Just received ny PSR-600 today and am a little disappointed in the sensitivity. Am in Buffalo, NY and with my Bearcat 15 and my Bearcat 396xt I can listen to the Canadian Bell Fleet-net system. Can't get anything on the PSR-600. It's a VHF system. Think I'm doing everything correctly. But I can't even hear the control channels if I tune them manually. I know it's too far away to use the stock antenna's that come with all the radios. But I have a DPD Omni-X about 10ft above the ridge line on the roof of the house. It works great with the Bearcats but nothing with the PSR. Any thoughts?
New PSR-600 owner - Little disapointed
- Thread starter mjmurphy61
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guitarbrian30
Member
Yeah, Send me that scanner and I would love to add it next to my oh sweet nectar from the scanning gods that engineered such an amazing machine that puts me to sleep and makes my boy age 11 months ohhhhh and ahhh at the pretty LED light.
Did you check the settings on candian/american in the global menu? just a hunch.. or something in that global menu is holding you up..... snoop around you will find it.....
I will be expecting that package in the mail soon my friend. followed by a evil laugh........
happy scanning!
Did you check the settings on candian/american in the global menu? just a hunch.. or something in that global menu is holding you up..... snoop around you will find it.....
I will be expecting that package in the mail soon my friend. followed by a evil laugh........
happy scanning!
OsloViking1975
Member
here this may help.Easier to Read Pro-106/197/PSR500/600 Digital Scanner Manual
As mentioned do youhave it set to Canada band plan.
The Canada band plan I believe is for around 400MHz area which is a little different than the USA.
If want to switch the band plan to Canada.
1.)Press PGM key
2.)Press FUNC key
3.)Press F3/Global key This will get you into the expert settings
4.)Press the down arrow key until you get to Bandplan: USA
5.)Press the right arrow key to switch to Canada
6.)Press the F1/Save key and that will switch it to the Canada band plan.
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Tried that. No difference. It just simply doesn't receive signals as good as my 2 Uniden models. On VHF that is. Seems quite good on UHF.
rankin39
Member
This radio overloads very badly on vhf. When you have it set to a vhf frequency does the signal strength indicator show several bars even though you're not receiving a signal? If you get this sort of reaction, get one of those f.m. broadcast band filters to go between the antenna and the scanner. You can also try using the attenuator.
I find that the Uniden 996 is considerably more sensitive than the GRE in the 380-400 MHz. segment, however, so sensitivity may be your problem of course.
Bob, WoNXN
I find that the Uniden 996 is considerably more sensitive than the GRE in the 380-400 MHz. segment, however, so sensitivity may be your problem of course.
Bob, WoNXN
marauder6
Member
I'll second rankin39's suggestion. A FM filter made a huge improvement on my PSR-500 VHF reception.
It does show a few bars when receiving nothing on the VHF frequencies I'm trying to receive. I have tried the attenuator and it doesn't help anything. I wish I had a filter laying around to try. I'm leaning with sending the radio back tomorrow and going with a 996XT. Like I said before, my other Uniden's are fine on those frequencies.
It's amusing to think anyone should have to spend another $50-$100 for a notch filter just to get a $400-$500 scanner to work correctly. Especially since Uniden doesn't have this overloading problem, while remaining quite sensitive. I've never been a fan of GRE for this and numerous other reasons. Send that 600 back and get the 996XT and remain a happy Uniden user. But hey, you tried to be open-minded at least, right? :twisted:
cfr301
Member
I had an Issue with my Pro 197..Same as a 600..when I first got it with VHF UNTIL I played with the ATT on a really strong PD Frequency here in town that was just flat overloading my scanner. Once I set the att. on that VHF freq walla!!! I began having great reception on VHF frequencies, I am currently getting depts still using VHF several Counties away. Yes I have an out door antenna on Mast above the roof its an old Radio Shack VHF UHF antenna and it works GREAT.
I get so much Marcs stuff I have to Att some of the area towers because of overloading as well. My point here is you get out of your scanner ..like anything else..what you put into it.
Rick
I get so much Marcs stuff I have to Att some of the area towers because of overloading as well. My point here is you get out of your scanner ..like anything else..what you put into it.
Rick
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I was a little disappointed with my pro-197 when I first got it as well. Had similar problems with VHF - receiving a few bars on most vhf frequencies with no signal present. I suspect a FM broadcast station is causing the problem in my case.
Shortly after, I bought the 996xt and noticed a big improvement over the 197 in VHF reception. The pro-197 sat collecting dust for awhile until one day I decided to try UHF frequencies on it. I've got no interference on UHF so what I ended up doing is programming most of the VHF frequencies on the 996 and all of the UHF on the pro-197. Both radios get about equal usage now and I am very pleased with each.
Before sending back the 600, consider using a broadcast band filter if you are going to use it on VHF, or just use it on frequencies that you don't have interference on. It really is a good radio as so many others have said. Since you already have a bc15 and 396, the 996 won't really offer anything new to what you already have.
Muskratt
pro-197 - my main UHF scanner with some 800mhz/VHF
bc346xt - my main 800mhz scanner
bc996xt - my main VHF scanner with some 800mhz/UHF
Shortly after, I bought the 996xt and noticed a big improvement over the 197 in VHF reception. The pro-197 sat collecting dust for awhile until one day I decided to try UHF frequencies on it. I've got no interference on UHF so what I ended up doing is programming most of the VHF frequencies on the 996 and all of the UHF on the pro-197. Both radios get about equal usage now and I am very pleased with each.
Before sending back the 600, consider using a broadcast band filter if you are going to use it on VHF, or just use it on frequencies that you don't have interference on. It really is a good radio as so many others have said. Since you already have a bc15 and 396, the 996 won't really offer anything new to what you already have.
Muskratt
pro-197 - my main UHF scanner with some 800mhz/VHF
bc346xt - my main 800mhz scanner
bc996xt - my main VHF scanner with some 800mhz/UHF
Halfpint
Member
I'd like to approach this so-called `problem' from another direction, the antenna. While I don't have a DPD Omni-X, and have no `axe to grind' concerning DPD products, I do have several assorted antennas I work with. I have also had some experience with Uniden products over the years. But, I admit that except for a few `outliers' my `shack' is mainly GRE products.
Over the years I've discovered that, despite various claims about one brand supposedly being either better or worse than another reception-wise it is what `options', `functions', `layout', and personal preferences that mainly influences radio/brand choice. What influences reception is more in the realm of the antenna in use. Unidens seem to prefer `hotter' antennas VS GRE and their preference for, what for better words, `cooler' antennas. An example would be, and this is using rather old models, a BC-200xlt VS a PRO-43. The BC-200xlt did it's `best' when hooked up to a 5/8 WL base antenna about 25' up whilst the PRO-43 worked best using a little 1/4 mobile `spike' mounted on about a 1' X 1' piece of sheet metal also mounted about 25' up. Both antennas had cables made out of some RS RG6u coax. The BC-200xlt provided me with a reception radius of around 55miles on all bands I was interested in receiving at that time whilst the PRO-43 provided around 60 - 65 miles radius. Switching the antennas, though, was a real `eye-opener'! The BC-200xlt only dropped about 5 miles. The PRO-43 lost almost 15 miles! On a whim I inserted an attenuator into the line to the PRO-43 and as I attenuated the signals the PRO-43 started picking up and eventually returned to what it had been off of the first antenna!
What the preceeding says, at least to me, is that your `problem' just may be that you are actually possibly using too much antenna. And, as a further example of what I am trying to say... My current antenna for my `herd' of PCR-1000s, PRO-2006s, PRO-2067s PRO-2055s, PRO-2096s, *and* PSR-600s is a `cheap?' RS mag mount mobile antenna sitting atop the metal roof of a trailer house about 15' up from ground level coming through a trio of Stridsberg 8-port multi-couplers fed by a Stridsberg 2-port mult-coupler and I am able to receive a couple of the Wyo-Link sites to the North of me almost as well as I can the Colo DTRS sites that are prety much all around me along with pretty much all the remaining VH-hi, VH-lo, and UHF signals. This is approximately a 70 mile radius! I've tried it and several other antennas on several different height mountings and keep coming back to the mag mount on the roof. I have also had several people bring their `fave' scanner(s) over and we have done similar comparisons with similar results.
Instead of just `blowing off' the PSR-600 I'd suggest that you take and perform a round of antenna testing, or playing with an attenuator, first. Oh, yeah... I also happen to have a couple `blowtorch' AM and FM transmitters within 2 - 3 miles South of me along with several other fairly high powered transmitters for paging and telemetery in about a 1/4 - 5 mile radius. (It has been somewhat jokingly mentioned that I could be considered to be living in `RF-hell' because of all the assorted transmitters I've got surrounding me though I submit that *that* `title' belongs to the area around 120 AVE and I-25 which is about 18 -19 miles South of me.)
Oh, well... Just an `Olde Fart's' 2¢ worth... {WAN GRIN!}
N8IAA
Member
I have to agree with Halfpint. I have had many GRE/RS scanners over the years, and anytime I use gain antennas, it will overload the radio. I have no outside antennas for my scanners. All shack magmounts are on either a 4 drawer or 3 drawer file cabinet. I do get outstanding receive from this setup. The 106 uses the short UHF antenna that came with my Pro-99 for most 800MHz trunking. The 163 uses a Laird 150/450MHz dualband antenna. And the 197 uses a RS magmount whip modded for low band with an old Wilson 1000 coil. Got that idea from someone here on RR. I monitor a lot of VHF/UHF frequencies and this setup is optimal. I may not get all the distant simplex. But that's just something I have to live with along with encryption. A simple duck antenna maybe just what you need to hear those comms
Larry
Larry
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I'll add my .02 that my PSR-500 doesn't bring in VHF nearly as good as my Pro-162, even with attenuator on. I do get a lot of the "hold on bars no sound" but I don't use outside antennas--just a variety of different duckies. I got one of those GRE supertransmitters that go between the scanner and the duckie, and then helps a lot, although it also increases 'holds' on static channels (like the Coast Guard and train channels). Still, the PSR-500 kicks butt on UHF, 800Mhz and trunking so I have intention of getting rid of it.
Jeff
Jeff
Good post Halfpint! Your experience with the mag mount on the metal roof does not surprise me at all. Having a rather large ground plane makes a huge difference even on a base antenna with a ground plane built in. Last year, per my homeowners association in the condo project I live in, I moved my 1990 amplified (at the antenna) Diamond antenna. It been mounted on a vent pipe about 10 feet below the peak of the roof, which has a thin metal layer on the top of the insulation just under the shingles. The association agreed that placing it on the side of the roof at the peak would be acceptable to them whereas the existing location was not. I lost that huge ground plane, reducing my reception on 800 MHz from 60 miles to 40 miles. I still have 60 miles of VHF and UHF coverage but the quality of the signal has been reduced. I thought the increased height would bring an improvement but it was more than offset by the loss of the ground plane.
mjmurphy61, I find the PSR-600 more sensitive than any other scanner I've had and that number is somewhat past 20. I'm running a BC 780xlt right next to the 600 and the 600 is clearly more sensitive. I have the best splitter/amplifier sending the signal to each scanner so running different antennas is not a factor. I have a permanently mounted PSR-600 in my "out of town car" with the Larson receive only scanner antenna on a Comet mount. The sensitivity is better than any other scanner I've had installed in this car or any other car for that matter. The distance and quality of what I'm able to receive blew me away after installing the 600. I've had a couple of Unidens installed in the same vehicle and the mobile performance of them is sub 600.
I prefer the GRE scanners because I like the Starrsoft programming software. I can transfer data between the files I've written for the various models. The software for the BC-780 is harder to use .
If the antenna suggestions don't work I would suggest you return the scanner in exchange for a new one. The situation you describe is puzzling.
mjmurphy61, I find the PSR-600 more sensitive than any other scanner I've had and that number is somewhat past 20. I'm running a BC 780xlt right next to the 600 and the 600 is clearly more sensitive. I have the best splitter/amplifier sending the signal to each scanner so running different antennas is not a factor. I have a permanently mounted PSR-600 in my "out of town car" with the Larson receive only scanner antenna on a Comet mount. The sensitivity is better than any other scanner I've had installed in this car or any other car for that matter. The distance and quality of what I'm able to receive blew me away after installing the 600. I've had a couple of Unidens installed in the same vehicle and the mobile performance of them is sub 600.
I prefer the GRE scanners because I like the Starrsoft programming software. I can transfer data between the files I've written for the various models. The software for the BC-780 is harder to use .
If the antenna suggestions don't work I would suggest you return the scanner in exchange for a new one. The situation you describe is puzzling.
I don't want to sound like i'm bashing GRE, but iv'e been very disappointed and a little angry with my PSR-500's performance on VHF. I never really noticed until my '500 had to go back to GRE for repairs and I went back to my PRO-96. I noticed I was able to pick up our State Troopers (VHF), railroads and other VHF frequencies much better than I had with my '500. I found out that even my old PRO-2026 from 1994 worked better on VHF!
Here in Alabama, nearly everything outside of the metro areas is VHF simplex or repeaters. The State Troopers also use VHF and one county is building a VHF trunked system. When I get close to a metro area, I have to turn up the squelch to keep my '500 from overloading or descencing. So much so that it does block out weaker signals.
I did try a FM filter, but for me it didn't help any. All of the overload / descening happens when using a quarter wave antenna. It was worse with a higher gain antenna. I can use a rubber duck in the car, but them i'm back to reducing my signal thanks to the metal of the car body.
I will say that the '500 has a very hot receiver for 800 Mhz trunked systems. But, that isn't worth giving up VHF reception. What i've done is to use my 2M mobile in the car for anything VHF that I want to listen to, and use the PSR-500 for trunked systems.
The next time GRE comes out with a new model, i'm probably going to wait until I can see what the performance is on VHF first. I feel like for $500 of my hard earned bucks, VHF performance should have been better.
Warren
Here in Alabama, nearly everything outside of the metro areas is VHF simplex or repeaters. The State Troopers also use VHF and one county is building a VHF trunked system. When I get close to a metro area, I have to turn up the squelch to keep my '500 from overloading or descencing. So much so that it does block out weaker signals.
I did try a FM filter, but for me it didn't help any. All of the overload / descening happens when using a quarter wave antenna. It was worse with a higher gain antenna. I can use a rubber duck in the car, but them i'm back to reducing my signal thanks to the metal of the car body.
I will say that the '500 has a very hot receiver for 800 Mhz trunked systems. But, that isn't worth giving up VHF reception. What i've done is to use my 2M mobile in the car for anything VHF that I want to listen to, and use the PSR-500 for trunked systems.
The next time GRE comes out with a new model, i'm probably going to wait until I can see what the performance is on VHF first. I feel like for $500 of my hard earned bucks, VHF performance should have been better.
Warren
I sent my PSR-600 back. While I thought it was fantastic for UHF, I just couldn't use it for VHF. After spending $400 for the radio I just couldn't justify the added expenses of trying different filters and antenna's.
Rattrap7392
Newbie
I decided to try the PSR-400 after I was lied to about picking up my local town. Should have done just a little more research, due to my local town just gone to P25. I would love to have the PSR-600 or it's equal. Any suggestions on where I might find a good digital scanner without making me go broke?? Since I didn't research better??
I live south of Buffalo and I can copy the Bell Fleet Sys fine on my PSR-600. I also have bars all the time.
I would suggest trying a few analog channels such as 140.955 or 143.535 these are used by OPP dispatchers
to get tow trucks on location fast. They are active. I would also suggest trying some of the niagara fire freqs.
If these work than I would suggest checking your CUstom Frequency tables. I initially had problems getting my
receiver to hear this system. When I downloaded the file from RR my tables were incorrect as another member pointed out to me. I would also suggest only put in the closest sites to you. Most likely Cayuga, Skylon, & Font Hill.
I would suggest trying a few analog channels such as 140.955 or 143.535 these are used by OPP dispatchers
to get tow trucks on location fast. They are active. I would also suggest trying some of the niagara fire freqs.
If these work than I would suggest checking your CUstom Frequency tables. I initially had problems getting my
receiver to hear this system. When I downloaded the file from RR my tables were incorrect as another member pointed out to me. I would also suggest only put in the closest sites to you. Most likely Cayuga, Skylon, & Font Hill.
If you were lied to by the seller then return the 400 and use that money to buy the 600. You will be paying more than the 400 but it will be better in the long run. The 600 has capabilities to make it work through all the changes coming up resulting from the 2013 mandate for narrow banding.
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