BCD436HP in Calgary

[calgaryman]

Does anyone have this scanner in Calgary or know how to set it up to work properly with CMRN etc?

I don't know if I am supposed to be scanning all the different sites. I've also noticed when comparing it to a different scanner that I sometimes miss certain transmissions. Not sure what the issue could be?
I'm really new to scanning, so it might be something obvious that I just don't know about. Thanks!!

 

[dave3825]

Try scanning the site closest to you and see if the traffic you want to listen to is there.

 

[calgaryman]

Try scanning the site closest to you and see if the traffic you want to listen to is there.

Thanks Dave, so how would I do that exactly? Would I delete/avoid the other sites in Sentinel?

 

[dave3825]

If you have them all programmed in then you could assign each site a quick key and toggle each one on and off. Or I think you could do a site hold on each one to determine which one works best for you. Site hold may be the quicker easier option.

Easier to Read BCD436/536HP Digital Scanner Manual

Site Hold

Press Func then Site to hold on any Site in the current System. Press Func then Site and quickly scroll to the Site in Pause Mode. (Site is reversed in the display for 2 seconds in Pause Mode) Press Func then Site to release Site Hold.

 

[calgaryman]

If you have them all programmed in then you could assign each site a quick key and toggle each one on and off. Or I think you could do a site hold on each one to determine which one works best for you. Site hold may be the quicker easier option.

Easier to Read BCD436/536HP Digital Scanner Manual

Site Hold

Press Func then Site to hold on any Site in the current System. Press Func then Site and quickly scroll to the Site in Pause Mode. (Site is reversed in the display for 2 seconds in Pause Mode) Press Func then Site to release Site Hold.

The biggest issue I have right now is with the missed transmissions. They are either being cut off / starting halfway or just missed completely. No idea why this is happening. When it works it works great so its just been confusing.

 

[IdleMonitor]

Turn your priority off and if you want a priority setting on, then set it for priority DND (Do Not Disturb)

 

[calgaryman]

Turn your priority off and if you want a priority setting on, then set it for priority DND (Do Not Disturb)

Hey Idle, sorry I'm not sure what you mean by priority? Do you mean the option for "Priority scan" ? If you do, then I have that turned off already. As well as the Close Calls.

 

[IdleMonitor]

Weather alert priority perhaps then? Turn it off, if you don't want interruptions from that service.

Priority scan setting of DND (do not disturb) is the best setting to use for priority functions. If this is the issue.

Hey Idle, sorry I'm not sure what you mean by priority? Do you mean the option for "Priority scan" ? If you do, then I have that turned off already. As well as the Close Calls.

 

[smason]

Is there a specific service that you're hearing on my feed that you're not hearing on your scanner? Fire S Fire N?

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

The biggest issue I have right now is with the missed transmissions.

Try all suggestions in this post. Every site on the system looks to be unique so I wouldn't suspect simulcast distortion

 

[calgaryman]

Is there a specific service that you're hearing on my feed that you're not hearing on your scanner? Fire S Fire N?

It’s not that. I can receive everything, it’s just that there are some things I miss.
For example, Corporate Security might be talking on yours and I’d totally miss it. In most cases, though the issue I have is that it might miss the first half of transmissions that yours picked up fully. It doesn’t always happen but it does happen. I’m not sure if it’s squelch or maybe its just not able to decode fast enough.

Try all suggestions in this post. Every site on the system looks to be unique so I wouldn't suspect simulcast distortion

I’ll give that a try, thanks Whiskey.

 

[IdleMonitor]

What's your squelch set at for everything? A generally accepted level for the squelch is a setting of 2.

 

[calgaryman]

What's your squelch set at for everything? A generally accepted level for the squelch is a setting of 2.

Hey Idle, I have it set to 2. Do you think this could be a decoding issue? Maybe something to do with the digital threshold mode or threshold level? I dont really know how it all works.

 

[IdleMonitor]

I've just left those settings at auto generally. But maybe they need tweeking, not sure.

Hey Idle, I have it set to 2. Do you think this could be a decoding issue? Maybe something to do with the digital threshold mode or threshold level? I dont really know how it all works.

 

[calgaryman]

I've just left those settings at auto generally. But maybe they need tweeking, not sure.

Have you ever experienced a similar issue with missing half of a transmission with your radio?

 

[IdleMonitor]

I'll be honest, on our FleetNet system in Ontario here, I have. I try not to let it bother me, but there are times that I figure I'm missing some comm's from something. I do consider myself a well experienced scanner user so I have no idea what the issue is. Could be something in the those other settings as well perhaps. I haven't dove that far in to figure it out.

Have you ever experienced a similar issue with missing half of a transmission with your radio?

 

[smason]

Depending on what all the radio is listening to, it's quite possible that it was off on another unrelated frequency when the transmission started.

IF you're definitely only monitoring the Calgary Muni system, then it may be something else. I don't know if the 436HP would waste time on the control channel of a site that it can't hear, but that's also a possibility.
If you can, try limiting it to only the Calgary Muni system, and only 1 or 2 sites that you know come in well. Even though I'm reasonably close to South Health and Fish Creek, I still find Broadcast Hill the most reliable for where my 996P2 sits. With my handheld it varies wildly by position in the house.

 

[dave3825]

Corporate Security might be talking on yours and I’d totally miss it.

In most cases, though the issue I have is that it might miss the first half of transmissions that yours picked up fully.

Let's try to figure out why. What was your scanner doing right before the conversation it misses the beginning of? Was it scanning? Was it finishing up on another call then started scanning?

What happens if you hold on a talk group of interest? Do you hear all transmissions fully? If your holding on a tg and missing any parts than could be weak signal or a bad decode.

 

[calgaryman]

Let's try to figure out why. What was your scanner doing right before the conversation it misses the beginning of? Was it scanning? Was it finishing up on another call then started scanning?

What happens if you hold on a talk group of interest? Do you hear all transmissions fully? If your holding on a tg and missing any parts than could be weak signal or a bad decode.

Hey Idle I think I figured it out. I believe it had to do with signal strength which I did not really understand until now. If I moved the radio just slightly because I was operating with the a signal strength of a whopping 1 bar and I moved the radio slightly or sometimes just did nothing sometimes 1 bar would go to 0.

Now that I have figured this out it seems to be consistent. Sadly, I can't sit there balancing the radio for 4 bars, so I've settled with leaving it stationary with a max of 2 bars. Thanks for being willing to help out.

If you know of any other ways to increase the signal strength without the whole balancing the radio at certain angles please let me know!

Thanks

 

[IdleMonitor]

Get yourself an outside base antenna and all your signals will be strong all the time.

If you know of any other ways to increase the signal strength without the whole balancing the radio at certain angles please let me know!

Thanks