issues with Pro 106

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wagondriver12

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Afternoon, I have a pro 106 that I am less than happy with its performance. I can sit it next to my 20 year old pro 96 and the pro 96 work 100 times better. I sent my 106 out for repairs and a check up and nothing major was found. Here are my issues. I am scanning three different departments on P25 system. The scanners misses transmissions while the 96 sitting next to it does not. I can move radio around my room sometimes only a few feet and it will greatly effect the pro 106. There are times when the radio will stop on a channel talk briefly then will cut out. I have changed antenna's and both say I have a strong signal. The same antenna i will put on my pro 96 and my 96 works just as good as the day I got it.
I am curious if this is just the nature of this radio or is there something I can do to make it better? I was in Baltimore city today and close to one of their towers and it wasn't as bad, but certainly not a well again as my Pro 96.

Thank you for any help that is given
 

gewecke

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It sounds like your 106 may not be getting a strong signal on the control channel for the system you're trying to listen to. You would need to provide more info for us to help you. How far from the closest system tower are you? Antenna? There's several variables that could explain your lack of reception. 73, n9zas
 

wagondriver12

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Ok, I tried using the same antenna that came with radio. I switched it to a radio shack 800 mhz antenna. I got same results. I used those same antenna's on my Pro 96 and the 96 worked fine. The issue is with the 106. I live roughly around 5 miles from a tower for the agency that I listen to (Baltimore County) I can sit both radios next to each other and my 96 works way better then the 106. I am at my pull my hair out stage. I agree the 106 is not receiving a data signal strong enough.

Thank you
 

marksmith

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Moving the radio a few inches and experiencing dramatic changes in reception is a common condition when monitoring 700 - 800mz p25 trunking systems. That is normal to some extent.

Even worse if they happen to be simulcast systems with lots of sites. Baltimore City is not simulcast but Baltimore County is. Baltimore City is P25 and has their sites oriented to focus reception within the jurisdiction and not outside of it.



Mark
WS1095/536/436/996P2/HP1e/HP2e/996XT/325P2/396XT/PRO668/PSR800/PRO652
 

wagondriver12

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Yes! crazy how my old 96 works fine on same p25 systems but the 106 like you said I can move a few inches and the reception sometimes improves. Bottom line I guess there is zero fix? You are right also about Baltimore City with newer radio as I get closer to city it works better. Again though I can generally pick up Baltimore City on my Pro 96 sometimes 25-30 miles from the city. Thank you
 

GeneseeCoMI

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Mount Morris, Michigan
Afternoon, I have a pro 106 that I am less than happy with its performance. I can sit it next to my 20 year old pro 96 and the pro 96 work 100 times better. I sent my 106 out for repairs and a check up and nothing major was found. Here are my issues. I am scanning three different departments on P25 system. The scanners misses transmissions while the 96 sitting next to it does not. I can move radio around my room sometimes only a few feet and it will greatly effect the pro 106. There are times when the radio will stop on a channel talk briefly then will cut out. I have changed antenna's and both say I have a strong signal. The same antenna i will put on my pro 96 and my 96 works just as good as the day I got it.
I am curious if this is just the nature of this radio or is there something I can do to make it better? I was in Baltimore city today and close to one of their towers and it wasn't as bad, but certainly not a well again as my Pro 96.

Thank you for any help that is given

You can't have a 20 year old Pro 96. They came out in 2003.

Anyways, no there's nothing you can do to change this. The Pro 96 is more sensitive than the Pro 106. They made the Pro 106 less sensitive to "fix" the simulcast signal distortion problems the Pro 96 has (i.e. the Pro 96 will receive 2 towers from the same system while the Pro 106 will only receive one, the result being fewer garbled or dropped calls with the Pro 106). Makes the Pro 106 a poor DXing radio though. When conditions are good I'll get strong signals on distant trunked systems on the Pro 96 and nothing on the Pro 106, using the same outdoor antenna. One of the Pro 106's only drawbacks IMO.
 
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marksmith

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You are right also about Baltimore City with newer radio as I get closer to city it works better. Again though I can generally pick up Baltimore City on my Pro 96 sometimes 25-30 miles from the city. Thank you

In certain very narrow directions it is true Baltimore City gets a ways out of the City. This is also true for Baltimore County in very specific directions, and not others.

By the,way... also have a 96, and it is definitely a very sensitive radio. This is great for some systems and a problem on others.

Mark
WS1095/536/436/996P2/HP1e/HP2e/996XT/325P2/396XT/PRO668/PSR800/PRO652
 

marksmith

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... I know it just came out in 2003, but it does seem like I have had the pro96 for longer than that.

Mark
WS1095/536/436/996P2/HP1e/HP2e/996XT/325P2/396XT/PRO668/PSR800/PRO652
 

Louwo

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It all depends on how your p25 system is set up. I did very well on a multi site p25 system in my area till they went to phase 2 a LSM broadcast. It makes my 106 and bearcat 996xt real cranky from receiving from multiple towers on the same frequency. The 96 at the shop hears it all crystal clear. I got to bring my 106 down there see if I have the same problem. I have been trying so many settings to get both scanners working without buying a new one which right now is not in the budget.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
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