
 and make sure
that the Mut bullet is turned on (press the 
 soft-
key if necessary). 
						

							AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL          PAGE 27
5.Start the scanning process with the  soft-key
(the bullet will be filled when scan is running). The
memory channel currently being monitored is shown
above the Scan legend. Press 
 again if you
want to stop the scan.
The squelch threshold can be adjusted for each of the
memories (if necessary) during this first scan pass. When
the squelch level is changed the new value will
automatically be stored in the memory channel whilst the
scan is active. Also the scan delay timer is re-started when
the spin-wheel is turned so you have longer than 5 seconds
to make the adjustment.
The squelch level should be set so that the reversed S
squelch indicator is shown when there is only noise present
on a particular memory channel. The setting should be as
low as possible so that any signal will exceed the squelch
level and pause the scan.
Note: If you change the squelch level when the scan is
not running then the data in the memory will not be updated
automatically. In this case, to update the squelch data in
the memory return to the MEMORY menu (use the 
soft-key) and then store the new settings (use the 
soft-key). The complete key sequence for this is 
 .
To manually advance the scan to the next channel press
 TWICE.
The scan delay can be adjusted whilst the scan is running.
Go to the SCAN SETUP menu (use the 
 soft-key)
and use the spin-wheel to change the delay time. The
scan will automatically stop if you try to change the block
start and end channels, or if you select a non-scanning
menu.
8-5 Memory technical details
Data is stored in the AR7030 in a number of different
ways, using RAM maintained by an internal rechargeable
and an EEPROM. The memory holds information relating
to the receiver’s alignment and filter setup, default setup,
three additional user definable setups, VFO-A status, 100
memory channels and clock.
Generally speaking, memory is split into four sections:-
a.Power-down memory:
stores general settings while the receiver is
switched off.
b.Setup memories (3):
store particular configurations of settings.
c.Frequency memories (100):
store frequency and associated information.
d.Background VFO (VFO-B):
stores complete receiver status, but data is not
held when power is removed from the receiver.a.Power-down memory. With default settings
(shown in brackets).
Contains:-
Tuned frequency and mode.
IF bandwidth for each mode.
Passband shift for each mode.
BFO setting for CW and DATA modes.
AGC speed for each mode.
IF gain and RF gain (Max, 0dB).
Volume, Treble and Bass.
Squelch level and muting (Min, On).
Scan start and stop channels (1, 10).
Scan delay time and hold mode (5s, Off).
Timer start and run times.
Frequency lock (Off).
Aux output level.
IR remote tuning step size.
b.Setup memories (3 memories: A, B and C).
With default settings (shown in brackets).
Contains:-
IF bandwidth for each mode (2.2kHz, 5.5kHz).
Passband shift for each mode (Zero).
RF gain (0dB).
BFO setting for CW mode (800Hz).
BFO setting for DATA mode (1.35kHz).
AGC speed for each mode (Med, Slow).
Squelch muting and scan hold (On, Off).
Treble and Bass (Flat).
Aux output level (Max).
IR remote tuning step size (1kHz).
c.Frequency memories (100 memories: 0 to 99).
Contains:-
Tuned frequency and mode.
IF bandwidth and passband shift.
Squelch setting for AM, NFM and SSB modes.
BFO setting for CW and DATA modes.
Scan include / exclude.
d.Background VFO (VFO-B)
   (not stored at power-down).
Contains:-
Tuned frequency and mode.
IF bandwidth and passband shift.
IF gain, RF gain and AGC speed.
Volume, treble and Bass.
Squelch level.
BFO setting.
Scan delay time and hold mode.
IR remote tuning step size. 
						

							PAGE  28          AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL
9 Setup, Timer and Config menu options
The SETUP menu allows access to the three receiver
setup memories: A, B and C. The CONFIG menu allows
various manual / automatic options to be set and the
auxiliary output levels adjusted. It is also the route to the
filter calibration routine. Both of these menus differ from
all of the other receiver menus in that item selection is
made by rotating the spin-wheel. Both menus have eight
items so it doesn’t take too long to find the one that you
want. Once the required item is chosen a soft-key is used
to action or change the selected item.
9-1 Setup menu options
The SETUP menu is selected by pressing the 
button - Setup is displayed above the spin-wheel.
Turning the spin-wheel  will produce to following
items. These are actioned by pressing the 
 button:-
Item Action (press the 
 button)
SetupNone (used only to indicate
SETUP menu is selected)
SetA:LoadLoads the receiver with settings
from memory A
SetB:LoadLoads the receiver with settings
from memory B
SetC:LoadLoads the receiver with settings
from memory C
SetA:SaveSaves the current receiver settings
in memory A
SetB:SaveSaves the current receiver settings
in memory B
SetC:SaveSaves the current receiver settings
in memory C
Deflt SetLoads the receiver with all of the
default settings
A load operation is confirmed with a Loaded .. message
displayed briefly at the top left of the LCD. Save operations
are confirmed with a Saved .. message.
The three SETUP MEMORIES can save your favourite
receiver set-ups, one for casual listening, one for serious
DXing, one for data communication or whatever you
choose. Each mode can have your own choice of filter
bandwidth, pass band offset, BFO setting and AGC speed,
along with global settings of the tone controls, auto
/ manual synchronous AM, auto / manual RF attenuator
and line output levels. Using the setups can avoid having
to recall many different menus, and provides a useful short
cut to changing listening modes.If you suspect that some settings are wrong, or want to
return the receiver to a known condition the LOAD
DEFAULT facility is available. This will ensure that sensible
filters are selected for each mode of reception, no PBS
offset, no BFO offset for CW and DATA modes, maximum
IF gain with AGC on, auto synchronous AM, auto RF
attenuation, flat tone control settings, standard line output
levels etc. The SETUP MEMORIES are not affected by
the LOAD DEFAULT operation, only the current receiver
settings are changed.
9-2 Timer settings
The AR7030 is equipped with a 24-hr clock and timer.
The clock is permanently displayed on the LCD while the
set is connected to external power and switched off. When
the receiver is on, the clock display can be turned on by
pressing the 
 button.
When the set is off, the clock is displayed and the LCD
illumination is dimmed (not switched off completely) to
make the AR7030 useful as a bedside radio... admittedly
it makes an expensive clock radio alarm. If no power is
applied the clock will not be displayed, but it is kept running
by a small, internal, rechargeable battery.
Timer operation allows the AR7030 to be programmed to
switch on at a predetermined time and stay on for a period
of time before switching off again. Also a sleep timer allows
the receiver to switch off automatically after a set period
(up to 4 hours - for insomniacs).
The TIMER menu is accessed from the SETUP menu. If
necessary press 
, then press the  soft-key.
The run time (in minutes) displayed at the top left is used
for both the timer operation time and the sleep timer. In
fact when timer operation starts the sleep mode is invoked
to provide a count-down display and then switch the
receiver off.
Setting the sleep timer: The sleep timer (and timer mode
run time) is set in 
minutes. From the TIMER menu, use
the spin-wheel to set the Run = time (shown at the top
left). Pressing the 
 soft-key will add 60 minutes to
the time, which can be between 1 and 255 minutes.
To activate the sleep timer press the  soft-key. 
						

							AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL          PAGE 29
The sleep time will count down to zero, when the radio
will switch off. The receiver can still be tuned, modes
changed and volume adjusted. To cancel the sleep timer
press the 
 or  buttons. The sleep timer is
synchronised to the clock so that it changes when the clock
seconds are at zero. For this reason one minute is added
to the run time so that the set doesn’t switch off too soon.
Setting the timer for automatic switch-on: The switch-
on timer is set in 24-hr format and, if armed, will turn the
receiver on when its setting matches the clock time. Once
the receiver is switched on, the sleep timer is invoked to
turn the set off again after the required run period.
Select the TIMER menu (press 
 and ) and
then press the 
 soft-key.
The timer time (switch-on time) is shown at the top left as
Tmr=hh:mm. The time can be set using the spin-wheel -
pressing the 
 button changes between setting hours
and setting minutes.
If you have not yet set the run time, go back to the previous
menu (press the 
 soft-key) and use the spin-wheel.
(See above - setting the sleep timer).
When start and run times are set, press the 
 soft-
key to enable the timer switch-on. The receiver will turn
off but will be switched on again at the appointed hour.
Receiver settings at switch-on will be the same as when
the 
 soft-key was pressed.
The  soft-key is available in both TIMER menus so
it doesn’t matter whether you select switch-on time or run
time first.
Note: For correct timer operation the external supply must
be left connected to the receiver. If the supply is
disconnected and then re-connected before the start time
the timer will operate correctly, but the Timer on at ...
message will not be displayed. The timer will not operate
correctly if power is not restored before the start time.
Note: If the receiver is switched on manually before the
start time then the timer arming is cancelled. To continue
with timer operation the receiver 
must be switched off using
the 
 soft-key. Timer settings will not have changed.
To cancel a timer setting, simply switch the receiver on
and off using the 
 button.
The timer will only switch the receiver on once - it will not
repeat daily unless it is re-armed. The settings, however,
remain unchanged so for daily operation all that is needed
is to switch the set off using 
  .
9-3 Setting the clock
The real-time clock is set in 24-hr format - you can set it to
local time or UTC depending on your needs, but if you
use the timer then that must be set to the same time
standard.
Select the TIMER menu (press 
 and ) and
then press the 
 and  soft-keys.
The current clock time is shown at the top left as
Clk=hh:mm. The time can be set using the spin-wheel -
pressing the 
 button changes between setting hours
and setting minutes. The clock display is constantly
updated from the internal clock - there is no need to rush
through the setting for fear that the clock has been
stopped.
Whenever the 
minutes are changed the seconds count is
set to zero. To set the clock accurately to a time signal
make sure that you turn the spin-wheel (adjusting minutes)
as the signal occurs. If the displayed time is correct you
can go on and then back by one minute - this will leave
the time correct but zero the seconds. Hours can be
changed without affecting the minutes or seconds of the
clock.
Pressing the 
 soft-key will return you to timer
settings, pressing 
 or  buttons will return to
the SETUP menu.
9-4 Config menu options
The CONFIG menu is selected form the SETUP menu
by pressing the 
 soft-key (press  )
Config :- is displayed at the top left of the LCD and Select
above the spin-wheel. Modify is labelled above two soft-
keys - either can be used to change configuration settings,
and they are used as increase and decrease buttons for
the Aux output levels.
Turning the spin-wheel  will produce to following
items. The current setting is shown on the right of the
display. Pressing the soft-keys below the setting will
change it:- 
						

							PAGE  30          AR7030 OPERATING MANUAL
Item Settings
SelectNone (Modify is informative
legend for the soft-keys)
Aux relay: Off Timer     Squelch
Aux output muting: Off On
Aux o/p (L): 0% (off) to 99% (max)
Aux o/p (R): 0% (off) to 99% (max)
Sync detector:AutoNarrow    Wide
RF Gain:Auto Man
Filter calibrate: Start (pressing either soft-
key starts the automatic
calibration process)
All settings take effect immediately the soft-keys are
pressed, so the aux relay will switch on and off as its
settings are changed and the synchronous detector
bandwidth changes can be heard. Press the 
 or
 buttons to leave the CONFIG menu once you have
set what you want.
Aux relay: Determines the switching function of the
relay contacts available on the AUX socket.
OffContacts always open
(default setting).
TimerClosed when the receiver is
switched on.
SquelchClosed when the received
signal is above the squelch
threshold.
The aux relay is often used to control a tape recorder
motor. It can only be used for low voltage control, NEVER
CONNECT MAINS TO THE AUX RELAY CONTACTS.
The Timer setting is useful for recording programs
unattended - it will switch the tape on and off with the
receiver. The Squelch setting will start the tape to record
intermittent signals, such as communication channels.
Aux output muting: This selection has the same effect
as the 
 soft-key on the VFO menu, but applies
squelch muting to the aux outputs rather than the
loudspeaker / headphone output. The default setting
is On.
Aux o/p (L):Sets the aux output level for the left channel
output. The default is 99% (maximum, about 800mV) and
it may be varied down to 0% (off) on a logarithmic scale.
The 
 button reduces the level and the  button
increases it.
Aux o/p (R):As above for the right channel output.
Sync detector: Sets the way in which the AM synchronous
detector operates.AutoThe synchronous detector will automatically
tune the receiver and select wide and narrow
bandwidths appropriately. (Default setting).
NarrowManual mode synchronous detection
enabled with narrow bandwidth PLL. The
receiver must be manually tuned to zero
beat and correction made for any frequency
variations.
WideManual mode synchronous detection
enabled with wide bandwidth PLL. The
receiver must be manually tuned to zero
beat, but tuning is not too critical.
Note: If changing from Wide to Narrow in manual mode,
don’t stay on the Auto selection for more than a second
because the receiver will start its auto-tune sequence.
RF Gain: Enables or disables the automatic RF Gain
control. If enabled, the receiver will automatically decrease
RF Gain when the S-meter reads above S9+40dB. The
default setting is Auto, select Man only if you are a purist
or want to do some obscure lab measurements on the
receiver.
Filter calibrate: Select Start for the receiver to calibrate
its IF filters. See section 6-2 for full details.
10 Optional accessories
Additional and substitute 455 kHz IF filters: The
AR7030 is designed to accept a total of six IF filters, this
means that two optional filters may be fitted in addition to
the standard four provided. Within reason, any 455 kHz
filter may be fitted but the PCB is drilled to accept Murata
and Collins filters.
To gain access for filter fitting, both top and bottom covers
need removing. The top is held by four screws requiring a
2.5mm hex key to undo them. When replacing the top,
make sure that it is pressed fully home (flush to the sides)
before putting the screws in. The screw threads are not
long enough to pull the top down into the side pieces
without damaging the threads. Tighten the screws only
finger tight - do not over tighten. The bottom plate is
held by six No.2 posidrive screws.
Note: Fitting optional IF filters is not difficult but does
require the use of a soldering iron and we recommend
that it is carried out in a specialist workshop.
Planned options: The design of the AR7030 is such that
many extra features can be added and seamlessly
incorporated into its operating system. Options should
include a features upgrade (alphanumeric memory
labelling and multi-channel calendar / timer), internal
rechargeable battery and carrying case for portable use,
audio notch filter and noise blanker, and a stereo, band II
FM extension is under consideration.