Articles

News

inde

Contact Information
Articles
Links

RS-232 Control of the AOR AR-3000/AR-3000A

Interface Unit: None (connection is direct)

Standard Connections Used: TXD, RXD, GND, RTS, CTS

Flow Control: Hardware

Type of RS-232 Command Set: ASCII text

Data Parameters: 4800 baud; 2 stop bits; no parity

Overview of AR-3000 and AR-3000A RS-232 Interfaces

The AR-3000/AR-3000A is the best known of the RS-232 controllable scanners. The interface is a simple ASCII based scheme, so there is no difficulty in using a progam such as MS-Windows Terminal to type command directly into the radio.

Note: There are two releases of the AR-3000: the original AR-3000 and an updated version, the AR-3000A. The AR-3000 required pin 7 of the RS-232 connector to be grounded to enable RS-232 operation, whereas the AR-3000A provides a switch on the rear panel.

Both the AR-3000 and AR-3000A are covered here.

RS-232 connector Pinout (both models)

AR3000/AR-3000A Function IBM-PC
1 Frame Ground 1
2 TX data 2
3 RX data 3
4 RTS 4
5 CTS 5
7* System Ground 7

* The AR-3000 requires this pin to be grounded to enable RS-232 operation.

Original AR-3000 Command Set

Function Command
Recieve Frequency Frequency digits in MHz

Examples: 88.3; 1.053
Leading zeros are not needed
Mode
A AM
N Narrow FM
W Wide FM
L LSB
U USB
C CW
Attenuator
R Attenuator off
T Attenuator on
Frequency
Step Size		 [][][].[][][]S
The range of valid step sizees is 50 Hz - 100 kHz and must be
entered in kHz

Examples:

  1. 25kHz is entered as 25S
  2. 100 Hz is entered as 0.1S
  3. 50 Hz is entered as 0.05S

Leading zeros are not required
Set Memory [][]M
The format of the command is as follows:
[][]M Channel 00-99
[][][].[][]S Frequency step in kHz
R or T Attenuator
[][][][].[][][][][] Receive frequency in MHz
N,W,A,L,U,C Mode
Read Memory [][]Z
The AR-3000 responds with the following data:
#[][] Memory channel number 00-99
W or X
W Attenuator on
X Attenuator off
Z[][][].[][] Frequency step in kHz
Y[][][][].[][][][][] Receive Frequency in MHz
Q,R,S,T,U,V
Q Narrow FM
R Wide FM
S AM
T LSB
U USB
V CW
<CR> Carriage Return

Example:

#01 X X025.00 Y0435.225 Q <CR>
Set Bank X
To cycle through the available banks (0-3), repeat the command
Note: it is not possible to select a specific bank by number.
Signal Strength Samples are output continuously as a single ASCII character
A - P representing 16 s-meter levels. The sample rate is
40 samples/s. When the squelch is closed, a % character
is output instead.

The PC can clear RTS to prevent the AR-3000 from sending
S-meter samples and assert it to enable them.

Note: The command parameters must be entered in the order shown, however, some parameters (except mode which is mandatory) can be omitted. All parameters are separated using a single space character.

AR-3000A Command Set

There are a few differences between the original AR-3000 and the more recent AR-3000A, but most of these are minor.

The AR-3000A uses a switch on the rear panel to enable RS-232 operation. A 5-line sign-on message is produced when RS-232 operation is started confirming a correct connection.

It is possible to increase the baud rate used by the AR-3000A using an internal slide switch located on the reverse of the keypad in the top left hand corner. It is necessary to remove the bottom part of the case to gain access to the keypad PCB. The switch permits operation at 4800 baud (default) or 9600 baud.

All commands are terminated with a <CR>, carriage return.

Data should be entered in the following sequence: M-Ch, step freq.; attenuator; receive frequency; mode

Function Command
Recieve Frequency [][][][].[][][][][] - Range 0.10000 - 2036.0 MHz

Examples: 88.3; 1.053
Leading zeros are not needed

Normally frequency and mode data are combined, Examples:

128.8A<CR>, 1.9075C<CR>
Mode
A AM
N Narrow FM
W Wide FM
L LSB
U USB
C CW
Pass Frequency [][][][].[][][][][]Q
Pass the specified frequency in MHz

Example:

1.59Q<CR>
Attenuator
R Attenuator on
T Attenuator off
Frequency
Step Size		 [][][].[][]S
The range of valid step sizees is 50 Hz - 999.95 kHz and must be
entered in kHz

Examples:

  1. 25kHz is entered as 25S
  2. 100 Hz is entered as 0.1S
  3. 50 Hz is entered as 0.05S

Leading zeros are not required
Set Memory [][]M
The format of the command is as follows:
[][]M Channel 00-99
[][][].[][]S Frequency step in kHz
R or T Attenuator
[][][][].[][][][][] Receive frequency in MHz
N,W,A,L,U,C Mode

Example:

01M 10.S T 144.N<CR>
Read Memory [][]Z
The AR-3000 responds with the following data:
#[][] Memory channel number 00-99
W or X
W Attenuator on
X Attenuator off
Z[][][].[][] Frequency step in kHz
Y[][][][].[][][][][] Receive Frequency in MHz
Q,R,S,T,U,V
Q Narrow FM
R Wide FM
S AM
T LSB
U USB
V CW
<CR> Carriage Return

Example:

#01 X X025.00 Y0435.225 Q <CR>
Set Bank []X
The parameter specifies the bank number 1-4
Read S-meter Y
Responds with a 16-level sample represented in the characters
A-P with % used when the squelch is closed.
Set Mute-out
E Set
F Reset
Squelch mute-out
auto on/off by
squelch		 G
Dial mode D
Displays the contents of dial mode
Pass Channel [][]P
Displays the frequency in the specified pass channel 00-99

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

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