[AUDIO] Is This Normal For 800mhz?

[mkaskavitch]

I've purchased and been enjoying my Uniden BCD436HP. Today I was walking across the Anschutz Medical Campus which is on the border of Aurora and Denver in the northeast part of the metro and had my 436 scanning the Denver Police EDACS system. While walking across campus I held my scanner up in the air and made this recording.

https://soundcloud.com/matthew-kaskavitch/uniden-bcd436hp-audio-sample

Is the noise I'm hearing from line-of-sight difficulties? I find it hard to believe outside that I'm getting scratch on the signal, but I'm completely new to monitoring 800mhz trunked systems. I suppose I'm used to getting full-quieting signals being in the city I'm monitoring. I just purchased the RS800 antenna for the radio for monitoring the Denver 800mhz systems, I hope i'll see an improvement.

 

[UPMan]

Sounds like you don't have much signal.

 

[mkaskavitch]

Sounds like you don't have much signal.

I should have mentioned I was getting 3-4 bars on the signal meter during this recording.

 

[natedawg1604]

You definitely have a weak EDACS signal, it's unmistakable. The RS 800 Mhz antenna is a good choice, that may help a lot.

Signal bars can be deceiving with trunked systems because you sometimes get a strong signal on a voice channel but a weak signal on the control channel, or vice versa. Also you might have been in a dead spot where the system has weak coverage. Did you try bringing up Aurora PS EDACS or Denver City Services EDACS?

 

[k0pwo]

Sounds like your to close to a cell site and it is interfering with your reception.

 

[Steve2003]

I hear the same thing when I get on the fringe of Denver's EDACS coverage. Did you have 3-4 signal bars while receiving audio or while the scanner was idle and waiting for traffic?

It could have also been just that one frequency. Did all transmissions fade in and out or only about 1-in-18?

I definitely recommend a different antenna, I have been using the RS/GRE 800 MHz antenna for years (it isn't that bad in other frequency ranges either).

 

[kc0kp]

I've purchased and been enjoying my Uniden BCD436HP. Today I was walking across the Anschutz Medical Campus which is on the border of Aurora and Denver in the northeast part of the metro and had my 436 scanning the Denver Police EDACS system. While walking across campus I held my scanner up in the air and made this recording.

https://soundcloud.com/matthew-kaskavitch/uniden-bcd436hp-audio-sample

Is the noise I'm hearing from line-of-sight difficulties? I find it hard to believe outside that I'm getting scratch on the signal, but I'm completely new to monitoring 800mhz trunked systems. I suppose I'm used to getting full-quieting signals being in the city I'm monitoring. I just purchased the RS800 antenna for the radio for monitoring the Denver 800mhz systems, I hope i'll see an improvement.

What you may be hearing is phase noise from the simulcast system. Phase is set for the interior of the simulcast system boundary. You are outside of that boundary so you will hear phase noise do to timing errors in the received signal. A commercial grade receiver eliminates much of this but it is even noticeable on them as well. It is not a signal level issue. Also bear in mind that one of Aurora's simulcast towers is on that campus which can be de-sensing your receiver as well.

 

[mkaskavitch]

I hear the same thing when I get on the fringe of Denver's EDACS coverage. Did you have 3-4 signal bars while receiving audio or while the scanner was idle and waiting for traffic?

It could have also been just that one frequency. Did all transmissions fade in and out or only about 1-in-18?
.

I usually see full-scale signal strength when it's scanning across the DPD EDACS system, but some transmissions come through with noise while dropping down a bar or two in signal strength. Other times transmissions sound great.

I have purchased the RS800 antenna and have noticed an improvement in my 800mhz reception. I'm going to do some more extensive testing with it this weekend (including making some videos), but it seems to be worth 1 bar of signal strength over the stock Uniden antenna.

 

[mkaskavitch]

. Did you try bringing up Aurora PS EDACS or Denver City Services EDACS?

I'll certainly try bringing up some of the others to compare next time!