Pro-164

rad1oreference · #1 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 10:16 AM

My Pro-164 is about 5 months old and it seems that the reception is pretty bad lately. When I turn it on it hear a static sound almost like something is loose. Lately I don't hear the close PD and PD and State Police prperly. Something must be loose inside.

Is it normal to hear a scratchy sound when i turn the volume up and down?

I was next to an EMS guy with his radio on and we have the same frequency tuned in. His radio starts receiving comm and I cant hear anything while my buddy with a uniden portable hears it. I double checked the frequency and tone and everything looks good. It was a regular comm.

Any explanation as to why this happens with RS portables? My Pro-97 had the same thing happened once and I sent it out to the Shakc's service center and when it came back it was working great.

I keep my radios well so no abuse here. Cheap radios?

crippledchicken · #2 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 10:46 AM

Could be the bnc jack has a cracked solder joint on circuit board. also, does the antenna center conductor fit snugly between the contacts insde the bnc jack. is the bnc jack loose on the scanner? if so there's a good possibility that there is, a break at the circuit board. I have had to take a small pointed object and gently, pry each half of the internal contacts in the bnc jack so the center pin on the antenna fits tighter on more then one radio including cb radios. just some things to check first. good luck!

RadioDaze · #3 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 01:10 PM

It also sounds like the volume control pot needs a little contact cleaner. For a quick fix, remove the battery (and ac adapter if it's plugged in) and the turn the radio on and rotate the volume control back and forth rapidly about 10 or 15 times. Then power up and see if there's any improvement. That can usually buy you some time if it's just the volume pot. Eventually it would need some contact cleaner, but you'd have to open the radio to apply it.

As far as the poor reception, crippledchicken's suggestion is useful. A dirty volume pot wouldn't cause poor reception.

N1BHH · #4 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 04:42 PM

Cold solder joints and dirty pots are a way of life when quality control is lacking. The two can be fixed easily. If there is a cold solder joint, all you need to do is heat up your soldering iron and apply some heat to the joint along with maybe a little bit more solder. The flaky pot can be taken care of with some contact cleaner/lubricant. Radio Shack has some for about $10 that I have used, it works wonders. Good luck in curing your radio ills.