St. Louis Metro
Hi All. I have a BCD436 scanner. It is new to me. Been doing pretty good on audio and such since I got it a few weeks ago. Today I am having audio problems...it cuts in and out, and I noticed that the signal bar in the upper right screen goes off shortly then comes back on (the DAT indicator in lower right also goes off at the same time). These new digital scanners are new to me. Is something wrong with the trunking system? Is this normal? I never noticed it doing that before, but it seems that is when the audio cuts out. Also keep in mind it is only scanning one system. Thanks for any help. Here is a video to the issue:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD-25c-F3MU
I am assuming you are in St. Charles County, Missouri.
You might need to hook up with some locals up there to better understand how to monitor the many systems in the St. Louis area. That is a very dense scanning environment.
There are many variables affecting reception, including linear simulcast distortion. Since you have a portable model, you may have to alter your antenna situation. If you are attempting to hear distant signals from inside a house or vehicle, this might be a factor to consider.
The stock antenna that comes with the radio is pretty poor regarding 800 mhz reception. Yes, there is a old Radio Shack antenna specific to 700-800 mhz range, but there are better models, particularly from Scanner Master.
But, in order to save money, you might need to check various posts specific to that area to determine what needs to be adjusted.
I don't know who you are attempting to monitor, but distance can adversely affect radio performance unless repeaters are involved. In some cases, depending on the distance, you might need an outside antenna. However, some people are square in the path of multiple signals and the radio tends to get confused at times. I would program your radio with Favorites and not use the zip feature at present. Otherwise, you might find yourself overwhelmed with competing radio systems and agencies.
You do have a fine radio. Some might say the SDS 100 works better in that area, but I am not about to fork out that kind of cash.
Hope things work out.
Welcome to RR.
