pro-2096 signal strength

[jcrincon]

Is there any way to tell the signal strength on the 2060 from a site when you monitor the state of michigan digital system, some scanners have the signal bars like a cell phone? I am trying to set mine up and want to only program the control channels from towers I pick up clearly. I live in an area where I can pick up about 8 sites from home. Thanks for the help... More questions may follow....

 

[AEofficer116]

when scanning press manuel and you should get the tower number and -- % for the signal

 

[jcrincon]

ok now i can get that, 1 question I know with a cell phone signal number in test mode is a -db and since you are negative the lower the number the better the signal like a -58 is better than a -80 where most of your cell calls will be dropped am I looking for higher number or lower because I get 99 on a distant tower and 60 on my local tower.

 

[jcrincon]

went through all the cc that would pick up data, some of them say 90-99% they are distant towers, 30-40 miles. But I can only hear the static noise if I turn my squeltch all the way down. What gives? My local towers that come in 60-75% I can hear the static noise at normal squeltch setting of 1/2 dial turn, middle setting that work best for my conventional freq...

 

[jcrincon]

Any help? Any ideas? Please help? Thank you....

 

[seamusg]

went through all the cc that would pick up data, some of them say 90-99% they are distant towers, 30-40 miles. But I can only hear the static noise if I turn my squeltch all the way down. What gives? My local towers that come in 60-75% I can hear the static noise at normal squeltch setting of 1/2 dial turn, middle setting that work best for my conventional freq...

The percent number is the percent decode of the control channel, if you're getting 60-75% on your local site, you're not receiving it very well. It sounds like you don't have the scanner programed correctly. Are you using Win96 to program the scanner, and what sites are you trying?

 

[jcrincon]

I do use win96 and have the control channel primary and secondary programmed in with convetional spacers in between. The closest site to my house I pick up the worst 60-70% it is the crystal Falls tower I can see it from my house at night (lights on it) it is about 8 miles as the crow flies, other sites 20 -30 miles come in around 80-88%? What number should I be looking for as acceptable, (i know 100 would be bests but for real). I do hear traffic but not the best a lot of "you went digital please repeat" so it is not only me.

 

[seamusg]

I do use win96 and have the control channel primary and secondary programmed in with convetional spacers in between. The closest site to my house I pick up the worst 60-70% it is the crystal Falls tower I can see it from my house at night (lights on it) it is about 8 miles as the crow flies, other sites 20 -30 miles come in around 80-88%? What number should I be looking for as acceptable, (i know 100 would be bests but for real). I do hear traffic but not the best a lot of "you went digital please repeat" so it is not only me.

If you hear dispatch say "you went digital please repeat" that means the tower is not receiving them, if you local tower is only eight miles away and you're only getting 60-70% decode there is some trouble in your area. I get better than that on all 4 sites I monitor.

 

[jcrincon]

what do most people get from a site as in signal quality % any ideas what is an acceptable % to come in clearly?

 

[mikey60]

If you're that close to the tower, you may have too much signal. Try turning on the attenuate option on that frequency and see if you get an improvement...

Mike

 

[jcrincon]

Ok I shut off my wireless internet router and signal increased to 78-88% but fluctuated always is that normal. Also I can turn back on the wireless internet if I move the scanner away from the computer to another room.

 

[jcrincon]

Well I bought the RS 800 duckie antenna and what a difference all my local sites come in at least 90% now, talk about the traffic I have missed. So far I have been able to understand every communcation that came accross the scanner... Nothing like before.... bit and pieces and sometime completely unreadable... Had a high speed 4 county multi state car chase late last night. 4 hours long very interesting subjects had an 800 scanner with them and new ahead of time every road block and every set up spike stips so always turned off on back roads...