BCD436HP/BCD536HP: 436 went deaf on P25

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bearcatrp

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Had bad storms yesterday and today. Last night, had the 436 and my R30 running. R30 picking up digital great. 436 is picking up analog only. Going through storms again today. fired up my 200, 436 and R30. The 436 is not picking up anything digital. Been reading the easy to read 436 to see if there is a setting on the 436 to turn off/on digital. Haven't found anything. Was working fine until yesterday. Have tried 4 different antennas too. Have not hooked up to my discone as we have bad storms rolling through. Will be trying it tomorrow. Any ideas?
 

tvengr

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Was the 436 running off of AC power? If you took a power hit, it could have corrupted the SD card. If you still have the programming files, try reformatting the card and write the favorites lists to the scanner again. Try a new SD card if you have one. SD cards are the biggest problems with scanners. You should always have some spares.
 

bearcatrp

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I don't think its the sd card. Can pick up noaa weather, and picks up analog fire pagers. Not one P25 hit at all. I can see its scanning the P25 sites on the screen. The storms blew my discone over last night so won't be hooking that up for awhile. Have some bent parts from looking at it this morning. Think I will do a total reset and format the sd card first, then go from there. If that fails, then probably send it in to uniden for them to go over it.
 

werinshades

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I don't think its the sd card. Can pick up noaa weather, and picks up analog fire pagers. Not one P25 hit at all. I can see its scanning the P25 sites on the screen. The storms blew my discone over last night so won't be hooking that up for awhile. Have some bent parts from looking at it this morning. Think I will do a total reset and format the sd card first, then go from there. If that fails, then probably send it in to uniden for them to go over it.

Since the storms were that bad, possibly the transmitter sites were knocked off line, or in Fail Safe mode for now? Check local forums to see if anyone else around you is experiencing he same issue.
 

bearcatrp

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Since the storms were that bad, possibly the transmitter sites were knocked off line, or in Fail Safe mode for now? Check local forums to see if anyone else around you is experiencing he same issue.
They were not off line as my R30 and SDS200 were receiving continuous transmissions through out the storm.
 

werinshades

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OP says R30 is still receiving digital.

If it reverts to Fail Safe mode, the Icom might start scanning and receiving non-trunked, while the Unidens don't have that capability? I do agree with the SD Card idea, always rule that out first
 

bearcatrp

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If it reverts to Fail Safe mode, the Icom might start scanning and receiving non-trunked, while the Unidens don't have that capability? I do agree with the SD Card idea, always rule that out first
The R30 scans only what Freqs I put in the radio. In this case, all the P25 freqs in my area I listen to.
 

bearcatrp

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Did a full database update, reset the radio, and will not pick up P25. Am currently scanning with my 436 and my R30 on my window seal. R30 is picking up multiple transmissions. Nothing on the 436. Just emailed uniden explaining the issues. My guess its going to uniden for them to check it out.
 

werinshades

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The R30 scans only what Freqs I put in the radio. In this case, all the P25 freqs in my area I listen to.

Right, that is how Fail Safe mode works if the Trunking goes down it reverts back to Conventional P25 scanning. That's why I mentioned to ask in the local forum the site you listen to, maybe another user can confirm if the site is having issues.
 

bearcatrp

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Have both 436 and the R30 hooked up to my discone for the past hour. The 436 is locked on P25 system so it will scan only P25. The R30 is picking up allot of P25, the 436 has yet to pick up any P25. Guess I will wait for Unidens response from my email to see what they say. Will probably send it in.
 

bearcatrp

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Figured it out. A big DUH moment. I purchased the 436 that came with an additional antenna. It comes with this spacer that goes on the antenna port. I forgot about that. Kept looking at this but it looked like it was part of the radio. It was on tight too. It moved this morning so took it off. Put original antenna on. Its picking up P25 now. Guess the antenna wasn't making contact when mounted. Talk about a DUH moment. Thanks for everyone responses.
 

werinshades

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Have both 436 and the R30 hooked up to my discone for the past hour. The 436 is locked on P25 system so it will scan only P25. The R30 is picking up allot of P25, the 436 has yet to pick up any P25. Guess I will wait for Unidens response from my email to see what they say. Will probably send it in.

More likely your SD Card has become corrupted. You mentioned you reformatted it (through Windows reformat program?). From there, you went into Sentinel, on top the menu Scanner Tab...Clear User Data. When the the box came up, you checked the box for Display all Drives? Once that was completed, you went back to the Scanner Tab, Write to Scanner?

Before I would send it off and pay for a repair and shipping, if this doesn't work, attempt a new SD Card. Since the scanner is receiving, I would lean towards the SD Card issue as others have mentioned.
 

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Figured it out. A big DUH moment. I purchased the 436 that came with an additional antenna. It comes with this spacer that goes on the antenna port. I forgot about that. Kept looking at this but it looked like it was part of the radio. It was on tight too. It moved this morning so took it off. Put original antenna on. Its picking up P25 now. Guess the antenna wasn't making contact when mounted. Talk about a DUH moment. Thanks for everyone responses.

That's really odd since the antenna jack has no idea if the signal is P25, analog, DMR or whatever else. I'd think it was more the non-P25 signals were stronger and the antenna not being screwed on all the way caused a huge attenuation...but I could be wrong. ;)
 

bearcatrp

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When I was changing antennas, the extra one that came with the 436 would make hiss noice when attaching. The other ones did not do this. Kept trying to see if that spacer would move but didn't budge. After trying it with my discount and nothing received, I tried again and it moved. trying both original antenna and the extra one, without that spacer, was picking up all transmissions, both digital and analog. There is a gap without the spacer using the extra antenna. The extra antenna is a remtronix 842s. Am guessing the spacer is a bit thick for even the 842 to make a good contact.
 
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