This sale is for a very high end wideband scanning receiver the AOR AR5000+3 receiver not as commonly seen for sale here on Ebay.  In some respects, it is the king of receivers.  Why? Because it offers both standard tuning and scan features, offers an exceptional array of operating modes, and does this over an incredible frequency range from 10 KHz up through 2600 MHz (with the exception of cell blocked frequencies in the 800 MHz range per federal law).  

If you are a prepper who wants the best do all receiver in the shelter or if you are a person who admires a receiver that with a proper antenna and within range can literally hear most anything (short of government encrypted or digital signals), then this AR5000+3 is your receiver.  Few receivers offer the combination of exceptional receiving frequencies, wealth of operational controls, and then put this into a highly configurable package.

The selling price has been set in accordance with overall condition, desirability, and relative scarcity.  Please understand that this is the "+3" version that has 3 additional optional features (enumerated below).  This receiver has all the bells and whistles and so the price is commensurate with that fact.

Electronically, the receiver operates beautifully with no issues or shortcomings.  Cosmetically, the receiver is used and in good, but not perfect, condition.  You will see some marks on the receiver from age and prior ownership.  Please look closely at our pictures as we endeavored to take shots that allow you to see exactly what to expect to see in person when the AR5000+3 is delivered.

This AR5000+3 comes with:

Those of you who follow our Ebay listings know that we sell a wide variety of receivers.  This is one of the more sophisticated receiving units that we offer on Ebay due to the extremely wide coverage and due to the additional aspects of its scanning capabilities.  The AR5000 was manufactured from 1996 until about 2008 when it was discontinued and the availability this receiver began to dry up.  At this point in time, aficionados are reduced to scouring sources like Ebay for a good unit.  

So what is it that makes this receiver so special?  Well, in addition to its incredible span of receiving frequencies, it incorporates features not typically found in consumer grade receivers.  One of these features is a wide band front end that uses electronic preselection between 500 KHz - 1,000 MHz and then uses low pass, band pass, and high pass filters for the other bands.  This means that unlike most VHF, UHF and highband scanners, the receiver is virtually immune to nearby transmitters that can often wreak havoc while listening on ordinary scanners.  In fact, one of the reviews by amateur operator VK7ZJA on eHam tells about how he compares this receiver to other devices and how the AR5000 does not give him image issues.  In other words, the receiver's front end is virtually bullet proof!

Another thing not commonly found on consumer receivers is a very high grade TXCO fitted as standard giving the receiver excellent stability and tuning accuracy.  Some users have said that the drift of the receiver is incredibly small over a range of operational time and operating changes such as temperature and this would make sense as it is rated at 1 PPM (part per million) over a temperature range of 32-121 degrees F (0-50 C).

There are multiple tuning steps available as presets or user programmed, but we appreciate that the receiver can tune in the fine resolution of a 1 Hz and does this by utilizing a NCO (Numeric Controlled Oscillator).  When we listen to the radio, we often switch regularly between frequencies as we monitor broadcasts or if we want to see if a station is signing on or signing off.  With most receivers, you are limited to a single VFO which means that every time you want to jump to another frequency, you have to re-tune the receiver in addition to all the other listening parameters.  This can be tedious if you are listening to ham operators and monitoring various nets or if you want to compare signal strength on shortwave of the same broadcaster on different frequencies and especially if you have to re-enter bandwidth, mode, etc.  

Enter a solution.....multiple VFOs.  With the AR5000, you can program a frequency, tuning step, mode, IF bandwidth into each VFO so that you can save several steps when changing bands.  For practical tuning, you can use one VFO for listening on the mediumwave band, another for 80 meters LSB, another for 20 meters USB, another for a favorite shortwave band, another for FM broadcast, and others for whatever your heart desires. Thus, you can see the advantages of multiple VFOs for listening.

One thing that we found when operating this receiver is the joy of discovery.  Since we have had little total hands-on time with the AR5000, we realized that while there are many things in common with other receivers, there are many features not typically found.  With many receivers fitted with only standard features, after a few minutes of operation, our time focuses on reception on the various bands and such things as sensitivity and ease of use.  However, with this receiver, the basic features are easily recognizable and utilized.  But the more we read the manual or pushed buttons, extra options and features came to view.  

Like a TV remote control that has scads of buttons, this receiver has features that may be used seldom or never. The designers of the AR5000 wanted their product to be able to be utilized in a variety of environments, detecting everything from voice to code to data, and doing this with direct tuning, scanning, or computer control.  The standard features are easily located and used without reading the manual, but it is advisable for the owner to study the manual so that they can get realize maximum advantage with all the features.

This AR5000 is the +3 version that adds the desired features of Synchronous AM detection (SAM), Automatic Frequency Control (AFC), and Noise Blanker.  Not only does the operator gain the advantage the sync detector added to the list of operational modes, but they are further given sync mode in upper or lower sideband to effectively eliminate offending side-channel interference.  This feature is especially valued in the shortwave bands where it is common for transmitted signals to bump into each other disturbing listening pleasure.

The AFC is important to lock signals on the upper bands where drift is common and the AFC on the AR5000+3 helps lock signals on AM and AM sync in addition to FM.  This is an amazing feature of the design as it is a global AGC. (but not on CW, LSB, USB).  The AFC automatically tunes the receiver's frequency to the center strongest part of the signal for optimal signal strength and audio quality.  When activated and working, the last 3 digits of the display are replaced with "AF" to indicate that the AFC is engaged.  AOR specifically designed the +3 AFC to be useful in both AM and FM because the receiver is a true all-mode, all frequency scanner -- not just a VHF/UHF device and so the AFC helps with unstable signals anywhere in its tuning range.  We do not know of another receiver that offers a "global AFC" function.

The noise blanker is helpful in dealing with much man-made noise emanating from such devices as motors, fluorescent lamps, dimmer switches, computers, TV's or other household devices.  This type of noise banker does not take care of atmospheric noise.  Rather, such noise blankers can recognize non-random noise, lock onto the pattern, and then "blank" or minimize its footprint on the signal.  This can be really helpful if you have devices in your home that you cannot eliminate or live in proximity to a neighbor who has them.  We can recall a while back listening to a favorite shortwave program and then all at once the noise became overwhelming making the signal hard to hear and enjoy.  We discovered that a member of the family had just turned on a TV in a neighboring room.  We no longer have that TV, but it reminded us of how a lot of electronic devices actually act like miniature transmitters that are unknown to most people, but become critically important to DXers.  If the receiver has a good noise blanker, it can make a huge difference at removing such interference.

Let us now make a list of some of the features of the AR5000+3 receiver:

·       Receiving range of 10 KHz to 2600 MHz  (except cell band blocked)

·       2,000 Memory Channels

·       6 IF Bandwidths 3 / 6 / 15 / 30 / 110 / 220 KHz

·       Sensitivity from 1.8 - 30 MHz of .56 uV

·       Operating Modes of AM / FM-n / FM-w / LSB/ USB / CW / SAM / SAL / SAH

·       2,000 memories

·       Audio Filter

·       Scanning (up to 45 chan/sec)

·       HF pre-amp

·       RF Gain

·       Headphone Jack

·       External Speaker Jack

·       BFO

·       Voice Scan

·       5 VFOs

·       Analog S-Meter

·       AGC (automatic gain control)

·       ANL  (automatic noise limiter)

·       AFC  (automatic frequency control)

·       Synchronous Detection in upper and lower sideband

·       Dial Torque Adjustment

·       Dial lock

·       Duplex Offset

·       Sweep

·       Squelch

·       Transmit Mute Line

·       Tilt Stand Leg Supports (missing on this particular receiver)

·       Memory Pass

·       Audio Filter

·       Priority

·       Alphanumeric Memories

·       Attenuator -10 dB

·       Built-in Speaker

·       Sleep Timer 1-120 min

·       Dual Antenna Inputs (SO-239 and N)

·       Excellent TXCO stability of 1 PPM

·       DTMF Decoder

·       Highly Configurable

·       Computer Controllable via RS-232 Jack

·       VCS (Voice Controlled Squelch) to eliminate stop-scans on a un-modulated carrier

·       20 search banks allowing 20 start/stop frequencies

As you can see, this receiver is loaded with features.  It would take considerable time discussing most of them at length so we urge you to do some research online via the many web pages devoted to this receiver.  For instance, for those who lean toward using the scanning functions, one nice feature is that you can program up to 2100 pass frequencies.  Don't like a frequency, then just pass it.  For most scanners, this would require you using a memory to do this.  With the AR5000, you have the 2100 pass frequencies that are not a part of memory so you don't waste memory channels to pass unwanted frequencies.

This receiver is not a toy.  With its fantastic receiving range, it has the capabilities of picking up the following types of analog transmissions if within range and with a good and proper antenna:

Longwave transmissions including broadcasts within Europe or Asia as-well-as beacons & utility broadcasts

AM radio broadcast band stations

All the amateur radio frequencies of 160 thru 2 meter plus all the high band and satellite communications

Marine and ship traffic

Shortwave radio broadcasts

Military traffic (that is on open channel and not scrambled)

Railroad

Emergency services as fire, police, ambulance, hospital, lifeflight

Family Radio Service and Business Channels

TV Audio

CB radio

NASCAR Channels

Road repair and clearance crews

Prison security and maintenance traffic

University maintenance and security traffic

School bus communication

Taxi services

Drive thru restaurant communications

FM Radio broadcasts

City Transit Systems (buses, metros, trains, etc)

Wireless microphones / baby monitors , etc

Amusement park traffic (Disney has a large network)

Space communications & satellite communications (if open channel)

Microwave transmissions

One of the best places to look and research receivers is eHam.  This is because the reviewers are non-professionals so the information leans toward practical use and not lab testing.  You can find the eHam reviews here where all 11 reviewers gave the AR5000 a 4.9 rating:

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/473  (please copy and paste this link into your internet browser)

Another site to explore is the RadioReference.com site that is a clearinghouse of information.  Some of the links are dead, but you can still get a lot of information from here:

http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/AR5000   (please copy and paste this link into your internet browser)

If you visited this site, you will find limited information, but at least you can find a link to download the manual for examination:

http://satcom.tonnarelli.com/ar5000.htm   (please copy and paste this link into your internet browser)

Please use the Ebay shipping calculator to determine your shipping cost.  This cost includes proper packing materials for safe delivery and insurance cost against damage or loss.

Those buyers living outside the USA are also welcome to purchase from us.  We have shipped to 113 countries during the past 26 years on Ebay and we are happy to ship virtually anywhere in the world as served by Ebay's Global Shipping Program (which unfortunately excludes many countries in Europe due to strict customs requirements).  You may use the shipping calculator to determine your shipping cost.

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to look at our Ebay items!