The AR8200 represented a beacon when first released building on the successful recipe of the AR8000 and technology developed for the award winning AR5000 base receiver. Technology marches forward with the AR8200 SERIES-2 keeping the innovative concept and forward thinking alive and bright. It has not been easy improving on what many thought to be the ultimate, however the AR8200 SERIES-2 does provide even more with nothing taken away.

A Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator (TCXO) now forms the heart of the AR8200 SERIES-2, this ensures high stability with minimal internal spurii. The TCXO replaces a crystal reference as commonly employed in other receivers and is usually only seen in top of the range (more expensive) table-top models such as the AR5000 and AR7030. Performance too has seen the AOR R & D team fine tuning the design for best sensitivity and strong signal handling over the extremely wide coverage of 530kHz to 2040MHz (all mode receive without gaps). Circuit developments have also been implemented to provide improved performance across the spectrum. The standard aerial has been replaced by a telescopic whip on a swivel base, this ensures the best results, a medium wave bar aerial is also provided as standard. The design team have certainly been taking account of customers wishes, the keyboard ZERO key has been swapped in position with the DECIMAL to match the telephone layout, LCD illumination has been increased (for improved visibility) and following requests for longer operation between charges, the 4 x AA size NiCads have been increased in capacity, again reflecting improvements in modern technology.

The obvious change has been left for last.....the cabinet colour has been changed from green to black !

All mode receive: WFM, NFM, SFM (Super Narrow FM), WAM, AM, NAM (Wide, standard, Narrow AM), USB, LSB & CW. A 3.0 kHz SSB filter is employed with true carrier re-insertion resulting in non-offset frequency readout for easy tuning of SSB transmissions. An attenuator and noise blanker are also featured. A meaningful band plan is factory programmed specific to market area, this ensures that the AR8200 SERIES-2 automatically selects the correct receive mode and tuning step (although mode and tuning step may be manually selected at any time), the band plan may be edited via computer control. The side keypad provides four arrow keys presented as a single 'rocker' resulting in more natural and intuitive navigation through the on-screen menus. Tuning is accomplished via a variety of controls including a side panel indented main tuning dial, arrow keys and keypad.

A larger than average back lit LCD with contrast control provides operational data with the ability to add 12 character text comments to each memory channel, memory bank and search bank, a text search feature simplifies identification and recall of stored information. Many text prompts aid operation making programming of search banks etc straight forward. Two frequencies may be displayed along with operating legends and high resolution signal meter and multi-function band scope. The band scope provides adjustable span width from 10 MHz to 100 kHz, you can move the marker, operate peak hold, transfer the marker frequency to VFO and save trace for later recall. The stylish black cabinet has a quality feel with an excellent rear-illuminated keypad with a hard wearing finish.

Flexible dynamic memory bank layout is provided. Memory banks may be varied in size between 10 and 90 channels each i.e. bank 'A' 80 channels / bank 'a' 20 channels with bank 'B' 40 channels / bank 'b' 60 channels etc). 1,000 memories, 20 memory banks, 40 search banks, select scan list, priority and lockout facilities are included. It is also possible to edit and delete individual memories, swap, copy, move and delete whole banks Including dumping all data.

The remote socket not only allows computer control but also supports clone of data between two AR8200 along with tape output, detector (discriminator) output, mute and AGC.

The AR8200 can also be used in conjunction with the Optoelectronics Scout or Watson Super Searcher frequency counters for automatic and instantaneous tuning of any detected frequencies. The optional RT-8200 cable is required.

Computer Control

Computer control is available via a metallic side mounted robust connector and optional lead, an extensive RS232 command list is supported. AOR's software package AR8200 Workshop is now available as a Free Download.

For those who may wish to write there own software AOR provide in Adobe PDF file format cc8200.pdf which contains all the command codes used by the AR8200 together with additional information.

• JAV-232: This is one of the most versatile interfaces available offering compatibility not only with the AR8200 but also the AR8000 and many other receivers requiring a TTL convertor. When used with the AR8200 the JAV-232 not only offers computer control but a squelch activated tape switch output and discriminator output.

• RS-8200: A basic interface built in a DB-25 header. If the additional features of the JAV-232 are not required then this is an ideal alternative (and at considerably less cost also !)

• Also available is the CC8200 Package from AOR. This includes a TTL convertor with a DB-9 connecter together with a CD-ROM containing the AR8200 Workshop software (Version 1.7.1) together with the Automode Bandplans Memory Channel Data and Search Bank Data downloaded by AOR for the UK/European, USA and Japanese markets.

As if this was not enough, optional internal SLOT CARDS (which fit into the AR8200 base) extend the AR8200 capability even further:
• EM-8200 - Memory slot card
  The EM8200 enables the whole 1,000 memory channels in 20 banks and 40 program search banks to be backed up to the EM8200. In fact the EM8200 can hold the entire contents of the AR8200 including environmental operating data and band scope FOUR times in EM8200 locations 0, 1, 2 & 3. It is not necessary to have ALL data, you can specifically choose what data is to be backed up and to which location.
• CT-8200 - CTCSS slot card
  The CT8200 enables the AR8200 to search for 50 CTCSS tones which may be in use on the current receive frequency and to save a specific CTCSS tone (from the 50 tones available) into each VFO, each search bank and every memory channel individually. CTCSS is used by may amateur band repeaters, public utilities and private mobile radio services where shared resources are used, CTCSS ensures that operators only hear traffic intended for them.
• RU-8200 - Record chip slot card The RU8200 enables around 20 seconds of audio to be recorded to a chip within the RU8200 for playback at a later time. The chip may be recorded to time and time again over writing the previous recordings. The recordings may be played back over and over, very useful if you have graded an interesting recording! The RU8200 may be used in VFO, scan, search and memory read modes.
• TE-8200 - Tone eliminator slot card
  The TE8200 enables the AR8200 to ignore certain transmissions which would otherwise stop the scan and search process. Pilot tones are often transmitted by public utilities and railways making their transmissions troublesome and fatiguing to monitor without the use of the TE8200. There are 256 values for the tone eliminator ranging from 0 to 255 representing a frequency range of 0.4 to 4.2 kHz.
• VI-8200 - Voice inverter card.
  The VI8200 enables the AR8200 to recover intelligible audio from certain types of analogue transmissions which would otherwise sound scrambled. They operate by splitting up the audio spectrum and "flipping" the upper and lower tones around a certain frequency point. The VI8200 enables 157 different "flip points" to be selected in the frequency range of 2.4kHz to 5.6kHz.

• SC-8200 - Clear plastic case
• SC-8200P - Soft Pouch type carry case, similar to the case AOR produce for the AR8000.
• RT-8200 - Cable for connecting to the Scout or Watson Super Searcher
• OS-8200 - "Open ended" option cable that can be used for a variety of projects.
• SM-8200 - Service Manual

All this in a cabinet which weighs less than 200g (excluding NiCads & aerial) with dimensions of 61(W) x 143(H} x 39(D) mm (excluding projections).