BCD325P2 Reception goes in and out.

[raromero1]

I've been able to quick program 10 or so channels in my area, but when they start talking the antenna strength drops to nothing from 4 bars then back every 1 second, making it very frustrating to listen to. Is this some kind of jammer, or is my settings wrong?

 

[hiegtx]

I've been able to quick program 10 or so channels in my area, but when they start talking the antenna strength drops to nothing from 4 bars then back every 1 second, making it very frustrating to listen to. Is this some kind of jammer, or is my settings wrong?

Welcome to RadioReference.

In order to get the best answers to your question, please indicate your location (city (or county) plus state. Also, either provide a link to the database page for the system you are programming, or at least the name.

When you are seeing an interruption of reception, on a regular, repeating, basis. quite often it is because you have another function running in addition to scanning.

Having the scanner set to check Priority channels will cause this, as well as Weather Priority & running Close Call. Any of these can cause the scanner to briefly stop receiving the current channel to go check something else.

If you see "PRI" at the top of the scanner's display, just to the left of the signal bars, Priority is turned on.

Easier to Read BCD325P2 Digital Scanner Manual

If you see "WX" in the lower right corner, then Weather Priority is enabled.

Easier to Read BCD325P2 Digital Scanner Manual

A symbol that looks like the one below indicates that Close Call is enabled.

Easier to Read BCD325P2 Digital Scanner Manual

 

[n1chu]

Agreeing with prior post, especially as it relates to Close Call (CC)… CC attenuates received signals, only hearing signals close which would give you that lower lower reception capability. I use CC when I’m close to an incident, maybe stuck in a traffic backup and wonder what’s going on, in areas outside of my normal daily comings and going’s, such as when I’m on vacation and don’t have the agency’s frequencies programmed into the scanner.

When using CC be advised the frequencies you DO hear are most likely the transmit frequencies of the units on scene, NOT the Dispatch frequency, if they run a repeaterized duplex system, or a scene frequency such as Fireground, anything used in a simplex mode.

This is important to remember if you are using CC and searching for local frequencies of the agencies and have CC set to remember the ”hits” you get for later when you refer to them in order to create a new entry of an agency. Once programmed you may only hear the mobile units and not their dispatch, meaning you still need their dispatch frequency to complete that agency’s entry into your programming. Normally, the spacing for a duplex repeater system between receive and transmit is (on a VHF system) plus or minus 5 MHz, but not always.

 

[hill]

N1CHU I think you mean UHF and not VHF, as VHF has no standard spacing for input and output frequencies.

 

[raromero1]

Welcome to RadioReference.

In order to get the best answers to your question, please indicate your location (city (or county) plus state. Also, either provide a link to the database page for the system you are programming, or at least the name.

When you are seeing an interruption of reception, on a regular, repeating, basis. quite often it is because you have another function running in addition to scanning.

Having the scanner set to check Priority channels will cause this, as well as Weather Priority & running Close Call. Any of these can cause the scanner to briefly stop receiving the current channel to go check something else.

If you see "PRI" at the top of the scanner's display, just to the left of the signal bars, Priority is turned on.

Easier to Read BCD325P2 Digital Scanner Manual

If you see "WX" in the lower right corner, then Weather Priority is enabled.

Easier to Read BCD325P2 Digital Scanner Manual

A symbol that looks like the one below indicates that Close Call is enabled.
View attachment 125622

Easier to Read BCD325P2 Digital Scanner Manual

Got it. It was the "Close Call" mode. Thanks for the help.

 

[n1chu]

N1CHU I think you mean UHF and not VHF, as VHF has no standard spacing for input and output frequencies.

How long have you been around land mobile radio? Amateur radio? I may have the spacing incorrect but there were standards, common practices, observed for the input/output spacing of repeater frequencies.

 

[hill]

I have been around radio a long time.

Yes, UHF business repeater the input frequencies are plus 5 MHz. I remember the old Bearcat 780XLT had a button in switch to the input side on UHF, but can't do that with VHF.

VHF has no standard input frequency spacing. They use whatever frequencies are available to have enough frequency spacing to make the repeater work.

Yes 2 meter ham radio repeaters have a standard offset for 600 kHz, but nothing for commercial repeaters.

 

[n1chu]

I have been around radio a long time.

Yes, UHF business repeater the input frequencies are plus 5 MHz. I remember the old Bearcat 780XLT had a button in switch to the input side on UHF, but can't do that with VHF.

VHF has no standard input frequency spacing. They use whatever frequencies are available to have enough frequency spacing to make the repeater work

Not true. Of course, depending upon where you are, there are no VHF pairs left! But APCO or whoever was doing frequency allocations followed a “standard” whenever they could. It appears you haven’t been around radio long enough.

 

[hill]

See the link below which backs me up for no standard offset for VHF High Band.

Offset - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

.

 

[donc13]

Not true. Of course, depending upon where you are, there are no VHF pairs left! But APCO or whoever was doing frequency allocations followed a “standard” whenever they could. It appears you haven’t been around radio long enough.

APCO doesn't assign frequencies, the FCC does and for VHF, in my 60+ years of using/playing /building radios there has never been a standard repeater offset for VHF.

 

[mmckenna]

Not true. Of course, depending upon where you are, there are no VHF pairs left! But APCO or whoever was doing frequency allocations followed a “standard” whenever they could. It appears you haven’t been around radio long enough.

90.173i makes an attempt to use 5.26MHz offset, but it's not required. Not required means it's not a very good standard. The term "may" is used, which is different than "shall". Due to the lack of frequencies and all the previous messes made, I doubt it happens very often.

The VHF band is a mess and has been for a long time. At one point the FCC setting up different frequency pools made sense when a lot of users were simplex. Now that so many are repeated, it's a problem. There's no reasonable way to fix it.

 

[mmckenna]

APCO doesn't assign frequencies, the FCC does and for VHF, in my 60+ years of using/playing /building radios there has never been a standard repeater offset for VHF.

APCO -is- one of many frequency coordinators, and does play a role in assigning frequencies to users. FCC licenses those frequencies based on the recommendation of the frequency coordinator.

 

[donc13]

APCO -is- one of many frequency coordinators, and does play a role in assigning frequencies to users. FCC licenses those frequencies based on the recommendation of the frequency coordinator.

Coordinating and assigning are two different things. APCO's original role had nothing to do with radios other than creating a "standardized" 10 code list.

Since trunked radio came along, they have a much bigger role, specifically in working with the FCC when rebanding changes had to done in the "old" 700MHz TV bands once intermod interference from pagers, non public safety radios, etc. came into play.

 

[wtp]

post #5 IT IS FIXED.

let's see how long this will go on now...

 

[mciupa]

Yep, Elvis left the building and is happily listening to his scanner now.

 

[KevinC]

Jeez Louise. Closing.