My Uniden BC898T is getting bad reception

[Marauder]

So I want to get a bigger or outdoor antenna for it. Can anyone get me started on how easy it is / what kind of antenna I need?

 

[N8IAA]

Bad reception of what??
Larry

 

[Marauder]

Bad reception of what??
Larry

I am a noob with all of this so please excuse my ignorance but I just cant pick up some of my local police clearly, sometimes static , sometimes it cuts in and out and sometimes im just not getting convos back and forth.

 

[AA6IO]

Where are you located? No one can help unless we know your location. Scanning activity, reception, and requirements vary widely with location. Regards

 

[Marauder]

Where are you located? No one can help unless we know your location. Scanning activity, reception, and requirements vary widely with location. Regards

Hyde park ny Dutchess County Trunked Ed system From the tower across the river and the mount beacon tower

 

[bigcam406]

how was it receiving that system before? the reason why i ask is that i own a 898T as well,and ive noticed over the years that its sensitivity has decreased. ive tried different antennas and nothing really worked.i just use it for a local trunked system,which has a very strong control channel.i just checked out your areas systems on the database.you shouldnt have any issues receiving that system.what antenna are you using now? and how long have you owned the 898T?

 

[ka3jjz]

A decrease in your reception can be caused by a great many things- crappy coax to an outdoor antenna (should be replaced at least every couple of years), desense, a broken connection somewhere, etc. So while it's possible, just saying that reception has decreased due to something in the scanner is hardly conclusive.

Marauder, can you put something outside? Are you just looking to hear your local trunk, or what else are you interested in? Outdoors, nice and high, is always best, but for folks living in apartments and condos, that may not always be possible.

Mike

 

[bigcam406]

originally when i bought the scanner new back in 2008 it was alot more sensitive than it is now.i have used the same antenna (Watson W889) for the same amount of time.i have tried different places in my apt to find a better sweetspot,but nothing seems to compare to the reception i experienced a few years ago.i have also read that there was an issue with certain Uniden's that experienced decreased sensitivity over time.i have also tried numerous different antennas,but it seems happiest with the 889.still love the scanner tho,one of the bright spots is the airband freq's,receives them really well.

 

[N8IAA]

Hyde park ny Dutchess County Trunked Ed system From the tower across the river and the mount beacon tower

Why don't you put each site in a different bank. Then you can use them alternately to see which picks up the traffic the best. Are you using the antenna that came with the scanner? If so, try it at its shortest setting for the frequencies, that is, pushed all the way down. It could be the old terrain thing, new buildings, trees that have gotten larger over the years, the sites themselves deteriorating over the years. Or, just the radio losing sensitivity.
HTH,
Larry

 

[Marauder]

Why don't you put each site in a different bank. Then you can use them alternately to see which picks up the traffic the best. Are you using the antenna that came with the scanner? If so, try it at its shortest setting for the frequencies, that is, pushed all the way down. It could be the old terrain thing, new buildings, trees that have gotten larger over the years, the sites themselves deteriorating over the years. Or, just the radio losing sensitivity.
HTH,
Larry

I did that actually and it is weird, I can pick up crystal clear signals from Marlboro which is across the river and south from me but I have trouble picking my town police (hyde park , 03-027) Also I could be listening to dutchess 911 trying to talk to a unit and I just wont be getting any replies after a certain point It can be very garbled at times

 

[darunimal]

NYCOMCO (EDACS) Trunking System, Various, New York - Scanner Frequencies what other digital system are you comparing it to?

 

[Marauder]

NYCOMCO (EDACS) Trunking System, Various, New York - Scanner Frequencies what other digital system are you comparing it to?

I have Mount Beacon (Dutchess , same side of the river as me) programmed to one set and then I have Walker Mountain (Ulster across the river yet a but closer to me) I find Walker mountain picks up clearer but both sets come in garbled sometimes, I can take a video if that would help you guys assist me better? (thanks for your replies btw much appreciated )

 

[Marauder]

I actually have also noticed that sometimes the turnk will lock on to a talkgroup ( 03-091 dutchess 911 for example) and it will lock on and stay when searching and the signal is good according to the strength indicator but I will not hear anything

 

[pro92b]

Has the BC898T ever performed well for you?
Are you certain it is programmed correctly?
Do you hear several beeps after each transmission?

The antenna connector on the back is a BNC type with a fork type center socket. Sometimes it can spread open with use and make poor contact with the antenna. Gently bending the contacts together slightly will cure that problem. If you don't know what I am talking about it may be best to get someone with experience to help.

At about 25 miles from the Walker tower my BC898T has no problem tracking the system. Hyde Park and Dutchess 911 are received without distortion here. I have not experienced a decline in sensitivity in my 10 year old BC898T and had not heard of reduced sensitivity being a common problem with this model.

You are much closer to the tower than I am. There should be no difficulty receiving the system at your location under normal circumstances.

 

[Marauder]

Has the BC898T ever performed well for you?
Are you certain it is programmed correctly?
Do you hear several beeps after each transmission?

The antenna connector on the back is a BNC type with a fork type center socket. Sometimes it can spread open with use and make poor contact with the antenna. Gently bending the contacts together slightly will cure that problem. If you don't know what I am talking about it may be best to get someone with experience to help.

At about 25 miles from the Walker tower my BC898T has no problem tracking the system. Hyde Park and Dutchess 911 are received without distortion here. I have not experienced a decline in sensitivity in my 10 year old BC898T and had not heard of reduced sensitivity being a common problem with this model.

You are much closer to the tower than I am. There should be no difficulty receiving the system at your location under normal circumstances.

>Do you hear several beeps after each transmission?

YES yes I do not always but sometimes maybe 20 percent of the time

 

[pro92b]

Beeps after every transmission indicates incorrect programming.

Occasional beeps at the end of transmissions can be caused by low signal strength. There will be some variation in signal strength among the frequencies in the system but you are so close to the tower that it should not matter.

 

[N8IAA]

>Do you hear several beeps after each transmission?

YES yes I do not always but sometimes maybe 20 percent of the time

This being the case, make sure that you program all of the frequencies for either site in each bank channel according to the numbers to the left of the frequencies. One site has nine frequencies, the other has three. This should make listening easier.
Larry

 

[Marauder]

This being the case, make sure that you program all of the frequencies for either site in each bank channel according to the numbers to the left of the frequencies. One site has nine frequencies, the other has three. This should make listening easier.
Larry

That is how it has been programmed in originally