AOR AR-IQ Instruction Manual

AR-IQ v.1.1

March 3, 2010

Receiver Control

I/Q Record & Playback

for AR-ALPHA

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Purpose

AR-IQ software allows direct control of the AR-Alpha receiver through a graphical interface. The recorded

samples are acquired through the USB I/Q Port and further processed (filtered and demodulated) by the PC

CPU. All commands are sent to the AR-Alpha through the receiver’s remote control USB port.

AF vs. IQ

Compared to a regular AF recording, which only allows recording one frequency at a time, I/Q recording

allows you to store and playback a full 1MHz bandwidth with no loss of quality!

This 1MHz bandwidth can be anywhere within the receiving range of the AR-ALPHA, between 10kHz and

3.5GHz.

Off-line, you can listen and decode within the recorded 1MHz range, tuning any frequency as you would in

real time. You can even loop a particular time frame to listen repeatedly to a signal received in difficult

conditions, or search for and analyze hard to catch signals bursts.

I/Q on the move…

It is also possible to move the I/Q data to another PC and to listen/decode it off line, provided the other PC

has AR-IQ software installed. Although AR-IQ data can be copied to any data storage device (USB key,

DVD, external hard-drive, etc…), the data must be first copied to the hard drive of the other PC for AR-IQ

software to work properly. It will not work if the I/Q data is read from a DVD, USB key or through a network,

since the read speeds would be too slow.

Minimum system requirements

-2.5 GHz Dual Core CPU with 1GB RAM

-Two available USB 2.0 High-Speed (480Mbit/s) ports

-16 bit AC-97 compatible audio board

-1024 x768 minimum resolution video board and monitor

-2 button mouse with wheel

-10 GB or more internal hard-disk

-Supported OS: Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista, Windows 7

Note: The above is a reference only and might vary on individual PC systems.

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1. HARDWARE & USB DRIVER INSTALLATION

1) Connect a USB cable to the REMOTE 1 socket on the rear panel of AR-Alpha, and to a spare USB

socket on the PC. (Cable type “USB-A to USB-B”)

2) Switch AR-Alpha on.

***MAKE SURE THAT IN THE RECEIVER’S CONFIGURATION MENU, YOU HAVE “REMOTE 1”

SELECTED FOR “SERIAL”, OTHERWISE THE USB CONNECTION WILL FAIL.***

Windows detects the new hardware and begins the driver installation procedure.

NB: These messages may differ slightly depending on which version of the Windows operating system and

which driver version is used. These screenshots were made using Windows XP.

Windows is asking to connect to Windows Update to search for software.

3) Select “NO, NOT THIS TIME” and lick “Next”.

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4) By default the above screen has the “Install the software automatically” box

selected, but you need to select the box below, labeled “Install from a list or specific location”.

Then click next.

5) Locate the folder containing the USB driver by clicking on “Browse”, and validate with “OK”.

If you are loading the driver files from the CD supplied with the AR-ALPHA, proceed as shown by

selecting the “USB driver” folder inside the CD.

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6) Validate your selection with “OK”

Note: A newer USB driver might be available from the following URL:

http://www.ftdichip.com/ftdrivers.htm

Click “VCP Drivers”: then select the device number “FT232B”. In that case, download the zip file and

unzip it to the folder of your choice. This is then the folder you have to locate in the hardware update

wizard.

Windows informs the user about the status of the Windows Logo testing of this USB driver.

7) Click “Continue Anyway”.

Allow the driver installation to set up automatically.

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The USB driver is now installed.