BCD396T Not Receiving

[voyager9]

Hey All,
I've had a 396T since December. I used ARC396 to set it up and everything was working wonderfully. It was receiving my local FD's conventional and trunked system very well.

Some time in the last few days this just stopped. I no longer receive anything on any channels.
I've tried several antennas.
I've even lowered the squelch down all the way while holding on a conventional channel I know was transmitting.
When I manually turn to a talkgroup on the trunked system I see "Finding CtrlChan".

I'm not an expert, but it seems as though its not receiving anything, can anyone out there recommend anything to check?

Thanks!

 

[MysticalOS]

Heh maybe yours has same problem as mine, or that TRS has gone to a different CC channel freq, double check that system for new data, or fcc website for an updated license for it. Try picking up NOAA on WX operation or FM radio just as a controled test to see if scanner is capible of receiving at all instead of just testing one system...

 

[voyager9]

I just tried WX, no go.. it just kept scanning 161-163'ish freq.
I had also had it, and another scanner both listening on a conventional freq. The old scanner picked up stuff, the 396 didn't.. even with the squelch at 0.

 

[hiegtx]

I just tried WX, no go.. it just kept scanning 161-163'ish freq.
I had also had it, and another scanner both listening on a conventional freq. The old scanner picked up stuff, the 396 didn't.. even with the squelch at 0.

If it's no longer receiving anything on frequencies that had been working, including weather, that would tend rule out a programming issue.

Has it been dropped? Anything that would have caused a loose or broken internal connection?
Tried a different antenna, like from the scanner (presumably handheld) that does work?

Have you had it near another radio while that radio was transmitting? If so, that could have overloaded the front end of the scanner if the signal was strong enough, and/or the scanner antenna was close enough to the unit transmitting. This is possible even if the scanner was off, if the transmission was strong enough.

Any lightning strikes or a direct zap from static electricity?

If any of the above apply (except the antenna), then it may be damaged & require repair. If all of the above are negative, it still probably means a trip to Uniden for repair. But it wouldn't hurt to try two other things first.

Try a full reset. Turn it off. Then, press & hold down the "2", "9", and "Hold" keys while turning it on. That will clear the memory. (Make sure your programming is backed up with software before doing this!) Now, try weather.

If no luck after the reset, you could also try reloading the latest firmware. Download it from Uniden, along with the installer (if you haven't already). & load it into the scanner. This will rule out the slight possibility that the scanner's firmware has somehow become corrupt, & is causing the non-receive issue.

If no luck after either of those, then I'm out of ideas, and it's probably going to have to go in for repair (unless it had been new enough for your dealer to exchange it for you; that's unlikely as you bought it in December).

 

[voyager9]

Thanks, I'll try the reset/reburn ideas.

The scanner has basically been in my car since December. It hasn't been near any strong transmitters, and hasn't been dropped (or even moved) in a while.

I've tried two antennas, the one that came with and the external one I have on my car.

The only thing I can think of is that we've had some bad lightning storms here the last few weeks though I would think that if my car had been hit more would be damaged then the scanner.

I'll try the ideas you mention, and if that fails I'll make the call to Uniden techsupport. Any opinions on their turnaround time?

 

[disp10]

My BCD396T just developed the exact same problem after 2 months of use.
1 minute it was working fine. The next I can't receive anything, even with squelch at zero. Looks like I am sending it back to Uniden.