PSR-800 Reception

[robertpearsall]

Got my PSR-800 Last week any have very poor reception unable to pick up towns on 5 miles away that my old 396 could.Trunk systems come in choppy even ones were towers are 2.3 miles away signal goes from 5 bars to no bars with the S flashing.So far not happy at all.Even NOAA radio comes in poor when I use my outside ant. that my 996xt uses still have poor reception.Anyone have any ideas I see where people post they have great reception with the 800.

 

[mtindor]

Got my PSR-800 Last week any have very poor reception unable to pick up towns on 5 miles away that my old 396 could.Trunk systems come in choppy even ones were towers are 2.3 miles away signal goes from 5 bars to no bars with the S flashing.So far not happy at all.Even NOAA radio comes in poor when I use my outside ant. that my 996xt uses still have poor reception.Anyone have any ideas I see where people post they have great reception with the 800.

Have you checked to make sure you don't have the global / individual attenuator on? Are you in an environment that is rich in RF? On VHF-Hi, the PSR-500/600/800 and RS PRO-197/107 are notoriously lousy at handling strong signals and will desense / overload. I've seen the same thing happen on these scanners on 800 Mhz. I can take my PSR-500 or PSR-800 down SR 7 into Bridgeport OH (there are multiple 800 mhz systems with nice tall towers overlooking the river there] and the scanner will be totally useless without the attenuator on. Same thing applies when driving around New Philadelphia / Dover Ohio (rural areas, really) where there are various 800 mhz systems serving those areas. The scanner will be overloaded and I'll have to turn the attenuator on.

So I wonder if either your scanner is being overloaded on a particular band by one or more strong transmitters, or if you have the attenuator on when you mean not to.

Mike

 

[robertpearsall]

No Attenuator is off Global is off when I turn Attenuator on I get nothing Spoke the GRE today they are going to talk to there tec people seems more like a antanna problem then anything like i said if I use my outdoor antanna it gets a little better but not much.

 

[exportdawg]

No Attenuator is off Global is off when I turn Attenuator on I get nothing Spoke the GRE today they are going to talk to there tec people seems more like a antanna problem then anything like i said if I use my outdoor antanna it gets a little better but not much.

Have you Tried Global On with the Attenuator Off? That is how mine is set. Worth a shot

 

[troymail]

No Attenuator is off Global is off when I turn Attenuator on I get nothing Spoke the GRE today they are going to talk to there tec people seems more like a antanna problem then anything like i said if I use my outdoor antanna it gets a little better but not much.

I typically use the RS 800Mhz antenna for all of my radios -- although the latest guidance when trying to listen to newer LSM systems says not to because it only makes things worse. The stock antenna tries to be everything and even listening to my local analog trunk system is scratchy when I use it.

However, none of this would explain poor reception on your outside antenna --

 

[robertpearsall]

I just ordered a hi gainer antanna from scannermaster will see how that works the outside antanna is hooked up to a 996xt and have no problems picking up systems I listen to all of which are with in 10 miles of me so i should not be having this problem.Most systems I do listen to are UHF the only reason I got the GRE is for TDMA a think i should have stayed with uniden never had a problem.Will see what the new antanna does and what answers I get from GRE if any as of now I am losing faith in GRE.

 

[brownlab]

This is very strange since I have both a 996XT and a PSR 800 and I think the 800 has better reception than the XT and I also would not feel you would have a recpion issue in NJ. I would first check your programming since most Middlesex Frequencies would be found under "Systems" not "Categories". If that is not the issue than hopefully you can find someone up there that has a working radio. Good luck and let us know if you resolve your issue.

 

[mike_s104]

This is very strange since I have both a 996XT and a PSR 800 and I think the 800 has better reception than the XT and I also would not feel you would have a recpion issue in NJ. I would first check your programming since most Middlesex Frequencies would be found under "Systems" not "Categories". If that is not the issue than hopefully you can find someone up there that has a working radio. Good luck and let us know if you resolve your issue.

I have to agree. I have not used the stock antenna at all. Using a Diamond RH77CA,
Comtelco All-Band mobile, and a Wilson 800MHz yagi it performs slightly better than a Uniden 396T, 396Xt and a 996T.

 

[robertpearsall]

Well opened a miller lite and dug in took the antanna off the 800 and put on back of 996xt does not evan pick up NOAA hardly getting systems around me like Edison TRS only getting 3 Bars tower is 2.3 miles from me so antanna that comes with 800 is junk.Ran outside antanna line to 800 (no splitter) and pulling in systems from over 10 miles away.
For the price we pay for these radios you would think we would not need to go out and buy antennas and other stuff to hear what we want (Just my 2 Cents)

 

[brownlab]

And you are programming in the Motorola Type 2 Smartzone, Type 2 Smartnet and the EDACS Standard that are being used in Middlesex? I would also try the New Jersey State Police which is a Motorola Smartzone Omilink and she what kind or reception you get from that. If you are just programming the conventional frequencies for each town then I am not sure what kind of reception you will get since they are moving away from those. This maybe is not your problem but try it if you have not already. Good luck

 

[IowaGuy1603]

You must have a setting wrong somewhere. If you have a tower 2.5 miles away you should be able to receive it with a paperclip antenna................................

Everything you describe is a symptom of the attenuator being engaged. I know you have checked that but that is what you describe in your reception.

The little antenna that comes with the radio is far from junk. As I type I am using it to listen to a 800 MHz P25 system 20 miles away and sitting on my desk with 3 walls between the radio and the outside.


did you try all the updates from GRE.....COPU/DSP......... and the library update.

 

[tampatracker]

IowaGuy, would you mind to divulge the serial # of your unit? I wonder if it's a production run issue.

 

[eyes00only]

Check the tiny pin in the BNC connector of the antenna. I have seen them break before.

JK

 

[IowaGuy1603]

iowaguy, would you mind to divulge the serial # of your unit? I wonder if it's a production run issue.

001719

 

[tampatracker]

Mine is 001510 and I am a little disappointed in the performance of my 800. I too don't seem to be getting the stellar performance I've heard others posting. Made sure all settings are good and still my range of reception seems to be lacking in comparison to others. I have no cell or paging towers close to my residence, and I live in a medium level rf environment. The digital reception is fine but I need an external antenna (https://www.scannermaster.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=20-540972) ( https://www.scannermaster.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=04-540720) to pick up 800 systems that my 396XT picks up with ease when using the RS 800 MHz rubber duckie. Just wondering if there might have been an inferior batch in my or any other production runs.

 

[troymail]

Yup - starting to sound like a defect.... at least in your radio. Sure would be nice to have another owner in the area that can sit side-by with you to see the difference (assuming there wold be a difference).

The stock antenna should work fine -- it's designed for a wide frequency range. I agree - you don't need to purchase another antenna unless your focus is in a specific range like 800Mhz trunked systems.

 

[IowaGuy1603]

I really don't live in a high RF environment. I am however on a high knob with good reception (and long lines of sight). Two cell towers within 2 miles & a major Ham power contester 2 miles away.

I have a dual band colinear antenna on the top of the house for 2 meter/70 cm work & could attach the scanner to it if I wish and a RS scanner antenna on the side of the eave that is connected to my old bearcat analoge scanner that I occasionally use.................but quite honestly the ducky that came with the antenna works the best..................

I do have a dual band ducky from an Alinco Ham radio that I occasionally use just on the scanner....and it works just as good at 700 or 800 MHz on the PSR 800

The one system I would like to monitor from home just doesn't work -----I can monitor it when I am in the county is serves but once I leave the county ----its gone. I might try a 800 Mhz yagi pointed in that direction sometime---If I ever build one.

That system is a simulcast P25 that my friend has trouble with using both Uniden digital (I dont know the model) and his HP1....................The GRE works like a champ....in my car or walking around town...not a problem.

When I go into Cedar Rapids (200,000 metro area) which is RICH in RF from just about every source imaginable including commercial HF rigs the little toy works like a champ even if I only have the ducky on inside the car..................If I put a RS mag mount scanner antenna on------GANGBUSTERS.


Everyone knows the 800 is sensitive..................and gets densened from outside RF.

I personally don't see much difference in reception between the GRE than with my analog scanners or my ham equiptment (I scan various VHF/UHF systems with the Ham stuff)---But that is just me.

 

[robertpearsall]

The ser. number is 002091 got a new antanna today a wilson w-801 works better im am going on a camping trip this weekend going to take it with me and see how it works just not happy that I had to spend extra money to get to hear what I wanted.Spoke To tech named wayne today and was helpfully about options I have.Below are a few things not happy with.

1.Reception my old 396 worked out of box pulling what I wanted to hear.
2.Was able to get FM radio when needed with 396
3.No virtal control.
4.Wont take all CC for the new NJPISC TMDA x2 700mhz system tells my freq not in range.

Sure I will have more as time goes on.

 

[brownlab]

I have been thinking today that maybe the PRS 800 is not the best radio for monitoring conventional VHF/UHF frequencies. For example there is a fire department on a VHF frequencies in adjoining county that does not come in on the 800 unless I set up my outside antenna. Yet the Police and SO in the same county uses LTR Trunking and I get great reception. Also my 996XT and an old RS PRO model receive this VHF fire frequencie and other close by VHF frequencies using an indoor antenna. Not so with the 800. Just about everything I monitor is TRS and the reception on the PRS is wonderful. However VHF, not so great. Again, this is just an observation on my part.

 

[mike_s104]

Honestly, I think the reception is fine. I use a mobile antenna in any of our vehicles and at home use a Diamond RH77CA.