Baltimore County 800 reception

[doctordave]

Just wondering if anyone else has noted terribly poor reception along Padonia road, near the 83 interchange.....as well as in the vicinity of the Padonia Rd / York Rd intersection? The North part of the County has always been a bit spotty - but I find the above-listed areas to be poor - and seemingly worse in recent months. Perhaps there is simply some increase in cellular/Nextel/pager transmissions in the vicinity. Are others having similar troubles....or maybe I have some selectivity issues w/ my 796? I know my 796's sensitivity is appropriate, given experience in monitoring 800 in other regions. I am not using a high-gain antenna, amp, etc.

As I've noted in some prior postings, even the Balt Co PD has been having increased trouble w/ reception in many areas of the County recently....so perhaps what I'm noting in the aforementioned areas is not just specific to scanners.

Thanks for any input.

Dave

 

[mlevin]

Dave it's most likely just some more cell interference. Since you were using one of the high end scanners chances are the cops are having the same problem. The 796 sensitivity isn't as good as the MTS 2000s that the police use, but it's not that bad. One way to know for sure is to engage the antennuater while in the vincinity. If the signal clears up most likely it's cell phone garbage.

 

[Spleen]

Padonia and York intersection has been a dead spot for quite a while. I used to drive from the Lucent building up on McCormick down to Applebee's via Beaver Dam every Tuesday...my Pro-94 would start getting quiet after passing the Texas dump, I'd lose the trunk signal as I passed the 7-11, and by the time I made the left onto Padonia it would go quiet.

 

[doctordave]

Thanks for both responses. Is there an easy way to attenuate all freqs at one time w/ the 796.....as opposed to having to attenuate each freq individually? I know you can easily do a "global attenuation" w/ RS models....but as I played w/ the menu of my 796, I could not find a similar option.

Another question.....the Balt Co PD units have antennas on each side of the trunk.....as opposed to having a single antenna centrally mounted......I assume they do not both attach to the voice radio - instead, I'd suspect that one goes to the KDT and one to the radio.....??

.......As I write this, the local Good Humor Ice Cream man is reportedly threatening to hit a mother & child w/ ice cream cones and lock them in his mobile freezer and is therefore drawing a police response.....perhaps he'e eaten one-too-many of his own "Nutty Buddies?"......ahhh, how I yearn for the good 'ol days when the ice cream man could be counted on not to try to kill his customers......

Dave

 

[Spleen]

Padonia and York intersection has been a dead spot for quite a while. I used to drive from the Lucent building up on McCormick down to Applebee's via Beaver Dam every Tuesday...my Pro-94 would start getting quiet after passing the Texas dump, I'd lose the trunk signal as I passed the 7-11, and by the time I made the left onto Padonia it would go quiet.

 

[Spleen]

Sorry for the double post...I hit Back/Refresh instead of going Home, first...