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Reviews For: AOR AR-5000 +3

Category: Receivers: Scanners

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Review Summary For : AOR AR-5000 +3
Reviews: 4MSRP: 2,625
Description:
The AR5000A provides amazing sensitivity and strong signal handing across an unprecedented wide frequency coverage with all mode receive tunable down to 1Hz steps... all this in a compact cabinet weighing just 3.5kg. No wonder this receiver has been adopted as the definitive receiver for professional operators, top-end hobbyists, government departments and armed forces throughout the world. The short wave performance is so good that separate receivers need not be considered.

Whether sitting on the desktop monitoring short wave transmissions or connected to aerial farms for wide band VHF-UHF monitoring (via the optional AS5000 4-way aerial switch with automatic bandplan switching), operators have been astonished how the seemingly impossible has been achieved... unparalleled high performance, an amazingly flexible operating system, high build quality featuring a metal cabinet - yet still remaining very compact.

Multiple units have been interconnected at airports for communication monitoring, others have been ported via RS232 into dial-up or LAN monitoring applications. The receiver has even been combined with the optional spectrum display unit and located in distant concrete bunkers controlled via a laptop computer and dial-up connection. There is little competition for comparison, 'the rest of the pack' are significantly larger, heavier or many times more expensive!

Product is in production
More Info: http://www.aoruk.com/ar5000.htm
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0044.5
G3WRT Rating: 2021-02-11
Swiss army knife Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have used this receiver off and on for a few years. Recently I struggled to identify a ‘fault’. That was my faulty thinking and the mute plug that was faulty. I really appreciate this receiver; it is a quality piece of gear which I was dismayed to find that no one keeps spares any longer and AOR will not repair (2020). I have the service manual and studying the circuits ‘trying to identify my fault….’ I was impressed by the thorough design and the facilities it offers let alone the frequency span. The ‘+3’ are clearly bolt on (literally) afterthoughts but they work well enough and significantly increase its usefulness, especially the noise blanker. It made me think that for the design effort and what it does I now understand its original cost. Presently I am using it for AM with synchronous detection and the last sunspot cycle on 100kHz IF bandwidth it is sensitive enough to hear anyone coming up between 29 and 29.1 MHz without tuning. I have used it on Wi-Fi testing too. It is a real swiss army knife of an RX and adding a handle to the side, I find, helps. I dislike the man machine interface, the totally inadequate and small VFO tuning knob set up and feel, the S meter especially because its black background and inadequate lighting, the front panel cannot be read unless independently front lit at night, which is a real handicap, the front panel myriad functions and the LCD display and backlights are inadequate. I use the AGC out (ACC2 – find the connector) driving a small, cheap, DSO as an S meter so I can see strength versus time. It really adds another dimension to listening. That and the 10MHz ref input are useful. I have never bothered with remote control and it surely is designed for that via rs232 not USB. I wish the LO’s were easily output able because I would find that useful. If it goes wrong one is on one’s own, I have discovered. Which is a bit of a worry. I could find no one to help me and I was told spares are not available and AOR refuse to even look at it if shipped to Japan. I assume the latest versions from AOR are as good but awfully expensive and aimed at digital modes. Really their market is commercial (rich governments and airports) and not amateur. As a pre SDR radio it is one of the best. If they adopt the same philosophy as this radio, i.e., AOR do not support it after a few years, including spares, then I am afraid AOR will get a miss from me. I assume that will be their method. Because the screening cans and the build method make fault finding rather difficult. Well, I find it challenging but not impossible. I suppose all such builds are too expensive to economically repair. Just replace it is the philosophy. Because of the above I think the 2nd hand value of these receivers will rapidly drop and they will become bargains for those prepared to take on the risk. I notice, not surprisingly, several are appearing on eBay in early 2021.
W7SJP Rating: 2015-08-04
An Excellent machine Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I decided I wanted to add a WB receiver to my gear pile, and I wanted it to be the best. Looked at virtually everything out there and then stopped looking when I found this. The sensitivity, filtering options, modes and band coverage are exactly what I wanted and all that I need--just excellent. I just can't say enough good things about this box--if you are looking for a premium, high-quality dedicated comms receiver for your shack, then I reckon this one is hard to beat.
KA1KUL Rating: 2011-09-29
EXCELLENT Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Has to be one of the best communications receiver I have ever owned. Worth every penny. High end receivers are expensive, let's face it but with the 8600 MK II you get you $$$ worth. If your doing 225-400 Mhz MIL AIR it's excellent paied with the DPD Productions LP MIL Antenna. I can hear aircraft in all of the surrounding states better than the dispatchers can hear them I can hear towers early in the morning over 100 miles away. Outstandingt radio.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by KA1KUL on 2011-08-17

I've owned almost every scannner that has been on the market in the last 30 or so years (starting in 1969) starting with vintage tuneable receiver on low band. I've been a systems engineer for 35 years. The AOR5000+3 is without a doubt the best receiver I have ever owned. The sensitivity and selectivity is awesome. I'm big on Federal and MIL AIR monitoring. I listenn to a lot of MIL AIR refueling and the quality of this receiver is beyond that of just a hobbyist. I find that setting it at 6 Khz AM works best for MIL AIR. While simultanousley watching the signal on a Rohde and Schwarz FSEA20 Spectrum Analyzer I can see and read the actual signal level. This receiver only needs less than 1 uV to produce an excellent response and the audio is very professional. Prior to using this receiver I used the Uniden BCD996XT for MIL AIR which worked pretty good for MIL MOnitoring but that radio is plauged with intermod because of their front end design. Their selectivity doesn't even come close to the 5000. For other frequencies, I can hear VHF repeaters 208 miles away. Nothing on my bench will touch that. You get what you pay for. I'm also using the AOR Antenna mounted at about 30 feet and a Mini Circuits preamp. All told this is the receiver to buy. Yes, it's expensive but like I said, you get what you pay for. AOR deid heir homework on this radio. There's a learning curve on programming and operating but that's only a matter of time and then you'll be very happy with this receiver. As I said, I've owned them all and this is the best by far. I can't comment right now on it's HF reception because the the HF bands are a mess and any review would not be accurate. I have so much noise here on HF I can't even tune WWV with any of the three HF quality receivers I have. If you have or can save the $$$ buy this receiver and treat it like gold because that's what it is.
N4AEQ Rating: 2008-02-19
Great scanner receiver but expensive Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have rigs that cover VLF to microwave, the 5K
is the only receiver that can match all of them in any frequency range. You would need to buy half a dozen receivers to do all the 5K will for sensitivity selectivity and audio. If you have the extra funds then get one, but I wouldnt take out a loan. For me the SDU display makes the 5K
worth every penny, if your not going with the SDU
too then as a receiver/scanner I would just buy something less expensive.