Aurora AU-520

FlexRadio Systems
SKU: AURORA-520
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$8,599.00

MSRP:

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AU-520 – Dual-SCU 500W Integrated SDR Transceiver

The AU-520 raises the bar for serious HF and 6m operators, integrating a full-featured software-defined transceiver, high-efficiency 500W amplifier, automatic antenna tuner, and wide-range AC power supply—all in one compact, rugged chassis.

Built around the same cutting-edge RF architecture as its siblings, the AU-520 delivers up to 500W PEP with industry-leading efficiency—up to 80% peak—reducing heat and power demands while minimizing size and complexity in your station setup.

Designed without a built-in display or Maestro front panel, the AU-520 is ideal for remote stations, rack-mounted installations, or operators who prefer external control via SmartSDR™ for Windows, macOS, iPad®, iPhone®, or Maestro™ clients.

The AU-520 features two independent SCUs (Spectral Capture Units), each capable of digitizing wide portions of the HF/6m spectrum simultaneously. This dual-SCU configuration allows for up to 4 slice receivers and 4 independent panadapters, making it a powerful choice for contesting, diversity reception, multi-band monitoring, and advanced digital operation—all while maintaining full coverage from 30 kHz to 54 MHz.

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View Au-520 with integrated display

Inside the AU-520:

  • 500W high-efficiency transmitter
  • Integrated wide-range AC power supply
  • Automatic antenna tuner
  • SmartSignal™ adaptive predistortion for outstanding spectral purity
  • Controlled Envelope SSB (CESSB): Up to 3 dB more talk power without distortion
  • MultiFlex™: Enables two SmartSDR clients to operate independently on the same radio

With its dual-SCU design and fully integrated architecture, the AU-520 delivers the flexibility and performance of a multi-component station—without the clutter. Whether you’re operating from across the shack or across the globe, the AU-520 is built to handle high-demand operation with ease.

The AU-520 is a true SO2R (Single Operator Two Radio) solution, designed for serious contesting with dual SCUs, integrated 7th-order bandpass filters, and full isolation between receivers. Built-in OTRSP support makes integration with logging software like N1MM+ effortless—no extra hardware or wiring needed. It’s a plug-and-play SO2R contest powerhouse, ready right out of the box.

Specs

  • Weight: 25 oz

General

  • Remote Operation: SmartLink™ included
  • Client Options: PC, Mac, iPhone®, iPad®, Maestro™
  • Integrated GNSS Receiver: 12-channel GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS, SBAS
  • Time to First Fix (Cold): <35s
  • Frequency Stability (0°C–50°C): 0.001 ppm (GNSS), 0.5 ppm (TCXO)
  • Optional High-Performance GPSDO: 10 MHz output, 5 × 10⁻¹³ stability over 24 hours
  • External 10 MHz Reference Input: Yes

Receiver

  • Spectral Capture Units (SCUs): 2
  • Independent Band/Mode Receivers: 4
  • Slice Receivers: 4
  • Frequency Coverage: 30 kHz–54 MHz
  • 2 kHz RMDR: 110/115 dB
  • Dynamic Range (Max Zoom): >145 dB
  • ADC: 16-bit @ 122.88 Msps direct sampling
  • Amateur Band Preselectors: 7th order
  • DAX / DAX IQ Channels: 4 / 4
  • Receive-Only Ports (Base / Including XVTR Ports): 2 / 4
  • Full Duplex RX/TX Operation: Yes

Aurora Transmitter

  • 160m–10m Transmitter Output (Amateur Bands Only): 1–500W PEP (125W AM)
  • 6m Transmitter Output: 1–200W PEP (50W AM)
  • Harmonic Suppression: ≤ –60 dBc
  • Transverter Ports: 2
  • Transverter IF Frequency Coverage / Power: 100 kHz–54 MHz / adjustable up to +10 dBm
  • Integrated Automatic Antenna Tuner Range: 3:1 SWR
  • Adaptive Pre-distortion: Included (SmartSignal™)
  • Supported Modes: SSB, CW, AM, FM, RTTY, Digital

Spectrum/Waterfall Display

  • Spectrum/Waterfall Displays (Max): 4
  • Spectrum/Waterfall Bandwidth (Min / Max): 5 kHz – 14 MHz
  • Spectrum Resolution Bandwidth (Min): 1.46 Hz/pixel (bin)
  • Spectrum Dynamic Range (Max Zoom In): >145 dB
  • External Display Support: HDMI®

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FlexRadio does not charge your credit card until your order ships, but we do pre-authorize the full purchase price at the time you place your on-line order.

Due to the price class of a FLEX AU-520, your order may exceed your credit card’s daily transaction limit resulting in your order not being completed. In these cases, you may either contact your credit card company and negotiate a different daily purchase limit -OR- you can call the FlexRadio Sales department at 512-535-4713 ext 1 to place your order over the phone where we will not pre-authorize order payment until time of shipment.

Resources for Aurora AU-520

Documentation