AOR AR16 User Manual download pdf (Page 2)

February 2000 MONITORING TIMES 99

RadioMap

Transmitter sites in your area are researched and marked on a

beautiful 8-1/2 x 11 full color plot. See FCC licensed sites from VLF

through microwave including police, fire, cellular phone sites, business,

industrial, broadcasters and selected FAA transmitter sites. Callsigns,

frequency assignments, and names provided. Ham radio stations not

included.

You choose the map center location–your neighborhood, near your

office, around sports stadiums–anywhere within the United States. We adjust

map coverage for best readability, depending on transmitter site density.

Invaluable to radio professionals and hobbyists for identifying

towers, sources of radio interference etc. Send nearest street intersection and

check for $29.95 payable to Robert Parnass.

Robert Parnass, M.S.

Radio Electronics Consulting

2350 Douglas Road, Oswego, IL 60543

Our VR-500’s VHF/UHF reception is good

with two exceptions. There are 20 birdies in

the 225 - 400 MHz military band (see inset)

and our receiver is prone to intermodulation

in the 860 MHz range. We hear cellular

phone and mixes of other signals when trav-

eling in RF-rich areas.

Our 3rd order IMD (intermodulation)

measurements show our VR-500 and IC-R2

roughly in the same league except in the 860

MHz range, where the IC-R2 has a signifi-

cant advantage.

The squelch threshold remains the same

for all modes except wide FM and there is a

noise burst at the end of each NFM transmis-

sion. Our VR-500’s audio is acceptable for a

radio its size – better than our AR-16 with

Birdies above 30 MHz strong enough

to open squelch (MHz)

70.84 75.12, 76.0, 78.45, 91.225, 96.575,

104.6, 125.215, 130.55,

132.335, 193.175, 195.825, 201.175,

203.85, 264.665, 271.835, 305.775,

320.01, 324.29, 327.415, 330.47,

332.975, 340.48, 340.555, 340.595,

344.14, 344.855, 347.71, 348.175,

364.435, 371.84, 389.115, 394.185,

398.485, 402.6875, 406.7, 453.9875,

454.0875, 466.1375, 468.3625, 475.5,

475.575, 475.675, 521.5625, 526.9125,

531.25, 578.325, 579.25, 581.0,

581.425, 585.0125, 586.35, 589.025,

596.625, 602.1875, 631.825, 634.5,

635.8375, 638.5125, 639.85, 642.525,

660.95, 676.7375, 676.8, 679.475,

681.15, 683.9375, 689.0, 694.2375,

695.4875

less treble than our IC-R2. You can disable

the audio amplifier when the radio is

squelched. This is designed to save current

but produces a popping sound when the

squelch opens so we leave the amplifier en-

abled.

Shortwave Performance

Our VR-500 is sensitive on shortwave and

we measured a noise floor of -128 dBm (near

14 MHz). The IF bandwidth is fixed and it is

wide for listening in a crowded band, espe-

cially on USB, LSB, and CW.

The VHF/UHF antenna supplied with our

radio permits shortwave reception of high

power transmitters and is hearing impaired

for everything else. Better shortwave perfor-

mance requires a different antenna and a 6

foot length of wire makes all the difference.

A 132 foot dipole overloads our VR-500 and

comparable models we tested when tuning

shortwave. This is consistent with our VR-

500’s IMD (intermodulation) dynamic range

measurement of only 49 dB (see Measure-

ments).

Our VR-500 behaves better on shortwave

when 40 dB or more of attenuation is added

between the radio and the 132 foot dipole.

The internal attenuator can furnish only about

20 dB. The bottom line is that our VR-500

and IC-R2 are quite usable for casual listen-

ing below 30 MHz if fitted with an antenna

scaled to their signal handling abilities.

Tuning across a carrier in CW or LSB

modes using .05 or 0.1 kHz steps produced a

second, weak response.

Opinion(s)

We don’t have the space to describe the

bandscope or memory manipulation func-

tions. A CTCSS/DCS decoding squelch

would be more useful than the band display

and mode scan facilities.

For everyday, nontrunking use, we think

the VR-500 and IC-R2 are tops. They’re great

for low profile, stealth scanning when hidden

in a shirt pocket.

The numeric backlit keypad, squelch and

volume knobs, multibank scanning, and text

labels make our VR-500 easier to use than the

smaller IC-R2. Our VR-500’s susceptibility

to intermod in the 860 MHz band could be a

problem for some listeners. We prize the IC-

R2’s CTCSS squelch and smaller size, but it

hears signals it shouldn’t in the 480 - 520

MHz range.

The VR-500’s small size and long battery

life are significant advantages over the DJ-

X10T. As one VR-500 owner remarked, it

seems to run forever on a pair of AA alkaline

batteries.

The Yaesu VR-500 is available for $339.95

plus $12 shipping from Grove Enterprises

(800-438-8155 or [email protected])

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