BCD396xt sensitivity Loss

[wa2nac]

All of a sudden my BCD396XT lost it's sensitivity without any changes to the radio. about 10-15db) It appears that the attenuator is on for the channels. I have performed the factory reset with no results. Has anyone had this happened to their unit and what did you do? I have the latest version of firmware programmed.

 

[W8RMH]

Turn the attenuator off and see if the problem continues. You shouldn't need that unless you are having problems with inter-mod interference.

 

[wa2nac]

Sensitivity loss

I have checked via software (freescan) and manually and the attenuator setting is not on. Still have
same loss of sensitivity. Is there a higher level on reset other that 2,9, hold, and on?

 

[wa2nac]

I don't have the attenuator on. Still loss of sensitivity. Reset again, no change.

 

[mikewazowski]

I don't have the attenuator on. Still loss of sensitivity. Reset again, no change.

Have you been transmitting near it? That will blow out the front end pretty quick if your antennas don't have an appropriate physical separation between them.

 

[wa2nac]

No, i have not transmitted at all. The radio just lost it's ears while running. I checked the attenuator
function does work. Just makes the situation worse.

 

[ofd8001]

Is the sensitivity "lost" on everything you monitor, or is it specific to a given trunked radio system or set of channels?

Are you able to monitor any of the National Weather Service frequencies but no longer can when you had been? (Any time I panic about a radio acting up, one of the first things I do is hit the NWS - they've usually got a good signal in most populated areas and is constantly transmitting).

Is the sensitivity loss associated with the scanner being in one place (such as at tome)? By that I mean if you only listen to the scanner at home, some other electronic device could have gone crazy and it is desensitizing the scanner.

The only time I've experienced/seen a loss in scanner sensitivity was when I blew up my front end by having the scanner too close to a transmitter (though this has already been mentioned).

 

[wa2nac]

Sensitivity loss

The radio has completely loss sensitivity on all channels. After hearing the comments on this thread about the receiver front end, I think that it is the problem. This radio must have a system problem in the regard because
I have an other scanner in the same place with no problems. It's going for repair today.

 

[MarkWestin]

There is a good chance that your antenna connector has become disconnected from the circuit board. If so, the connector could require replacement, or it might just need to be resoldered to the board.

Mark

 

[1Partsman]

you might want to try the sma connector to see if it is loose....it was not on my 396xt, but had that happen.....like they said, lock on to NWS and try to move the connector slightly to see if it makes a difference....do get too rough on it, because if it is not broke, it might be after you beat on it.....

John

 

[wtp]

pin ?

could the sma pin have broken ?

 

[ofd8001]

You mentioned that you have another scanner which works fine. Does it have the same type of antenna connector where you could swap out the two (presuming this isn't something you've already tried)?