BCD325P2/BCD996P2: Sensitivity

[rocky28965]

I have recently taken delivery of a BCD996P2 & are getting familiar with it.
I bought it to use as a desktop unit alongside a BC365CRS I've had for several years.
To initially compare the two, I programed then both with a group of the same frequencies.
Leaving them scanning together I notice the BCD966P2 is not stopping on a couple of the frequencies.
I have tried swapping antennas & lowering the squelch, but the BC365CRS is still in the lead.
If I set the BCD965P2 to the particular frequencies it's fine, just wont stop on them.
The two frequencies are in the 151 & 152MHz range
The program was installed in the 996 with Freescan.

 

[n1chu]

Wondering how close both radios are to each other… try turning the BCD365CRS off. Does the BCD996p2 then hear the two frequencies in question?

There have been numerous comparisons between two scanners posted here in the past but most were concerned about variables such as using the same antennas (or both using the same antenna with a splitter). All have noticed different results between both radios. But I don’t recall any posts that concern themselves with the close proximity between radios. Each radio emits internally generated signals (sometimes a referred to as “birdies”) that while very low in strength, can interfere with another radios placed close. I’ve heard of rack mounted radios needing shielding between each radio due to this… or just the suspicion of this, creating the effect of placing each radio in its own Faraday cage, in an attempt to limit each radio’s reception to its antenna input, and only it’s antenna input. The military has a set of SOP’s that dictate only computers dedicated to a single classified program are allowed to be spaced closer than a certain distance between themselves for this very reason. I worked for a company that bid on military contracts which required being very mindful of the proper spacing because we were working on numerous differing military programs… each rack had to be spaced a certain distance from the next rack and dedicated to a single program, or a part of that program, so as to eliminate any suspicion the data generated was corrupted by adjacent computers. Even the power supply was isolated and filtered.

 

[Ubbe]

If I set the BCD965P2 to the particular frequencies it's fine, just wont stop on them.

Maybe the frequencies are not scanned? When the scan cycle gets close to the frequencies, push Hold to stop scan and use the dial knob to single step the scan until you reach the frequencies. Check that the display do not show a lockout for the channel and that any quick key for group or system are not displayed with a X that then are not part of the scanning. Check that setting the squelch to 0 will actually give some audio. If the channels are programmed with a CTCSS/DCS subtone then change that to Search.

/Ubbe

 

[buddrousa]

To compare 2 scanners side by side they need to share the same antenna through a ISOLATED ANTENNA COMBINER/SPLITTER so they will not interfere with each other. I run a SDS200 536 996p2 15x all through the same antenna with the use of a stridsberg and get the same range on all.

 

[rocky28965]

Thanks for the advise guys.
I found the problem with your help.
Getting a lot of these lately, "operator error"
I had assigned the wrong quick key to that group.
So they weren't getting scanned at all.