Articles

News

inde


Contact Information
Articles
Links

RS-232 Control of the AOR AR-2700

Interface Unit: CU-8232 (or equivalent)
Note: The AOR manual recommends a maximum length of RS-232 cable of 2 meters

Standard Connections Used: TXD, RXD, GND

Flow Control: Software (XON/XOFF)

Type of RS-232 Command Set: ASCII text, <CR> or <CR><LF> delimiter, and are achieved using hex 0x1e and 0x1f respectively

Data Parameters: 2400, 4800 or 9600 baud; 2 stop bits; no parity

Overview of RS-232 Interfaces

The AR-2700 is one of the best RS-232 supported handhelds (second only to the AR-8000). It uses an ASCII text based commands set (except for and which use hexadecimal byte values). The power of the RS-232 interface is in its simplicity of use and the level of control that is provided. The AR-2700 is one of the few radios that can be programmed for searches and scans at the full rate the radio supports - it does this by accepting only the search/scan parameters from the computer and avoid the need to tune the radio to each frequency individually.

RS-232 Connector Pinout

CU-8232
9-pin
Function IBM-PC
9-pin
IBM-PC
25-pin
2 TX data 2 3
3 RX data 3 2
5 Ground 5 7

Note: Pins 4, 6 & 8 are linked together inside the CU-8232 unit. Some systems will required the linking of pins 4 & 5 (CTS/RTS) at the computer end for correct operation.

Command Set

Digraph Function Command
AT Attenuator To set: ATn<CR>
n=0 (off), n=1 (on)

To read: AT<CR>

AU Auto mode To set: AUn<CR>
n=0 (off), n=1 (on)

To read: AU<CR>

BM Scan bank link on/off To read: BM<CR>
Responds with: BM n n n n n n n n n n, where n = digit corresponding to linked bank, or - (not linked)

Example: BM 1 2 - - 5 - - - 9 - indicates that banks 1, 2, 5 & 9 are linked

To set: BMnnnnnnnnn<CR>
Where n is a digit which specifies a bank which will have its link status set, or '-' to invert the current status

Example: BM 1259 sets the link status for banks 1, 2, 5 & 9

Note: the ML command can be used to switch off all links

BN Change search/scan bank To set: BNx<CR>
In VFO mode, BN specifies the bank to use for search or scan mode (rather than allowing the last used bank to be used as default)

To read: BN<CR>
Responds with bank number 0 - 9
MXx - scan mode
SRx - search mode

BQ Search bank link function on/off To set: BQn<CR>
n = 0 (off), n = 1 (on)
BS Search bank link on/off To read: BS<CR>
Responds with: BS n n n n n n n n n n, where n = digit corresponding to linked bank, or - (not linked)

Example: BS - 2 3 4 - - 7 8 - - indicates that banks 2, 3, 4, 7, & 8 are linked

To set: BSnnnnnnnnn<CR>
Where n is a digit corresponding to a bank to be linked

Example: BS 23478 inverts the link status for banks 1, 2, 5, 9 (ie if 1 was previously unlinked, the command would link the bank; if 1 was previously linked, the command would link the bank; etc...)

Note: the BQ command can be used to switch off all links

EX Exit RS-232 EX<CR>
Terminates remote operation via the RS-232 and restores normal operation from the radio's front panel.
LC Respond with frequency and
level when squelch opens
LC<CR>
Causes the AR-2700 to respond with current frequency and S-meter reading and again whenever the squelch opens. To terminate, send another command.

Response:
LCnn RFnnnnnnnnm0, where nn is an s-meter sample in the range 00-3f hex (64 steps) and nnnnnnnnm0 is the current frequency.

Example: LC1B RF0145300000, s-meter 0x1b (27 decimal)

LM Respond with S-meter
reading
LM<CR>
Responds with a 64-level s-meter sample in hexadecimal, LMnn, where nn:

00-3F - squelch open (as per LC command)
B0-BF - squelch closed

MR Respond with bank To read the curreny memory bank: MR<CR>

To read the specified memory bank: MRx<CR>
where, x = 0 - 9

Typical response:
MX902 MP0 RF1290000000 ST01000 MD1 AT0
MX903 MP0 RF0015100000 ST01000 MD1 AT0
MX904 MP0 RF0025100000 ST01000 MD1 AT0
...
Refer to individual commands for breakdown of fields returned

MC Monitor To set: MCn<CR>
0 mute off
1 mute on
2 normal squelch operation
MD Mode To set: MDn<CR>
0 WFM
1 NFM
2 AM

To read: MD<CR>
Responds with mode value as above

MG Start scan.
Respond with freq/level when squelch opens
MG<CR>
Starts the scan and responds with frequency and level data as per the LC command
ML Scan bank function on/off To set: MLn<CR>
n = 0 (off), n = 1 (on)

Note: see BM command for more details of scan bank linking

MP Set memory channel as pass To set: MPn<CR>
n = 0 (pass off), n = 1 (pass on)

To read: MP<CR>

Setting pass on a memory channel excludes it from scans

MQ Delete bank or memory
channel
MQ<CR>
Deletes the current memory channel (when in memory recall mode)

MQnn<CR>
Deletes memory channel nn (where nn = 00 - 49)

MQ%%<CR>
Deletes all memory channels from the current bank.

MR Select memory recall mode MR<CR>
Places the receiver into memory recall mode (M.RE) and reports the last used channel

MRmnn<CR>
Places the receiver into memory recall mode (M.RE) and reports the contents of memory channel nn (00 - 49) in bank m (0 - 9).

Note: the format of data reported is the same as per the MR command

MS Select scan mode MS<CR>
Starts scan using the current memory bank (or the last one used)

MSx<CR>
Starts scan using memory bank x (0 - 9)

Note: to scan and report active frequencies, see MG command

MX Write data to memory MXmnn RFnnnnnnnnm0 AUn MDn STnnnnm0 ATn<CR>
Writes data of the format shown into memory channel nn in bank m

Refer to the individual commands for further details

PD Delete search pass frequency PDnn<CR>
Deletes pass frequency in pass channel nn (00-49)

PD%%<CR>
Deletes all pass channels

PR Recall search pass frequency PR<CR>
Recalls all pass frequencies

PRnn<CR>
Recalls the pass frequency stored in pass channel nn (00-49)

PS Set search pass frequency PSnnnnnnnn00<CR>
Adds the frequency nnnnnnnn00 (in Hz) to the next available pass channel

PSnnnn.nnn<CR>
Adds the frequency nnnn.nnn (in MHz) to the next available pass channel

PU Pause on/off
(free search/scan)
To set: PUn<CR>
n = 0 (off), n = 1 (on)

To read: PU<CR>
Responds with pause setting

Note: pause value is specified using the TP command

PW Set current frequency as pass PW<CR>
Add the current received frequency to the next available pass channel
QP Power off QP<CR>
Used to turn off power to the radio (there is no command to switch it back on)
RF Set frequency RFnnnnnnnnm0<CR>
Tune to the specified frequency (expressed in Hz)

RFnnnn.nnnnm<CR>
Tune to the specified frequency (expressed in MHz)

m must either be '5' (for 6.25 kHz) or '0'. Any other digit is ignored.

RR Record/playback RRn<CR>
0 Stop recording or playback
1 Start recording
2 Start playback

Note: You must select stop when moving from playback to/from record

RX Respond with current frequency RX<CR>
Recalls current operating parameters in the following formats
VFO
Mode
RFnnnnnnnnm0 AUn MDn STnnnnm0 ATn
M.RE MRmnn MPn RFnnnnnnnnm0 AUn MDn STnnnnm0 ATn
Scan
mode
MAmnn MPn RFnnnnnnnnm0 AUn MDn STnnnnm0 ATn
Search
mode
SS RFnnnnnnnnm0 AUn MDn STnnnnm0 ATn
SC Change operating code (details unknown)
SE Set search data SEx SLnnnnnnnnm0 SUnnnnnnnnm0 AUn MDn STnnnnm0 ATn
Sets search parameters for search bank x.

Refer to the individual commands for further details (SL and SU fields given below):

SLnnnnnnnnm0
Set the lower frequency in a search (expressed in Hz)

SLnnnn.nnnnm
Tune to the specified frequency (expressed in MHz)

m must either be '5' (for 6.25 kHz) or '0'. Any other digit is ignored.

SU field obeys the same rules as SL. Note, it is not possible to use SL and SU as commands in their own right

SG Start search.
Respond with freq/level when squelch open
SG<CR>
Starts searching using the parameters and search links currently selected.

Responses with, LCnn RFmmmmmmmmmm, data whenever an active frequency which opens the squelch is encountered

Refer to the LC command for details of the parameters

SI Option unit (details unknown)
SR Recall search parameters SR<CR>
Recalls the currently selected search bank

SRx<CR>
Recalls search bank x (0 - 9)

Responds with:
SRx SLnnnnnnnnm0 SUnnnnnnnnm0 AUn MDn STnnnnm0 ATn

Refer to the individual commands for further details (except SL and SU which are described in the SE command)

SS Start search SS<CR>
Start searching using the current search bank

SSx<CR>
Start searching using the parameters stored in search bank x (0 - 9)

ST Set search step size To set: STnnnnm0<CR>
Set the tuning step size in Hz

To set: STnnn.nm<CR>
Set the tuning step size in kHz

m must either be '5' (for 6.25 kHz) or '0'. Any other digit is ignored.

It is possible to enter step frequency values from 1.01 kHz - 100 kHz, however, step sizes different to those listed in the manual could lead to unstable operation of the receiver

To read: ST<CR>
Responds with value, format: STnnnnm0

TD Set delay time To set: TDnn<CR>
Sets time delay nn (01-99) in 0.1s units

To read: TD<CR>
Responds with TDn.n (n.n is current delay value expressed in seconds)

TI Set priority interval To set: TInn<CR>
Sets priority interval nn (01-19) in seconds

To read: TI<CR>
Responds with TDnn (nn is current priority interval value expressed in seconds)

TP Set pause time To set: TPnn<CR>
Sets pause time nn (01-99) in seconds

To read: TP<CR>
Responds with TDnn (nn is current pause value expressed in seconds)

Up/Dn
n<CR>
where n is a binary byte value as follows
0x1e
0x1f

Basics | Kenwood | Icom | Yaesu | AOR | At a glance

This document maintained by simon.collings@cableinet.co.uk.
Material Copyright © 2000 Simon Collings