BC125AT Not hearing anything

[RPrats]

Hello all,
Newbee here having problems with my BC125at. I just received my scanner and programmed
a few frequencies from my local airport KTPA and I'm not hearing much. Occasionally I'll hear an airplane
but I don't hear any ATC. I'm within 5 miles of the airport at my home and I took it for a drive
today and even within 2 miles I could barely hear ATC and aircraft transmissions with a lot of static
in the background.
What am I doing wrong? Im using the factory antenna that came with the unit.
Thanks
Russ

 

[xxdanielt3]

I'm going to assume your trying to listen to either a trunked analog or a trunked digital system with your conventional analong scanner.

 

[davidmc36]

I'm going to assume your trying to listen to either a trunked analog or a trunked digital system with your conventional analong scanner.

Ahhhh, no. He is trying to listen to aviation freqs.

As far as the lack of clarity: Make sure you have no attenuation on.

Regardless the stock antenna will not be very good to get the ground based ATC side of things form 5 miles. Even at 2 miles inside your car it will be poor. I sometimes sit right at the fence and listen and if I use a mobile inside the car with stock antenna things like the Ground Control frequency which has the antenna optimized for contacting airplanes on the ground is still poor. That's why I use my mobile mounted scanners with hard mounted antenna on the roof of the car. The airplanes they are talking to have antennae mounted on the outside of the aircraft which have good ground planes and they can hear Ground Control well. Even they can have trouble sometimes if they are on the opposite side of a terminal building.

 

[RPrats]

Thanks David,
Yes, I'm trying to listen to Tampa International. Another question, when you say to make sure I have no attenuation on are you referring to the squelch? I have the squelch down to about 3. Also, do you think
a mobile car antenna sitting next to the window at my home will pick up the airport? Thanks for the
help.
Russ