x36 Custom Search: Passing No Audio

rr60 · May 18, 2016

I must be cracking up. I know the radio well ( I think ) and know there are many ways to miss program so as not to pass audio. I must be missing something, any pointers would be much appreciated.

Issue: Custom search used to work well with no issues. It now passes no audio. I programmed in the weather band too with no luck in search. However if I suspend the search and manually tune in the range the NOAA station audio is passed.

I have checked attenuator is OFF. All broadcast screens are OFF. I do not think there is a CC only function in x36 as there is in 996, but I have not seen it and find no reference to it in manual for custom search mode. Squelch is at threshold. All scanning functions work fine.

What am I missing here, any ideas much appreciated.

zwc · May 23, 2016

r60 said:
I must be cracking up. I know the radio well ( I think ) and know there are many ways to miss program so as not to pass audio. I must be missing something, any pointers would be much appreciated.

Issue: Custom search used to work well with no issues. It now passes no audio. I programmed in the weather band too with no luck in search. However if I suspend the search and manually tune in the range the NOAA station audio is passed.

I have checked attenuator is OFF. All broadcast screens are OFF. I do not think there is a CC only function in x36 as there is in 996, but I have not seen it and find no reference to it in manual for custom search mode. Squelch is at threshold. All scanning functions work fine.

What am I missing here, any ideas much appreciated.

Where are you checking for audio? Headphones, REC OUT, SPEAKER OUT,etc? Is it even hooked up to a computer or is it a stand-alone?

Are all volume levels turned up on your sound card, powered speaker, etc? I have two speakers hooked up to my 996P2 - RECORD OUT to my sound card mic in, sound card speaker out to a powered speaker, and a speaker plugged into the SPEAKER jack at the rear of the scanner.

The powered speaker gets flaky sometimes and goes silent - it's old and the volume pot is very scratchy and refused to be cleaned anymore. I have done a lot of troubleshooting in the past only to find out the powered speaker's volume needed a slight nudge.

Recorded files come out of the powered speaker, and not recorded channels come out of the other one. I have them separated so I know which is which.

I do have to balance out the levels with sound card adjustments by adjusting the volume of WAV OUT (recorded files being played back), MIC IN (the live audio coming from the REC OUT of the scanner) as well as the scanner's volume to drive the other speaker.

Whew ---

rr60 · May 24, 2016

Custom Search

I am using in standalone. No headphones either. Audio through scanner speaker.

The 536 is passing audio on systems I have programmed.

Also squelch circut seems fine when it scans WX operation key in menu. The issue is solely in custom scan. If I enter any custom search range even weather band limits the 536 will not stop and pass audio. It will however pass audio if I manually step through the custom range.

I have even tried the reset to factory [removing user settings].

This is nuts!!! Any thoughts welcome.

zwc · May 24, 2016

I know my 996P2 won't pass audio during "Search and Store" operations by design. Is that the type of search you're performing?

Page 90 of manual:

"Search and Store

Lets you search and store frequencies from enabled custom search ranges or a service search range into a conventional system, or new talk group IDs into a trunked system. To store frequencies or talk group IDs you find during Search and Store, you must first select a system where the frequencies or talk group IDs will be stored. You will not hear any audio in this mode."

rr60 · May 25, 2016

Thanks....the radio while scanning in either custom search mode or conventional discovery modes will not unsquelch on any signals,none.

As a result it does not pass audio. Off course if I open the squelch circut to 0 it stops an passes audio.

But SQ on 1 it just will not stop, even on 162 WX band with a nearby local transmitter.

zwc · May 25, 2016

I'd back up the current database you have loaded into the scanner and do a complete factory reset. I believe you hold "2, 9 and DEPT" simultaneously while turning the scanner on.

Then, I'd load a DIFFERENT database file, a known good one you had loaded before you had the problem, into the scanner and see if that resolves the issue.

If your scanner now works, you had a configuration or other software related problem.

It that doesn't solve the problem, you know it's not related to a configuration or setting and you can look elsewhere.

rr60 · May 25, 2016

Great idea........I will report back.

rr60 · May 25, 2016

Wondering

I wonder if,as a result this unit being repaired under the "campaign" if I did not get my radio back and got a substitute. When it left it was working, I have not used this feature in the weeks since it's return.

I did the full reset as suggested and reloaded data base to no avail.

I give up, got way to many hours in this,going back to Texas.

Here is video link, in custom scan,note on hold,audio passes,then I press button to resume scanning and it passes right over transmission in progress until I press hold again, Ughhhh.

https://youtu.be/qfb8sgR7Mxs

UPMan · May 25, 2016

Turn off the Broadcast Screen (MENU --> Srch/CloCall Opt --> Broadcast Screen --> Set All Band Off)

zwc · May 25, 2016

Check your band step.

Nice video. I misunderstood your problem. The scanner isn't stopping on an active channel. I didn't know that's what you meant when you said it wasn't passing audio. I thought is was stopping on a channel, but you couldn't hear it.

It looks like your band plan step for that range might be off. Verify you have 5 kHz steps in that band plan. An incorrect value here would cause the problem you're having. Notice how you start on 155.820 and wind up on 155.825.

rr60 · May 26, 2016

Thanks

UPMan said:
Turn off the Broadcast Screen (MENU --> Srch/CloCall Opt --> Broadcast Screen --> Set All Band Off)

Appreciate Paul and ZWC. Yes I reset radio and double checked broadcast screen was pager on all others off default. Then set all to off.

That paging transmitter is 1 or two mile away running 250watts at 300' not including ERP gain. Same with nearby NOAA transmitter.

Custom and discovery search radio will not unsquelch on signals unless hold is pressed or manually rotating sq control.

Interesting to note the sq circut works perfect when using MENU, WX Operation. Also working fine is conventional scan lists and trunked systems.

Back to the depot.

zwc · May 26, 2016

I think you tried everything! Please update if you ever find out what caused this issue.

rr60 · May 26, 2016

And I found another Gremlin lurking this morning.

In conventional scan with Analog, CTCSS set to SEARCH on the frequency the radio will stop on signal & pass audio but NOT display the CTCSS tone in use.

Note that in the video link when the radio is in custom search and I force it to stop scanning it does display the tone in use.

Nutty.

zwc · May 26, 2016

I was going to ask you about PL tones. A wrong PL will cause a scanner to not stop on an active freq. Maybe your have a PL type issue?

I know that with my 996P2 some of the display options don't show the PL tone, some don't show frequency, etc.

KevinC · May 26, 2016

r60 said:
Appreciate Paul and ZWC. Yes I reset radio and double checked broadcast screen was pager on all others off default. Then set all to off.

That paging transmitter is 1 or two mile away running 250watts at 300' not including ERP gain. Same with nearby NOAA transmitter.

Custom and discovery search radio will not unsquelch on signals unless hold is pressed or manually rotating sq control.

Interesting to note the sq circut works perfect when using MENU, WX Operation. Also working fine is conventional scan lists and trunked systems.

Back to the depot.

Disregard, already addressed.

zwc · May 26, 2016

r60 said:
And I found another Gremlin lurking this morning.

In conventional scan with Analog, CTCSS set to SEARCH on the frequency the radio will stop on signal & pass audio but NOT display the CTCSS tone in use.

Note that in the video link when the radio is in custom search and I force it to stop scanning it does display the tone in use.

Nutty.

My 996P2 will not show PL tones if it's set to show NAC codes. It also won't show NAC if it's set to show PL. Is that a possible issue?

rr60 · Jun 15, 2016

Thanks Uniden

Well, I got the estimate for repair. Very quick and reasonable.

The reason for the bugs...moisture damage, which could have occurred.

Thanks Uniden and thanks for everyone's reply.

eaf1956 · Jun 15, 2016

UPMan said:
Turn off the Broadcast Screen (MENU --> Srch/CloCall Opt --> Broadcast Screen --> Set All Band Off)

My 536 had the same problem and Jeff at Ham Station and I turned all those on to no avail. It is currently in for repair. It would receive WX if you manually stopped on the Frequency but not during a search.

zwc · Jun 16, 2016

r60 said:
Well, I got the estimate for repair. Very quick and reasonable.

The reason for the bugs...moisture damage, which could have occurred.

Thanks Uniden and thanks for everyone's reply.

Cool!

x36 Custom Search: Passing No Audio

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