BC346XT ID SCAN/ID Search not working.

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Legoboy3998

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I have had my Uniden BC346XT for a few years now it has worked great. I have programmed several trunked talk groups from the Milwaukee County Public Safety system, as well as several conventional railroad frequencies. Lately when scanning both systems, the trunked system doesn't seem to always pick up the conversations and today, it isn't picking up anything at all in scan or search. The conventional railroad frequencies are getting picked up when scanning. If I hold one of the trunked control channels, I pick up conversations, just not when scanning or searching.

I hope that makes sense, any thoughts? Is there something I can do, or do I need a new scanner?

Thanks in advance.

Sal
WFB, WI
 

UPMan

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Legoboy3998

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It is the first system you Linked. I have it programed correctly with the rebanding. It does work, sometimes. For example, yesterday morning it wasn't picking anything up. So I turned off my scanner for several hours. Later on last night I turned it back on and voila it would pick up several conversations. One every minute or so, with very few long extended periods of not picking anything up. I turned it on about an hour and a half ago after coming home from work and I haven't picked up a single conversation from that system. I have the North Shore Fire and the 2 North Shore Police groups programmed. I find it hard to believe there is nothing going on in the 7 communities for a 2 hour period.

Over the weekend I picked up several fire crews getting paged to a house around the block from me. After hearing the responding units arrive on scene, I walked over. Standing about 10 feet from the battalion chief, I could hear him talking to crews for several minutes over the radio, but my scanner picked up nothing.

It just seems odd that I will pick up a lot of communications one day, and nothing the next.

Sal
WFB, WI
 

ka3jjz

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Make sure you have ALL the red colored frequencies programmed. It's odd that nothing has been flagged as a secondary control channel - I would ask in the Wisconsin forum about any updates, either to the system or it's frequencies - that hasn't made it to the database as yet

That would be the most obvious reason why you would receive conversations on one day, but not the next.

Do Milwaukee users use the WISCOM system more, and keep that system as a fallback? That would also account for the low traffic amount.

You didn't mention how you programmed your radio - manually or via software - if the latter, it's possible someone in the Wisconsin forum has something to which you could compare your programming.

I've also noted that very same symptom if I'm not receiving the system very well. Take a look and see - if you only have 1 or 2 bars of signal strength, you need to do better than that. A better antenna is called for in this case

HTH...Mike
 
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Legoboy3998

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Mar 23, 2011
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Thanks for the imput Mike. I do have all 4 red control channels programmed in. I did it manually using Freescan (I did not import the data base from Radio Reference. I've only noticed this issue recently that's why it is so strange. I'll have to look into the signal strength, I haven't really payed that close attention. And I'll have to check in in the Wisconsin forum and see about updates. The only things WISCOM seems to be used for is the state patrol and some tactical stuff, more or less state wide type of deal.

Thanks again,
Sal
WFB, WI
 
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