BC396T Sound

[duckpinjoe]

First off I think the BC396T is one of the best scanners that I have. I do have a question about the sound. While it is very clear, I have noticed that when you are lock into a Freq the sound drops off for a second and you miss some of the transmission. This seem to happen when the strength meter bars get to the max. Does anyone know if I can change a setting to help this.

 

[JGP]

First off I think the BC396T is one of the best scanners that I have. I do have a question about the sound. While it is very clear, I have noticed that when you are lock into a Freq the sound drops off for a second and you miss some of the transmission. This seem to happen when the strength meter bars get to the max. Does anyone know if I can change a setting to help this.

Your problem is the modulation setting. Auto defaults to NFM. You need to set the modulation to FM. This will stop the choping or droping of some of the transmission.

Yes, the auto or NFM setting will make it sound a little louder than FM, but the FM setting will solve your problem. I learned this the hard way too when I first got my 396.

Joel

 

[duckpinjoe]

Thanks for the info I will try and see it that helps

 

[bwhite]

Dumb question, is it safe to assume your advice would hold for other scanners like the 245 & 898? Thanx

 

[JGP]

Dumb question, is it safe to assume your advice would hold for other scanners like the 245 & 898? Thanx

There is no such thing as a dumb question--only a dumb answer. I don't own a 245 or a 898. You can try changing the modulation to FM if they have the same problem. It can't hurt to try. My BCD396T is the only scanner I own that gave me that type of problem. I can set my BC780XLT to NFM and not get the same problem.

I'm a member of the BCD396T Yahoo Group, and this is where I get my information for the 396. It is worth it to join if you own a 396.

Joel

 

[bwhite]

I haven't noticed the level change during a single transmission, but, as others have noted in numerous other threads, modulation levels among diff systems vary widely and thus the sound levels. I was thinking of trying this to see if it in any way helps to have a more constant sound level across systems. I don't have much hope for it, but, what the.....
I'll make a backup via software first and change it via software.
Thanx

 

[JTMax]

FM vs NFM

Your problem is the modulation setting. Auto defaults to NFM. You need to set the modulation to FM. This will stop the choping or droping of some of the transmission.

Yes, the auto or NFM setting will make it sound a little louder than FM, but the FM setting will solve your problem. I learned this the hard way too when I first got my 396.

Joel

What is the difference ibetween NFM, FM and WFM, If the defaults to NFM and the sound quality is better with FM, why wouldn't the default for digital be FM?

 

[Al42]

There are two standards (if we keep it to about the last 10 years or so):

Old standard - FM = 15 KHz, NFM = 5 KHz
New standard - FM = 5 KHz, NFM = 2.5 KHz.

WFM has been 75 KHz since before there were scanners.

The reason the newest scanners default to NFM is that fairly soon all systems will be on the 2.5 KHz "narrow" standard, just as all systems have been on the 5 KHz old "narrow" standard for years now. Technology improves and standards get tighter to fit more stations into the same bandwidth.

 

[GTO_04]

I haven't noticed the level change during a single transmission, but, as others have noted in numerous other threads, modulation levels among diff systems vary widely and thus the sound levels. I was thinking of trying this to see if it in any way helps to have a more constant sound level across systems. I don't have much hope for it, but, what the.....
I'll make a backup via software first and change it via software.
Thanx

That's because the AGC on the 396T doesn't work very well. Other than that, I find the audio quality to be quite good for such a small scanner.

GTO_04