diff --git a/aor/aor.c b/aor/aor.c
index 08dbcad98..8ba181d47 100644
--- a/aor/aor.c
+++ b/aor/aor.c
@@ -97,6 +97,12 @@ static int aor_transaction(RIG *rig, const char *cmd, int cmd_len, char *data, i
 	if (retval < 0)
 		return retval;
 
+	/* chop LF head when present */
+	if (retval >= 1 && data[0] == '\x0a') {
+		retval--;
+		memmove(data, data+1, retval);
+	}
+
 	*data_len = retval;
 		
 	if (*data_len < BUFSZ)
@@ -104,7 +110,7 @@ static int aor_transaction(RIG *rig, const char *cmd, int cmd_len, char *data, i
 	else
 		data[BUFSZ-1] = '\0';
 
-	if (data[0] == '?') {
+	if (retval >= 1 && data[0] == '?') {
 		/* command failed? resync with radio */
 		write_block(&rs->rigport, EOM, 1);
 
@@ -575,7 +581,15 @@ int aor_get_level(RIG *rig, vfo_t vfo, setting_t level, value_t *val)
 	case RIG_LEVEL_RAWSTR:
 		if (ack_len < 4 || ackbuf[0] != 'L' || ackbuf[1] != 'M')
 			return -RIG_EPROTO;
-		sscanf(ackbuf+(ackbuf[2]=='%'?3:2), "%x", &val->i);
+
+		if (rig->caps->rig_model == RIG_MODEL_AR8000) {
+			sscanf(ackbuf+2, "%x", &val->i);
+			val->i &= ~0x80; /* mask squelch status */
+		} else if (rig->caps->rig_model == RIG_MODEL_AR8200 ||
+				rig->caps->rig_model == RIG_MODEL_AR8600)
+			sscanf(ackbuf+3, "%d", &val->i);
+		else
+			sscanf(ackbuf+3, "%x", &val->i);
 		break;
 
 	case RIG_LEVEL_ATT:
diff --git a/aor/aor.h b/aor/aor.h
index ad4bdd168..a96a201eb 100644
--- a/aor/aor.h
+++ b/aor/aor.h
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 /*
  *  Hamlib AOR backend - main header
- *  Copyright (c) 2000-2008 by Stephane Fillod
+ *  Copyright (c) 2000-2010 by Stephane Fillod
  *
- *	$Id: aor.h,v 1.24 2008-04-11 17:10:45 fillods Exp $
  *
  *   This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
  *   it under the terms of the GNU Library General Public License as
@@ -25,7 +24,7 @@
 
 #include <hamlib/rig.h>
 
-#define BACKEND_VER "0.5"
+#define BACKEND_VER "0.6"
 
 
 int format8k_mode(RIG *rig, char *buf, rmode_t mode, pbwidth_t width);
diff --git a/aor/ar8200.c b/aor/ar8200.c
index 213fb20b3..100d0dac1 100644
--- a/aor/ar8200.c
+++ b/aor/ar8200.c
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 /*
  *  Hamlib AOR backend - AR8200 description
- *  Copyright (c) 2000-2008 by Stephane Fillod
+ *  Copyright (c) 2000-2010 by Stephane Fillod
  *
- *	$Id: ar8200.c,v 1.22 2008-04-11 17:10:45 fillods Exp $
  *
  *   This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
  *   it under the terms of the GNU Library General Public License as
@@ -44,10 +43,21 @@
 #define AR8200_VFO_ALL (RIG_VFO_A|RIG_VFO_B|RIG_VFO_MEM)
 
 /* TODO: measure and report real values */
-#define AR8200_STR_CAL { 2, \
+/* series-2 (black cabinet), from AR8200 Bulletin page */
+#define AR8200_STR_CAL { 12, \
 	{ \
-		{  0x00, -60 }, \
-		{  0xff, 60 } \
+		{    0,-54 }, \
+		{   27,-32 }, \
+		{   42,-27 }, \
+		{   55,-22 }, \
+		{   68,-17 }, \
+		{   86, -7 }, \
+		{   97,  3 }, \
+		{  103, 13 }, \
+		{  106, 23 }, \
+		{  109, 33 }, \
+		{  112, 43 }, \
+		{  139, 53 }, \
 	} }
 
 #define AR8200_MEM_CAP {	\
@@ -81,7 +91,7 @@ const struct rig_caps ar8200_caps = {
 .rig_model =  RIG_MODEL_AR8200,
 .model_name = "AR8200",
 .mfg_name =  "AOR",
-.version =  BACKEND_VER,
+.version =  BACKEND_VER ".1",
 .copyright =  "LGPL",
 .status =  RIG_STATUS_ALPHA,
 .rig_type =  RIG_TYPE_SCANNER,
diff --git a/aor/ar8600.c b/aor/ar8600.c
index 0eb6ddbce..e72511a24 100644
--- a/aor/ar8600.c
+++ b/aor/ar8600.c
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 /*
  *  Hamlib AOR backend - AR8600 description
- *  Copyright (c) 2000-2008 by Stephane Fillod
+ *  Copyright (c) 2000-2010 by Stephane Fillod
  *
- *	$Id: ar8600.c,v 1.3 2008-04-11 17:10:45 fillods Exp $
  *
  *   This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
  *   it under the terms of the GNU Library General Public License as
@@ -43,11 +42,24 @@
 
 #define AR8600_VFO_ALL (RIG_VFO_A|RIG_VFO_B|RIG_VFO_MEM)
 
-/* TODO: measure and report real values */
-#define AR8600_STR_CAL { 2, \
+/* Measurement by Mark, WAØTOP,
+ * using a HP8640B signal generator on an AR8600 Mark 2 (sn. 551454).
+ * The mode was AM. The ATT was off.
+ */
+#define AR8600_STR_CAL { 12, \
 	{ \
-		{  0x00, -60 }, \
-		{  0xff, 60 } \
+		{   0, -54 }, /* 1st point is extrapolated */ \
+		{  13, -27 }, /* S-pixels: none */ \
+		{  29, -17 }, \
+		{  41, - 7 }, \
+		{  49,   3 }, /* S-pixels: 21 */ \
+		{  54,  13 }, \
+		{  59,  23 }, \
+		{  62,  33 }, /* S-pixels: 30 */ \
+		{  64,  43 }, \
+		{  65,  53 }, \
+		{  68,  63 }, \
+		{  69,  73 } /* S-pixels: 36 */ \
 	} }
 
 #define AR8600_MEM_CAP {	\
@@ -81,7 +93,7 @@ const struct rig_caps ar8600_caps = {
 .rig_model =  RIG_MODEL_AR8600,
 .model_name = "AR8600",
 .mfg_name =  "AOR",
-.version =  BACKEND_VER,
+.version =  BACKEND_VER ".1",
 .copyright =  "LGPL",
 .status =  RIG_STATUS_BETA,
 .rig_type =  RIG_TYPE_SCANNER,