Annoying popping noise

[msm]

I have a Uniden BC278CLT and it worked fine until I moved. Now there is a popping sound that sounds like someone is keying and releasing a mike every 4 or 5 seconds. When scanning, it will momentarily stop on certain channels and "pop". If locked on a channel that frequently has activity, it pops every few seconds when no one is talking. I have taken it to different rooms and even outside but it still does it. It's pretty much useless as is. I would buy a new one but I'm afraid it would do the same thing. Any ideas?

 

[MarkWestin]

Hello,

I think that you may have one of two types of problems:
1. Something is not set correctly on the unit.
2. Something in your house or nearby is making electrical noise.
What to try:
1. check to see if weather priority is on. check to see if some other priority is on. If you have moved some distance, the weather channel you previously picked up could be out of range.
2. Start unplugging things. electric blankets and other heating products are notorious for noise, but it could even be your neighbor's fish tank heater.

I hope this points you in the right direction.

Mark

 

[Joseph11]

Do you have the Priority function enabled?

 

[DPD1]

Hello,

I think that you may have one of two types of problems:
1. Something is not set correctly on the unit.
2. Something in your house or nearby is making electrical noise.

I would vote the second one, but also add that it could be somewhere off the property too. Don't rule anything out... Sprinkler timers, bug zappers... It could be anything.

Dave
-DPD Productions - Custom Scanner, MURS, & Ham Antennas-
http://eje.railfan.net/dpdp/

 

[n4yek]

I had the same problem once. It turned out that a neighbor had an electric fence and
the weeds had grown up so much in some areas that when the fence sent out its
charge, it would snap straight to ground through the weeds. Once he cleared his
fence line, the popping sound went away.
Something to concider.
Danny
N4YEK

 

[msm]

Thanks for the suggestions. There is some kind of tower (cell phone maybe) a mile or so from here. I'm going to have my daughter take it to her house and try it. That way I can determine whether it's in the scanner itself or not.

 

[LarrySC]

Do you sit you cell phone next to the scanner?? It samples towers every 3 to 4 seconds.