Anyone else have difficulties receiving MARCS when mobile?

[dizwiz]

I have a BC296D and cannot figure out why MARCS transmissions are always so crappy when Im mobile.

Heres an example transmission: <buzzsaw of control channel> "I have a 15 at <beep, click, gronk> send wrecker <beep, beep click>"

The <beep, click, gronk> represent undecoded digital audio.

Some people might suggest there is something wrong with my scanner, but yet it works flawlessly for all other digital APCO25 trunked systems. I have loaded the latest Uniden updates into my scanner to no avail.

Again, all other 800 mHZ based digital trunked systems (akron, summit county, cuyahoga falls) all come in loud and clear when I am in my car.-even when monitoring them from my home area in kent, ohio (15 miles away).

I have come to the conclusion that it is definitely worse when I am in my car (2004 BMW 330i).

I have tried the radio shack 800 mhz antenna and now am using a true-800 mhz antenna without much luck. Again every other trunked system comes in great.

I am confused....Does anyone else have this much trouble with MARCS when mobile?

When Im stationary, although its not as good as other digital systems, its much better.

 

[flyingwolf]

Try an external anteanna. May be from having the ant inside the vehicle and it is not getting a good signal.

 

[dizwiz]

Thats the next thing I am going to try.

I guess Im just confused as to why other APCO25 800 MHz systems come in great, just not MARCS.

 

[n8myc]

I've used my 796 when mobile and have had similar results, especially when travelling up and down I-71. I don't take it mobile anymore unless I want to hear an analog system along the way.

Bob N8MYC

 

[Tophtoh]

RE:

Now, why do you feel the need to state that you have a fancy car? The type of car you have had nothing to do with that post.

 

[dizwiz]

Its not that I consider the car fancy its just that it has special electronics, such as bluetooth, nav system, BMW assist, you name it, that might interfere with the operation of my scanner.

In fact, I clip the scanner to the vent right above the navigation screen. Didnt know if there was radiation of something from the LCD screen. Today I tried turning the navigation off and that did not have any effect on it.

Elsewise, I have no clue as to why my BC-296D does not pick up MARCS well but picks up every other trunked system.

***Update I tried the BC-296D out of the car and it had trouble with MARCS transmissions also,, although not quite as bad as when its in the car.

Keep in mind this is with a special 800 MHZ antenna from scanner master.

 

[Tophtoh]

RE:

My apologies

 

[dizwiz]

***Update***

The weather seems to affect my BC-296d's ability to receive MARCS.

When it was snowy and cloudy last week I had lots of problems. (although akrons APCO 25 800 Mhz system came in fine and im 15 miles from the repeater)

On sunday (clear and sunny) it came in great.

I wonder why MARCS is so temperature sensitive?

 

[johnnyelectron]

Blame it on digital

I thought "Digital" solved all problems! So why is analog so much more robust in Ohio? I still believe that digital radio is severely overrated in most situations.