Help I think my scanner is possessed!

Hello everyone,

Okay, I really don't think my scanner is possessed, but I am having a new issue that I've never had before in all my years of scanning.

My scanner is a Uniden BCT15X and within the last week I've been getting NOAA weather radio audio seeping in on the dead air. When someone keys the mic you hear them just fine usually but while the scanner is pausing on that channel weather audio comes across until the next person keys the mic to reply. Sometimes the weather audio comes across at the same time as the user of the freq. but usually is quieted by the freq. user. After they are done talking the scanner moves on like there's nothing there.

This is happening on 20+ channels and it doesn't seem to matter what frequency it's on. Only thing I've changed recently was I replace an amp that went bad.

Any ideas on what's causing this and possible solutions? Never had any issue like this with the old amp so I don't think that's the problem but I dunno. Wondered if maybe had something to do with the solar flares or something.

Oh yeah I've even turned squelch all the way up and didn't help any.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks for your time.

How close do you live to your local NOAA weather radio transmitter?

kgr272 said:

How close do you live to your local NOAA weather radio transmitter?

Click to expand...

I have 2 that technically cover my area one is at around 40 miles and the other is a little over 50 miles away.

Yep...it's possessed! :twisted:

73,
n9zas

dragon_slayer79 said:

I have 2 that technically cover my area one is at around 40 miles and the other is a little over 50 miles away.

Click to expand...

Well that kills my theory as far as front end overload from a nearby transmitter, got me on that one.

Is it possible that you have the weather priority enabled.

Also there could be a nearby transmitter which is re-broadcasting the weather channel audio. I know this is done by some SkyWarn amateur repeaters.

dragon_slayer79 said:

Only thing I've changed recently was I replace an amp that went bad.

Click to expand...

I'm going to hazard a guess that the new amp is causing the problem. The old one may have quit sooner than you think. Have you changed the height of the antenna, or, added new feedline? These, with the new amp, will greatly increase the reception of unwanted signals. Have you tried taking out the new amp? Do you really need the amp to receive the signals you monitor? If not, take the amp out and see what the result is
HTH,
Larry

"Only thing I've changed recently was I replace an amp that went bad."

Yup, therein lies the problem, I'll wager the new one is not the same make and model as the old and has entirely different characteristics. Specifically the intermod is being generated in the amp, a common problem which is why they're not generally recommended. You're living proof that whenever someone says "don't use an amp" someone else chimes in and says "I have one and it doesn't give ME trouble". Just to shut you all up before another such argument begins, not all amps are the same but generally speaking they can cause intermod problems in an RF rich environment and unless you live out in the woods you live in an RF rich environment.

W8RMH said:

Is it possible that you have the weather priority enabled.

Also there could be a nearby transmitter which is re-broadcasting the weather channel audio. I know this is done by some SkyWarn amateur repeaters.

Click to expand...

Nope WP not enabled. I've tried using the Close Call feature and it didn't pickup on anything new. I'm also a HAM and unless someone new in the area has started doing it none of the local repeaters do that.

N8IAA said:

I'm going to hazard a guess that the new amp is causing the problem. The old one may have quit sooner than you think. Have you changed the height of the antenna, or, added new feedline? These, with the new amp, will greatly increase the reception of unwanted signals. Have you tried taking out the new amp? Do you really need the amp to receive the signals you monitor? If not, take the amp out and see what the result is
HTH,
Larry

Click to expand...

Yes amp is required don't hardly pick up anything without it. Not the best setup antenna on 60' tower with 200+ feet of RG6 cable run.

kb2vxa said:

"Only thing I've changed recently was I replace an amp that went bad."

Yup, therein lies the problem, I'll wager the new one is not the same make and model as the old and has entirely different characteristics. Specifically the intermod is being generated in the amp, a common problem which is why they're not generally recommended. You're living proof that whenever someone says "don't use an amp" someone else chimes in and says "I have one and it doesn't give ME trouble". Just to shut you all up before another such argument begins, not all amps are the same but generally speaking they can cause intermod problems in an RF rich environment and unless you live out in the woods you live in an RF rich environment.

Click to expand...

Well I am out in the country. Closest town is about 10 miles and it's a small town of around 7 thousand. I can here most of there stuff fine without an amp but they are just a small piece of what I listen too. The majority of the traffic I listen to is at least 20 miles away the furthest I try for is about 50 miles. And everyone except my closest town requires the amp to hear them due to the loss I'm getting on my less than ideal cable run of 200+ feet of RG6.

So if it is front end overload on just the weather channels is there a way to cut just their signal?

Unlike GRE's notoriously weak front ends, Uniden scanners have excellent front ends that take a lot to overload them.

I also think the amp might be the problem here. You say this is happening on everything you're listening to, regardless of frequency? Take the amp out of the equation and listen to the local frequencies you can pick up without the amp, and see if the weather channels go away. If so, the amp is probably the culprit.

In all honesty, RG6 isn't bad coax to use for receive only, but at 200+ feet of it, you're going to have issues. Hopefully you're using quality RG6 and not Radio Shack junk, and are using quality F connectors like T&B SnapNSeal compression, not cheap twist on or crimp ons. I'm sure you've got a few F to UHF or BNC adapters in the mix also for the antenna, amp, scanner, etc.

You didn't mention, is that a legitimate amp for RF, or is it a cheap cable TV amp?

I would also suggest a good grade of low loss cable, such as LMR400 or Belden 9913 flex since you're not in a metro area.

73,
n9zas

Chauffeur6 said:

Unlike GRE's notoriously weak front ends, Uniden scanners have excellent front ends that take a lot to overload them.

I also think the amp might be the problem here. You say this is happening on everything you're listening to, regardless of frequency? Take the amp out of the equation and listen to the local frequencies you can pick up without the amp, and see if the weather channels go away. If so, the amp is probably the culprit.

In all honesty, RG6 isn't bad coax to use for receive only, but at 200+ feet of it, you're going to have issues. Hopefully you're using quality RG6 and not Radio Shack junk, and are using quality F connectors like T&B SnapNSeal compression, not cheap twist on or crimp ons. I'm sure you've got a few F to UHF or BNC adapters in the mix also for the antenna, amp, scanner, etc.

You didn't mention, is that a legitimate amp for RF, or is it a cheap cable TV amp?

Click to expand...

I should clarify this is not happening on EVERY channel. Just on several channels and those channels that it is happening on are not close together in regards to frequency. That said of the channels that I've noted most are in the 15x.xxx of the spectrum. I haven't caught it on any 400's or 800's as of yet.

I am using quality coax with gel inside that seals any nick or cracks that may appear to keep moisture out. I only use high quality compression fittings.

The amp I'm using is the channel master Titan 2 model CM-7777.

gewecke said:

I would also suggest a good grade of low loss cable, such as LMR400 or Belden 9913 flex since you're not in a metro area.

73,
n9zas

Click to expand...

Yeah I'm hoping to move in the next few months and when I do I have full intentions of upgrading the coax at that time. Been wanting to do it for a while now just wasn't able to work it into the budget.

dragon_slayer79 said:

I should clarify this is not happening on EVERY channel. Just on several channels and those channels that it is happening on are not close together in regards to frequency. That said of the channels that I've noted most are in the 15x.xxx of the spectrum. I haven't caught it on any 400's or 800's as of yet.

I am using quality coax with gel inside that seals any nick or cracks that may appear to keep moisture out. I only use high quality compression fittings.

The amp I'm using is the channel master Titan 2 model CM-7777.

Click to expand...

That amp is really designed for VHF/UHF TV, not standard radio frequencies. I'd still like to remove it from the equation to rule it out.

Let's also figure out exactly which frequencies it's happening on, and if there is any relationship between those frequencies such as their geographic location. We could be dealing with a NOAA tower in a particular area interfering with a certain group of frequencies.

While focused on the RF rich environment issue you missed the point entirely. Again, the old amp worked satisfactorily while the new one doesn't. That is the problem completely, the new amp. If you use the same make and model you once had you won't have the problem. Why go all over the board when you have the solution at hand?